dead TLS :-(

[loosebruce]

hey all, just got the damage report back on my S, it seems that it dropped an exhaust valve, which in turn destroyed the cam, cam cover, springs etc etc (very messy). I've got a few options to follow but i'm not sure which one, 1- replace cam, valve etc around $2000NZ assuming no damage was done to the barrel & piston otherwise it's $3500NZ both exculding labour, the 3rd is to drop a second hand engine in at around $4000NZ. The other thing thats on my mind was the bikeshop recently serviced the bike which inculded checking the valve and tappits, which they said were sweet, the mechanic tryed telling me that it was caused by valve bouncing, isnt that rare on bikes with limiters? Plus i havent heard of any other TL's dropping a valve anyone else out there had this problem or any ideas as to why this would've happened Plus looks like it'll be 3 months until i get it fixed and summers just starting here
Cheers all ride safe

[SDTLR]

That's terrible

Blame it on the shop, that's what I'd do

[Andrew TLR]

Go to small claims court if they aren't willing to at least throw in the labor and parts at cost. It sounds like they may be partly responsible anyway. That's why they have liability insurance!

I'm not a stranger to having to follow this route in my business dealing and though it does suck because of the time it takes to follow it through, if you do nothing it's your money they're taking to pay for a mistake they made when it really comes down to it.

[Steve TLS]

How many kays have you got on it?

I hold mine on the limiter a lot

[loosebruce]

yea cheers andrew i will be lookin into the small claims side of things if they are going to be bastards about it all, but to be honest dont know if i want those monkeys touching my baby again.

[loosebruce]

just ticked over 51000kms, and admittly i do hit the limiter oftenish. But whats the limiter therefore in the first place. To stop major engine damage?

[Steve TLS]

Well that's what I thing it's for too. With the typical TLS dyno graph showing the TLS power flat lining across the last 2K rpm or so it's easy to hit, it's not like you typical I-4 graph where the power starts falling of pretty quickly before the limiter is hit.

Did they do any adjustment or just a check? If they actually had the cams out, I think you have a real good case for a small claims hearing.

Have you been able to find all the bits? Did a valve spring break? Did the collets just wear the retainer out so it was able to slip off over them? Did the valve stem break, etc etc.

[Jack/Tokyo]

it is fun bouncing that bad boy OFF the rev-limiter !

[Rupes]

Sound like to me. So a competent mechanic (which I'm sure he'll claim to be) in is expert opinion believes that the damage was caused by "valve bouncing", in an engine with a rev limiter thats sole purpose is to prevent such things from happening. That alone shouldn't be to hard to refute by a decent mechanic or for that matter a Suzuki rep after all they designed the things and I'm sure they wouldn't like people thinking that sort of thing happens. I don't think that any court would believe that the valve adjustment carried out by the mechanic and subsequent damage was just a coincidence.

[loosebruce]

The mechanics just checked the valves etc etc and said they were sweet, ethier that or they were too lazy to do anything about it. Do you guys think it would be a risk fixing the damaged valve as the valves all go at the same speed, just dont want another one to go after spending the $$$ on fixing one, or would it be wiser to just drop a second hand motor in? I cant afford anything else to crap out at the mo.