The SP400 (2 stroke) had been smoking excessively for the past week and 1/2, I figured the oil pump was out of adjustment, so yesterday I twisted my way into adjusting the oil pump - it was off a little, but not bad. While under there, I noticed a small weep from underneath the waterpump [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img] I had just changed the balance shaft oil about 3-4 weeks ago, so I checked the dipstick to see if I was getting antifreeze in the sump oil - there was not a drop of oil on the dipstick (or antifreeze either).

Well, I pulled the sump case off and only found a thin layer of oil in the bottom of the sump - I'm guessing the crank seal must be letting the oil into crankcase, causing the excessive smoke. The crank bearing feels good, and the seal looks OK, but I am going to change the seal anyway. The waterpump is getting new seals and bearing.

Due to the lack of oil, even though the balance shaft feels OK, do you figure I should go ahead and change out the balance shaft bearings while I'm in it? I average 2-3 miles a day on this quad, so figure 20-30 miles since it started smoking, not knowing when it was empty of oil. The other thing is I use a moly additive to my oil that is supposed to penetrate the metal surfaces and protect against loss of oil, so the bearings may not be harmed at all.

What is your opinion?

 

My feelings on bearings is,if you take it in your hand and you can not rock it back and forth the bearing is still good.If you have any kind of play i would say change it.Sounds like you should be ok.

 

what is the sump case i have mine open right now and there was oil and antifreeze in the bottom of the motor i am going to change out my seals too but the bearing in the water pump feels fine do you think i should change it out??
one more thing i took off the stator while dissasembling the motor i was going by what the manual said
and did not realize it controlled my timeing i can see where it sat in the case should lineing it back up work or am i in for a lot of trouble with timeing??

 

Quadwrench, seeing you have the knowledge and the tools to do it, I would change the balancer bearings to be on the safe side. I agree with CED, but the fact of the stupid things being sooooo high dollar just makes me think I would do it.

 

also i did not count on putting in a new bearing the bearing you are talking about is it the one in the water pump or the one on the left side of the motor " sitting on the quad looking down" also is there
a bearing under the gear that spins the counter balance it doesent seem like there should be but in the parts break down it looks like there is