Engine swap advice

Started by motto, July 24, 2018, 05:15:23 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

motto

Hello. Long time lurker/very occasional poster here. However I do actually own a Ninja at the moment – a 2009 ZX10R. And its engine went bang, hence this post asking you lovely people for advice.

(Backstory – I was happily riding along a couple of months ago when the oil filter came loose and dumped oil everywhere. I drained what was left, stuck new oil in, and all seemed well. However it obviously wasn't because 1000 miles later it started to rattle and then a conrod punched its way out of the crankcase. Moral of the story: when you change your oil, check the manual and use a torque wrench...)

I don't see any other option now other than buying a replacement engine from a breaker.  Have a few questions...

1.How do I know if an engine is decent before buying it? I guess a reputable breaker should be able to give me the reg number and engine number, right? So at least I can do HPI/MOT checks to confirm mileage and that it's not stolen. Anything else?

2.Before I put the new engine in, I'll do valve clearances and spark plugs, which should be a lot easier with it out of the bike. Any other jobs worth doing at the same time?

3.Any tips for actually doing the swap? I've swapped engines on aircooled singles before, but this will have a lot more connections to get right! I plan to take lots of photos, label all the wires and hoses that are disconnected, and follow the workshop manual. Anything I'm missing?

Think that's it for now. If you're still reading thanks for getting this far!

Dom1

Welcome.

With no prior knowledge on the subject I would expect the amount of certainty you get with a replacement engine to reflect the price you pay. A decent breaker I would expect to give a guarantee for a certain period if he is stating that the engine came out of a bike with a certain number of miles. I am sure that is something they do with car engines anyway.

That said by buying one you are a proven breaker of engines and the guarantee may be worthless.

No idea on the other stuff, good luck.
"Do you think God gets stoned? I think so... Look at the platypus." - Robin Williams RIP

DaveH

I had to get a replacement for the Beemer F800 and it came with a 3, or 6 month warranty from a BMW secialist. The engine had been removed from a crash damaged bike, no details on the actual damage but not a mark on the engine and it ran well.

It did cost £1000 though.

Other than that, whatever engine you get make sure the engine number is there and hasn't been tampered with

Carbon_ZX6R

Speak to local garages and see what they would charge to source and fit one  , I did my zx6r and it was a bloody pain in the behind
2004 ZX-6R B1H    
- Full Akra Titanium System                
- Gilles rear sets                     
- R&G Crash Bungs
- Hyperpro Rsc Damper
- Many other mods

motto

Quote from: Dom1 on July 24, 2018, 05:26:22 PM
you are a proven breaker of engines.

Lol. I think that's how I'll introduce myself from now on :)

Would be great to get a guarantee, I'd need to chat to them to see what it covers. I use the bike for the odd track day as well as road riding so suspect that would invalidate any warranty.

motto

Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 24, 2018, 11:34:37 PM
Speak to local garages and see what they would charge to source and fit one  , I did my zx6r and it was a bloody pain in the behind

What were the trickiest bits and what would you do differently next time?

Lord Danoir the first

Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 24, 2018, 11:34:37 PM
I did my zx6r and it was a bloody pain in the behind

That's because it's patently clear that you don't have the first clue what you're doing.

MOzZereLLa

Quote from: Lord Danoir the first on July 25, 2018, 12:30:58 PM
Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 24, 2018, 11:34:37 PM
I did my zx6r and it was a bloody pain in the behind

That's because it's patently clear that you don't have the first clue what you're doing.

:rofl: :rofl:
Significantly faster than you.....

Carbon_ZX6R

Quote from: Lord Danoir the first on July 25, 2018, 12:30:58 PM
Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 24, 2018, 11:34:37 PM
I did my zx6r and it was a bloody pain in the behind

That's because it's patently clear that you don't have the first clue what you're doing.
well it worked! So clearly I must do..
2004 ZX-6R B1H    
- Full Akra Titanium System                
- Gilles rear sets                     
- R&G Crash Bungs
- Hyperpro Rsc Damper
- Many other mods

Carbon_ZX6R

Quote from: motto on July 25, 2018, 11:55:13 AM
Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 24, 2018, 11:34:37 PM
Speak to local garages and see what they would charge to source and fit one  , I did my zx6r and it was a bloody pain in the behind

What were the trickiest bits and what would you do differently next time?
what I'd do next time is pay someone...hardest part was getting the thing out and in , and working out what is what etc , if your patient and don't easily get angry and you label everything and take photos I can't see it being a problem , it's more a pain in the arse than difficult
2004 ZX-6R B1H    
- Full Akra Titanium System                
- Gilles rear sets                     
- R&G Crash Bungs
- Hyperpro Rsc Damper
- Many other mods

Lord Danoir the first

Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 25, 2018, 02:47:42 PM
Quote from: Lord Danoir the first on July 25, 2018, 12:30:58 PM
Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 24, 2018, 11:34:37 PM
I did my zx6r and it was a bloody pain in the behind

That's because it's patently clear that you don't have the first clue what you're doing.
well it worked! So clearly I must do..

Confucius say........ man who arrive, may have been lost many times..... chicken chow-mein for brain!!

Raydial

#11
When I swapped the engine in my CB SevenFifty, the breaker was able to say that the bike had been running before being broken. They offered something like a 3 month warranty. I don't remember exactly. It only cost £250, thankfully, so it wasn't a huge risk, financially.

I didn't bother doing anything internal before fitting it but it ran perfectly after getting a carb issue sorted (which was a result of the garage who did most of my custom work not refitting the fuel strainer in the tank - that little fuck-up caused me so many fucking hassles on top of the other stuff they did wrong. As a side note, never go anywhere near Hertfordshire Superbikes. Seriously, Carbon_ZX6R would be a better mechanic!  :angry:)

Anyway, I labelled everything I disconnected from the old engine. I didn't find taking pictures was that much of a help. The manual was essential. But the job wasn't actually very difficult once the engine was in the frame. But getting it in the frame was a bitch without stripping the engine right down to the barrels, which I didn't want to do. So I took the engine and rolling chassis to a nearby garage who did it for me. It had to come in from the side at a 30º angle towards the rear, and tilted slightly forwards. I scratched the frame trying to do it with a friend. It's not easy to manhandle an 80kg lump of metal delicately.

Carbon_ZX6R

almost a compliment ray :)

its very slowly slowly catchy monkey  or slowly slowly fitty engine depending on your preference

plan and take your time , do it when you have alot more time than you think you might need
2004 ZX-6R B1H    
- Full Akra Titanium System                
- Gilles rear sets                     
- R&G Crash Bungs
- Hyperpro Rsc Damper
- Many other mods

Raydial

Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 26, 2018, 09:40:46 AM
almost a compliment ray :)
Easy, there. Don't get carried away. It wasn't.  :tongue3:

Quote from: Carbon_ZX6R on July 26, 2018, 09:40:46 AM
do it when you have alot more time than you think you might need
:laughing4: This!

motto

Cheers Ray that's really helpful. To be honest the actual getting the engine in/out part is one thing I'm not really clear on. I've read the manual and at that point it just says something like 'take the engine out of the frame'. So I'm hoping it will be obvious when i get there!

Also I've messaged a couple of breakers that have engines available on ebay. Both of them told me it was from a Cat B bike so they don't know what the reg number was. They have the engine number though. Does this sound right? Is there any way to check a history just from an engine number? If we were talking a couple of hundred quid I wouldn't mind so much but they're up for well over a grand...