Whilst you've got the motor out of the frame, I would split the crank cases and check the 5th gear pair. Whilst you're there I'd also split the oil strainer and post some photos of what you find inside

cadno wrote: Mon Sep 01, 2025 7:58 am Whilst you've got the motor out of the frame, I would split the crank cases and check the 5th gear pair. Whilst you're there I'd also split the oil strainer and post some photos of what you find inside

That sounds somewhat ominous, but I also suspect the voice of experience! At the end of the day, I've got a full gasket set so no real reason why I can't take a look. Although I may not like waht I find!!

Better to find it at home than in the desert

You can actually see 5th gear with the cases still together if you look though the gap between the crank halves with the barrel off. Although, youve made it this far, its not much more effort to split the cases and check properly, along with all the bearings, I found the hardest part was getting the flywheel off.

Peen wrote: Mon Sep 01, 2025 2:09 pm You can actually see 5th gear with the cases still together if you look though the gap between the crank halves with the barrel off. Although, youve made it this far, its not much more effort to split the cases and check properly, along with all the bearings, I found the hardest part was getting the flywheel off.

Well, I think I need to get the flywheel off anyway, as I am not sure that there is a way to do the camchain and guides with the flywheel on, so that little sucker is getting pulled anyhow.

OK - so I entered this evening with some intrepidation about getting the flywheel off having seen some of the horror stories on here.


Had already got picked up the above Sealey Harmonic puller in anticipation and with a bit of tension, a bit of a tippy tap with a suitable non damaging device one loud pop later and it was off!
That's where the good news ended as what I found behind was not what I wanted to see!!


Fly wheel off, but this is exactly how I found the camchain guide.........just hanging there - no bolts.

So either the person before me didn't put the bolts in, or the person before me did put the bolts in without Loctite and they have exited south! Looks like we are going to play hunt the bolts. Oh boy - but as you said - better at home than in the desert!!

You lucky bastard, took me a week with an expensive puller and hammers and big impact gun to get my flywheel off. Maybe yours was easier as its probably been off before for someone to have not bolted the guide in well enough.

Lucky may well be the word, when it comes to the flywheel - and I am hoping lucky with regards the camchain tensioner

I went for a bit of a fish this morning as it made no sense to me. Look what I found!



On first inspection, it doesn't look like anything has come into contact. The two of them were just sitting there, having a lovely time in the last bit of oil that's in the sump complete with their washers!

Now it make sense to me when the camchain tensioer was at it's max!!

I will go in deeper now that I am this far

cadno wrote: Mon Sep 01, 2025 7:58 am Whilst you've got the motor out of the frame, I would split the crank cases and check the 5th gear pair. Whilst you're there I'd also split the oil strainer and post some photos of what you find inside

OK - I have done as suggested, although not entirely sure what I am looking for on the 5th gears








Nothing looks terrible here, but I may be looking wrong




OK - so I went in again and, after reading through the forum, realised that this is what I was (wasn't) looking for



I've not worked out how to get the oil strainer apart yet so haven't been in there.

Ok,
So I actually don’t know what just happened.

I stripped the strainer and thought that doesn’t look too bad





But then I realised, oh wait, the bad stuff is underneath the strainer not on top and then this happened!!





That is genuinely what came out of the strainer with my 10mm long reach to give some sort of perspective!

What the hell??