Torn down engine.. take a look at what you see

[~TABASCO~]

Even without the valve timing slipping, engines will sometimes spit back through the intake tract, so it should not be too surprising to find coolant on top of an intake valve in the case of a failed head gasket. The deposits on the piston crown seem to indicate it was at one time pretty wet and then dried up, leaving that strange pattern of deposits.

Agreed..... ""IF"" there was a head gasket issue its even more strange it was in both cylinders. And 'leaking' at the same rate... Most of the time its one or the other and really evident (in other engines). I sound like a broken record, but this is just strange. The 'ring' around the top does look and feel like rust.

Just for forum 'info' I might take a few pictures of the head gasket and let everyone take a look to see if you find something I'm not seeing... Who knows, something fun to look at...

 

[Koinz]

combustion chambers look normal to me, but I would have two follow-up questions. How long has the bike been sitting and where was it stored. Condensation and a light rust would form on the non-contact areas of the cylinder (like at the top). Could a small amount of antifreeze spilled into the cylinders upon removing the heads?

If it was stored outside where it would exposed to the elements for a period of several months. I'd say it's all normal.

If the owner is concerned about a bent valve, I would strip the heads, check the valves, maybe dye test the head for cracks, replace the valve seals and put it back together.

 

[snakebitten]

I thought that crazy dude that did the Alaska<>South America<>Alaska........and then shipped the Tenere back to the UK with about 50K miles on it?

Wasn't that bike clean inside after the teardown?

 

[sjh]

That teardown happened to be where i get mine serviced - here's a little video of it

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tCHWsSRWMkc

 

[~TABASCO~]

I thought that crazy dude that did the Alaska<>South America<>Alaska........and then shipped the Tenere back to the UK with about 50K miles on it?

Wasn't that bike clean inside after the teardown?

Hey brother !

I think they talk about the transmission or bottom end of the motor being clean... I don't think they talk about the top end... Every time I take the TB's off of a Tenere I take a mental note on the condition of the intake valves. Ive seen all types of conditions but never this 'brand new' clean...

 

[sjh]

Found pics of the magazine spread hosted here also

 

[snakebitten]

Yo Jaxon!

Yea, I just watched that video. It was the same one from years ago.
You're right. They never captured the top-end with the camera.

Oh well. No answers there.

Still, you just might HAVE to live with buttoning her all back up without ever knowing why she's "cleaner" than expected.

 

[sjh]

Yourself right. They never captured the top-end with the camera.

^ those two images did show the top end

 

[snakebitten]

Thanks sjh!

There's your top end shots.

 

[sjh]

No probs- i rehosted on imgur so i could embed above.


edit: i remembered this well as that article/video did more to sway my buying decision than any other print/video media

 

[~TABASCO~]

Im still so happy to own the Super Tenere and I have no worries about the bike or motor. Ive worked on so many of them and they are pretty darn bullet proof. Im sure this whole topic is nothing to worry about and just a practice in 'picture taking'..

The pictures above of the head and top of the cylinders have been cleaned up pretty darn good.. The head gasket has some sealing properties that leave black poo-poo all over the top and bottom that has to be cleaned off. The pictures show those to two surfaces totally clean..

Anyhow, the bike is a fantastic bike and I love it..

 

[snakebitten]

Nice try. But talk around town is your courting a gal in an orange dress.

Can't really judge ya too harshly though. I know that orange family. Hooligans all. But they're a hoot to hang with.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Nice try. But talk around town is your courting a gal in an orange dress.

Can't really judge ya too harshly though. I know that orange family. Hooligans all. But they're a hoot to hang with.

LOL.... yea maybe a used one five years from now... LOL

 

[greg the pole]

Yo Jaxon!

Yea, I just watched that video. It was the same one from years ago.
You're right. They never captured the top-end with the camera.

Oh well. No answers there.

Still, you just might HAVE to live with buttoning her all back up without ever knowing why she's "cleaner" than expected.

The valves were filthy on Nick's bike.
They blamed it on poor fuel. I don't buy it.

 

[tuonodave]

The only other thing that comes to mind as a cause of the coolant leak is a crack or a porosity problem with the head or block. I would pressure test the cooling system when you get it done and use a borescope to verify no leaks. Better yet have the machine shop pressure check and magnaflux the cylinder head while its off.

 

[~TABASCO~]

This looks interesting... Exhaust ports look like they have very few miles on the motor... This engine has about 45-46K

 

[snakebitten]

Why yaw don't wanna believe it could be so nice looking?
Maybe he uses fuel additive or has access to old fashioned gasoline?

I miss real gas. Seems crazy in Texas to not have good clean gasoline.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Going to agree with you and others in that everything in the cylinder looks steam cleaned, coolant source, yada, yada.

But the upstream side of the intake seats are also very clean for the mileage. I'm with the Snake in that it looks like an engine run regularly with a fuel cleaning additive.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Why yaw don't wanna believe it could be so nice looking?
Maybe he uses fuel additive or has access to old fashioned gasoline?

I miss real gas. Seems crazy in Texas to not have good clean gasoline.

Good point.. He is from out of state... Maybe its 'clean' gas.... Ill have to ask him...

 

[snakebitten]

I've been using Yamaha's fuel treatment for a fairly long time. Every single tank full. I buy it by the case.

I asked my tech who did my valve check to let me know what he thinks about carbon buildup on anything he could see.
Had 2 valves needing shimming, if I remember correctly. He stated when he looked down the throat after removing the TB's that it looked really good and clean.

Don't know any more than that.
But it seems there should be noticeable difference between engines that do get the treatment and those that don't?