If you plan to keep the bike then I would suggest that you do the same thing that I did:
1. Take the engine out of the frame and split the cases.
2. Replace any suspicious bearings/seals (I replaced the main bearings/seals and the countershaft bearing/seal) - I should have also replaced the gear shifter shaft seal and the kick starter seal.
3. Check the piston/cylinder clearance - factory is around 1 - 1.5 thousands. Replace the piston if necessary, they are available in a,b,c and d sizes.
4. I also replaced the gear selector return spring, it can fail and you will not be able to shift gears.
5. Rough up the Clutch steel discs - Use a piece of glass and 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper.
I would also take the time and check the water pump shaft and seals, they may have been changed, if not this is a good time to replace them. The manual on the Sherco site shows exactly how to do it. The top end maintenance manual is also handy.
All of the necessary torques are spelled out in the top end maintenance guide and the lubrication and maintenance guide.
Installing the engine back in the frame was the hardest part of the job for me, it just took some time and effort, I used a big C-clamp to pull the bash plate back into position.
Changing out the mains is an easy job, I just did it on an "02". I used the engine tear down manual from the Sherco and RYP sites. It provided some good information.
The only special tool that you really need is the flywheel puller.
From my exprience with a used Sherco what you are experiencing is a result of wear, 4 thousands is way too much clearance, check with the dealer, importer, I would guess that the recommended clearance is around 1 thousand, here are the Sherco specs (0,0270mm (.00106 in)). Take the piston and cylinder off of the bike and place the piston in the cylinder and shake it, you will hear your rattle. Replacing the rings will NOT solve the problem. Your piston is rattling around in the cylinder and that is the noise you are hearing. You may be able to get a new piston that will solve the problem, I would suggest that you take the piston and cylinder to a good shop and have them accurately measure them. If a piston will not solve the problem then you will have to have the cylinder replated, I had one done in the US for something like $150. The place that replates the cylinder will require that you send them a new piston when you send them the cylinder.
I just did some trading and now have a 2002 that has been ridden hard and put away dirty.
It needed main bearings and seals, also replaced the output bearing and seal on the main shaft (countershaft bearing). After putting it back together it is still noisy so it will get a new piston assembly including wrist pin and bearings.
The engine was very easy to take apart and put back together, and the parts were not that expensive. I will have probably around $500 US dollars in the complete overhaul.
I did use the manual that Bill Ibsen put together that shows how to take the engine apart and put it back together. This manual is available on the www.rypusa.com website.
I would suggest that you look at all of the above areas. I can't remember what causes the clutch noise you are talking about however I am confident someone else will.
I agree that you should look at the waterpump shaft and seals.
Mark your calendars, Ryan Young will be back in Decatur Illinois to conduct another one of his famous schools.
Ryan will be at the Decatur Dirtriders MC for the 4th Annual Ryan Young Trials Training School on September 10th 2005. (http://www.dirt-rider.org/)
The school is for all levels of riders from beginners to experts, Ryan will have something for everyone.
Details:
Location: Near Decatur Illinois, see club website for exact location.
Info: Wayne Thais wthais@direcway.com 217-687-2824
Cost: $40 per student, Maximum number of students = 20 Reserve your spot early.
Date: September 10th 2005
Time: 9:00 - 4:00
Hotels/Motels - Forsyth, Illinois
Primitive camping is available on the clubgrounds.
There will be an AMA sponsored trials on Sunday the 11th, come and take the class and then compete in the trials on Sunday. Ryan will ride the trials on Sunday as an exhibition.
I would suggest that you contact Ryan Young at ryan@rypusa.com. Ryan is the US importer for Sherco and might be willing to import your product. I really like the way it looks, very nice job!
As was mentioned above, remove the RH clutch cover, complete instructions are available on the Sherco or RYP site. Go to www.sherco-moto.com and choose "Wayne's corner" the manual "Engine Teardown and Assembly Manual" gives instructions on how to remove the cover.
Carefully inspect all of the parts associated with shifting, if the return spring is broken (I saw one that was broken but still in the correct location so it appeared to be functioning correctly) if you are not comfortable with this get a mate to look at the parts of take it to your dealer, from what you describe I would guess that the problem is in the shifting mechanism and not inside the actual transmission. If the shifting mechanism is working then you may have to dig deeper.
I was at the Indy show and saw the new 3.2, it looked very good to me, I was amazed at what a good job they did. It looks just like the 2.9 with a larger engine. I heard that the suggested US list price will be $6,999.
The latest Sherco News says:
"Final assembly parts are arriving at the Caldes factory on a daily basis, sub assemblies are in process and first production bikes are being tested. The expected delivery date to the dealer network is early March. Call your dealer for pricing and pre ordering."
I did not take a picture but it looks just like the picture posted in the news letter.
I was at the Indy show and saw the new 3.2, it looked very good to me, I was amazed at what a good job they did. It looks just like the 2.9 with a larger engine. I heard that the suggested US list price will be $6,999.
The latest Sherco News says:
"Final assembly parts are arriving at the Caldes factory on a daily basis, sub assemblies are in process and first production bikes are being tested. The expected delivery date to the dealer network is early March. Call your dealer for pricing and pre ordering."
I did not take a picture but it looks just like the picture posted in the news letter.
I have installed the "Fat" bars using three different methods:
1. I carefully "machined" the stock top clamp to receive the larger diameter bars using my Dremel tool and a socket that was the exact diamater as the fat bar. I useed the sandpaper discs on the Dremel and used the socket as a gage to determine when I had removed enough material. I used the top clamp from the fat bar kit and utilized allen head bolts to attach the new bars. The bottom of the triple clamp had to be modified slightly to receive the front bolts installed from the bottom up. The two rear bolts were installed from the top down. Hard washers were used on the bottom.
