2010 TE 250 Timing gear issue

AAB1,
Is the the first oil change? If its the first oil change, this might be normal stuff.
If this is the 2nd oil change or later, and the particles are bigger than a grain of sand, I'd be concerned. If anything is as big as a 1/16" (1mm) of an inch I'd be very concerned!
You can visually inspect some of the bearing, by removing the cam cover, but not very well. And it could easy be failing with nothing to see. All you could visually see is if the bearing cage is missing or disintegrating, and at that point you have metal parts falling into the cases.

You don't need to pull the head, only the valve cover. And you won't need to replace that gasket.

Importantly!: It's cheap and easy to replace the bearings early! Once things go bad it's really expensive to split the cases to verify all the metal is removed.

My opinion: If you have ANY concern, do some cheap preventative work! I'd get a high quality substitute for the NSK 6901 bearing (you need two) and I'd have the dealer swap them in and check the valves while he is in there. Consider it an early "break in" service. I bet the whole bearing change thing, including parts, would be less than $200 for someone who knows what he is doing. And I would not order the bearing from Husky, I would get another brand than the stock NSK, preferably something made in Germany, the USA or Japan. The manufacturer and country of origin will be printed on the bearing, inspect it yourself (don't trust the dealer).

Pinging/Tinging noise, especially with idle below 2000RPM can be the automatic decompression spring. If its from the top of the head and goes away when you rev over 2000 rpm, that's probably normal.

You are not being paranoid, especially if this is the second oil change or later.

Carl

Carl,

Thank you so much for your reply! I cant tell you how much I appreciate your advice.

I will contact the previous owner and see how many oil changes he did if any (I purchased the bike from the original owner with only 92 miles on it). That being said, for my own peace if mind I will prob just have the the bearing changed out for NSK or the equivalent like you said...I do not want to have the split the case, or worse, get stuck in the middle of nowhere on a ride.

I live in Socal so I think I will just contact Zip Ty Racing and see if they can do the work, I have no reason to believe they cant as they have been VERY helpful with some small items I have needed since I got the bike 2 months ago. Just out of curiosity, is the "NSK 6901" the actual bearing I need (size and load capability) or is that the type of bearing? (Sorry about the ignorance factor...I dont have much experience buying non-part # bearings).

Thanks again for all help!

Alex

NSK 6901 are the original bearings that were in my 2010 TE250. NSK is the manufacturer and the bearings are marked "Indonesia". 6901 is somehow indicative of the size of the bearing. I would NOT get NSK, I would get something else, something made in the USA Germany or Japan. Frankly, Indonesia is probably fine, but given the NSK ones failed, I'd get something else. Bearings are complicated, but I expect a good bearing shop or engine machine shop could provide some guidance on a replacement. Note you do want an "open" bearing without seals, so that the bearing is lubricated by the engine oil. Find an expert. Pictures of an original bearing in the next post.
Carl

Note the thin metal "cage" that holds the bearings in place. As the bearings fail this also disintegrates. With the cam cover off, you may be able to see the cage and determine if it is intact. But as I said, you could have problems beginning even with the cage intact.
But I'll carefully inspect the cage as well as I can every valve adjustment.

Thanks Carl! Really appreciate all the help!!

Alex

I have mine apart right now due to a final drive bearing disaster, and will now replace these indonesian bearings as a matter of course. I'm tempted to replace every bearing in the cases now. Has anyone else had a final drive bearing behind the CS sproket disintergrate??

I've heard of one other person but I think the failure was caused by running the chain too tight.

Options? I don't think that Timken makes this size..........what a shame.

http://bearingsdirect.com/6901-Ball-Bearing-12x24x6-Open.html

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/m...dial-ball-bearing-6901-open-12mm-bore-24mm-od

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit12835

http://www.bearingwiki.com/6901-ball-bearing-12x24x6-open.html

Anybody that has replaced the OEM.......would be nice to know what brand, part number, and where you purchased them.

Any worries for the 2011? Also, was there any noises or other indications while riding that this was happening? I am only asking because mine makes what sounds like a flutter noise at low RPMs when accelerating. I cannot reproduce the sound when standing still.

So I appear to be a victim of the dreaded timing gear bearing failure. I have a quick question for anyone who has had the head off on an x lite. I think I bent my exhaust valves as they are stuck open slightly now with the head and cams removed. The only reason that they would be open is that they are bent right?

Most likely yes.

I've just rebuilt my '10 TE250 and thanks to seeing this thread, changed those bearings as a matter of course. Don't worry about noises or worrying about IF they're going to go, just whisk the tappet cover off and pull the gear out and change the bearings with good ones. You'll be surprised how easy it is, and no, the rubber seal on the tappet cover should be able to be re-used.

Take off tappet cover (2 10mm bolts) and take out spark plug. Turn the engine to TDC by putting it in 2nd gear and gently pushing the kicker over (wheel off ground or chain off). You can put something like a straw in the spark plug hole to tell TDC and see the marks on the cams as in the above pic. The suspect gear is on the oil feed shaft that the external oil feed hose is attached to. Attach some wire or similar to the cam chain so it does't fall into the motor. Undo the shaft and pull it out while holding the gear. With the shaft out you'll be able to take the gear out from the cam chain without splitting the chain. Those bearings can be easilt tapped out with a punch. By new ones, and remove their seals and replace them, tapping them in carefully with a socket the same circumference of the outer section of bearing.

Re-insert gear and shaft ensuring you dont rotate either cam. One tooth off and it wont run! Simple, and only costs you 2 bearings for peace of mind.

Just ordered a pair of Timken Fafnir 9301K bearing to install for piece of mind.

Specs on page D13

http://catalog.timken.com/WebProject.asp?CodeId=7.5.9.17&BookCode=tbb12flx#

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=Fafnir 9301K

Is that that the timing gear bearing....did not think it takes 2?

Looks like 2 bearings to me. I have not got into the bearing replacement yet but will do a "how to" when I get around to it....snow board season right now

I'm having the same issue here at work with a2012. The gear itself chewed up. Bearings were sticky. Also the valves were just kissing the piston. I'll show a picture.

the exhaust valves were just touching. Made rapping sound. That's what originally brought the bike in. After a new gear and bearings it still made the noise so I dug deeper.