only running engine on centre stand,

[hightower]

I'm not the smartest tool in the shed, and learning all the time. But I had my sump off last week, and on FZS the alient looking suction tube for the oil pump is about the centre and it seemed to sit nice and deep in the sump - not sure what it's like on other bikes but I would have thought so long as you have enough oil in the sump then it will still get what it needs.

[taylor]

lol I thought he was talking shit, hes about 55, his son was a premiership speedway rider and he rebuilt that after ever race, hes got about 10 bikes around there all concourse, so he knows his stuff, hes rebuilt them all, but I think he goes over the top sometimes.

[Super_Monkey]

For what its worth, I picked up a TDM850 cheap as it had a big end bearing issue, pulled the engine out, stripped it , looked at the rods and sure enough one of the bearings was fucked, the other was fine, spoke to a mate who's been a bike mechanic for longer than time itself (yeah yeah I know) and he said that that is a known problem with TDMs as some owners run the engine and leave it ticking over on the sidestand , all the oil does run to one side of the engine and causes the very problem this engine had.


Bollocks??? What do you think?

[stevierst]

It's that tdm engine, it's renown for it, and it's not always the same big end bearing that seizes. They burn oil for fun, and most owners do neglect to check it before it's too late.

[unfazed]

Despite the ridicule this poor fellow is getting and being of the same vintage, I know he is partially correct. There were issues with some of the older engines mostly singles with regards the design of the oiling of the cam shaft and valve train. If left on the side stand and then started the right side was starved of oil because the oil had drained away as there were no places to hold the oil until the oil pressure built up after starting. It eventually caused the cam or valve train to seize. However if they were started when upright there was sufficient oil within the cam and/or valve train to feed the bearings while the oil pressure built up
Particular dodgy ones were the early 1970s Honda OHC singles. The cam ran directly on the flat machined alloy head with no slots to hold the oil and it drained away from the area when on the side stand. Eventually the head and/or valve train or cam could be junk. Some enterprising fellows machined brass inserts to fit if the cam, head and or valve gear were salvageable.
Thankfully it is no longer an issue nowadays.

In reply to the problem with the TDM and the TRX before it was that it had a dry sump and many did not fill them or check them for oil properly. Some were inclined to burn oil and left run low on oil,  which many owners did as they were unsure or did not know how to check the oil level properly. With the oil low and then if it was left idling on the side stand you could starve the pick up of oil and destroy the cam or crank.

[darrsi]

The concern is it not that its nothing to do with anything other that the 1st 5 seconds of starting, is the concern that the pump will not have access to enough oil on start up, which side is the pump.

And while I think about it why is the stand on the left on all bikes

Would it be anything to do with bikes in the past having kick starts on the right side, and they just stuck with it?

[hightower]

But you wouldn't kick a bike whilst on the side stand anyway..... would ya?

[richfzs]

People do...

[BBROWN1664]

standing astride the bike, but with it still on side stand is the normal way for most people to kick start bikes.

[hightower]

When I had my Chinese 125 I wouldn't have dared - it would have snapped the side stand I had to put that much energy into kicking it. That was probably in no small part to the cheap Chinese bike though.

EDIT: Also, my Chinese bike wouldn't let you start (even in neutral) with the side stand down - perhaps that is why I got used to kicking it with the stand up too.

[Super_Monkey]

It's that tdm engine, it's renown for it, and it's not always the same big end bearing that seizes. They burn oil for fun, and most owners do neglect to check it before it's too late.

yup very true Stevie