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Sand in airbox?

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#21 ·
He doesn't mention it being on the inlet side of the filter, which suggests that the airbox was off when it appeared. Also it's quite clean, which would be unlikely for road grit. I've heard of idiots sandblasting the exterior of an auto engine, only to find that the grit worked it way past the valve cover gaskets and into the engine. Maybe the frame or underside of the tank was blasted and it forced its way past the airbox gasket. I can only guess.
 
Discussion starter · #23 ·
TheGeek said:
I read it as he opened it up to find that. ...
Click to expand...
Correct. I opened the airbox up to check the filter for the first time since buying, and that’s when I noticed the sand/glass. Filter was snug in place if I recall correctly.
So I strongly suspect there is sand/glass in my engine under the plunger thingies. I will clean up the throttle body then move the next steps. Options I have been considering are:

1.) use a strong vacuum on each valve to try to dislodge/remove any sand/glass/crap that is in the engine.

2.) Reassemble and do a few oil changes, hope for the best.

the plunger things seem to have a mixture of carbon deposit/sand/glass on them. Any advice on how to clean those without removing and disassembling the engine?
 
#24 ·
welp, it definitely got into the combustion chambers, how much is the question? what are the chances this is a fuel additive that's left over after fuel has evaporated? dunno really..

did ya smash it or try to crush it, is it hard or soft?

starbucks has long green fat straws, use some duct tape and rig it to a vacuum cleaner if it's very hard, tr to suck it out of the valve chambers so forth..

any way you can get one of those anal cameras and stick it down into an open valve now you have the TB's off, have a look at those cylinder walls, find a piston at bottom dead center..

they have an inspection camera for smart phones $11 on the bay Amazon prolly has overnight shipping? it's worth it for peace of mind and to know what you have cylinder wall wise, maybe do a compression leakdown test as well, that kit is a little more but again, do you want it top notch or? a guy should know what he has in any event, it's not much to find out..

hard to say how long and how much has been ran through this engine but it might be why it was sold? some folks are shystie like this, fugg up their equipment then want to pass the buck to a total stranger, odd karma but they do it anyway..

www.ebay.com

Waterproof Inspection Camera Cam Endoscope For iPhone iOS/Android Phone Car/Tube | eBay

It has 6 leds and the brightness is adjustable. - Compatible with iOS/Android/Windows/Mac System. - IP67 Waterproof Design. - Waterproof Level: IP67. No local pickup. - Mini Size and Light weight for portable use.
www.ebay.com
 
#25 ·
BillV said:
He doesn't mention it being on the inlet side of the filter, which suggests that the airbox was off when it appeared. Also it's quite clean, which would be unlikely for road grit. I've heard of idiots sandblasting the exterior of an auto engine, only to find that the grit worked it way past the valve cover gaskets and into the engine. Maybe the frame or underside of the tank was blasted and it forced its way past the airbox gasket. I can only guess.
Click to expand...

this has made it all the way down into the valve chamber, you can see it on the underside of the valve when its closed, it's been sucked through the engine no doubt about it, all over the inner TB's, butterflies

it may have been ran without a filter through some harsh sand whatever or it is a residue, get it under a magnifying glass and smash in under a spoon... curious exactly WTF it actually is... is it a blasting media? could he have had the air box apart while someone was blasting something? it's a very glassy sandy material, almost transparent?

I mean sand is actually clear it has rough edges that make it appear not, why when you heat it and it melts its clear, but this stuff is almost clear as is, like salt? crystalline, is it salt? fookin weird.. where's inspector Clouseau when you need him... lol
 
#26 ·
gwinkies said:
Correct. I opened the airbox up to check the filter for the first time since buying, and that’s when I noticed the sand/glass. Filter was snug in place if I recall correctly.
So I strongly suspect there is sand/glass in my engine under the plunger thingies. I will clean up the throttle body then move the next steps. Options I have been considering are:

1.) use a strong vacuum on each valve to try to dislodge/remove any sand/glass/crap that is in the engine.

2.) Reassemble and do a few oil changes, hope for the best.

the plunger things seem to have a mixture of carbon deposit/sand/glass on them. Any advice on how to clean those without removing and disassembling the engine?
Click to expand...

may as well do an oil change know what you have and how many miles are on it then inspect oil and filter media.. and please smash some with a spoon is it soft or hard? I just have to know.. if it were mine I'd taste it maybe snort some, never know someone may have smuggled some meth and it ruptured? sure looks like chards to me, not that I am a pro but I have seen it before, never smoked any, don't want to either, my grill is fine as is sides I don't like the way that stuff modifies grilles anyway.. "I am mowgli, and I have a tooth"
 
Discussion starter · #28 ·
TwistedMister said:
may as well do an oil change know what you have and how many miles are on it then inspect oil and filter media.. and please smash some with a spoon is it soft or hard? I just have to know.. if it were mine I'd taste it maybe snort some, never know someone may have smuggled some meth and it ruptured? sure looks like chards to me, not that I am a pro but I have seen it before, never smoked any, don't want to either, my grill is fine as is sides I don't like the way that stuff modifies grilles anyway.. "I am mowgli, and I have a tooth"
Click to expand...
Lmao.. I did taste it - it was tasteless and unfortunately it did not make me feel good (or bad) afterwards. I did not try snorting it. I threw most of it away but I might be able to recover some to crush up with a spoon. I'll report back.

