LC4 blown base gasket.

[SMC690]

An unfortunate thing happened today....

http://vsmr.net/albums/ktm/BlownAgasket.jpg

I gather it blew the 2nd time over the Black Spur but I was a bit adrenalized after that part of the ride so I didn't notice it until we had a wee rest at Kinglake after splitting with the other riders.

I topped up with shell synthetic as it was all that was available at the time and took it easy on the way home. It spat a fair bit of oil out and I had to lean the bike right over just to get oil in the sight-glass.

The spot circled is where it's blowing bubbles from. You can see the air/oil coming out.
I limped home and when I got home I noticed some oil on the rear tyre which expalins the dodgy handling throught the last part of the ride (The CBD) I think it was more related to riding through the oil that was dripping on the tarmac and then ridng through it as opposed to it getting on the rear tyre from the engine.

I'll make some calls tomorrow but it looks like the rest of my summer on the bike is shot to shit. If it wasn't still under warranty I would do it myself.

FUCK!

This 6 pack of Bulleit Black Bourbons I just picked up should drown my sorrows. :(
And I don't even drink Bourbon!

[Flash]

I htink you should give me the bourbon :D

Bad luck man! I know how you feel, Last year I broke the gearbox on the Husky at the end of Dec and it took 9 weeks to fix!! It was a parts issue not a dealer issue, the dealer was first rate! so that kind of fucked up my summer on it. Thanks to Dicky I was still able to get to work :)

[SMC690]

Too late on the bourbon.
2 cans left.
The dealers can get stuffed, I'm onto the KTM customer hotline if I can't get it resolved fast and if they can't get it fixed onto small claims, lol.
All bourbon, all bravado. ;)
Different story tomorrow when I wake up with the mother of all hangovers. :)

[Wobbly]

I feel your pain mate :( I spat it yesterday when one of my airbox bolts decided to start turning the inset behind it rather than screwing out, so no way to easily get the clutch cable off (stoopid design anyway), so the husky is going back to A1 to get that fixed and get the long standing problem with its own oil weep sorted out.

Friggen bikes ... its almost enough to make a man fix his DRZ.

Almost ;)

[Sibbo]

Berg is running fine if you wanted to know.

So too is the YZ, just pulled it apart to check to make sure it was all in spec and it is. So it turns out that if you dont rev em, they dont wear out.

Bad luck about the oil not staying inside the engine, bastard bike!

[ZuluFoot]

:evil: :evil: Bummer Juz, I guess you wont be at the TT on Saturday now :evil:

Hope you can get it sorted soon :up:

[SMC690]

I will be there Zulu, just in a ute. :)
I could bring a v-rod or a roadking if I really wanted to but I think the wheelbase of either it is longer than the straight! ;)

[Sibbo]

They have a rear brake, just skid around the tight corners.

[ACS]

I will be there Zulu, just in a ute. :)
I could bring a v-rod or a roadking if I really wanted to but I think the wheelbase of either it is longer than the straight! ;)

3-point turn on the haripin anyone?! :lol:

[kroosn]

bummer hey i had the same thing happen on my 640 a few months ago. it took a week and a half for them to fix it with all the bullshit that happend like them snapping rings and just generally taking their sweet arse time.

http://www.vsmr.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1308

But oh well mine got fixed ok under warrenty and i havnt had a problem with it sincel. just make sure you check the oil when you get it back from the shop, it was low on mine when i got it back.

Kroosn

[yobgow]

Blowing base gaskets on the 06 LC4's seems to be a common problem as the gaskets that were fitted at the factory dont seem to be up to the job. KTM has superceded the old one with a new metal one that will fix the problem for good.

[postie_moto]

hmmm sorry not rubbing it in but my '02 is up to 26000 kms no worries...

bad luck Juz, hope it's fixed soon! :)

[kroosn]

the 02 model and older had a metal gasket, then the 03 and 04 had a fibre one and the new models run a rubber one. when they did mine ktm replaced it with the same rubber gasket and a liberal use of jbond and correct tensioning. ktm said that most likely the problem was caused by incorrect tensioning in the first place and that if i check it at services that it should be fine.

Kroosn

[Daws]

Kroosn, to check the tensioning of the base gasket surely you have to remove the head? I would be pretty sure that this is never checked in a service.

I remember your gasket going and now adding Juz's experience - I'm a little concerned about the reliability. hopefully you guys got the new bloke on the assembly line and he's learned (or been promoted out of harms way) by now!

[Wobbly]

If you're worried about it at all just whip out the welder and lay a bead around the base of the cylinder - problem solvered :D

[kroosn]

nope dont have to remove the head you can easily enough get to where the studs stick up with the nuts on top, its supposed to be done at a service according to ktm. apparently it has to be done at the 1000k service or it can blow the gasket which im assuming it hasnt been done on a few. ive done 1500k's since the gasket was changed and its needed a little tightening since then. but has needed it in a while.

Kroosn

[SMC690]

Interesting, Mine is an '06 SMC and the base gasket is metal by the looks!
Let's see what happens.
I will keep you updated on what came out of it gasket wise and what goes in it!
It's funny you mention welding the barrell to the block Neil, that's what I said to Mark on the DRZ on the weekend when we got back to my place for a well deserved beer, that would stop the rotter leaking. :)
Cheers,
Juz.

[dicky]

hmm... maybe I should service my bike a bit better than "yeah, it's still got oil, she'll be right mate"

dicky.

[Wobbly]

Your bike is fucked dicky, especially after we broke into your house last week and, err, I mean ash broke into your house and... :lol2:

[Flash]

Good onya! Now he's going to come home!

[Sibbo]

It's funny you mention welding the barrell to the block
Did I mention bergs dont have a base gasket 8)