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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Head/engine life?
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Message started by Hutch on 12/18/07 at 10:15:06

Title: Head/engine life?
Post by Hutch on 12/18/07 at 10:15:06

I just put in a search for HEAD LIFE,another for VALVE LIFE, and one for ENGINE LIFE. Come on John, you can't tell me that subject hasn't come up in the LIFE of this forum.The only reason that I am asking is that on the Royal Enfield forum people have been asking me about the Savage and someone in Ohio says there are a lot of Savages for sale that say they have a "rebuilt head" on them. I told them I would check into this and can't find one post when I put in the searchs. I told them that I had been on this site a year and only heard of head work being done for performance, and rebuilds. I don't want them to get the idea a Savage has valve problems. Alot are thinking of buying a Savage after seeing mine and hearing me talk about how much I like mine after the chain conversion. They don't like belts either. They also don't like the idea of the new RE having fuel injection(the tinkerers) and are thinking of buying a Savage just for the reason that it has a carb and can be converted to chain easily. I need some "average head life" figures from the group, so I can give them an informed answer. My bike has only 4000 miles. Hutch

Title: Re: Head/engine life?
Post by Reelthing on 12/18/07 at 10:29:05

yes there are some search issues for older topics that "The Man" is working on - ref in the issues/problem section

i've now bought two used heads - one was pretty worn at the cam "bearings" but I'd bet 10 fishing trips the owner ran the
thing out of oil or never changed the stuff - just too much galling -

so I think it's a hard question likely impossible to answer - without being to answer how the bike was cared for - same for the cam chain - you spin that chain very long without proper oil and it's going to die very quick - we have at least one situation around here on just how quick.

Title: Re: Head/engine life?
Post by Hutch on 12/18/07 at 11:19:12

4A7D7D746C7071767F180 wrote:

I know what you are saying Reelthing. Hot rodding and ill maintanance will always cost you. The guy on the RE forum didn't mention the mileage on these bikes, but it REALY made Savages sound bad. He wasn't doing it deliberately, but was just wondering if I could clear that up. I told the RE forum it would take our "new" forum a while to get up to speed. So they aren't expecting an answer right away. I told them to give me a few days to get a better answer than I could give them, since my bike is low milage. Any input would be appreciated. I wouldn't want them to think we are riding junk bikes. Quite a few show interest in buying a Savage. Hutch

Title: Re: Head/engine life?
Post by verslagen1 on 12/18/07 at 11:37:43

Cam chain adjuster life

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1192027390

Title: Re: Head/engine life?
Post by Hutch on 12/18/07 at 12:20:41

697A6D6C737E787A712E1F0 wrote:

Cam chain adjuster life

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1192027390

Thanks Verslagen, that helps, and any more data would be appreciated. Hutch

Title: Re: Head/engine life?
Post by T-Mack1 on 12/18/07 at 14:17:26

Hutch,
First, I think a lot of people consider a rebuilt head a valve job and new valve guide seals.

Next, as for head life, I bought my '01 LS650 in July with engine in pieces. 10,460 miles, melted piston, worn journal, cam chain ok. Bought a used head at the local MC salvage yard for $200 (complete head, cam & all). It was from a 86 and was nice.

Cause of failure, High possibility PO missed oil change, or had a "long" interval. Second, cylinder bore was at the tight side of the factory spec, (Machinist said it was right at the small size limit), couldn't measure the piston. Machinist friend said if the oil was poor, and piston was center of the spec or wider, the piston could easily grow and go Kaput.

Title: Re: Head/engine life?
Post by thumperclone on 12/18/07 at 14:22:14

the old site had a time senseitive search feature not sure about this latest greatest set up... spell check would be nice!!

Title: Re: Head/engine life?
Post by Hutch on 12/18/07 at 14:50:32

7B02624E4C441E2F0 wrote:

Hutch,
First, I think a lot of people consider a rebuilt head a valve job and new valve guide seals.

T-Mac1, that is what I thought also, but the only thing I could find so far was the post Verslagen sent me to about cam chains and a lot of people mentioned everything still looked good as far as valves. I'm one of those types that gets everything renewed( hi performance springs, 3 angle valve job, porting and polishing) if I have it tore down that far. I'm not sure if that is what the cycle classifieds meant, or the cam wearing out the bearings and the place it bolts to the head. Not sure. I'm thinking that with "responsible" riding the motor shouldn't need much work until about 20-30,000 miles. Old Triumphs didn't need rebuilding until 14-15,000 miles(depending on the rider), and I'm sure things have become better since then. At least I hope so. That is what I am trying to figure out for the RE forum. Thanks for the post T-Mack1. Hutch

Title: Re: Head/engine life?
Post by Gary On A Savage on 12/18/07 at 14:53:23

I've got a '95 with 23K on it. Original cam chain still looks good. Valves look good. Runs like a top!