Pistons don't seem to move, hearing rolling

[Guest]

I was headed to work this morning in about 55 degree weather. I was at the intersection right before turning into my work parking lot, waiting behind a big Coca-Cola truck turning right (the same direction I was going), and I was just rolling forward until I heard a pop or burst, followed by a sizzling or fizzling noises similar to a shaken up soda bottle and slowly opening the top. I immediately hit the kill switch and pushed it the remaining twenty feet into the parking lot and went into work, then got a cab to my physics class, then got my car and came back to work. After I got back I put my key in and just pressed the starter for no more than a second to hear what it sounded like, and the sound it makes didn't sound like the pistons were moving because I didn't hear any noises other than something that sounded like a steel ball rolling around in a square object.

What does this sound like? Any ideas how to further diagnose? Is my motor toast? Are my rods shot? Why would this happen, age? Would collision/comprehensive cover this?

Thanks

[Triam]

I'd take out the spark plugs and turn the crank and see if you can see the pistons moving. You can move forward from there, although blown engines isn't my specialty.

[SqDancerLynn1]

Check for a broken chain

[Nessism]

What does this sound like? Any ideas how to further diagnose? Is my motor toast? Are my rods shot? Why would this happen, age? Would collision/comprehensive cover this?

Thanks

Good luck sorting this out. As mentioned, you might want to try turning over the engine with a wrench, just like you did when you adjusted the valves (or did you take it to the shop?). If the engine turns over smoothly, the problem may be limited to something like the starter clutch. As for whether your insurance covers mechanical breakdowns, I've never seen a policy like that, particularly for a 30 year old vehicle.

[incarceration]

Excellent tip!

I pulled the plugs and my friend swung by where I was parked with my car and bike and he pushed it and we saw the pistons moving up and down so I started it and we diagnosed by placing our hands all over different areas of the motor and crank case and narrowed it down to the stator cover. I took the stator cover off and one of the 3 long screws holding the stator onto the case (in the middle) were partially unscrewed, bent, and banging against the part of the stator that rotates around the stator. Thankfully nothing was damaged from the screw on the inside; I think it was just slowly spinning out every time it came in contact with something.

I'm going to put oil back in it tomorrow (a quart, to refill what came out from removing the stator cover) and maybe ride it back home (or leave it at work and just replace missing screw and oil all at once since I haven't started it yet and oil probably hasn't moved around yet) until I can get another screw to replace the one I took out that was bent. I'll put loctite on all 3 as well.

As always, thanks again for the quick replies! I was blessed this time with an easy fix!

[GSX1000E]

Please, at least drain/change the oil to get out any metal pieces that might still be in it when you replace those bolts.

[incarceration]

Ah, fair enough, I didn't think of that. I will get 2 more quarts and drain it as well.

[Nessism]

Shell Rotella oil is the forum favorite. About $12/gallon at Walmart.

[incarceration]

better than Mobil1 full synthetic 10w-40?

[Mekanix]

Better/ Worse, there's lots of threads on that but the price for how often most of use change it out favors Rotella. However it does have a few ingredients in it that you won't find in the same quantities in other oils.

I hope you don't mean the automotive mobile 1 with energy conserving aditives?

Oh and when you put the stator cover back on don't use any gasket sealant or the counterballance shaft bearing will suffer !

[incarceration]

Lol no, not car Mobil1, motorcycle Mobil1

[Nessism]

Lol no, not car Mobil1, motorcycle Mobil1

Should be fine, just needlessly expensive.

[incarceration]

I may do another change once I get the bike home, and use rotella. Because I think I need to tighten the bottom screw post for the oil cap; it worked its way out when I changed it yesterday and I got it back in and put some loctite on it but normally I'd put 2 nuts on one end and screw it in a little further, as opposed to just screwing it in as far as I can before it quits going any further when using vice grips