Cracked timing belt front cover.

[solo]

A few days back, I'v noticed a crack on the timing belt front cover. No idea how it happened, I never touched this thing apart from wiping dust off it.
I'm not so much concerned with the aesthetic part, but would like to know, if I need to get if fixed from the technical point of view?! Any thoughts will be appreciated.

[Chrisj CMA]

looks like a rock hit it.  Over time it will let more dirt and debris into the area of the blelts.  Id look around for a used one off of a parting out bike or just spring for a new one, but they are north of $300 if memory serves.

[old2soon]

Gotta go with chris on this. If i'm looking at the picture correctly that appears to be at the lower side of the setup. I realize you don't leave in the rain-but i know you've been caught in it. If looks ain't high on the priority list-liquid metal from the back side. It be cheap and it'll get you by. RIDE SAFE.

[Skinhead]

If you can't find one for a decent price, I'd take that one off and epoxy the crack from the inside and call it good.  You just need to keep the dirt and debris out.

[solo]

Many thanks, will try fixing it with the epoxy, as a temporarily solution...
Hopefully a good one comes on on ebay, there seem to be non for sale at the moment...
Cheers!!!

[BOZ]

From the picture, that looks like an easy fix from the inside of the cover. I had one that got cracked worse that yours. I patched it and had no issues for another 50k miles or so. You said that aesthetics didn't concern you that much, so epoxy should fix you up good as new. Good luck. 

[eric in md]

 solo , clean it up good on the inside and use jb quik weld on  it great stuff man ,

[solo]

a little follow up...
I have taken off the front belt cover to fix the crack and found something which indicates, most probably, it wasn't just a stone which caused the crack...
Please check the pics below:





What could possibly cause that disc to bend in? And the chopped off piece on the cover?!
I will be ordering the new parts, could you guys help me with the part numbers of everything I need to order...
Cheers!!

[Skinhead]

What is that piece of crud laying on the timing belt in the first photo?  looks like timing belt debris.  Did you find any loose bolts or foreign objects in the cover?  It looks to me like something got caught between the timing belt and timing gear.  Be glad to look up part number for you if you tell me what you need.

[Chrisj CMA]

Its kinda hard to diagnose just from pictures, but it looks like the cover is cracked "inwards" like something hit it from the outside, not the  inside.......maybe dirt built up and caused a minor catastrophe inside as a secondary malfunction.  It is very strange to say the least, but there is debris in there, how it got there, could it have come in through the crack, hard to say....

Honda direct line has micro fishe on their site, its easy to pick out the parts you need......seal that baby up and keep her clean in there.

http://www.hdlparts.com/

[The Anvil]

It kinda looks like it started to jump the pulley, but then stopped. I've seen that on serpentine belts before, but never on a geared pulley so I'm not sure about that.

[old2soon]

Solo 1 you got any enemies that own big hammers or got big feet?? Man that be some serious damage. Hope ya get her fixed up proper. RIDE SAFE.

[Gryphon Rider]

Perhaps the crack was there when you bought it, but you just didn't notice until now.  I looks to me like someone loosened a few bolts then tried to pry the cover off, forgetting to remove the bottom centre bolt.  It also looks like someone tried to change the trigger wheel, had trouble getting the belt's sprocket off, and bent the spocket's flange in the attempt.

[The Anvil]

Wow, looking at it closely, that's a lot of cracking. That thing took a pretty solid whack. Whatever it was you'd remember it.

[97BLKVALK]

 

I'm with Gryphon Rider, Looks like someone "Tried to Improve" and the then said "Looks too tough, I quit" 

Good Luck on the repair.

Ride Safe

Michael
 

[Walküre]

My guess, since that's pretty much all we can do....someone had the cover off at one time, perhaps to change the  belts, or trigger wheel. Then, they buttoned it back up, leaving a pry bar, screwdriver, or something similar inside. Then they fired the engine up, doing the damage we see - bent the outer flange, when the tool got caught between the flange, and the cover, which also broke the cover. Jangled around long enough in there, to do the "grinding" also. Wouldn't take very long to do that damage. They then took the cover back off, took out the tool, and started it back up. Started and ran fine, so put the cover back on, and down the road they went...

The outer flange on the cog gear, took some serious impact to do that. The belt would have just shredded if it tried to jump the cog gear. So I would guess again, that something was caught between that flange, and the bottom of the cover, doing all that damage. And I can't see anything short of beating the hell out of the flange, trying to get it off, which just doesn't make sense, doing damage exactly like that. I don't think prying would have done it. Of course, I'm not going to try to prove it on mine.....

Any takers??

R

[solo]

Well, I'm totally clueless now..
I own the bike for 2 years now, and noticed the crack about 3 weeks ago, 2 days after picking it up from the annual service. It was too late to blame the service guys, as I haven't noticed it right away. Also, thinking about it, they were to adjust the valves, clean and synch the carbs, that's about it. So they had nothing to do with the front timing belt cover.
Big thanks to everyone for the input, will be ordering some new parts for the lady!

[Gryphon Rider]

Adjusting the valves requires taking off the round cover.

[RP#62]

noticed the crack about 3 weeks ago, 2 days after picking it up from the annual service.

You may have a clue.  In the aerospace buisness, we use the term "maintenance-induced failure".  While fixing or servicing one thing, another becomes damaged.  Often these failures are handling damage or a screw-up reassembling everything.

