New bike saga

[MJ07Nomad]

Originally Posted by macmac

This is what is happening I bet. He needs to stop riding this bike before it locks up and kills him. .....
The bike isn't worth squat with out a decent engine... .....

I have no idea where the oil went. It may be 2 guys the PO and this owner treated the bike like it was a car. Bikes as you know are personal devices and are not like cars. Treating a bike like a car will cost you dollars or cost your life.

I agree with MAC, stop riding that bike before you kill yourself!
I think the bike was run without oil (maybe same, but these bikes only take 3 and a 1/2 qts. so 1 qt low is like no oil) so I think the engine is done. The PO and the new owner, did not check the oil (the right way) and most likely the PO did not change it often. Running the bike with low oil, up and down hills will make the oil light come on (just going up or down the hill-and then go off), this maybe what started to wear parts in the engine, then has time went on, the oil got lower with more wear, now if you put oil in its too late the damage is done. If you want to check and see if I am right, just check the oil (bike cold, level, 1/2 way in glass) then run the bike (parked, do not ride it) let it run stay 15 mins, I bet before that time is up the engine will lock up.....like Mac said bikes are not like cars. Sorry, I think your shop was telling you, the engine was done, thats why they only added oil, did not do more testing, they know the bike is done. Telling you to sell it may have been their way of saying, try and sell it before the engine locks up so whoever you sold it too could see just how bad it is. They should have said, sorry, engine is done, do not ride it, try to sell it before it locks up and whatever you do DO NOT RIDE IT!

[cnc]

If it is the stock slipper clutch wouldn't the clutch just slip instead of locking up the back wheel? I know mine slipped when the motor quit at about 40 mph.

[ctrider]

If oil is not circulating because the oil pump is shot why even try to start it again. It will just make matters worse. Have it towed over to a kawi dealer and let them check it out. A decision on what to do can be made once you know what your dealing with.

[macmac]

Originally Posted by cnc

If it is the stock slipper clutch wouldn't the clutch just slip instead of locking up the back wheel? I know mine slipped when the motor quit at about 40 mph.

Might slip, might have a Barnett spring. The OP hasn't got a clue thru no fault of his own. My point is I believe this engine is all done. Riding the bike is a high risk.

Engines like this can throw rods and sling some wicked hot oil thru a big hole in the engine case when they break up and stop. That oil will be damned hot way over any 212 degrees.

The OP is in no position to judge. His best bet is to either parts the bike out as it is, or take the bike in to a shop for a new/used engine.

What he says is proof enough for me to not want to see him get hurt, stranded and cost more money than he has spent.

The new oil was a test..... Not a fix. In my past i have added oil to dead engines to KNOW they were dead. In the past doing so sometimes got me an irate customer who would insist it was me that killed the engine with adding oil!

Just yesterday my own son was mad at me because the day before I was out hiking and with out telling me a thing he broke 2 bolts holding the caliper on his truck. he called for help and was going to use MAP Gas to heat these bolts. I told him that's nice it won't work I will come with torches and then he said we are not seeing eye to eye and he hung up.

Well he has never removed a broken bolt from anything in his life, and I have a friggin necklace of busted off studs and bolts.

When i was done he served up beers and one hellova steak. Then he went on a proceeded to air bind the hi drawl ikes! some wicked bad with a buddy of his. I guess I need to go back later something

[SPOCK #1]

there are so many things that can evidently go wrong with these bikes, why would anybody own one. everybody's throwing out suggestions of what can be wrong with this bike. why would anyone own 1. I myself feel that my 1600 with 19,000 miles is a pos. it leaks oil, it feels unsteady at all speeds, I cant shift from 1rst to second without it sometimes grinding. ive ridden a fair amount of different bikes throughout my life but this one takes the cake!

[macmac]

Originally Posted by SPOCK #1

there are so many things that can evidently go wrong with these bikes, why would anybody own one. everybody's throwing out suggestions of what can be wrong with this bike. why would anyone own 1. I myself feel that my 1600 with 19,000 miles is a pos. it leaks oil, it feels unsteady at all speeds, I cant shift from 1rst to second without it sometimes grinding. ive ridden a fair amount of different bikes throughout my life but this one takes the cake!

Whats in your wallet? Nomads are one of the best heavy cruisers out there. The bike of the topic was run with out any oil and for who knows how long. What engine can run with out oil?

Your 1600 may be a pos but mine sure isn't, unless you could a failed horn from lack of use a big problem. I use the horn for to pass state inspection, and that's all i use it for. I use a gun for everything else.

When the shifting gets crunchy IT MEANS you have passed around 3,000 miles and it's time for a oil change.

If the bike feels unstable you have junk tires and or have missed service dates by the book.

Being this is post number 1, I am going to pretend i didn't see this post.

