[24432]

okay,here's the story. Original owner passed away and the bike sat for 5 years. Then I bought it..wouldn't start..took it to mechanic and they replaced fuel pump and did a motor tune up. It had a clicking(like tappets) and they thought it was carbon built up on the valves. Said to ride it awhile and see if that doesn't get rid of the noise. One weekend we rode to Hutchinson and while stopping to eat it started to make a really loud knocking noise. Called Honda dealer to come pick it up. After they looked at it they determined(thought?) that after a previous recall fix that a valve shim had fallen out,where?don't know.Then he tore into the motor and found a shim in the #5 piston and one in the bottom of the crank case. That's the story! and 7 months later I still don't have a bike to ride$%^^!!!

 

[wimpyhonda]

Man they are blowing up your rear.4:4:4:

Only way a shim can get into the combustion chamber is there hast to be a hole in the head intake track or combustion chamber

 

[TravelinLite]

Conrad, sorry to hear of your ordeal with the engine. One thing for sure is there will be many of us on here scratching our watch and winding our azz trying to figure how a shim got into the combustion chamber. Weird indeed.

 

[Toynaround]

I am very mechanically inclined, do all my own work, might even attempt a GL1800 motor rebuild if needed. I once took a friend's car to the dealer with him so he would not get ripped off. It just needed a new muffler but the service manager said it would need a very expensive "muffler bearing" costing about $700 installed! I said show me the piece on your parts diagram, well he couldn't, that lying, cheating weasel !!! $140 later with a new muffler installed, the car was purring again! So beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SneakySnake]

I guess if they had the spark plugs out to rotate the engine it would be possible to get a shim in through the spark plug hole. A person would have to be extremely unlucky though for this to happen.

 

[Road Hog]

how long should it take a honda dealer to rebuild a 1800 engine ???
my 2002 has been in the shop for almost 7 months now.
is this normal ???
conrad
eureka,ks.

Yea if they're not working on itopcorn:

 

[WHITE wing extremist]

I can't imagine a shim getting into the combustion chamber. Are you sure it isn't the valve that in the #5 piston? I've seen car pistons where the valved dropped and the piston collided with the valve and broke the head of the valve off. Then get impaled by the valve head on one of the subsequent strokes.

No matter what, 7 months is too long. I could do it in less time and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

 

[murf]

murf
do you have a phone number for them i would love it

Motorcycle Division
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 2200
Torrance, CA 90509-2200
Mail stop: 100-4C-7B
Telephone: (866) 784-1870

:doorag:

 

[Racer57]

No idea how it would get there but "IF" a shim did get into the cylinder/piston/valve then they would have to be replaced because the cyl is probably hard coated and can't be honed/bored which explains why oversize pistons are not available for the 1800. How many dealership warehouses do you think would have those parts ? It might be that the cylinder/s had to come from Japan.

I've never seen the 1800 engine out of the bike. Is the cylinders seperate from the case or integral to it ? The 4 cyl engines split in half at the crank with all cyl attached to the top half of the crank/tranny case.

 

[finleypj]

how long should it take a honda dealer to rebuild a 1800 engine ???
my 2002 has been in the shop for almost 7 months now.
is this normal ???
conrad
eureka,ks.

I need a transmission rebuild, that is almost as extensive as a engine rebuild. The one dealership here said one week to two depending on parts delivery. Can't imagine why it would take that long to tear down and rebuild an engine. Sorry that fish smells...

 

[24432]

murf
thanks for the info
i will call them
7 months is way to long

 

[Rocketman911]

7 months, WOW!:22yikes::22yikes::22yikes: I think I would have reported it stolen after 3 months!

 

[salyzyn]

Par for the course IMHO ... :-(

2 months for frame weld.
7 months for starter circlip (case has to be split, all engine/transmission parts need to be inspected).
7 months for transmission rebuild.
3 weeks to tell me my left fork seal failure is a normal wear-and-tear item (BS) and presented with an estimate north of $600 to do the job.

I was a slave to the Warranty and the local dealers. I had no recourse to the dealers or Honda for the Damage the dealers did to other parts of the bike when performing these jobs. I live in Florida where Motorcycles are specifically excluded from the lemon law.

 

[Flint Hills Winger]

Is it home yet?

Conrad, today was the day you were to pick up your bike at Honda Powersports in Hutchinson. Did you get it picked up? Was it repaired or did you get a run-around? Cassoday tommorrow!

 

[nataaska]

Would be interested to know if you got kissed before you bent over. :wrong:

 

[jfink]

I just had my transmission rebuilt under warranty. As said above, it is almost as extensive as an engine rebuild. All the same parts are exposed. It took Lundsford Honda about two weeks to tear it down, rebuild the tranny and get it back to me ready to roll, and this was while one mechanic was out for training. Seven months would only be reasonable if they are incompetent in ordering parts and are just ordering as they come along on a part that needs replaced.

Picture of my engine in pieces:

 

[wing-renter]

Valve shims in the combustion chamber, that's pure BS.

 

[trike lady 1500]

I'm lost on the shims migrating inside the engine combustion chamber and into the bottom of the engine. The shims would be no where near the enclosed engine during assembly. I think possibly the tech put them there and 7 months to rebuild an engine, I think I'd be raising all kinds of commotion as to why it's taking so long and on the phone to Honda.:evil: