Yamaha YZF r125 - breakdown - advice please?

[Guest]

Hello,

I recently brought my first bike, a Yamaha YZF r125 2008 black and silver, it has done 20,500 miles.

I was riding home along a duel carriage way (overtaking at 68mph ) and it was struggling to pick up any more speed than this, which was the first strange thing.

It then suddenly lost all power and was slowing down.

I stopped and when I pressed the starter again I got a ticking sound at first and then eventually nothing.

I replaced the spark plug and put some more oil into it but still nothing. (there was virtually no oil in there, which I should have checked :L ).

It is currently in a garage having the engine looked at, as it has probably seized, but before, during and after the bike breaking down there was no engine or oil lights coming on to tell me something was wrong. No smoke either.

Was just wondering if this seems normal to not get an oil light if it is low as I would have thought it would have come on.

Any thoughts?

Last thing, if it has seized would it be better to just buy a new engine and have it fitted as I believe they can be quite expensive to have fixed.

Thank you,

Harry

[Mrbarry]

I have always referred to the oil pressure light as the idiot light. And if you ever see it your too late! Nothing like a manual check on a regular basis. Or a good old fashioned analogue gauge, but a gauge won't show colour or let you smell hydrocarbons etc.

No idea what's the cheapest fix unless your handy with a spanner, doesn't sound like you are tho.

[Guest]

I realise that I should have checked it, when I brought it I was told it was recently filled with oil, which I should have checked.

Just something I didn't think about

[eastanglianbiker]

yes it will be cheaper to buy another engine as long as you know that one hasnt been run dry of oil also

[Stu]

as above it maybe cheaper to get another engine but as stated above that could have been run dry

9 times out of 10 you do get a decent engine but you never know what you are buying!

Personally I would rebuild it but I have the know how so it would only cost parts which can make a huge difference

[Tango]

Hi Harry, when you stopped and pressed the starter button and all you got was a ticking sound were the lights on? This could just be that the battery was not charging and eventually the battery voltage got so low that it wouldn't produce a spark.....and when you stopped and tried to restart the bike there was insufficient power in the battey to spin the starter. Could the engine still be turned over by putting the bike into a high gear and bumping it? If the engine would still turn over I'd be looking at the battery and charging circuit personally. Low oil, although not good, could be just a red herring......

[cyberwolf]

something like that happen to me on zzr600

it turn out the rec/reg had gone and it cook the battery put new battery on and it burnt out the fuel pump and battery again

Edited November 5, 2012 by cyberwolf

[Guest]

Hey, might sound stupid, same sort of thing happened to me in my 125 days, I had water in the fuel, drain some fuel out into a clear drinks bottle, wait for it to settle, if I remember correct the water sits at the bottom, worth a try maybe talking crap thou...

[Guest]

Thank you everyone for all the replys,

The only reason I think it is the engine is that we tried bumping it and the back wheel seized up when I let the clutch out,

Hopefully I should get the garage calling me back tomorrow with the results of the damage :L Hopefully it isn't anything too bad!

Thank you to everyone for the help again,

Harry

[Fozzie]

As the bike lost electrical power that quick I blame that... Seems a rec/reg failure either cooking or failing the battery.

The back wheel will lock when you bump it, the bike has a long stroke like a motocross bike so you need 2nd or 3rd gear. Even then it will still lock, you have to catch it right and that takes patience and skill with the clutch

[klingelton]

try the small things first, if it still doesn't work after all that, it's the big things!

i'd be tempted to say low voltage from the battery - doesn't have enough to turn the engine over. can you test if you're getting a spark at all? also what the voltage is.

very similar set of symptoms happened to me and my old 125, it transpired it was the CDi unit.

[Grumpy Old Git]

From your original description of the fault I would say (as per other posts) that the battery has 'died' - As to why, this will need further checks. If the engine had 'siezed' then the back wheel would have locked whilst riding it (or, at the very least' a rapid de-acceleration accompanied by load mechanical noise).

1. Check battery voltage - If low, disconnect and re-charge.

2. Ensure bike is in neutral, remove spark plug and connect to HT lead, keeping the body of the plug touching metal.

3. Turn on ignition and try starter (checking spark).

4. Turn on lights and try starter - If lights dim, then battery or starter is 'dead'.

5. If all good - re-fit plug and try to start. If bike now runs, check voltage at the battery (should be around 14v), switch on lights and re-check (should be around 12.5v). I would suspect this is where you will identify the fault.

