Repair, replace or move on?
Discussion
Hi all,
So after passing my DAS 6 weeks ago, I bought a Mk2 GSF1200 K3. Turns out some kind private seller moved his problems onto me.
Basically bike is using alot of oil, about 700ml per 100 mile.
Talked to a mechanic friend of a friend who basically said its going to be £1000 to fix, will need a new engine or just move the bike on.
I've already spent about £500 getting the bike to where I wanted it with a new exhaust, oil cooler etc and love the bike, I just don't think I can justify £800/900 on a new engine or £1000 on repairs. I'm not the kind of person who would hide the issue so would sell describing the issues meaning I'd get literally sod all. I'm not mechanically savvy enough to strip for parts... So what to do?
I'm absolutely gutted to be honest.
Thanks.
So after passing my DAS 6 weeks ago, I bought a Mk2 GSF1200 K3. Turns out some kind private seller moved his problems onto me.
Basically bike is using alot of oil, about 700ml per 100 mile.
Talked to a mechanic friend of a friend who basically said its going to be £1000 to fix, will need a new engine or just move the bike on.
I've already spent about £500 getting the bike to where I wanted it with a new exhaust, oil cooler etc and love the bike, I just don't think I can justify £800/900 on a new engine or £1000 on repairs. I'm not the kind of person who would hide the issue so would sell describing the issues meaning I'd get literally sod all. I'm not mechanically savvy enough to strip for parts... So what to do?
I'm absolutely gutted to be honest.
Thanks.
As above you need to confirm what the problem is really...
Are new engines really £800? I see £400-£500 on eBay but admittedly not sure what the "mk3" changes are?
I've only ever done it once so not exactly an oracle, but fitting a new engine was no where near as difficult as I thought it would be. Took me a long weekend with a Haynes manual. Get a mate to help you lift the engine though, they're f
king heavy to drop in by yourself.
Alternatively, it's a bds trick, but I'd delete your post and do a trade in.
Are new engines really £800? I see £400-£500 on eBay but admittedly not sure what the "mk3" changes are?
I've only ever done it once so not exactly an oracle, but fitting a new engine was no where near as difficult as I thought it would be. Took me a long weekend with a Haynes manual. Get a mate to help you lift the engine though, they're f
king heavy to drop in by yourself. Alternatively, it's a b
ds trick, but I'd delete your post and do a trade in.You'll loose more money selling it if you disclose the problems. I'd get a replacement engine fitted if I were you. Or just ride it as is and just keep adding oil? I've got the 600 version of your bike and it's always used a bit of oil but as these are cheap bikes you ride the arse off it!
Cheers everyone. Friend is putting out some feelers to see if anyone wants a project and other option is trade in at a dealer though I'm not too sure on that one as I try to lead an honest life!
Mechanic reckons piston rings are shot as has been mentioned. No smoke from the exhaust and engine doesn't sound particularly rough. The new oil cooler is solid and no sign of any leaks anywhere. I do have someone I trust with it but I'm loathed to spend on diagnostics as I'm already in a hole so feel I should stop digging and chalk it up to experience.
Not a good start to my biking life!
Mechanic reckons piston rings are shot as has been mentioned. No smoke from the exhaust and engine doesn't sound particularly rough. The new oil cooler is solid and no sign of any leaks anywhere. I do have someone I trust with it but I'm loathed to spend on diagnostics as I'm already in a hole so feel I should stop digging and chalk it up to experience.
Not a good start to my biking life!
CoreyDog said:
Cheers everyone. Friend is putting out some feelers to see if anyone wants a project and other option is trade in at a dealer though I'm not too sure on that one as I try to lead an honest life!
Mechanic reckons piston rings are shot as has been mentioned. No smoke from the exhaust and engine doesn't sound particularly rough. The new oil cooler is solid and no sign of any leaks anywhere. I do have someone I trust with it but I'm loathed to spend on diagnostics as I'm already in a hole so feel I should stop digging and chalk it up to experience.
Not a good start to my biking life!
