We are honored with Allen Millyard working an 1100!

[Hound]

I lost count of all the things that Allen was "really pleased" with over the course of these videos. He must have said it dozens of times!

Re PAIR, UK bikes never had it.

 

[ChriSTian_64]

So, at the begining of all this, Allen was saying his new (to him) ST1100 had a little... how was he saying it.... like, he felt the engine wasn't running exactly as smootly as it should.
Was it a kind of slight knocking he could felt ? I will have to recheck the first video.
And this is one of the reason he went thru the unbuild, inspection, and rebuild of the engine.

What did he found ? Two things.
1- That oil pump rubber bushing that was squeezed, smashed in place, and a bit deformed, from the factory.
2- A bearing connecting rod ( # 8 ) that was rubing a bit inside of the piston rod assembly ( # 4 ). Or was it rubbed from the inside by the crankshaft ? Anyway...
That part is called a bearing, but it is a different kind of bearing. Not a ball bearing like we are used to see. It is just a curved flat piece of ... aluminium, or some kind of alloy.
We could see a little spot inside the part, where it was very slightly worned out. So the two parts where just slightly rubbing each other at a very little spot.
And that is only on one of the four piston connecting rod / bearing ; the connection point between the piston rod and the crankshaft.


By checking the thickness and the loose space with the tolerances given in the service manual, he saw that this one bearing was not exactly of the correct thickness.
Those bearing comes in different thickness, with different color codes.
And he was saying that one in particular, who was green (like all the others) should had been brown. And he replaced it with a brown one.
And remember this engine is still almost new : only 17 000 miles.

After the rebuild, his engine now runs like a charm.

So, surprisingly ( for a Honda ) it look like it was an incorrect assembly, a mounting error, from the factory. And one not easy to detect.
If I remember correctly, he said that particular rod bearing was a bit of a tight fit for the green color. It was a bit marginal. The brown one was more in the specs, for that particular piston rod.

I'm still amazed by how he was able to detect and feel that a little something wasn't exactly right.
It must had been very subtle. Maybe just in the sound the engine was making. Specialy when you think that the point of friction had worned out.
I guess when you are designing and building engines, like he always did, you're getting a sixth sense for that.

 

[Mr.E]

Just in case anyone is looking to do the same as Allen, the Con Rod Plain Shell Bearings (item No. 8 in your drwg above) are available in Blue, Black, Brown, Yellow and Green and start with part no: 13224MCS003.

 

[Upt' North]

So, at the begining of all this, Allen was saying his new (to him) ST1100 had a little... how was he saying it.... like, he felt the engine wasn't running exactly as smootly as it should.
Was it a kind of slight knocking he could felt ? I will have to recheck the first video.
And this is one of the reason he went thru the unbuild, inspection, and rebuild of the engine.

What did he found ? Two things.
1- That oil pump rubber bushing that was squeezed, smashed in place, and a bit deformed, from the factory.
2- A bearing connecting rod ( # 8 ) that was rubing a bit inside of the piston rod assembly ( # 4 ). Or was it rubbed from the inside by the crankshaft ? Anyway...
That part is called a bearing, but it is a different kind of bearing. Not a ball bearing like we are used to see. It is just a curved flat piece of ... aluminium, or some kind of alloy.
We could see a little spot inside the part, where it was very slightly worned out. So the two parts where just slightly rubbing each other at a very little spot.
And that is only on one of the four piston connecting rod / bearing ; the connection point between the piston rod and the crankshaft.


By checking the thickness and the loose space with the tolerances given in the service manual, he saw that this one bearing was not exactly of the correct thickness.
Those bearing comes in different thickness, with different color codes.
And he was saying that one in particular, who was green (like all the others) should had been brown. And he replaced it with a brown one.
And remember this engine is still almost new : only 17 000 miles.

After the rebuild, his engine now runs like a charm.

So, surprisingly ( for a Honda ) it look like it was an incorrect assembly, a mounting error, from the factory. And one not easy to detect.
If I remember correctly, he said that particular rod bearing was a bit of a tight fit for the green color. It was a bit marginal. The brown one was more in the specs, for that particular piston rod.

I'm still amazed by how he was able to detect and feel that a little something wasn't exactly right.
It must had been very subtle. Maybe just in the sound the engine was making. Specialy when you think that the point of friction had worned out.
I guess when you are designing and building engines, like he always did, you're getting a sixth sense for that.

Yes, some will listen more than others. The bearing shell was marginal and I suspect many ST's on the road will be likewise. But with a good flow of clean oil it may have lasted a lifetime. That's not saying it was right before, just right enough. That oil pick up O ring was ugly but obviously had worked well enough for many thousands of miles and again would have probably have done so forever. Again, not right, but right enough.
I suspect that this engine is fairly typical of production line tolerances and imperfections, even in the tight ship which Honda run.
I spose it proves what a strong engine the 11 is?
It'll be a good while before we hear of another strip and rebuild and for good reason.
I certainly heard plenty of noise coming from within my 11 but it felt like it would run forever.
Upt'Noth.

 

[the cueball]

I lost count of all the things that Allen was "really pleased" with over the course of these videos. He must have said it dozens of times!

Re PAIR, UK bikes never had it.

Turn it into a drinking game like me... every time he says it, down a beer!



I love the Allen's work and skill level, pleased to have met him once and had a nice chat, I worry he is a dying breed in the UK and we don't have that enthusiasm coming through the ranks anymore.....

 

[Upt' North]

Turn it into a drinking game like me... every time he says it, down a beer!



I love the Allen's work and skill level, pleased to have met him once and had a nice chat, I worry he is a dying breed in the UK and we don't have that enthusiasm coming through the ranks anymore.....

Drinkin game, that'd be mint!

Sorry Millyard.

 

[ST1100Y]

So, at the begining of all this, Allen was saying his new (to him) ST1100 had a little... how was he saying it.... like, he felt the engine wasn't running exactly as smootly as it should.
Was it a kind of slight knocking he could felt ?

I guess he noticed a slight, subtle pounding/knock in idle once the engine has warmed...
My '00 shows the same, likely also a big-end bearing, a crank bearing shell or the wedge holding the t/cam pulley has some clearance (it origins at the front) ...
But it's so slight and only audible when the engine is really hot so I'd yet not have the heart to tear the engine out and apart...
Possible that quality control/checks wasn't that overly accurate during the late/last MFG-years at Honda...

 

[Uncle Phil]

I guess he noticed a slight, subtle pounding/knock in idle once the engine has warmed...

I wear earplugs - can't hear a thing ....

 

[George]

I've now watched all 5 episodes. Great stuff.

When installing Danny's replacement engine a few years ago, we had 3 guys, one manipulating the floor jack and 2 others at front and rear of the engine. Made it easy.

One of my favorite builds from Allen is his son's down hill racer bicycle, with homemade auto tranny. All hand built of course. Genius shade tree mechanic.