Hi there, my 2002 tm recon had a chain noise coming from the crankcase when i bought it. Assumed it was the timing chain as eveything else seemed ok and the oil pressure light was going off a couple of seconds after starting like normal. Well opened the casing yesterday and found that the timing chain was perfect but the oil pump chain had came off. The oil looked clean but on the bottom of the case the oil residue was quite metalic looking. I have no idea when the chain came off or how long it was run like this. What should i check for damage from this before putting it back together? It seemed to have plenty of power when I test rode it before stripping. Should I just fix the pump, flush it with clean oul and hope for the best? Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks
Honda recon oil pump failure,
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Sorry to hear it. I don't know. Part of me would want to put the chain back on, and run it to see. Another part would want to go ahead and rebuild it, knowing that even if this just happened, something has been compromised. You could always get the oil analyzed, and see where the particles came from. It's possible that they represent manufacturing debris or normal wear and tear, and that the chain just recently came off. Or, you find out that it needs to be rebuilt.
I'd definitely want to know why the chain was off, and if it would do it again.
Sorry to hear it. I don't know. Part of me would want to put the chain back on, and run it to see. Another part would want to go ahead and rebuild it, knowing that even if this just happened, something has been compromised. You could always get the oil analyzed, and see where the particles came from. It's possible that they represent manufacturing debris or normal wear and tear, and that the chain just recently came off. Or, you find out that it needs to be rebuilt.
I'd definitely want to know why the chain was off, and if it would do it again.
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Chains on these things are loose and rattle, some people think it's normal...I don't.......
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That sucks. I would think the chain couldn't possibly have been off very long. Without the oil pump running the top end would lock up within seconds. Seems very odd it was still running.
Rob
Rob
Thanks for the advice. What gets me is that the oil light was going out like normal. Maybe the chain jumped off when I was smaking the casing with the rubber mallet to split it. Im more used to car engines with shell bearings (which would be scrap in this situation) so any advise where i could have a quick look for damage before i put it back together and hope. I would check the oil strainer but thanks to honda (what were they thinking) I would be aswell rebuilding it if i check that. Once again thanks for all advice
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The "Oil Light" you are referring to is actually an oil temperature light. It has nothing to do with pressure.
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Did you have to split the case or just take front cover off. I would put a new oil pump chain in it, flush it out good with brake cleaner and try it. You can't mess anything up any worse than it already is IMO.
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You'll have to remove the head to keep the cam followers from falling in the engine.. All you'll have to do at that point is to pull the cylinder and inspect the walls and piston for damage...Couple of new gaskets, hone and some new rings, you should be good to go..Flush out the bottom end, new oil filter...Maybe, No more than it was ran, there's no bottom end damage....
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I agree........
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On any other engine I'd agree, but on that engine I've seen at least 3 of them run without the chain for a long time before they were repaired or blew up. These are tough little engines. The recon i bought had an oil pump failure and ran for a month before it died. The PO that had it noticed it rattling loudly 4 weeks before it exploded the piston, but he was a kid and just drove it till it died. I know of two other stories similar. You're not doing the cylinder any favors that way, but they can run dry for a good bit it seems. Not many engines can pull that off. You may lose a little compression if you do it for a day, but it'll run for years if you fix the pump. No need to do an expensive rebuild if the pump fails and it still runs. One of the three i mentioned that lost their chain and rode it for a week fixed it and it still runs a year later
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