Maybe I'll try heating it up in the spoon with a lighter and see if burns/melts ;)
 
#30 ·
That's disheartening to find in your intake, one speck, is enough to alarm me. Have to move on and try to forget it. Oil / filter change. Cut your old filter open with snips and check it out.
No way to fix this, engine rebuild / replacement is more than bike is worth at this point, just ride it and enjoy it.
If you end up with clouds of smoke following you, you could rebuild it then. (y)
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
TwistedMister said:
may as well do an oil change know what you have and how many miles are on it then inspect oil and filter media.. and please smash some with a spoon is it soft or hard? I just have to know.. if it were mine I'd taste it maybe snort some, never know someone may have smuggled some meth and it ruptured? sure looks like chards to me, not that I am a pro but I have seen it before, never smoked any, don't want to either, my grill is fine as is sides I don't like the way that stuff modifies grilles anyway.. "I am mowgli, and I have a tooth"
Click to expand...
I smashed some up… I didn’t have to press super hard on the spoon to pulverize whatever it is. This leaves me hopeful that after cleaning the engine will be able to pulverize whatever is left inside of it.
Image
 
Discussion starter · #32 ·
This is my current plan for confronting my situation with this material in my engine. Any additional advice/recommendations will be considered and appreciated.

1.) use an inspection camera to check out what I can see inside the engine. Make note.

2.) use a vacuum with a straw to suck up as much junk as possible out of my engine and in/around the throttle body. clean throttle body with carb cleaner. After this, hook up a shop vac to each of the cylinders one at a time to suck out whatever the straw vacuum wasn’t capable of getting.

3.) reinspect with inspection camera. repeat step 2+3 until I decide it’s good enough.

4.) Reassemble the motorcycle and start it up. Run engine for a few minutes to bring engine temp up and cycle the oil through.

5.) Oil change. I still have some leftover fresh oil so I’m considering using it up, running it through the engine just to get any last gunk out of it. Probably just let the bike idle to cycle it through or perhaps go for a short ride.

6.) Oil change #2 + oil filter change. Once I do this, I think I will be throwing in the towel and just hoping for the best moving forward.

do y’all think the extra oil change is pointless?
does my shop vac idea sound safe for the engine?
Any other ideas?
 
#34 ·
I think #1, and hence #3 on your list is over kill, but that's just me.
And #6. How much did you pay for this?

This isn't your team logo expensive race bike- that depends on top performace for $$.

So a few things, if it runs OK, FFooorrrgggeeetttt aabboouuuttt iittt!
 
#35 ·
Did you buy this from a dealer or individual?
 
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Discussion starter · #36 ·
what? said:
I think #1, and hence #3 on your list is over kill, but that's just me.
And #6. How much did you pay for this?

This isn't your team logo expensive race bike- that depends on top performace for $$.

So a few things, if it runs OK, FFooorrrgggeeetttt aabboouuuttt iittt!
Click to expand...
I'm located in Chicagoland area which seems to have higher prices for motorcycles and cars in general. I payed $5500 for the bike (20500 miles) and the previous owner delivered it to me as well.
Price is definitely on the high side but I liked what I saw, it performed well on the short test drive I took it on, and the convenience of the delivery was hard to beat in the freezing temperatures.
 
#39 ·
if you haven't changed the oil and filter as of yet may as well and cut that filter inspect the paper see how deep it's gotten? don't see it getting past the rings but then again how did it get past the filter?, if its soft it should pulverize however any damage such as scored cylinder walls is yet to be determined, I am sure enough could wear away the coating the nikasil forms so if you are down to strght steel walls or there are scorched areas then you know its time at some point in the future to deal with it, once that coating the nikasil forms is gone it's like a normal engine at that point, for $11 to stick one down the spark plug hole it's well worth it to see what's what and if that did any damage or not, plus to see the general condition of your cylinders, won't hurt anything and you know what you have and know how to push the bike..

gonna be a long winter so why not? compression test if you can, see where it's at there too.. may be paranoid but better safe than sorry, you'll know more once you start riding it where it really stands..

as mentioned if you run a crankcase cleaner with the original oil and filter 1 oil change should suffice, dump some seafoam into the crankcase oil filler with the bad oil that's already in it, if its been drained already get some cheap detergent oil, use the old filter.. doesn't have to be motorcycle specific oil the cheapest walmart you can find works.. run a pint or so of sea foam in the crankcase along with it.. run it good.. drain, new filter good oil, good to go.. use a high quality motorcycle specific, the good stuff
 
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TheGeek
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