Anyone seen broken tappets?

Tiradritto Posts : 306 Join date : 2014-06-05 Age : 74

I stopped by the dealer yesterday and talked to their Italian mechanic about info on the swing arm bearing lube job
I am planning to do. We talked about that and then he said "check your valve clearances, look at this" Then he showed me a
cam box with one tappet with the outside all broken off. It looked like the metal was shattered around the edges.There was some slight damage to the cam. He said the bike had 20K miles on it but didn't know why it happened. An ugly thing to see and contemplate where those pieces went to. He didn't say what year it was but the valve covers were the later "Quattro Valvole" style.

Is this something to worry about or a fluke...? affraid

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10200 Join date : 2013-09-30

Flat or roller?

scratch

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
.

.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
.
In GRiSO we trust!
.

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10712 Join date : 2013-05-29 Age : 67

This is the $64,000 question.

If it was a flat tappet bike the bloke must of been living under a rock to be surprised. If a roller I want details!

Pete

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10712 Join date : 2013-05-29 Age : 67

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

(the owner of that one had to be a complete 'Gloid!)

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yup! We're familiar with the problem. I'd suggest your bloke get with the programme.

ALL FLAT TAPPET MOTORS ARE GOING TO FAIL!

Pete

PS. That is a small sample of failures. I've done approximately 100 rollerisations now and have pics of the damage on most if not all of them.

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10200 Join date : 2013-09-30

For that special Guzzista to be surprised to have their tappets eat themselves after they start making a din like copulating combine harvesters, they must have had their head up their arse for the last two years.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
.

.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
.
In GRiSO we trust!
.

Tiradritto Posts : 306 Join date : 2014-06-05 Age : 74

Yup, it was a flattie. Fooled me at first because the tappets looked polished. When he showed me damage to the cam I got it. I have never seen pieces break off the tappet!

GRiSO Capo Posts : 10712 Join date : 2013-05-29 Age : 67

By the time bits are breaking off it would of been making a truly horrendous noise! Anyone who rides a machine to that point deserves no sympathy.

Pete

GRiSO Posts : 1406 Join date : 2014-01-02

I agree with Pete.
On my 09, as soon as I heard a faint ticking sound I parked the bike.
Tear down the next day and sure enough, tappet's coating was breaking down...My very cool dealer at the time, sent me used tappets while waiting for the C kit to come out at the time.
Unfortunately, I wrecked and total the bike shortly after...
The original tappets lasted me 36K miles but there is no escaping failure with the flatties. We ALL know that by now.

» Flat Tappets and Roller Tappets
» You've seen it all before (tappets)
» Tappets check
» Pic of my shot tappets
» More shagged tappets