Could a bearing be going bad in my motor?

So here is the story. I have a wrr with 39,202 miles on the clock. I bought the bike from an inmate in January 2012 with 29,100 miles on it. At around 29,000 miles the counter balance bearing failled, calling for a new bottom end. Luckly the bike is under warranty until July 2013. So when I bought the bike the almost new motor had 100 miles on it.

Now either the last oil change or the one before I notice some metal flakes in the oil filter. Two pieces to be exact. Didn't think to much of it, as they were not really that big. Then today I took out my magnet oil drain plug and notice one rather large matal flake that was curved. At 10k past the rebuild you would think you would not find flakes this big.

I have read that this could be a sign of a bearing about to go. So this makes me think the bearing might be going again. I would have a picture, but I lost the flake sadly.

What do you think? Anyone else have findings like this or am I in trouble?

Ah, so you bought Sarah's bike? Glad to see you've been riding it!

Big metal is never good. Has it been making any extra noises or running roughly? Mine is just a tick under 40,000 miles, motor has never been apart, and I never seen metal in my oil.

You have a new engine/moto? The breaking in could produce a bit metalflare...

Yep Sarah's bike. She took great care of it and rode a lot and I plan on doing the same.

There are no odd noises and it runs great. The matal flake is the only sign that anything could be wrong.

I expected metal during break in, but 10,000 miles after rebuild I would not expect it.


I'm leaving for a 5,000 mile trip tomorrow, so I guess i will have to wait and see what happens. Luckly I will have someone with me in case the worst does happen.

It's possible that a less than stellar quality bearing was used in the rebuild. Chinese bearings (all balls and similar) tend to have un-even heat treating and fail pre-maturely.

If you have a choice try to stick with one of the big name brands. I like SKF and Timken. I can get both at my local bearing house.

I have a parts list of everything that was put in and it was all OEM so the same bearing was used as stock. Now I did read somewhere that the counter balance bearing was changed from 09 to 10 and has not changed ever since.

It IS the bearing going bad. Why do you think Yamaha changed it? Why would anyone have put the same bearing in when the part was superseded?

Yeah rams that's my fear. I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens. If it goes I hope it goes before july of 2013. Then I'll have them replace it with the newer bearing.

Seems like it could be a one off thing though. Besides this bike there is only one other that I have heard of failing.

Superseded typically means that the old part is no longer offered from the OEM. There can be 100 reasons for a superseded part number, and not all of them are bad. One is just to keep track of which ones are used during assembly when a suppliers change.

You need to do some analysis of this shaving (don't lose it!) if hou find another. Is it attracted to a magnet? Does it appear to hardened material? Was it cut or sheared off the parent material?

I'm going to guess that it is a shaving from pressing in a bearing that got a bit cocked in its bore. I've never ripped down a WRR engine to see if there is a place for that to happen. Further, my guess is that you just gort lucky and found it this time and it was in there all along. Seems logical with no other symptoms.

Well I have added about another 2k since I found the metal. Everything seems to be find. Besides a noise that has developed (see other post).

I really with I didn't lose the piece. I'm about to do another oil change so I'll see what comes out.

Maybe I just made a bad shift or something I don't know... We wll see.

Keep an eye on your drain bolt magnet AND your filter. Every oil change, it wouldn't hurt to open the oil filter up to see what it's catching. Other than that, keep riding the hell out of it till you can't.

Well 3k from the first post I'm in Montana and the bike is in the shop. Bearing is shot and Yamaha is replacing the crank and bearing. I get the parts list later today.

Yamaha said for this bearing to go that the bike was not being used for it's intended purpose, but they are going to replace it anyways. Thought that was kind of weird, but I'll take it.

The cam chain is also being replace, though Yamaha said it should have been replaced last time the bearing failed and they are not going to cover the cost this time. Which seems funny to me as well.

This has been going on for about three weeks now because at first the shop did not think anything was wrong with the bike when I brought it in when it started making really loud noises. Finally 800 miles later the motor would bearly run.

I tried to tell them the first time it was the it was the cam chain and maybe a bearing. Oh well.

I'll update soon.

Corycy wrote:

Yamaha said for this bearing to go that the bike was not being used for it's intended purpose, but they are going to replace it anyways.

What's their notion of the "intended purpose"?

Well thats something I would like to know as well. I plan to ask if it gets to that point.

Well I'm back home now and the wr now has over 45k on it. Yamaha covered all the bearings and a new piston, but not labor.

I'm about 3K since the repair and all seems well so far. I am a little untrusting of the bike now. I was nervous the whole drive back, probably just over reacting. It's just I bought the bike for it's dependability and it kinda of let me down when I was far from home. Who know though it may have been something I have done. I doubt this is something a wr owner should worry about.

Corycy wrote:

Well I'm back home now and the wr now has over 45k on it. Yamaha covered all the bearings and a new piston, but not labor.

I'm about 3K since the repair and all seems well so far. I am a little untrusting of the bike now. I was nervous the whole drive back, probably just over reacting. It's just I bought the bike for it's dependability and it kinda of let me down when I was far from home. Who know though it may have been something I have done. I doubt this is something a wr owner should worry about.

Wow. It's awesome that Yamaha would cover the parts after so many miles. Congrats! I'm sure that labor wasn't cheap, but splitting the cases to do all that work is no walk in the park. I think you made out pretty good. It's essentially a new motor.

Did they replace the bearing with the stock bearing or the supersede bearing?