T Mack 1 - FSO wrote on 05/20/08 at 08:31:16:Don't think the oil pressure is a problem. There is a bypass valve there and it's a low pressure engine.
Probably a flaw or like Rob said damage from a previous OOPS.
Any body know what kind of oil pump we have? Is the pressure relatively constant or does it pulse?
This failure is pretty rare or isn't reported here. So we probably have several factors coming together that may be pretty rare. Possibilities are corrosion, impact, fatique, damage, defect and heat.
The one prior to yours I recall now was hole about the size of the filter, about 3/4 moon shape and the round towards the bottom.
My guess is that the failure is due to fatique. But what are the contributing factors. If it were corrosion, then there would be alot more of this. If it were defect then the orientation will be random. If the orientation is identical (and I think it is) then what's common between the two that not common amonst us all? Was the PO someone that kicked the cover whenever he jumped on the bike? Did they fall over on the bike trapping their foot between cover and ground? Did the PO's polish the heck out of these covers? These are all possibilities. But for something that happens once in a several thousand bikes is it worth the effort?
Get a new cover and be safe out there.