XR600R possible engine damage ???

[oldSkewl]

I just purchase a 98 XR600R dual-sported and have been fixing it up a little at time for at couple of months now. I'm busy with a house remodel so I don't have a lot of time to ride. I did the easy stuff chain, sprockets, cables, carb plate, bars, hand guards and so on. I needed to get the valves adjusted, steering bearings lubed, new wheel bearings, fork oil, oil change, new tires mounted, and compression checked. I took it to my local Honda dealer for them to do the work. They discovered the previous owner loved dragging the rear brake so I need a new rear rotor too. OK they have the bike for two weeks (waiting on the rotor) and call me to pick up the bike. I pick it up and ride it home and park it. I noticed it smelled like BURNED oil. I look at the engine and the guy who change the oil had let it run all over the engine case and skid plate. To me it looked like he removed the side cover for the filter and just let oil drain out. I figure the smell is the oil burning off the case. I parked it and got back on the house remodel. Fast forward 3 weeks. I finally have a chance to go for a ride. I head out on a 1 hour power-line blast. I stop to take in the view and I smell the BURNED oil again. I check the dipstick and it is DRY AS A BONE! I'm thinking how can this be? The shop has alway done great work. I even take my KDX there instead of the local Kawi dealer for work. I head home taking it easy. Total mileage about 50 miles. I get home and put 1/2 quart oil in. Ride around the block measure the level. NO oil on the stick! I put in the rest of the quart, around the block again, measure and its just above the lower mark on the stick. I check the Honda manual and 2 quarts is full up. Did I just ride 50 miles with no oil? Is that possible? Is my motor fubar'd? I called the dealer they said they would tear down the head, do a leak test, do a compression test and what not. Will this be enough to tell if the engine is damaged? Even if the motor checks out how much accelerated wear did this cause? I'm feeling sick...

[philipstjohn]

If it is still running, and with no noticable sign of power loss, your probably ok. The motor without much oil probably ran hot, and the long term damage if any would be hard to tell. Thats why we buy Hondas, they seem to take abuse and keep on running. Remember always check you oil prior to each ride... :mad:

[LandSharkGT]

If you have a compression guage you can check your own motor out, should be somewhere around 150-170# of compression. I check mine before I tore mine down and it was 145# and running strong for 22 yr old motor.

[oldSkewl]

bump ^

[SniperTeamBravo]

Youre prob fine as i know two guys who rode for miles wituout oil or with very little oil. One cracked a case out in the middle of nowhere and after learning in about 2 nanoseconds how hard it is to push a XR600 in the sand he rode it home, 80 miles with almost no oil! The case got fixed and he tops it up and it is fine. ZThe other one changed his oil, wifee starts bitchin and he puts the cap back on without oil so as to not get any dirt in there while he does the honeydo list, comes back, forgets to put in oil and rides for half a day wondering where the putrid smell of burning oil is comming from. Checks it no oil, fills it up and fine no prob...

[XR_Dude]

If you do not hear a lot of extra valve noise you are probably all right! Drain the oil into a clean pan, check the oil in the pan after you drain it out, check the oil filter and the screen as well. if you do not find large chips or a lot of metal particals, you are OK. The shop probably put in the first liter, ran it at idle, but forgot to put in the rest.

[Beyond The Pale]

If you do not hear a lot of extra valve noise you are probably all right! Drain the oil into a clean pan, check the oil in the pan after you drain it out, check the oil filter and the screen as well. if you do not find large chips or a lot of metal particals, you are OK. The shop probably put in the first liter, ran it at idle, but forgot to put in the rest.

Like the XR_Dude says, check the screen. It's at the bottom of the frame tube. Take off the oil hose at the bottom and it comes off. It's on there with a lot of torque so use the box end of a combination wrench so it doesn't strip. In my 600 all the metal from the engine ends up on that screen. I've never seen any at the oil filter, or the screen inside the right side cover.

Like the owners manual says, always check the oil before a ride.

[rebelventurer]

Two things, First how much did the dealer say they were going to charge for the work you mentioned? second, if they will not change your oil correctly why do you think they will do more extreme work correctly?

REMEDY= change your own oil!!!!!!!

If you do not hear the valves rattling, change your oil and ride when you can!!!!