2. The 99/00 top triple clamp works perfectly. You may have to add some hardened washers under the handlebar clamps.
3. A good friend gave me a custom GG top triple clamp that fit the Sherco fork tubes, the hole for the stem was too large so I had a spacer machined.
Fly Racing sells adapters that bolt on but add some height to the handlebars.
Will the average rider pay that kind of money for a 4t bike when he can buy any of the 2t's for around 6k? Maybe if everyone was offering only the 4t and they were all priced at 7.3k then it would be another story. It will be interesting to see what the new 4t Sherco sells for.
Marky, I have not heard anything new either, I assume that they are finishing up all of the endurance testing. I had heard that the 450 4t had to run an exdurance test on the test bench before they released it for production. I would guess they are doing the same thing with the 3.2 4t.
We could probably learn some lessons from the bicycle racing world, here in the US, there is a "National" governing body, if you race and win so many races, (based on points per place) you are moved up a class. you start out as a class five and are automatically moved up as you win. This helps weed out the "sandbaggers".
Here in the US we do not seem to have a strong national structure for the local events, the nationals are another story.
A bicycle racer who is a member of the national organization can race anywhere in the US and he knows what the rules are and what the classes are, until we reach that status we will remain a splinter (splintered) sport and serious people will look at us and think we are unorganized. (my opinion)
We need to get organized on a national scale, same rules, same classes etc.!
I think the guys in Ok have a great idea to increase participation. They provided a nice "PURSE" can you believe it, they actually gave away MONEY.
I asked one of the promotors how they came up with that idea and he told me that the club has some bicycle racers in it. Most of the local bicycle races give away money, it is not uncommon for the guy who finishes in 5th place to win enough to pay for his entry fee.
I think this is a giant step forward and needs to be pursued.
Our bicycle club would hold at least one bicycle race each year and always gave away 2 or 3 thousand dollars, the local merchants all kicked in $50 or $100 dollars and it added up pretty fast.
Here is a quote from the article about the recent Scott Trial
"Amos Bilbao on the 4-stroke Montesa taking third - I guess that answers the questions over how the 4-T would perform in wet conditions! "
If this answers the question about how well the new Montesa performs in wet conditions what does it say for the SHERCO? Graham has now won both the SSDT and the Scott on his Sherco and his score was about 1/2 that of Amos. I also noticed that Sherco mounted Sam Connor had a very nice finish.
When washing my bike I use a technique that I learned from Travis Fox. Here is the simple procedure:
1. Remove the rear fender.
2. Clean the filter retainer or completely remove the filter and clean the top of the airbox, this is a good time to check the airbox to make sure that it is clean.
3. Install a piece of duct tape over the airbox inlet.
4. Reinstall the rear fender.
5. Cover the exhaust outlet with another piece of duct tape or insert an exhaust plug.
6. Wash the bike.
7. Blow dry the bike with air pressure.
8. Remove the rear fender.
9. Blow dry the top of the airbox etc.
10. Remove the duct tape from the airbox and exhaust.
If you do you will want to start with a 48 pilot and a 120 main. That is what David Chaves recommends and what I have also found to work well at sea level in the midwest USA.
David also uses a piece of automotive radiator hose. I have a couple of ones that I got from the GG parts distributor a long time ago. I don't know where he gets them.
The original post called the installation a pain in the ***, I really don't agree. It is a fairly straight forward installation but does take some patience. I have installed the Keihin on probably 8 bikes with no problems.
I have had many of the same thoughts that you express. I returned to trials after a 25+ year absence. Back in the 70's we all rode the same line so it was a big change for me.
I spent several years racing and promoting bicycle racing and see some parallels in the sport although nearly everyone rides a bicylce.
The big thing that I see different is that in bicycle racing there is a STRONG NATIONAL governing body. All of the races that I participated in were under the direction of the "USCF". (www.usacycling.org) You can find the USCF rules at (http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=369).
I think that for trials to grow we need something similar. The AMA is not going to do it so maybe it is up to the NATC group. They may have to expand and be the governing body for all trials in the US not just the national series.
In order to race a USCF race you have to have a license that is issued by the USCF, this is one way they control the classes and receive revenue.
Even at the local level there is a "purse" for all of the classes, it is amazing how simple it is to get the local businesses to contribute to a purse that will bring people into the local community.
290 Main Bearings
in Sherco
Posted
Mike,
If you plan to keep the bike then I would suggest that you do the same thing that I did:
1. Take the engine out of the frame and split the cases.
2. Replace any suspicious bearings/seals (I replaced the main bearings/seals and the countershaft bearing/seal) - I should have also replaced the gear shifter shaft seal and the kick starter seal.
3. Check the piston/cylinder clearance - factory is around 1 - 1.5 thousands. Replace the piston if necessary, they are available in a,b,c and d sizes.
4. I also replaced the gear selector return spring, it can fail and you will not be able to shift gears.
5. Rough up the Clutch steel discs - Use a piece of glass and 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper.
I would also take the time and check the water pump shaft and seals, they may have been changed, if not this is a good time to replace them. The manual on the Sherco site shows exactly how to do it. The top end maintenance manual is also handy.
All of the necessary torques are spelled out in the top end maintenance guide and the lubrication and maintenance guide.
Installing the engine back in the frame was the hardest part of the job for me, it just took some time and effort, I used a big C-clamp to pull the bash plate back into position.
Good Luck,
Wayne