Issues after crash and breaking decrompession lever

[MountainBum]

2002 yz250f. Long story short, bike was starting first kick cold/hot all morning trail riding. I crashed, broke my decomp lever but continued riding after re-alligning front end.

 

About 10 miles from camp I killed it (had shut off and restarted bike multiple times since then) and all of a sudden the kick starter would not budge at all like it was seized. Being this far from camp, I finally put everything with my heel I had in me onto the kickstarter and it "broke" free and I was able to start the bike.

 

After this though the bike would only run for a minute or so before dying in the middle of idle or riding (i was only in 1st or 2nd gear), and after this the kick starter would "sieze" up again. I broke it free about 4-5 times total before we gave up and towed the bike back to camp.

 

I am getting a new decomp lever on the way home, and I am hoping compression was the only issue with the kickstarter not budging since I did not have the lever. This is the first time I have used the bike without properly using the decomp lever when starting it.

 

My main question is, what if any damage could I have done by kicking down on the kickstarter that hard to start the bike and using it without the decomp lever? I plan on changing the lever today and will update, and then checking valve clearances next week plus other work I have to do it.

 

Any insight would be much appreciated..

[Thommo_400f]

Hmmmmm my experience tells me a binding kick start = crank bearing starting to seize ......

Hope I'm wrong.

[MANIAC998]

I'm with Thommo. Something is wrong, and it's not just the lack of the decomp lever. When it did start, how did it run?

[YoTRacer158]

While you have everything apart, might as well throw an auto decompression cam in there!

[YZEtc]

I'd be looking under the head cover as well as under the clutch cover.

[MountainBum]

Ug, not what I was hoping to hear. They had the wrong lever in stock so it won't be here until early next week, ill have to wait for now I'd like to put the lever on and see what happens before I tear it apart. Thanks

[oldnbold]

Only twice in 15 years and 4 yamaha's has my kickstarter locked up:

1st) I never found out what it was. it was like the valve got stuck open and went away by itself

2nd) I had a broken 4th gear in the 03 250f that had a tooth hung to the magnet lodged between the stator and flywheel.

[MountainBum]

I'm with Thommo. Something is wrong, and it's not just the lack of the decomp lever. When it did start, how did it run?

 

When it finally started it sounded completely normal (and each time thereafter), but died as soon as I gave it a little throttle. The 2nd time I started it I let it idle for like a minute, then booked ass up to the trail and was waiting for my buddys when it just died idling in first gear with the clutch. I believe we got it started 2 more times and hauled ass trying to make it as far as possible (which wasnt far maybe 50 yards) before it would die while riding.

 

Also I forgot to mention, before I got it started the first time I tried bump starting it multiple times in 1st, 2nd, and 5th gear and nothing happened except the rear tire locking up and sliding. It would not start at all. I ran out of downhill after that.....

[MountainBum]

Only twice in 15 years and 4 yamaha's has my kickstarter locked up:

1st) I never found out what it was. it was like the valve got stuck open and went away by itself

2nd) I had a broken 4th gear in the 03 250f that had a tooth hung to the magnet lodged between the stator and flywheel.

 

Thanks for the info, I have not checked the valves in this bike yet so it is more than overdue. Due to my work space and time constraints I just want to get that decomp lever on first before I start tearing anything apart. My kitchen/dining room serves as a "bike shop" on the weeks I dont have my boys....

[MountainBum]

[MountainBum]

So I decided to not wait for the lever and found all the metal when draining my oil....all fluids are drained, carb will be gone through soon, I guess I kinda decided a rebuild is in order so where do I start tt? Bike is naked on the stand now.....

[morphrider]

Would that metal in there possibly be result of clutch plates? Might be a start to just pull off cover and throw an eye on those 1st.

[MountainBum]

Thanks, ill start with that tomorrow. I stopped my year down, always get impatient and ahead of my self. If I could avoid a spendy rebuild that would be great, I don't mind doing the work but money would be an issue.

[morphrider]

I like to look at simple things first, lol. Definitely keep us posted, I have an 01. But if you do have to deal with anything in the top end I would eliminate the compression lever and get the 03 exhaust cam to throw in there. That way if you ever wreck again, it won't accidentally pull in the lever and cause damage.

[MountainBum]

Yah I'm kicking myself for draining all fluids and tearing down so far, I just shoulda waited for the damn lever haha.

I plan on swapping for a decomp cam also, I read they could be had on eBay for $75 or so.

I just read through the clutch section in my manual and it doesn't look bad at all. I don't have the clutch holder tool but it sounds like I'm fine with the engine still in the bike after a little searching.

I might pull the cover in just a little while, what exactly should I be looking for and how far in should I go? I can take some pics as I go also.

[morphrider]

I don't know about the eBay decomp cam for that price. Cheapest place I have found it is a dealer called Honda Toledo east I think it was. Even though its a Honda dealer they deal with other bikes as well. Look to see if your clutch plates are broken or cracked. I am not sure what exactly to look for myself, but if it was a piston or crank or valves, you wouldn't have been able to start it the first time.

[morphrider]

If it was valves, I think it would have never started as many times for you as it did. I could be way off on all of these thoughts, lol. But I would start with clutch, then just take head off and look at the cams if that's not it. Whatever it is it should be a fairly easy fix.

[MountainBum]

Thanks morphrider.

So I pulled the clutch plates out, need to grab my impact gun and a few other tools later to get clutch nut and hub/housing off if I need to.

Not exactly sure what I'm looking for, there were no broken or cracked clutch plates or friction discs, no metal shavings or chunks could be found.

In the pics there is some scoring on some teeth of a couple friction discs, the blueing on the last clutch plate I pulled out, and quite a bit of grooving (the indentations) on the hub and housing teeth.

[MountainBum]

Also some discoloration on the springs in the pressure plate.

[MountainBum]

Well after reading through the inspection part of the manual it appears I I have most symptoms that a new clutch will be needed.

Also, which does not feel normal all though it may be is free play in the clutch housing. I have idk about 1/16th of an inch free play when I hold the splines of the clutch housing at 9 and 3 I clock and wiggle side to side. Is any free play normal? Ill pull the housing later today.

Will I be able to visually tell after the housing is off if I have bearing issues?