djwlaker999 Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hi. I have been riding my yamaha dt 125 now for around 2 months. It is a 1991 model. It has been leaking oil now for about a month, anyway, last night i was riding and suddenly i lost all power and had to pull over. I tried to kick start it but it was making a strange clunking noise and wouldnt start. I then went to bump start it but again it made a very strange noise and then died. I got it home after pushing it 2 miles and tried kick starting it again, the kick start stuck after about a third of the way down. My dad put it down to running out of engine oil and the engine has 'seized'. Whats everyones thoughts, how much would it cost to get it fixed at a mechanic? Or is it a simple job i can do myself. I am not GREAT with bikes but i can follow instructions well. Sorry about the long post i just want everyone to know the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Openroad Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Hi. I have been riding my yamaha dt 125 now for around 2 months. It is a 1991 model. It has been leaking oil now for about a month, anyway, last night i was riding and suddenly i lost all power and had to pull over. I tried to kick start it but it was making a strange clunking noise and wouldnt start. I then went to bump start it but again it made a very strange noise and then died. I got it home after pushing it 2 miles and tried kick starting it again, the kick start stuck after about a third of the way down. My dad put it down to running out of engine oil and the engine has 'seized'. Whats everyones thoughts, how much would it cost to get it fixed at a mechanic? Or is it a simple job i can do myself. I am not GREAT with bikes but i can follow instructions well. Sorry about the long post i just want everyone to know the details. Hi djw. So you ran your bike without checking the oil, it seized and you want some instruction. Try asking your dad for a wad of dosh and buy another bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 Is it really that serious. I read that i may just need a top end rebuild and this would only cost around £150. Is this true or is my bike a complete write off? Should i take to a mechanic, do it myself, or buy a new bike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted July 5, 2008 Moderator Share Posted July 5, 2008 You seem to have no idea about engines and mechanics, not being critical when i say that, youre in the majority. The info youve given isnt precise enough, when you say its been leaking"engine oil".... where from? is it gearbox oil you mean or have you been running it with no two stroke oil? Either way though, from the info youve given, i would hazard a guess that it is going to be an engine out full strip down. but first maybe the head and barrel can be taken off to see if the damage is there. I think its not a job for a complete novice though...even one who can follow instructions, you need to rope someone in to help you, or pay dearly to have it fixed. Where are you by the way? If you do take it in, you will need a quote and only you can decide whether its worth fixing, have you got access to a van? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 Im in Chesterfield, about 10miles from Sheffield. I could probably get access to a van. How much am i looking at to get this fixed (complete engine strip down estimate). The oil i beleive was coming from the engine itself althouggh i am not sure. Any suggestions? Sorry about my inexperience im new to biking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted July 5, 2008 Moderator Share Posted July 5, 2008 Im in Chesterfield, about 10miles from Sheffield. I could probably get access to a van. How much am i looking at to get this fixed (complete engine strip down estimate). The oil i beleive was coming from the engine itself althouggh i am not sure. Any suggestions? Sorry about my inexperience im new to biking. Thing is, the DT is a two stroke engine, and as such does not have "engine oil" (thats a four stroke thing), it does however have gearbox or transmission oil. so if you have run without gearbox oil that could do some serious damage to the gearbox and would involve major strip down. What do you mean youre not sure where the oil was leaking from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 I'm not sure. I have a bottle at the front of the bike (in which i fill with 2 stroke oil) and this was full. But i did not fill the engine 'casing' bit with oil and this ran out. I cannot see where the oil is dripping from its hard to find. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted July 5, 2008 Moderator Share Posted July 5, 2008 Sounds like the gearbox oil then, time to do some phoning round i'd say, ask other bikers in your area where to get quotes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 Ok, what should i tell the mechaic is wrong with it? How much is it gonna cost me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted July 5, 2008 Moderator Share Posted July 5, 2008 Ok, what should i tell the mechaic is wrong with it? How much is it gonna cost me Tell them what youve told us, ask them over the phone if they need to see the bike, ask them if theres a charge for the estimate dont just ask one, try a few before you decide what to do, i reckon it will be expensive though, ive never been in this situation myself, always done my own work so have no experience of having bikes fixed for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 ok thanks a lot for your help, you've been great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr benn Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 you could try draining the gearbox and see if there's any oil left in it. this may indicate whether it was gearbox oil you were losing. a top end rebuild