My piston is destroyed

[jeffs99vulcan]

OUCH. Sorry to hear it... I'd vote towards new engine myself... for whatever the voting is worth...

[BamaMike]

Originally Posted by Vulcan900

If the valves are quite you have a problem!!!!

+10000000 If the valves weren't ticking then it REALLY NEED A VALVE ADJUST BAD. I'd be headin back to the place that did the 10,000 and demanding compensation. And never let that mechaninc ever touch your bike again.

[BamaMike]

Here's a list of MC salvage yards in Florida. Try a few and see if you can get a used motor.

Used Motorcycle Parts, Frames & Engines 800-428-7821 Northend Cycle!

[jeffs99vulcan]

Originally Posted by BamaMike

+10000000 If the valves weren't ticking then it REALLY NEED A VALVE ADJUST BAD. I'd be headin back to the place that did the 10,000 and demanding compensation. And never let that mechaninc ever touch your bike again.

Yes, forgot to mention that... that is ABSOLUTELY TRUE. Take it from someone that spent the better part of a summer having discussions on valves in the 800...

If they aren't ticking, they aren't seating, and they are going to burn...

[mikesr1963]

. Something's missing from the story here. You just don't go from a fine sounding bike to catastrophic failure without some type of warning like a thumping or knocking. Without that it sounds and looks like you over rev’d the motor and dropped a valve. If your crank isn’t seized or nothing exploded out of the bottom it appears you had oil pressure. Unless you can find a whole motor I would part out the bike and get another one.

[mikesr1963]

Did you have the valves checked at 10,000 miles and have now gone 17,000 miles since the last check or did you have a 10,000 mile checkup at 20,000 miles. If you asked for the valves to be checked and they marked on your receipt that they checked them and were fine, you may have something. Otherwise, I think you're on your own. Sound is never a way to go on valves unless they are way loose. If they were way tight you should have heard knocking way before the failure. If the 800 is like the 900, it's never quite, damb thing makes racket all the time of some type and if you can tell when the valves are right without a gauge he must be one hell of a mechanic. NOT!

[pimpc1972]

No unfamiliar sounds were coming from the bike (knocking or thumping). Wasn't even shifting when it happened. I was riding thru a gradual curve @ about 60 then BAM! I knew immediatly that something major was wrong. Some of the damage could have been after it locked up because we broke it loose and turned it over quite a bit since damage was already done. I think that the valve head broke off and lodged into the piston which then lodged into the head. In the first pic you can see the valve head sticking straight up out of the piston (kinda blurry tho). Wile trying to bust it loose I think the piston wouldn't budge and the bottom ripped out of it. The piston was still connected to the rod but the piston was split from one connection to the other horizontally.

I've called every salvage yard I can find in FL and I'm not having much luck. With all the expense required I'm leaning toward a rebuild of my motor. At least that way I can buy a couple parts at a time until I have it all. If I part it out I wont be able to get another bike for a long time since I have a baby on the way.

Thanks for everyones advice and help. I'm sure I'll be back on here a bunch thru the rebuild and I'll post pics. Have a great new year!

[bluestringer]

Originally Posted by pimpc1972

It could have been the valves that caused it. I took it in for the 10,000 mile service and the guy said it wasn't ticking so it didn't need adjustment. Now it has 27,000 on it. I'm thinking that the one exhaust valve broke and stuck into the face of the piston. When it first happened the motor wouldn't turn over. Then when I got to a friends house we put it in gear and rolled it backward till the piston freed up. Then we were able to turn it over. I think the shrapnel hit the other exhaust valve and busted it off. I tried to wiggle the rod and it had no play at all. I'm thinking I'm going to try to tear it all apart and replace all the bad stuff I can find. I've found the head, cylinder and piston on ebay for $275 plus shipping. It's gonna take me a while to get all the parts with the baby on the way but I'll have to do it piece by piece. If any of yall know of these parts any cheaper please let me know. Thanks.

Yep, valve maintenance. The valves on the 800 are shimmed, they need checking every 7500 miles. When they get out of spec, they get quiet. When in spec, they tic. The guy didn't know what he was talking about. Noisey valves on the 800 are happy valves. 27,000 miles and the valve shims were never checked???? It's did good lasting that long.

[cosmicsclassic]

I'm wondering if the valve sprocket jumped a tooth some how. Let the valves strike the piston,,,bye bye. Can you tell if guides or chain tensioner are bad. Or broke a chain. I've seen engines on E-bay a few times, about 6 to 8 hundred. Cost that to rebuild, GOOD LUCK.

[jeffs99vulcan]

Originally Posted by cosmicsclassic

I've seen engines on E-bay a few times, about 6 to 8 hundred. Cost that to rebuild, GOOD LUCK.

There are two on eBay right now... I hope you find the right solution for you, and good luck with the baby!

[9511234]

+1 on everone above.

At today's values you might find an engine for cheap, if the shipping doesn't kill you first, or you might find parts for cheap and do your own work.

Just have to find out what's it worth to you... and you have to find the root of the problem. If you decide to fix it you can't just get the broken parts, put it back together, and end up in the same mess you are now.