I think they can separate the bottom half of the cases without removing cylinders etc.
As for the replacement parts, all you can do is check what they've put in against the manual requirements, if they're willing to give you the list. I'm assuming this is a warranty job?
I'd try and do some research on the dealer to see what's said about them. They're not all crooks.

 

I'd change both [bearing] ends of the countershaft. That's X to Y wear down the road. Shaft was loaded at both ends remember. Engine has to come out and the top end can stay intact. So a case split will require a bonding agent so the case does not leak when reassembled. The yamabond also needs to say away from the insert bearing area and top end channels that pass oil up to the top. New transmission circlips should be replaced. Cover gaskets too. Possible crank bolts if book shows (R) next to the bolts or has a note saying to "Replace" them. Any crush washer is new going back on. To find out, open the shop manual page of the parts blowout to see the 'letter markings in parentheses' or noted upon the rebuild sections. Best plan is for the mechanic to look in the shop manual and cover his butt as per reassembly of (R) parts that are needed.

There is your loophole. Book shows it, shop missed it. It lands back on the dealer if problems are down the road. You make sure you cover his butt and sit down with the manual and cover the bases.

Signed,
NOLTT (no one listens to turtle)

 

Hi!

Due to the garage putting to much tension on the chain, causing failure, they now have to change the sprockets and the chain. Also the bearing on the output shaft was bad so they have to unmount the engine, and open up the gearbox to change the bearing.


//GF

How long have you had this bike?
I believe this is the first case of a problem many of us expected to see more of. We could have warned you about the stupid tight chain specs from Yamaha. I realize someone has been adjusting your chain for you and if it's the same folks that are tearing apart your motor I understand your concern.
In all honesty if this is warranty work being performed by a Yamaha dealer I'm pretty sure you have no say in the matter.
Where on Earth do you live and what "garage" has been doing your maintenance?
I hate sounding like CD599 but somethings out of place here.

 

Hi Guys!

Thanks for all the good replies.

I just left the bike for normal yearly inspection. This is needed to keep warrenty for 5 years. (bought new 2014) Since the rear tire was brand new (day before) i asked them to align the wheel and adjust tension. Before i gave it to garage tension was about 20mm, usually its alot more, i never adjusted this since new and bike is 8000km. I just let them do this on the yearly inspection, about every 2000km. I lube the chain almost every time i ride.

After i got i back, i jumped up and rode it like i always do. That means til the electonics cut the speed. (225kpm).

Since they did the ECU upgrade at the same time (recall), i was surprised how the "slack in drivline" and "on / off power" was completly removed (fixed), but at the same time noticed something about the suspension that was not right. And som new sounds. I checked oil levels and tried to locate sound.

Later i found that the chain was 100% stiff. 0mm slack.

That explained the lack of "on/off" feeling and strange suspension problems all togeteher with the strange sounds the bike was making.

Now the bike was also not able to keep constant speed in slow speeds with low power, it was going up and down in speed. Probably due to oval chain, or uneven chain wear.

Realizing this could have killed me i limped home, and limped back to garage. They took it in no questions asked and promised new chain and sprocket. And to check bearing. They called me and said bearing was bad too (as i had noticed a howling sound) and needed to be swapped out.

Later i got a bike to borrow during the time its down for maintenence.

However i bought this bike new so that i would have full control of the history, and because i didnt want to have a bike that has been tampered with. However that is now not possible any more. My friends always say that i suffer from mechanical OCD and that pretty much explains the situation I dont trust anyone to fix with my bikes, as it has happened twice that i have had brikes ruined by the garage. Both times causing problems that could easily end my life rather quick. (not the same shops, or brands)

I will never trust this bike again, and because of my riding habits that might be good from a survival point of view. After my bike reaches 90C i ride it like i stole it.

I just want to know exactly what to ask for, what has been changed during this repair, and what conclusions to make from it.

I dont have access to the manual, so if you (anyone) can please state exactly what parts to change i would be very happy. If anyone has acess to images from manual i would love to see that.

I will call them tomorrow and ask them to keep all the parts that have been swapped out.

This is a Yamaha certified dealer.

It happened in Europe, so not a US dealer. Just that there is more people on this board that knows the bikes, so i posted here. Where i live no one knows how to work on this engine. This is probably the first time ever for this mechanic on this engine, and that worries me.

//GF

 

How did you notice that the bearing had failed?

 

I would be worried too, that isn't a newbie first time break down procedure kinda job. I would call the 1 800 number for Yamaha and voice your concerns with someone higher up that will listen and is knowledgeable on the matter. They may be able to assist you in a way that you haven't thought of yet. Just saying, it wouldn't hurt.

 

While I don't have the specifics for our triples, if it's lke most others yes it has to be completely torn down to get to the tranny. All gaskets and usually seals get replaced along with most bolts, they are a stretch torque spec.

 

I went through this with my first FJR - a defective gear cracked, it went in for a couple months while the dealer got everything needed from Yamaha. Unfortunately the tech was not a very good one and he clogged an oil passage on reassembly, blowing the engine on the first ride. Then the whole engine had to be rebuilt. By a different dealer! Luckily all covered under YES but I was without the bike for months.

 

Don't overreact on this. It's just a stuffed bearing, it hasn't destroyed the bike. And that bearing would have had to be a lot worse before your life was at risk. There was more danger from the overtight chain letting go.
As long as they clean out any loose bearing material from the gearbox it is an easy fix.
The bearing may not have started to disintegrate yet. Ask to see all the parts they've replaced.
And, in future, regularly do basic maintenance checks like chain tension, oil level etc, yourself. Just to be on the safe side. Check after they've worked on the bike too.