[davidhollinger]

LMAO!! Thats right Mac! I LOOOOVE my 1500! It was a serious upgrade from my previous other bikes.
Spock, You have to GET TO KNOW your bike and fix those little things you are talking about. I didnt like the risers so I changed them, I didnt like the Bricks called tires when I bought it so I changed them.. there a million options for upgrades for these bikes but if you are looking for a PERFECT bike right out of the box then you better dig deep in your wallet like Mac says. There are Victory guys, BMW guys, and HD guys here and I am willing to bet that everyone (except CJ ) had to do SOMETHING to his Brand New BIke to make it better for him!!! Work on your bike and you will fall in love with it. IF not sell it,part it, whatever.. I am sure someone on here will make an offer on something useful off of it.

[cnc]

Quite frankly if this is not a spoof about Vulcans Mr. Spock, then I suggest if you are so unhappy with your bike sell it. I bought mine new in 2008 and have had no issues. Things go wrong with anything mechanical especially if it is abused and not maintained. Most of us are on this forum because we like our Nomads and want to share our positive and negative experiences with them so we can help each other.

[Todd]

I am wondering if this dealer looked at his sight glass with the bike on the stand then filled it until they could see the oil with it still on the stand....over filling it?? The OP says when he checked it, it looked over filled.

Over fill could wreak similar havoc.

[vulcanscott]

best advice I heard was from the elders . it is up to what you do . ebay is the way to go . you prob don't much of a core left after running it out of oil . I seen a 1600 listed about a week ago with only 3500 on the clock. it is pretty easy swap with a little advise from the guys on here.

[Crymson]

Thanks all. I'm going to haul it to another dealer to see what they will give me for it.

[MJ07Nomad]

Originally Posted by Todd

I am wondering if this dealer looked at his sight glass with the bike on the stand then filled it until they could see the oil with it still on the stand....over filling it?? The OP says when he checked it, it looked over filled.

Over fill could wreak similar havoc.

The OP said "The shop tells me that it only had 1/2 qt of oil in it! I checked the view maybe a few weeks before, and it looked good. They couldn't see any oil leak.

They replaced the battery, it is running. They say they are amazed that it even runs. They mentioned the engine was very loud with some knocking."
From that, I get, the bike was run with NO oil, damage was done. I think they over filled it too, but the OP said he checked it after riding to work or home the next day and it was 1/2 way in the glass. It then would not start.
I do agree that over filling the oil will wreak havac, just this time the damage was done so over filing did not matter.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by MJ07Nomad

The OP said "The shop tells me that it only had 1/2 qt of oil in it! I checked the view maybe a few weeks before, and it looked good. They couldn't see any oil leak.

They replaced the battery, it is running. They say they are amazed that it even runs. They mentioned the engine was very loud with some knocking."
From that, I get, the bike was run with NO oil, damage was done. I think they over filled it too, but the OP said he checked it after riding to work or home the next day and it was 1/2 way in the glass. It then would not start.
I do agree that over filling the oil will wreak havac, just this time the damage was done so over filing did not matter.

Yeah, I was thinking bad battery but plenty of oil....the shop checks and says "hey no oil"... overfills it, replaces the battery, starts it too full and whalla...stuff starts getting too much pressure put on it .... just a theory ... diagnostics via web are tough.

[macmac]

Originally Posted by Todd

Yeah, I was thinking bad battery but plenty of oil....the shop checks and says "hey no oil"... overfills it, replaces the battery, starts it too full and whalla...stuff starts getting too much pressure put on it .... just a theory ... diagnostics via web are tough.

Maybe the battery was worn and maybe it wasn't. A oil starved over heated piston will bind in the bore, more like try to weld itself in the bore. The starter will click and buzz trying to turn a engine that won't turn too.

I have seen more than a few engines that were killed ran with no oil and maybe no coolant too. Things inside that should be smooth are trashed. Not enough oil does nasty things to metal on babbit bearings that are just a surface to float steel on.

No oil pressure means no floating shafts which is how engines don't self destruct in the first place. There is no metal to babbit contact because oil pressure floats things like crank shafts and cam shafts. The most wear happens starting a engine and the next most wear happens shutting it off. There is still oil psi shutting it off though.

It's a bad thing to rev any engine just as you shut it off as you get gas / oil and can wash off oil that might be there at the next start, not to mention wash down the cly bore and waste fuel in what should be all oil.

Then we may have a previous owner than took it to mind the oil bottle said 7,500 miles or more but didn't consider this engine oil is shared doing tranny clutch workings as well. That extra works shears and cooks oil hard.

IMO the very best oil can only last in a Nomad mill for 3,500 miles MAX. I can feel it in my shifter.

[cnc]

Todd all possible, but the oil light came on before it went to the shop and again after.
As you say diagnostics via the Internet are tough. If we can't see, hear or try a few simple tests, we are all guessing. 3 reasons an oil light generally comes on low oil, poorly preforming pump due to clogging or malfunction or a malfunctioning sender. I don't think either of the last two are common on the Nomad.