Don't trade it without disclosing, bad Karma as some poor sap will end up buying as is as no dealer will ride it far enough for the problem to be noticeable.Mechanic reckons piston rings are shot as has been mentioned. No smoke from the exhaust and engine doesn't sound particularly rough. The new oil cooler is solid and no sign of any leaks anywhere. I do have someone I trust with it but I'm loathed to spend on diagnostics as I'm already in a hole so feel I should stop digging and chalk it up to experience.
Not a good start to my biking life!
I don't doubt it's rings but at 700ml per 100 miles that's getting through 10w40 quicker than a 2 stroke running 25:1. I'm surprised there was no smoke or noticeable discharges from the breathers.
Anyway, if you have the space it may be worth using this as an opportunity to strip the bike down, replace what's needed and put it back together in the knowledge that it's now a solid bike. While it'll take time it'll likely cost less than selling this bike and buying a replacement which may or may not come with issues of its own.
Anyway, if you have the space it may be worth using this as an opportunity to strip the bike down, replace what's needed and put it back together in the knowledge that it's now a solid bike. While it'll take time it'll likely cost less than selling this bike and buying a replacement which may or may not come with issues of its own.
GSF1200 K3, that’s a 2003 Bandit right? From the mid 90s they must have made millions of oil cooled Bandits, and they are bomb proof. The engine goes way back to the 1980s.
In the unlikely case it is knackered, you could get the top end rebuilt or get a second hand engine, they’re not rare or exotic.
As others have said, check the breathers.
In the unlikely case it is knackered, you could get the top end rebuilt or get a second hand engine, they’re not rare or exotic.
As others have said, check the breathers.
23k miles per your previous post about getting your first big bike?
I'm with everyone else that the engine being fubar is the least likely scenario. If it sounded rough I could imagine something bad having happened to it before you got it but otherwise its going to be something simple.
How many miles have you done on it and how much oil have you put in it?
I'm with everyone else that the engine being fubar is the least likely scenario. If it sounded rough I could imagine something bad having happened to it before you got it but otherwise its going to be something simple.
How many miles have you done on it and how much oil have you put in it?
CoreyDog said:
Cheers everyone. Friend is putting out some feelers to see if anyone wants a project and other option is trade in at a dealer though I'm not too sure on that one as I try to lead an honest life!
Mechanic reckons piston rings are shot as has been mentioned. No smoke from the exhaust and engine doesn't sound particularly rough. The new oil cooler is solid and no sign of any leaks anywhere. I do have someone I trust with it but I'm loathed to spend on diagnostics as I'm already in a hole so feel I should stop digging and chalk it up to experience.
Not a good start to my biking life!
You can get a compression tester and see which piston is the culprit. Leak-down test might also help as well. Mechanic reckons piston rings are shot as has been mentioned. No smoke from the exhaust and engine doesn't sound particularly rough. The new oil cooler is solid and no sign of any leaks anywhere. I do have someone I trust with it but I'm loathed to spend on diagnostics as I'm already in a hole so feel I should stop digging and chalk it up to experience.
Not a good start to my biking life!
Thanks everyone.
I've been doing abit of digging based on some of your replies and Bandit 1200s from 2000/2001/2002 did have an issue with excessive oil consumption that apparently Suzuki covered back in the day with new pistons and rings, this is a 2003 though so would suspect this couldn't be it and even if it was, issue would have reared its head long before now.
I literally noticed this morning when rolled it out the garage, had a quick check of oil and was below empty, took about 500/600ml to bring it back up. Trip computer says I'd done 97.7 miles since last filled it with fuel and topped oil off. Not had chance to get it properly diagnosed yet, it was just a quick call to mechanic and explained issue over phone but he has done alittle work to this bike so knows it. The 97.7 miles covered has been alittle hard road roading and some commuting, nothing too severe.
Bike has been abit of a headache from day one. Exhaust had been welded and they had welded the entire unit together from down pipes back so I fitted a new system. Oil cooler then sprang a leak so replaced that about 1 week ago and did an oil and filter change whilst at it. Was due to go back to garage soon for a new cam chain tensioner and whilst tank was off, new plugs and air filter but that's obviously on hold now.
Not a single puff of smoke from the exhaust which is what has thrown me slightly, get a slight burning oil smell when it's running hard then stuck at lights etc but nothing alarming.
I've topped oil off again and going to rest trip, then measure exactly how much oil it needs after 50 miles or so. Get a more exact figure as the expected oil consumption, I've been told, is 1.1ltr per 600 miles.
Bobbed a post up in a Bandit group I'm a member of to try and see what they reckon and also mentioned I'm open to offers if someone wants a project, I don't... I just want to enjoy a bike
Edit to add...
Bike has now covered 26,000 with roughly 800 of that under my ownership. One of reasons I picked a Bandit due to bullet proof reliability reputation, looks like I've bought one though that has lead a harder life than most!
I've been doing abit of digging based on some of your replies and Bandit 1200s from 2000/2001/2002 did have an issue with excessive oil consumption that apparently Suzuki covered back in the day with new pistons and rings, this is a 2003 though so would suspect this couldn't be it and even if it was, issue would have reared its head long before now.
I literally noticed this morning when rolled it out the garage, had a quick check of oil and was below empty, took about 500/600ml to bring it back up. Trip computer says I'd done 97.7 miles since last filled it with fuel and topped oil off. Not had chance to get it properly diagnosed yet, it was just a quick call to mechanic and explained issue over phone but he has done alittle work to this bike so knows it. The 97.7 miles covered has been alittle hard road roading and some commuting, nothing too severe.
Bike has been abit of a headache from day one. Exhaust had been welded and they had welded the entire unit together from down pipes back so I fitted a new system. Oil cooler then sprang a leak so replaced that about 1 week ago and did an oil and filter change whilst at it. Was due to go back to garage soon for a new cam chain tensioner and whilst tank was off, new plugs and air filter but that's obviously on hold now.
Not a single puff of smoke from the exhaust which is what has thrown me slightly, get a slight burning oil smell when it's running hard then stuck at lights etc but nothing alarming.
I've topped oil off again and going to rest trip, then measure exactly how much oil it needs after 50 miles or so. Get a more exact figure as the expected oil consumption, I've been told, is 1.1ltr per 600 miles.
Bobbed a post up in a Bandit group I'm a member of to try and see what they reckon and also mentioned I'm open to offers if someone wants a project, I don't... I just want to enjoy a bike
Edit to add...
Bike has now covered 26,000 with roughly 800 of that under my ownership. One of reasons I picked a Bandit due to bullet proof reliability reputation, looks like I've bought one though that has lead a harder life than most!
Edited by CoreyDog on Thursday 19th August 15:00
Its had a new oil cooler and filter you say?
Were they fitted just prior to completing the 97 miles?
Did you add any oil in to the cooler and filter before fitting them?
The litre of oil you have had to add could be attributed to them filling up when it was ridden and a top up afterwards would be expected
Were they fitted just prior to completing the 97 miles?
Did you add any oil in to the cooler and filter before fitting them?
The litre of oil you have had to add could be attributed to them filling up when it was ridden and a top up afterwards would be expected
airsafari87 said:
Its had a new oil cooler and filter you say?
Were they fitted just prior to completing the 97 miles?
Did you add any oil in to the cooler and filter before fitting them?
The litre of oil you have had to add could be attributed to them filling up when it was ridden and a top up afterwards would be expected
I topped the filter up with oil before fitting.Were they fitted just prior to completing the 97 miles?
Did you add any oil in to the cooler and filter before fitting them?
The litre of oil you have had to add could be attributed to them filling up when it was ridden and a top up afterwards would be expected
When the new cooler was fitted I ran the engine for 15 seconds dropping the oil level which I then topped back up (I'd say very roughly 600ml). About 3 days later (120 miles) it had dropped about 100ml more so I topped up again. Done the 97.7 miles since then in the past week and had to top it up by roughly 500ml this morning.
The 100ml top up though was done because one of the copper seals on the oil pipe hadn't done its job and was dripping oil, I replaced all 4 copper washers when I topped the 100ml up.
Edit to add...
No current leaks from new copper seals, the pipes are now bone dry.
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