Engine squeal then knocking!

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Josh Butt

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2020
Messages
14
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Location
Perth, Western Australia
Hi all!
I'm fairly new to the forum but it has helped me out no end!
I have a 95 max and just finished clutch replacement, shifter segment upgrade new starter clutch and a few other bits and pieces. Took it for a ride yesterday, not pushing too hard. Went to accelerate but didn't have much power, downshifted and tried again but it had enough. Stalled and coasted to a stop.
Checked fuel, about half a tank. Tried to restart but seemed to have a flat battery. Got a mate to come with jumper leads, got it to start but with a LOUD squealing noise from top end (I think). Trailered it home, checked out clutch and alternator rotor for anything obvious... nothing.
But found lots of brassy/gold glitter and shavings in the oil?
Put in fresh oil, started again. Still squealing, then started knocking too.
Is my max dead?
I have a video of it running, but not sure how to attach to the forum. I'll try put it up, or I can email it to anyone.
Thanks in advance for any opinions!
 
Sounds like an oil pump failure unfortunately.

That's the sound an oil starved engine will make.
 
The gold you see is probably bearing material as they eat themselves from crank friction and lack of lubrication.

Very sorry to hear this, but it doesn't sound good.
 
Thanks for the input guys. Sorry, I'm new to the whole forum thing. I'm in Perth, Western Australia. Parts are pretty thin on the ground, let alone engines! I figured by the metal in the oil that it was probably big end material.
Looks like I'll be without a ride for a while...........any other tips or checks I can do to confirm without pulling the motor?
 
No, from what you've described, your days of riding are over, on that engine. If you're lucky, the crank will be salvageable, and the cases too, but often the conn rod big end on that one cyl, will be bad, and if your crank bearings pushed through the metal from that then the crank and bearings are gonna need replacement, Sean Morley can chime-in and tell you about the crank thrust bearing and tearing-up the case, which is fixable, but requiring $$$ machine work, he usually says, forget it, at that point. I've bought used engines for <$1K USA but you better trust the person from whom you're getting it.
 
Hey all. Update, I pulled the engine today and checked out the oil pump. Found the drive gear on the pump free spinning on the shaft and the pump shaft seized. The pickup screen had about half of the mesh pulled into the pump and full of debris. The pump pulley had kept spinning, rounding off the flat in the pulley bore and melting the pulley. And heaps of metal in the oil pan.
 
Sorry to here. A used engine would be the most economical fix now. Motivation to reinstall my oil pressure gauge is high on the next thing I do list.
 
Hey guys, update #2......
Just got the pistons and rods out.
Big end bearings are all pretty bad but no. 2 is totalled!! Got heat discolouration halfway up the rod and on the crank. The journal is pretty scored as well. Next up to split the cases and check out the mains!
 
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