is not going to cost the earth. Couple of hundred quid if you do it yourself. a complete engine strip by a mechanic will be expensive though, so it's best to try to find out where the problem lies. If the engine won't turn over by the kickstarter then maybe it is a piston seizure. If your 2 stroke oil bottle was "full", has the engine been getting any oil to it? how much has the level dropped since you last filled it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 you could try draining the gearbox and see if there's any oil left in it. this may indicate whether it was gearbox oil you were losing. a top end rebuild is not going to cost the earth. Couple of hundred quid if you do it yourself. a complete engine strip by a mechanic will be expensive though, so it's best to try to find out where the problem lies. If the engine won't turn over by the kickstarter then maybe it is a piston seizure. If your 2 stroke oil bottle was "full", has the engine been getting any oil to it? how much has the level dropped since you last filled it? Im not quite sure how much it has gone down, it wasnt full full but there was a lot in it . How would i go about draining the gearbox oil (i could do this tomorrow). How expensive we talking for a mechainc to do it? If its too expensive i may just have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted July 5, 2008 Moderator Share Posted July 5, 2008 Im not quite sure how much it has gone down, it wasnt full full but there was a lot in it . How would i go about draining the gearbox oil (i could do this tomorrow). How expensive we talking for a mechainc to do it? If its too expensive i may just have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. They dont hold a lot of oil, cant you see any on the dipstick? The drain plug should be obvious, underneath the engine, probably around the centre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 6, 2008 Author Share Posted July 6, 2008 They dont hold a lot of oil, cant you see any on the dipstick? The drain plug should be obvious, underneath the engine, probably around the centre Just to clarify, is the gearbox oil on the right hand side of the bike (on the kick start bit, it says i should fill 750ml)? If so it is here i have ran out of oil. Is ths the transmission oil or gearbox oil? Where are they both located. oldgitonabike i noticed you are from derbyshire, where abouts may i ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr benn Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Gearbox oil and transmission oil are one and the same. It is the oil filler next to the 750ml marking - probably has a dipstick in it. If it has seized the gearbox then it's a bigger job as you have to split the crankcases. You may as well replace main bearings and crank seals while you're in there, as well as whatever bearings have seized in the gearbox. You could try putting 750ml of oil in the gearbox and see if it frees anything off - it will only cost you a fiver. It's almost impossible to estimate the cost of repair until you find out exactly what damage has been done, but with labour it's going to run into a few hundred quid. The problem with buying a secondhand engine is you don't know its history and it could well expire on you the first time you run it - it is just as likely to need work as the one you have. A new engine will be out of the question - it would be cheaper to buy another bike. What mileage has the bike done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 6, 2008 Author Share Posted July 6, 2008 Gearbox oil and transmission oil are one and the same. It is the oil filler next to the 750ml marking - probably has a dipstick in it. If it has seized the gearbox then it's a bigger job as you have to split the crankcases. You may as well replace main bearings and crank seals while you're in there, as well as whatever bearings have seized in the gearbox. You could try putting 750ml of oil in the gearbox and see if it frees anything off - it will only cost you a fiver. It's almost impossible to estimate the cost of repair until you find out exactly what damage has been done, but with labour it's going to run into a few hundred quid. The problem with buying a secondhand engine is you don't know its history and it could well expire on you the first time you run it - it is just as likely to need work as the one you have. A new engine will be out of the question - it would be cheaper to buy another bike. What mileage has the bike done? Now im getting an idea. Just been out to look at the bike and yes i believe i have ran out of gearbox oil.. the bike wont go out of neutral either. I tried filling it with oil the other day and bump starting it but it didn't free up. The bike has done 15,600 miles. I have my Haynes manual but i dont know what to look at first. Where do i start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted July 6, 2008 Moderator Share Posted July 6, 2008 Now im getting an idea. Just been out to look at the bike and yes i believe i have ran out of gearbox oil.. the bike wont go out of neutral either. I tried filling it with oil the other day and bump starting it but it didn't free up. The bike has done 15,600 miles. I have my Haynes manual but i dont know what to look at first. Where do i start? Start with either finding someone to help you or start phoning round, a complete engine strip is not a job for a complete novice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwlaker999 Posted July 6, 2008 Author Share Posted July 6, 2008 Ok, can i just ask what looks like it needs replacing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted July 6, 2008 Moderator Share Posted July 6, 2008 Wont know what needs replacing until its stripped down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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