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Thanks for the advice guys I'll look for a replacement. No rush as I'm now taking the engine apart to find out what else might be knackered. Got the engine out today, front left lower engine mounting bolt was sheared, it was "glued" in. The remaining bolt is I suspect going to be difficult to fish out. Feels like the work really starts here.https://photos.app.goo.gl/bZUXdfnkSrRnsyKRA
Drilled out the engine mounting bolt which was mostly something like body filler until well down to just above the nut. Drilling the actual bolt wasn't too bad as I used a new 11 mm HSS Cobalt bit. 10 mm bit wasn't long enough to give clearance between the drill chuck and the crankcase. I drilled away a good part of the nut also. Anyhow it was all going fine until the bolt was relieved when the end of the nut was reached. I could see cracks open up slowly in front of my eyes, almost in slow motion. Bummer. The end of the bolt was pressed up hard against the crankcase which must have been causing stress. The pictures tell it better than words. First image shows most of the bolt removed before any cracks. 3rd image shows the indentation in the crankcase made by the end of the bolt. Anyhow this leaves me needing replacement crankcases or possibly a welding job? I haven't split them yet as I'm waiting on a clutch nut tool at the moment. Can't wait to see what's inside!https://photos.app.goo.gl/sHrq2Xko7tHU2FuE7
I think the crankcase was doomed from the point someone sheared the bolt, this must have happened when it bottomed out. I have managed to track down the previous owner and he has been kind enough to give me a pretty full history, certainly at some point the bike had crash bars fitted, then removed...I noticed the cracks appear whilst the dirt was still on the casing, so in the first image, the cracks weren't there. I should have taken another image to show how they looked before I cleaned off the dirt to show how they revealed themselves. I'm looking at replacements rather than welding, depending on what comes up. However open to all options at the moment.
Quote from: smoothoperator on January 04, 2021, 12:10:14 PMI think the crankcase was doomed from the point someone sheared the bolt, this must have happened when it bottomed out. I have managed to track down the previous owner and he has been kind enough to give me a pretty full history, certainly at some point the bike had crash bars fitted, then removed...I noticed the cracks appear whilst the dirt was still on the casing, so in the first image, the cracks weren't there. I should have taken another image to show how they looked before I cleaned off the dirt to show how they revealed themselves. I'm looking at replacements rather than welding, depending on what comes up. However open to all options at the moment.If you are going down the replacement route I do have a set of cases stashed away under the bench. No crank. Think they have had the usual camchain bolt issue from memory... PM me if of interest. I wont want silly money.