Found something in the oilpan...

In the Shed
1

Hi there,

sorry for starting a new thread for any issue I get, but I think it’s easier for all of us to get the information we need.
I’ve decided to remove the oilpan from my 84 FE model to clean it out and to check if there is any scrapmetal or whatever in the pan or in the oil strainer. The exhaustsystem came of of pretty easy which was a surprise for me. The removal of the oilpan was no problem as well. What really made me freak out, was what I found in the oilpan: Take a look by yourself:

The nut is a M5 or M6, I didn’t measure it. I’m pretty sure it fell into the engine from the top, because I do not know any place in the engine where such small nuts are used. Am I right? Where else could this come from?

What threatens my much more is the piece of sheetmetal. It broke of on the right side (marker) and is about 15mm wide. On the left side is a little groove (see marker).

These two things literally stuck into the strainer!

Now, I’ve done a little thinking and searching and I am pretty sure this thing comes from this part:

could also be this one:

The groove on the left looks just like the one from the piece from my strainer. The mentioned parts are No.11 & 13 from here:

Now, any advice? Can anyone confirm the origin of this piece of metal? Where else could it come from?

I do not exactly understand where the above parts are mounted in the engine. Can anyone help? How can I check these parts and even more important: Can I replace these parts without removing the engine from the frame? If yes, how? Where are these discribed in the workshop manual?
Without knowing about this problem I hab the engine started before. I didn’t operate it very long, maybe 1 min, but there where no strange sounds or rattling. I nearly do not dare to ask, but what do you thing about operating the engine without replacing the broken part? Please notice that I did ask the lastquestion just in case replacing the faulty part would mean removing and splitting the engine…

By now, I’m quite desperate about this fucker of a bike. I bought it more or less bling and up to now, a lot of bad things came to the surface. Please help! I’m thankful for any hint or advice!

Thank’s a lot guy, this is a great forum and I’m sure I wouldn’t have made it this far with this bitch of a ride without you!!

2

hi hans, you minght want to have a read at this http://honda.vf1000.com/forum/index.php/topic,844.0.html

that looks like a the end of the front cam chain tensioner guide, its the piece that helps the cam chain tensioner blade to locate into position when refitting the tensioners, the bike may run ok, the bolts that hold this in place face upwards (towards the cams) so i think its a engine out and split job if you plan on replacing it.

3

Well…i’ve looked at the shapes of the parts for a long time now and I’m pretty sure now it is the tensioner guide b (part 13 in CMSNL picture) just as you said Pete. Yes the bolts face to the wrong direction unfortunately…well, well, well…I have to think about what to do now. I think I don’t dare to really ride the bike with the permanent fear of an exploding engine and removing and splitting the engine seems line crossing a red line I’ve set myself with this bike. I don’t know yet, I have to think about this. However, thank you very much Pete.

I’m still very thankful for any kind of help or advice any of you guys can offer.

4

Hey guys,

today I took a deeper look into the engine from below. I took a picture oh what I think the metal-piece comes from. I took a picture:

See the marker. What do the experts say? Is this the right thing? The marker points on sth that seems to be a chain guide. I am not sure, but I think the piece I found in the sump should be there. Is that correct? I tried to move it with a screwdriver but had no chance.

To be honest, I didn’t really understand what the purpose of these so called slipper bases is. Can please anybody explain it to me? That would be great! Maybe with a little sketch or something like that. I just don’t get what it is expected to do and I think that this would be absolutely necessary to decide if it has to be replaced or if I can live with the actual state. What do you think?
I’m extremely affraid to have to remove the engine and flip it over…

5

hi hans, the bit that you have highlighted is the bottom of the slipper base, the piece that has broken off of yours comes from the top and points up towards the cams, on this photo its the one with the 2 bolts facing up, in my opinion the actual bit that has broken off of yours is only there to help locate the cam chain tensioner blade into its slot on assembly… BUT, i cant see why that piece should break off, sometimes they get bent if the crank cases have been split, maybe there is other damage… for my thinking you have 2 options, either forget about it and see what happens, or pull the engine out and split and investigate

IMG_5370copy.jpg700×580

6

I had the same thing happen to me last year… Could not get the cam chain to tighten… When I dug a little deeper into the problem I found the slipper base broke off as well… The one that broke was on the rear cylinder bank and I was able to replace it by just removing the sump cover with the engine still in the bike… If its the front cylinder bank that has it broken then you’ll have to split the engine to replace it… the broken piece is the slipper base guide… what it does is guides the slipper blade that is connected to the tensioner arm into a notch so that the blade can flex and put tension on the cam chain… I gave up trying to get the slipper blade into the notch without it since there was no room at all, but you probably could get the blade into the base from underneath through the sump… If the blade is currently in the base and you have a tight cam chain then there is no rush to fix it, but if you ever pull the cams, cam chain, or release tension on the am chain tensioner then you will probably have to replace the guide to get the chain tight again

7

Hi there I agree windex I have recently bought a 1000ff that had a rattle and on investigation it had new cam chains fitted but still rattled and the tensioners had maxed out looking down the centre of the barrel the slot guide was bent and there is a piece broken off and who ever fitted the new chains had not fitted the tensioner guide fully home so it only tensioned the chain in a small area towards the bottom which maxed out the tensioner hence why it still rattles so am stripping engine out fully to replace broken parts

8

Just curious as I recently picked up a VF with the same rattle…if I remove the engine what is the approximate cost associated with having a shop do this work?? THX ;D

9

hi kenny,
i wouldn’t have a clue as to what a shop mechanic would charge for a job like this, if you consider having to buy a gasket set, then either or both of the slipper bases, then labour, i dont think you would have any change out of £400, or maybe more,
If you are just going on the sound of the rattle, it may be that it is something else, as there is a few other things associated with the cam chains which can rattle, and would be a easier fix.

10

Thanks very much I will investigate further at the end of the season:))