Metal shavings in crankcase of Baja Storm 125

[Frank Angerano]

Your very welcome. I’m glad it’s up and running, be careful and get aquatinted to the bike. These things are great but dangerous! 

Ride safe brother.   

[Adrian Ciotinga]

I have ridden the quad two more times since the first start and would now like to fix the rear brakes.  In one of my first posts in this thread I falsely called the broken brake cylinder a clutch cylinder.  In the image you see a brake cylinder with the bubble where the liquid should go shattered.  How can I get the rear brakes fully operational?

[Frank Angerano]

Holy crap @Adrian Ciotinga I just realized how far this post goes back!!!! I want to take a second and let you know how far you have come and that I am proud of you for sticking with it!!!!! Nice work.....

That crack you see is called a sight glass on a master cylinder.  It’s supposed to be a sealed system so the crack is no good on that system.    What I would do is look for a used one on eBay or new, however you want to go. It needs to be replaced.   It gets installed and you will need to add brake fluid and bleed it out properly.  We will help you along doing so. Go ahead and locate that part, if you cant find it let us know and we will help.  

 

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F272771130879

[Adrian Ciotinga]

As the quad cost me $75 when I picked it up I don’t see the benefit in spending more than that for just the brakes. Now that I have a battery and don’t have to jump the quad there is no problem for me to hold the front brake lever in when stopped or just shutting the quad off.

[Frank Angerano]

Well after all it’s only the BRAKES!!!!! 

I would 100% get that master cylinder/handle and put it on.  You can find used ones on eBay.   

Might as well finish it off and make it right.   

[Adrian Ciotinga]

A new issue has arisen that isn’t the brakes. I am leaking oil. There is a hose coming from the cylinder head that is leaking oil. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have attached photos of the tube leaking oil.

[Frank Angerano]

Where is the leak ? The pics don’t really show. Also you missing a bolt under the frame ? First pic ? 

[Adrian Ciotinga]

Oil is coming from the end of the tube visible in the first photo. The tube is pointing directly down and is right over the oil spot visible on the ground.

And as for the bolt missing I removed the bolts holding the footrests onto the frame so I could look under the engine easier. I was in the process of reattaching when I took the picture.

[Adrian Ciotinga]

When I tried to start it up it started spewing white smoke. Not from the exhaust but just from the head of the engine. I shut off the quad as not to damage the motor any more. Any ideas what it could be?

The white smoke started instantly after I started it, which leads me to believe that it isn’t oil that might’ve accumulated on the outside of the engine burning.

[Frank Angerano]

That is an oil vent hose.  Is it possible that you over filled the engine?

[Adrian Ciotinga]

Yes. Would that cause it to smoke from the oil vent hose?

[Frank Angerano]

Of course.  Drain some oil off to the proper operating level indicated and see how she goes.   It may take a minute for it to clear up so if you see it still smoke for a minute or two it’s fine.  

[Adrian Ciotinga]

I tried what you suggested and it runs just fine! Just curious, why would it start smoking just now after about 30 mins of time spent riding it?

[Adrian Ciotinga]

I went on a longer ride (~10 mins) and everything is not ok. The left rear tire (the side the hose is on) is covered in oil spatters and the frame under the hose is too. It appears that I drained enough oil to the fill line but it didn’t work. On the bright side I’m no longer blowing smoke and the quad performs like it did before all of this.

[Frank Angerano]

So the bike runs good, no more smoke ? Any more oil ?

[Adrian Ciotinga]

No more smoke and it drives just fine. Just gushing  oil from the tube.

[Frank Angerano]

Only thing I can think of is there is a vacuum clog someplace.  Have you checked all breather lines and make sure they are all clear ?

[Adrian Ciotinga]

Sorry for not posting for a while. I got very busy the past two weeks.

Anyways, I believe the problem to be oil getting past the piston rings and into the combustion chamber. The quad starts very hard and doesn’t stay running for long. I got a piston and ring kit to install. I’ve read online and am going to remove the exhaust and valve cover. How do I remove the valves so I can reach the combustion chamber?

[Adrian Ciotinga]

This is where I am at right now. How would I go about removing the valve system? I do not have a torque wrench (which I heard might be an issue).

[Frank Angerano]

So the valves would most likely stay attached to the head on your average atv.  I honestly don’t think it’s piston and rings but more so your valve seals but either way you should change the valve seals based on what you have to take apart to change the piston and rings.  

So do this first. Get the piston to top dead center. Take pics of where the cam sprocket  and the marks are on the top end so you can put it back the same way.  Remove the carburetor, exhaust and valve cover.  

Unbolt the sprocket from the cam 

Remove the top head of the engine .Remove the timing chain tensioner that’s in the side of the cylinder and the bolts holding the cylinder to the engine block.  Slide the cylinder up off of the piston. 

[Adrian Ciotinga]

I have removed the carburetor, exhaust, valve cover, and timing chain tensioner. I can’t seem to figure out how to remove the timing chain sprocket. Here is a photo of the sprocket:

[Frank Angerano]

Once that tensioner comes off you should be able to take the chain off. Look on the sprocket there should be bolts to take it off. If not then you have to unbolt the cam from the head.  

[Adrian Ciotinga]

I can’t seem to get the chain off despite fully removing the chain tensioner. The chain has slack but not enough to remove it fully.

[Frank Angerano]

Ok so if there is no obvious bolts or keyways holding that sprocket on and it’s pressed on the cam then your going to have to unbolt the cam from the head so the cam and sprocket come off as one.   Just mark where the cam journals (parts that hold the cam) down so they go right back on in the same exact spot.  

 

[Adrian Ciotinga]

I am in a bit of a predicament right now. I managed to get the timing chain, camshaft, and head off of the engine but due to the engine still being on the quad and an odd frame design I am unable to fully remove it from the rest of the machine. I have managed to slide it and the cylinder far up enough to where I have clear access to the piston. I firmly believe that if I were to remove the engine from the quad that it would never run again. What should my next step be? Here are some photos of the piston and what I’m trying to describe:

[Frank Angerano]

Them long  studs that hold the cylinder in place should unscrew from the engine block. Grab them with a vice grip and spin them out. 

This would be done only in your situation where the cylinder can’t come off. 

[davefrombc]

From the look of the piston and rings  I would say they are in pretty good shape.  I think  any  oils smoke is  most likely  from  valve seals  or possibly   from  being  drawn  up through the crankcase breather  if the  oil  was overfilled.

[Frank Angerano]

Hey @Adrian Ciotinga how’s the progress going ? 

[Adrian Ciotinga]

Sorry for not posting in over a month. Today is the first day in over a month I am able to work on the quad.

If the piston and rings look good, what do you think the problem could be? I have a replacement piston, however I could not manage to get the long studs off.

[Frank Angerano]

Welcome back brother.  I’m going to stick with the valve seals.   I would  change the seals now especially because you have the head off. If you want to throw the piston on that’s fine. Or at the very least new rings.