Good luck!

[Mrbarry]

If it is seized BOIL a pint of oil in a pan (outside it stinks) and pour it into the very cold bore via the spark plug hole. It will pop the piston free. It may then run but will be very poorly all the same.

Boiling oil will burn if you get it on you so don't sue me if it all goes pear shaped!!

[Guest]

I got a call from the garage today,

The top and bottom of the engine have seized solid. The quote to fix this will be over £1000 so I am looking at engines online.

Does anyone know if a 2012 Yamaha YZF r125 engine will fit in a 2008 model bike?

And is there anything that I should ask before I buy, I am looking at Ebay.

Thank you,

Harry

[mattycoops43]

Is it a trustworthy garage? I would be going straight in to get them to show me the damage! So sick of stories of people getting ripped off by garages!

We MAY well be wrong, but I also agree with the above diagnosis, if it seized it would have thrown you off! It may have partially seize after you stopped, if it was running mega hot, but that's not really the same thing.

[Joeman]

I got a call from the garage today,

The top and bottom of the engine have seized solid. The quote to fix this will be over £1000 so I am looking at engines online.

Does anyone know if a 2012 Yamaha YZF r125 engine will fit in a 2008 model bike?

And is there anything that I should ask before I buy, I am looking at Ebay.

Thank you,

Harry

 

both top and bottom at the same time?? go take a look for yourself mate... let them point out the seized bits.

[Rik398]

I would definetley check. Go down and see if they can show you. I don't trust garages, though that is not to say that they are all bad. Like has been said, if the engine siezed, then you would probably know all about it to be honest. The fact that the back wheel locks when you remove the clutch is normal, and is the reason why bump starting takes practice. How long was it at the garage before they gave you this diagnosis... if it was not there very long then I would question whether they have checked everything.

Us folk generally check the small things and then work up. I feel the garages most likely do it the other way round...

I only say this because I had many electrical problems with the Daytona, and this loss of power, followed by the clicking sound when you push the starter, is EXACTLY what my bike did when the charging system was knackered. I would strongly suggest it is an electrical issue.

When it lost power, did it start shuddering slightly, loosing revs and then you pulled over, or... did it loose power fairly suddenly leaving you no option but to pull over? If the first one, then I would put money on an electrical issue.

The lack of oil does throw a spanner in the works, but I would have thought that you would have noticed the engine not being a happy bunny before this happened. Without oil, it would of sounded horrific.

[Mrbarry]

I'd put hard cash on it being the engine seized. It's had no oil, got hotter than the sun, been stopped and almost welded the rings to the bores.

With out testing it's hard to be positive thats exactly right but it's very likely!

If the rear wheel locks with clutch out and neutral engaged its seized!

[Guest]

Hello, I went down to the garage to pay the bill for looking at the engine (£48!) but i did get to see the engine,

I did manage to seize it, the mechanic who stripped it talked to me and was quite impressed by how bad it was :L

The Crank had gone, the piston was deformed and the barrel? when he picked it up had flakes of metal still coming out of it.

The bearings have gone and apparently something needs to be re-plated.

I have taken it to a different garage just because they weren't very helpful and the new garage seemed really good, it is a yamaha road bike specialist.

I have chosen to have the engine re-cond. The quote is about £600 plus Vat :'(.

The garage has an engine that went, but only the top end I believe so they are going to source parts from that.

I was going to buy an engine off ebay, but my family wasn't too happy with this as you can not tell if they are any good or not.

I think I must have been quite lucky not to come off the bike I think? the wheel didn't seize when the engine went, but it did slow down quite quickly.

Apparently the oil light didn't come on because it doesn't have one, only found this out from the second garage, the first told me it was an electrical problem.

I will post some updates as things get done,

Thank you for all your help and replies,

Harry

[Colin the Bear]

I'

If the rear wheel locks with clutch out and neutral engaged its seized!

£720 for a second hand parts rebuild?

What's the bike worth?

A complete second hand engine may be a much cheaper option as may be a complete second hand bike.

[Mrbarry]

I'd drop a used engine in for £100. You are bound to get a good one before you have tried 7 lol.