Bad Luck or What!

[Aladinbama]

Today my timing belt went out on me. I was stuck with an accident ahead for about 30 or so minutes with it idling and traffic barely moving. It started spitting a bit then, but I thought it was just loading on fuel or something. Anyway, after I got going and about another 15 or so miles down the road it went. Fortunately I had roadside assistance on it, but ...!

The original plan was to change it (and the water pump) out over Spring Break - in two weeks. Oh, and I only have 89,147 on the clock!
I didn't hear anything terrible when it went, but Wish me luck!

 

[nhdiesel]

Which is why I say that AGE has a big impact on rubber components- such as timing belts. Hopefully no damage was done.

 

[Runner]

Good Luck!

 

[Firstpeke]

Sorry to hear that, I would plan for a full double head rework....

The ST is an interference engine so the valves are likely to be just a little bent..... I'm guessing you knew that already.....

 

[970mike]

Wow that is not good to hear as your valves will most likely be bent when they made contact with the pistons. Good luck on the repairs.

 

[Aladinbama]

Sorry to hear that, I would plan for a full double head rework....

The ST is an interference engine so the valves are likely to be just a little bent..... I'm guessing you knew that already.....

Yeah, that's why I need the luck! I guess I have another project for Spring Break - what started out as a timing belt/water pump change probably just got a whole lot bigger.

 

[v8-7]

Maybe cheaper to replace the heads or the while engine ..


here's a couple of low mile mills for sale

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-99-Honda-ST1100-ST-1100-Engine-Motor-/151225254894?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model:ST1100&hash=item2335ba43ee&vxp=mtr



http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-ST1100-ST-1100-ENGINE-MOTOR-/380730459140?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58a54dc404&vxp=mtr

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

Yikes! Sorry to hear this. I'm sure we would all like to know what failed exactly... Please follow up.

Good luck.

John

 

[Ashley]

Watching with interest. I have a 1996 ST1100 with 59,000 miles and I have often considered replacing the timing belt based on the age. Curious to see what your results are.

 

[Aladinbama]

Well, I will keep you all posted, but it will most likely be a couple of weeks before I get the time to break into it to see (though I REALLY want to know what happened so I'll try to get into it earlier).
Ashley, all I can say is that I was within specs still for it getting changed and that I was planning on changing it in two weeks when I had a week off to do it and a few other maintenance things I wanted to do to it to get it ready for a few thousand mile trips planned for this summer. I was tempted to change it at @80K due to it's age and me just being sort of nervous about it, but all the "don't worry about its - I changed mine at 110K and it looked brand news" had me pretty confident that I would make it to 90K anyway. Well, It didn't.
Again, it's going to be a crack of the front case before I know for sure, but there's only one thing a fast (no compression) whine when you hit the starter could possibly be. And yes, once I heard it, I stopped trying.

The REAL "*" of it all is that when we pushed it into the garage, I looked to the side and saw the belt and water pump (along with a few other small parts/gaskets) sitting there waiting

 

[Erdoc48]

I have a great interest in this as well. Mine is a 2000 with only 24K on the clock, and I'm concerned since my bike is 14 years old now (even if there's no recommendation for replacement time wise). I hope for you it's not the timing belt (and it may not be, depending on what you see when you explore the problem). Hopefully, it's something more minor.

 

[Firstpeke]

When I had my 2001 ST1100, even though it only had around 7000 miles when I bought it and I put 20,000 on it in less than two years, I was hoping to change the belt in the next major service.....

Although Honda says inspect at 60,000 I have always felt that if you are in there, you may as well change it...... for all a belt costs..... yes, I know there are lots of stories about them lasting well over the 90,000 miles, but I just would have felt a whole lot more comfortable with a new belt on a ten year old engine.....

For me unfortunately, the bike didn't get to 30K..... unlike a drink, an ST doesn't benefit from a little ice.....

 

[vinny]

Maybe cheaper to replace the heads or the while engine ..


here's a couple of low mile mills for sale

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-99-Honda-ST1100-ST-1100-Engine-Motor-/151225254894?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model:ST1100&hash=item2335ba43ee&vxp=mtr



http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-ST1100-ST-1100-ENGINE-MOTOR-/380730459140?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58a54dc404&vxp=mtr

First one looks a lot cleaner, but neither one has the intakes protected...

 

[vinny]

FWIW, I would spring for one of the engine assemblies, install your parts on it, and then part out the old engine/tranny. Might recoup some of your expense.

 

[ST1100Y]

I was stuck with an accident ahead for about 30 or so minutes with it idling and traffic barely moving.

Are you sure that it ain't only a fuel flow issue?
30 minutes idling can cause quite some vapour-lock; prior installing the second air-duct I had such already after idling at a red light on a warm summer day... light changes, heavy take-off and after like 20~30ft the engine burped... and behind you angry cagers flooring it...

If a t/belt goes, it goes with a noticeable 'bang!'...

 

[Aladinbama]

If a t/belt goes, it goes with a noticeable 'bang!'...

I'm familiar with the fast turnover whine of a timing belt blown when attempting to start an engine. Am I sure, well I still haven't disassembled, but I'm pretty sure.
Give me a week and a half or so and I'll know for sure (maybe sooner - I'm wanting to know what I need to fix it - and I miss my baby).

 

[dwalby]

I'm familiar with the fast turnover whine of a timing belt blown when attempting to start an engine. Am I sure, well I still haven't disassembled, but I'm pretty sure.
Give me a week and a half or so and I'll know for sure (maybe sooner - I'm wanting to know what I need to fix it - and I miss my baby).

Consensus here is the ST engine is an interference design, so if your belt was shot it would seem your starting attempts would cause pistons and valves to contact each other. Your fast turnover whine symptom would seem to be inconsistent with a broken belt on an interference engine design. If you have a couple minutes pull the two bolts on the crankshaft cover in the front of the engine and you can see the bottom inch or two of the timing belt through that window. If it looks tight you may have some other problem besides the belt.

edit: there was one reply on this thread about a belt failure that didn't result in piston/valve contact, so maybe there's a rotational sweet spot where its possible to avoid contact between pistons/valves after all.

 

[Aladinbama]

If you have a couple minutes pull the two bolts on the crankshaft cover in the front of the engine and you can see the bottom inch or two of the timing belt through that window. If it looks tight you may have some other problem besides the belt.

GREAT NEWS! Well, sort of.
I took your advice, but went at it from a different angle. I took a front cam cover off and tried to crank it - everything looked like it was turning over well and the belt looks ok throughout (phew)!
I guess I don't know the sound of a busted timing belt as well as I thought I did.
NOW, to figure out what it is!
And I guess I'll be posting this somewhere else soon. Any help troubleshooting would be welcomed

 

[dwalby]

GREAT NEWS! Well, sort of.
I took your advice, but went at it from a different angle. I took a front cam cover off and tried to crank it - everything looked like it was turning over well and the belt looks ok throughout (phew)!
I guess I don't know the sound of a busted timing belt as well as I thought I did.
NOW, to figure out what it is!
And I guess I'll be posting this somewhere else soon. Any help troubleshooting would be welcomed

I'd say that is great news. Don't want to jinx you, but I can't imagine anything else being wrong with the bike that would be more expensive and time consuming to fix than where you thought you were at yesterday. Try to give us a clearer picture of exactly what the bike felt like when it stopped running. Also, start out at the fundamentals, check for compression, fuel, and spark. I think ST1100Y (Martin) mentioned you may have a fuel delivery issue, since it won't start that seems like a reasonable thing to investigate. The vacuum fuel shut-off is known to fail, probably want to rule that out first by bypassing it. Also, I think the fuel pump itself sometimes fails, so that's another thing to check.

Lots of folks here can give you advice how to proceed, just keep providing info and you'll get answers and suggestions.

 

[Ashley]

What are the chances of this being a stuck valve or valves due to ethanol? I'm pretty sure this has occurred on a few 1300s. Easy to check compression and then valve clearance if compression proves to be zero.