O.k. Since my last post, I found low compression due to sand getting past an old K&N filter. Had local shop bore and hone. I am now at 100 over. Did a full break in on the new piston and cylinder. I rode over 60 miles and had no problems. That was a great fourth of JULY.

Last weekend a buddy of mine and I went for a slower paced trip here in the local mountains. Approx. 3,000 feet. I was following because of the nice dust cloud th LT loves to make. We went out about ten miles then took a break. This is where it gets ugly. On the next section of the trip, I was again following out of kindness, but seemed to be lugging in second and third. We started doing the nice burms on the roadsides, I went up and when I gassed it coming down, the motor sounded hollow, and had no power. It also quickly died.

Two days later I pull apart the head and find major carnage!! I could not see where these pieces of metal came from untill I pulled the piston. Only 1 washer was still in place under the piston. The other had broken somehow and gouged the cylinder walls, jammed under the crank, and messed up my dome.

Has anyone ever heard of this happening. I spoke with the shop about the particular washers, and he said I would be fine re-using them, just use the new bearing and pin in the piston. I now have side play on the connectin rod and want to replace it. I'm assuming I have to split the case to do this. Will read the manual tonight.

Sorry for the long post, just need a little assistance in the rebuilding of the engine. Do they sell sleeve kits to re-sleeve the lt500. What kind of cost should I expect. I can do the assembly of the top side, just not quite sure about where and what to seal after splitting the case to get the pieces replaced.

Thanks in advance.
Todd

 

Sorry to hear you blew your motor. Now keep in mind that I haven't built one of these specific motors, but I have built a bunch of other two strokes, so this info may not apply. First, side clearance is necessary in my opinion. Whether the rod is guided at the bottom or the top, one end has to have some play. On most of the stuff I have done, the rod is guided by the crank and there is room for the piston to walk side to side on the wrist pin, but it doesn't due to the cylinder. I am not sure what "washers" you were referring to, but if Suzuki doesn't call for them, you shouldn't use them. This play is necessary due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances, and if you took it away, the piston was riding on one side of the cylinder and you probably caught a ring and shattered the piston. Now for the cylinder, you can ship the jug to LA Sleeve and have it repaired, and the will send it back, ready to install with the proper size Wiseco, or Pro-X Piston kit for about $400 (I think). You can look them up online, they have been in business forever.
Good Luck!

 

Sorry your having problems with your zilla. I cant tell you, I know these engines forward and backward's. Dont be afraid It is a very basic engine has always been very reliable for me. If you get stuck I will try to help you. Ok you should feel movement when you move the crank rod side to side but you should not feel play up and down if you have play up and down you will need to split the cases. If not your crank might be ok, You should be able to get any piece's out. But you should remove engine and flush it. If you do have to split the cases I recomend you use baggies and put all your bolts washers and parts in them as you go along. Make a bag for each item you disasemble it make's reassembly much easier when you know you have the right bolts for each item. Also remember the clutch side crank shaft nut is left handed. And make sure you get all the inner bolts out to allow case seperation a rubber malet works well. Also make sure you tighten the crank balancer to spec they are prone to loosen. Also when you take your stator cover off try and move your stator up and down if ther is any up and down play in there you will have to have the bearing bosses sleeved this is a well known problem on the zilla. And la sleeve will have what you need for the resleeve you can buy it and have a machine shop install it for you. Or ship them your cylinder they will do it for you. Hope that helps Good Luck

 

You have unfortunately been bitten by the thrust washer bug [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

These washers are prone to failure and should be replaced with the piston! Even though no visible cracks may be seen, the only true way to tell if they can be run again is to have them magna-fluxed (Microscopically inspected for cracks)
I've seen brand new ones from the factory fail tests... (Yes, I'm so **** that I've tested new ones... can you tell I've had one come apart too?)

Failure of a thrust washer is usually catastropic, destroying the piston, bore and usually beats the heck out of the dome and bottom end too.

Wiseco makes a piston that's .120 over, provided your bore will clean up at that diameter... Otherwise your looking at getting a different cylinder or having that one re-sleeved.
As far as checking side play on the rod/crank, GET A MANUAL... you'll need it sooner or later, and you should live by it.
DO NOT ATTEMPT to work on this motor without one.

Should you need the crank rebuilt, Crank works in Arizona does great work for a fair price.

Sorry for your misfortune...

 

yea i would definitely have something to say to the guy who said it was ok to reuse the thrust washers. Im glad i replaced mine when i did my top end. Although i am trusting that new ones are gonna be ok.

 

click here and look at the two bottom right pictures. I guess you can say that I can relate.

Your crank is probably fine.. BUT you must get all the pieces out from the bottom end. My crank was fine after this happened to me. I might have been lucky though.
You see those little pieces in the right hand pic? Those little pieces were in the bottom end. We pulled them out with a shop magnet and other ways.
(tipping the case upside down/flushing with oil repeatedly)

We actually re-used that head. (haha) I had enough with my Zilla after this happened. I quickly rebuilt it, and sold it.

PS. That side to side movement of the rod on the crank is perfectly normal. Up and down? The rebuild just got more complicated.

 

Sorry for you'r troubles, I know what its like, I'am currenly in the process of ding my main bearings. This is a wake up call those washers are going to be replaced, I didn't do them the first time round.

 

OK Thanks for all the help so far. Now I don't feel quite so screwed. I called Trinity and LA sleeve today. Spoke to both of them about the problem. What do ya know, they also knew the 500 was prone to those breaking, and would never re-use the washers. I have now learned what $4.00 worth of failed washer can do. I will take this one as a learning lesson.

Even though it will take a few weeks to get this completed, I still love this beast. It surprises most who these days have only heard of LT500's, and woops on those that think they can beat it. Its also my sanity after a long day at work.

I'll keep ya posted of the next few weeks and will take some pics to scare those who have never seen this kind of damage.

Todd