Wilsons Sandbox

Good questions. My bike has 47,000 miles and I am getting a little paranoid that my OEM doohickey is going to fail on me in the middle of the desert after reading so much about it here. Allan A14

----- Original Message ----- From: "tomklra14" To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2002 10:03 AM Subject: [DSN_klr650] Doohickey Questions > After looking as Devon's site I understand (I think) what the > Dohickey is and what it does but I still have some questions. > > 1. Does anyone know what the OEM doohickey failure rate is; is it 1 > in a 100 bikes, 1 in a 1000, 1 in 10? > > 2. Do you need the special tool to change the doohickey and if so > where do you get it and for how much? > > My bike is approaching 12,000 miles and I am getting a little > paranoid that my OEM doohickey is going to fail on me in the middle > of the desert. > > Thanks, > > Tom > > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

1. We have just over 2000 members and roughly 6 reported failures. That means that 1 in every 333-1/3 bikes could be affected (if we are a scientifically sound sampling of KLRs on the road). 2. Yes, you need a rotor holder wrench (big effin wrench) and a magneto puller (big effin' bolt) along with some standard tools. The usual suspects will have the tools you need (Fred @ Arrowhead, Ron Ayers, etc.). If I remember correctly it's about $40 for the two... dat brooklyn bum (it wasn't so long ago that I had a short term memory....or was it?)

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "tomklra14" wrote: > After looking as Devon's site I understand (I think) what the > Dohickey is and what it does but I still have some questions. > > 1. Does anyone know what the OEM doohickey failure rate is; is it 1 in a 100 bikes, 1 in a 1000, 1 in 10? > > 2. Do you need the special tool to change the doohickey and if so > where do you get it and for how much? >

At 2:47 PM -0400 6/15/2002, Krgrife@... wrote:

>In a message dated 6/15/02 9:51:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time, >guymanbro@... writes: > > That means that 1 in every 333-1/3 bikes could be affected (if we are > a scientifically sound sampling of KLRs on the road). >> > >I don't think these are accurate figures, my '91 failure was reported to this >board 4 years ago. It was in the "catastrophic" catagory. This was one of >the early failures that triggered a lot of discussion including accusations >that I was being alarmist in some kind of plot to drive down prices of used >KLR's.

But as I recall, wasn't your failure due to the tensioner system not working properly and/or running out of travel due to the weak spring and keeper plate embossing on pre-96's? I think Tumu was referring only to failures of shattered and broken-weld doohickeys: http://www.personal.psu.edu/mjv2/IdlerLever.jpg Mark B2 A2 A3

When I first heard about the doohickey failure I didn't think much about it. Tought it was a few isolated cases. Then I saw the picture of the broken doohickey that someone posted (thank you whoever you are). Didn't relize what a cheap piece of S#!t that little part was. Now Im afraid that my doohicky is broken.

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Krgrife@a... wrote: > > I don't think these are accurate figures, my '91 failure was reported to this > board 4 years ago. It was in the "catastrophic" catagory. This was one of > the early failures that triggered a lot of discussion including accusations > that I was being alarmist in some kind of plot to drive down prices of used > KLR's. As a result I have left these discussions mostly to others. My '97 > also had a failure. I personally know of 3 other failures just in my small > area of California and from time to time have reported them on this list. > Kurt Grife

Wow! This is so serendipitous. Does this doohicky thingy exist under the flywheel? I was just going to post about this particular area and now I'm reading about failures? I have been installing an ElectrexUSA stator all day and while scraping gasket material from the cover and left side engine I notice there is a "loose" chromed bolt. This is a bolt that can be accessed at the bottom of the cover once you remove a rubber cap. I had intended to torque it down but inspected what was going on in there first. I then noticed what looks VERY much like this doohicky thingy. What the hell is it and how do I deal with it? Can I torque this bolt down? This is not cool, not good news to here about this failure. I am beefing my KLR up to take to South America this fall and I sure don't need to be breaking down in the middle of the friggin jungle. Help please. Todd (Springfield, VA) toddbpeer@...