 

Got the bike back, and it had scratches on the engine.

Its not very fun to have a bike that was new, and not tampered with, and now have a bike that has been tampered with and has scratches on cylinders, engine covers and so on.

I was not worried that the broken sprocket or gears would kill me, but a broken chain could easily have killed me or caused serious harm.

The chain had stretched to the point where the bike was not keeping a constant speed at constant throttle when i gave the bike back to the garage.

Bearings were bad, but not compleatly failed. I rode 70km on it. Any more and more damage could have occured.

Now i got i back, and with new chain and sprockets, and 15-20mm chain slack, measured on side stand.

Does anyone know what should be the proper chain slack for this bike? (seems with that little slack, the bike keeps stretching the chain)

//GF

 

Still, the motor needs to be removed from the frame. I know exactly how the OP feels, not having a single qualified mechanic in the area where he lives. I don't trust any of them. Especially on MY bike.

Even though a hassle and some cost involved, for peace of mind knowing it was done right, could you ship your bike to a real, reputable Yamaha Dealer? Find a bike crate or make one and ship it? Or load it up yourself in a truck and drive it there? I would drive 10 hours if I had a Dealer that close and I had a major specialized repair needed.

 

If I remember well most bike engine are split casing. Most than likely only the bottom 1/2 need to come off the swap the output shaft bearing. 90% or so of the engine will stay together. I won't over react, it's a pretty strait forward thing to do. Only reason why the engine need to come out id that its easier to have the engine on the bench than hanging the bike upside down lol

 

15 - 20mm is OK, that still allows a little slack at full chain extension. I run closer to 20mm. I would ask what they're going to do about the damage.

 

Mechanics in garage was very hepful, they understood that it was a big failure and fixed it all.

New sprockets, new chain, new bearings on axle.

Took them a long time to fix but now its done, added a few scratches on my bike that was in condition like new.

Anyhow, they handled the issue just about as good as they possibly could. Very happy with that.

//GF

 

Good that it's fixed.
so no change to the engine bearing(s)?

Anyway - 35mm slack on sidestand or rear axle stand, unless you want to do it all over again

 

Why do you keep advising 35mm? That's far too much, and it'll increase drive lash unnecessarily. 35mm on the sidestand will give about 20 - 25mm at full chain extension.

 

There are many threads on the correct chain tension. Someone even posted an official response from Yamaha that the manual was correct, but no one believes the 5-10mm spec.
I hope Japan hears about this, maybe they might finally listen!!


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I said 35mm didn't I, hmm... should have said 30mm
Here's what I found when doing the shock swap - not linking to photobucket anymore.

 

tight chain=loads transfer to other components, chain limits suspension travel if tight. either way, too loose or tight something will give.

 

Well, that's strange. I did this, set it at 10mm. The corresponding slack on the sidestand is 20mm. The only way i can see there being more slack on your bike is if your swingarm is hanging lower than mine.

 

I dont understand why so many have such trouble setting a simple chain...it isnt rocket science I have always set my chains to about, I say about because I dont use a ruler or any other measuring device, 25mm. Over the years of riding I have yet to have a failure of either the chain, sprockets or bearings.

Admittedly I am an ex tradesman and have engineering certification but how hard can it be to set your finger and thumb apart by an inch/25mm then set the chain to have that much free play?

And if the OP's bike has been damaged, no matter how small the damage is he is entitled to and should demand recompense. All too often shoddy slapdash work is accepted....little wonder, then, that many try to get away with it.

Also how does a chain get tighter when the suspension is compressed by sitting on the bike. The swing arm describes an arc and cannot gain in length because it is fixed at both ends.

 

Firstly, many people have a differently calibrated eyecrometer than you. My 8 inches may well be someones else's 6.
Using a measuring stick removes all doubt. (and self-esteem)

Secondly, the chain and swing arm do not pivot at the same point. That's why I've explained repeatedly that the longest and tightest run of the chain is when the countershaft sprocket, swingarm pivot and rear axle are in a straight line. Every point in the arc other than that progressively becomes looser. And, unless you are exactly the weight to align those points, and you have someone checking alignment, you can't be sure you have it right.
That, is why I checked tension on my chain at that tightest point with the rear wheel off the deck and shock disconnected to establish exactly what tension should be on the sidestand.


This is basic bike mechanics.

 

Pull the shock bolt and see how much the chain tightens as it goes through its range of travel.
The FZ09 geometry doesn't pull the chain much tighter than what it has on a paddock stand.
When I picked mine up at the dealer I refused to take delivery because the chain was so tight it could play an "A" note.
They bitched and moaned and reluctantly made it a bit more slack. So I told them to **** off and deliver it in a truck. As soon as I got it home I put 15mm slack and rode it. Fun Bike San Diego are the worst "mechanics" i've ever seen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

I recently posted this in another thread.

Put the bike in gear and roll it backward until it stops, this puts the slack on the lower chain run. Check chain slack by standing at the right side of the bike, bend over the seat putting your weight on it and check chain slack. Using this method you can see how much the rear suspension compressed with your weight the seat tightens the chain. I like 3/4"-1" slack with my weight on the bike. Better too loose than too tight.

 

I think the chain tension people see when the suspension is compressed is due to the top run being under compression and the bottom run being under extension giving the impression the distance between the sprockets has grown.

 

No, the distance actually does increase. Do the exercise, measure it and see for yourself. Or, do a scale drawing and measure the points from the axle arc to the C/shaft centre.
It's geometry baby!