Bang! :-(

[gods_dad]

Recently bought a Sylva Striker with a Kawasaki GPZ1000RX engine.

Was out in it today when sudden loss of power and lots of blue smoke. Tried to bump start it but engine appears to be solid.

Can anyone offer any advice on what to look for when trying to fix it, or alternatively where I can get another engine?

Thanks

[dern]

I'd take the plugs out and see if it'll turn over without any compression. You could pull off the valve cover and see if the camchain is still intact (or belt I guess) and go from there. If you take the head off you should be able to see what has happened.

Short of that you could look for a replacement engine which, given that GPZ1000s were kicking around a while ago so there may be plenty of engines in the breakers. There are loads of bike breakers kicking about, do a search on t'internet. Here's one engine on ebay...

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9807&item=2476564607&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9807&item=2476564607&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW</a>

The other option is to do some research as to whether the gpz1100 engine is simply an overbored gpz1000 engine. If it is you could possibly fit a gpz1100 engine which are reasonably plentiful (I had one, good engine imo) or even a zzr1100 engine which are basically the same thing but with more power. If you find these are all basically the same engine you're laughing. If not you could choose another engine but you'd need a new manifold, engine mounts and so on.

Good luck,

Mark

PS... just found this block and pistons for a tenner plus a tenner postage if you fancy getting the head off and you discover it's a piston seized through oil starvation or a broken ring or something along those lines...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10464&item=7901014091&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

...I can't imagine it would be that expensive to get the block resleeved if it's a bit worn (shouldn't be at 25k miles though). If I was going to that trouble I'd give the bottom end to someone to overhaul though and make sure to rectify the initial oil starvation problem is that was the cause.

>> Edited by dern on Sunday 2nd May 21:44

[gods_dad]

Mark,

Thanks for the very detailed reply.

I think at this stage my likely course of action is to source a GPZ 1000 / 1100 or a ZZR 1100 engine. That way I can fit an engine that will work and enjoy the summer and the track day I had booked for tomorrow but have had to move to June. I can then strip the current engine and find out what went wrong and why.

Thanks also for the eBay links. Believe it or no was already watching both of them!

[dern]

gods_dad said:

Thanks for the very detailed reply.

No problem... I just tend to keep typing when I've had a couple of drinks. Sorting the wheat from the chaff is left as an exercise for the reader

Good luck with the car.

Regards,

Mark