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Tengai650 wrote: > At 2:47 PM -0400 6/15/2002, Krgrife@a... wrote: > >In a message dated 6/15/02 9:51:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > >guymanbro@e... writes: > > > > > That means that 1 in every 333-1/3 bikes could be affected (if we are > > a scientifically sound sampling of KLRs on the road). >> > > > >I don't think these are accurate figures, my '91 failure was reported to this > >board 4 years ago. It was in the "catastrophic" catagory. This was one of > >the early failures that triggered a lot of discussion including accusations > >that I was being alarmist in some kind of plot to drive down prices of used > >KLR's. > > But as I recall, wasn't your failure due to the tensioner system not > working properly and/or running out of travel due to the weak spring > and keeper plate embossing on pre-96's? > I think Tumu was referring only to failures of shattered and > broken-weld doohickeys: > http://www.personal.psu.edu/mjv2/IdlerLever.jpg > Mark > B2 > A2 > A3

In a message dated 6/15/02 12:37:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Tengai650@... writes:

>I don't think these are accurate figures, my '91 failure was reported to

this

>board 4 years ago. It was in the "catastrophic" catagory. This was one of >the early failures that triggered a lot of discussion including accusations >that I was being alarmist in some kind of plot to drive down prices of used >KLR's.

But as I recall, wasn't your failure due to the tensioner system not working properly and/or running out of travel due to the weak spring and keeper plate embossing on pre-96's? I think Tumu was referring only to failures of shattered and broken-weld doohickeys: >> Yes, that was true on my '91 where the problem was mostly with the old spring. My '97 had both a broken spring and broken lever arm. It appears to me after working on both types that the cush drive in the pre '96 absorbed the lash in the balancer chain (up to the point where the chain got too loose and failed or came off the sprockets) and without the cush drive the doohickey is the next weak link. In either case I have come to believe that the vital thing is to keep the balancer chain well tensioned and my method, as others have suggested here, is to take off the outer left cover and physically make sure the lever arm is moved as far as it will go and then retighten the locknut. Since I'm still not riding due to my January Baja crash I've had way too much time to work on these things, in addition to the two bikes mentioned I'm putting together a spare motor from a couple of salvage ones that I picked up. I'll be riding again by the end of the year and will get to put my repairs to the test. Kurt Grife

Make that 7...very small part of doohickey still living in the motor somewhere. So far no problems (2000k).

> > >In a message dated 6/15/02 9:51:42 AM Pacific > Daylight Time, > > >guymanbro@e... writes: > > > > > > 6 reported > failures. > > > That means that 1 in every 333-1/3 bikes could > be affected (if > we are > > > a scientifically sound sampling of KLRs on the > road). >> > > >

===== WVDoran Scottsdale, AZ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com

So take a look and see. To verify proper tensioner operation, you don't need special tools. Just remove the bash plate, remove the outer magneto cover (10 bolts), and CAREFULLY flip the cover to the right, so as not to pull the stator wires. You will need to disconnect the neutral switch wire, it's the only green one there (you'll see what I mean). You'll see enough of the doohickey under the rotor to know it's in one piece. Loosen the bolt, and try pushing the doohickey with a screwdriver to either side. You'll see the chain get tighter or looser. If you push it so it gets loose, it should spring back when you stop applying pressure. If so, the spring is fine. Gently push the doohickey in the other direction (clockwise, to tighten a little more) and tighten the locking bolt. www.devonjarvisphoto.com/posted/KLR650/ ... ickey.html has some photos that will show you what to expect. Devon A15 kcuf_oohay_666 wrote:

> When I first heard about the doohickey failure I didn't think much > about it. Tought it was a few isolated cases. Then I saw the picture > of the broken doohickey that someone posted (thank you whoever you > are). Didn't relize what a cheap piece of S#!t that little part was. > Now Im afraid that my doohicky is broken.