We say......if it wasn't for maintenance, we wouldn't need maintenance.
-RP

[bscrive]

Gryphon is right.  I just did my valves a few months ago and I had to take the front cover off to advance the crank to get the valves in their closed positions.  Don't know how else you could do it properly.

[Chrisj CMA]

Like I have said before....the best way to learn how to work on the Valkyrie is to take it to a dealer.  You will pay so much for them to break it, that you wont want to pay anyone to fix it, so you will learn how to do it right yourself

[solo]

Shi** I guess it's pretty clear now what has happened, I wish I was more technically inclined, to be able to service the bike myself.

[Skinhead]

Yeah Wayne, when you first posted, I didn't know about the valve adjustment @ the dealer.  If I were you, and your sure it wasn't cracked prior to their work, I'd go back and ask what they plan to do about it.  I assume you have your receipt, which should have the mileage at time of service on it, how many miles since then?  It makes sense now that the tech could have left a socket and ratchet, or wrench on the timing bolt and fired it up after adjusting the valves, although that wouldn't explain the damage to the center cover, unless he installed the cover with the socket on the timing bolt, tore the hell out of everything, then took the cover off, removed the socket, put it back together and hoped you wouldn't notice.

Maybe have your son go talk to them mechanic to mechanic.....

[Skinhead]

In fact, I just went back and looked at the pictures again, and I could see how that might have caused the damage to the timing pulley and broke the cover when it got jammed against the cover.

[Walküre]

Wow, maybe I got something right??!??

Solo - you don't say where you are in your profile (easily done, and a help to all...), but if you live in an open carry state, simply walk into the stealer, go to the shop, and yell "who the F*&k worked on my bike??!!??". Just confront the guy who won't look you in the eyes.....

Nah, but I agree, I'd take the pictures, the receipt, etc, into the dealer. Whoever you talk to, let them know that you strongly feel that they did it, then ask that person to ask the mechanic, what he noticed about the bike, and if he says it was LIKE that, ask him why he didn't mention it to anyone? Surely it must have looked odd to him! Of course, be prepared that he DID mention it to management, and THEY'RE the ones who told him to "ship it" that way!! Stealers are in it for the money. But it can't hurt too mention that you are on this forum, with almost 4400 members, and have access to countless other forums, with MORE people, that you can sure let a LOT of Honda/whateverelse makes they service, owners, aware of their lying, cheating ways. Just go in ready to do battle - sure, if they're nice, and amiable, be the same, but better armed for bear, and meet a bunny, than armed for bunny, and meet a bear!

Good luck - I'd say it should be pretty cursed obvious, if they're a reputable dealer. And if the mechanic is the culprit, DON'T FEEL GUILTY for letting them know about it - you DON'T want him screwing up your brakes, next time, or perhaps someone elses, do you???

My opinion only.....but feel free to use it!

R

[Skinhead]

Wow, maybe I got something right??!??

Solo - you don't say where you are in your profile (easily done, and a help to all...), but if you live in an open carry state, simply walk into the stealer, go to the shop, and yell "who the F*&k worked on my bike??!!??". Just confront the guy who won't look you in the eyes.....

Nah, but I agree, I'd take the pictures, the receipt, etc, into the dealer. Whoever you talk to, let them know that you strongly feel that they did it, then ask that person to ask the mechanic, what he noticed about the bike, and if he says it was LIKE that, ask him why he didn't mention it to anyone? Surely it must have looked odd to him! Of course, be prepared that he DID mention it to management, and THEY'RE the ones who told him to "ship it" that way!! Stealers are in it for the money. But it can't hurt too mention that you are on this forum, with almost 4400 members, and have access to countless other forums, with MORE people, that you can sure let a LOT of Honda/whateverelse makes they service, owners, aware of their lying, cheating ways. Just go in ready to do battle - sure, if they're nice, and amiable, be the same, but better armed for bear, and meet a bunny, than armed for bunny, and meet a bear!

Good luck - I'd say it should be pretty cursed obvious, if they're a reputable dealer. And if the mechanic is the culprit, DON'T FEEL GUILTY for letting them know about it - you DON'T want him screwing up your brakes, next time, or perhaps someone elses, do you???

My opinion only.....but feel free to use it!

R

+1, we agree for once

[Walküre]

+1, we agree for once

Oh geez....what did I say wrong, NOW?!?

[Skinhead]

Nothing this time,  we don't all have to agree all the time, I just don't bother pointing out the times we don't.  It's all good.

[Walküre]

Nothing this time,  we don't all have to agree all the time, I just don't bother pointing out the times we don't.  It's all good.

Ha, ha! It WAS facetious - you usually make your feelings known - that's why the disbelief. That's also why the "haha" () down at the bottom. I think it better said, "we don't all have to DISagree all the time...".

R

[Ricky-D]

I think you are barking up a tree expecting the dealer will accept responsibility, especially so since there is no documentation to bolster your conclusion, and you yourself are not sure when it did actually occur.

I would think the pulley is still Ok and you can continue to use it.

The belts need a good and thorough inspection to insure they are Ok.  Same with the tensioners.

Patch the cover inside and reinstall it.

These Valkyries are pretty much bulletproof and the only reason to do anything would be for appearance purposes, which in your case, the damage is pretty much out of view!

***

[Chrisj CMA]

I think you are barking up a tree expecting the dealer will accept responsibility, especially so since there is no documentation to bolster your conclusion, and you yourself are not sure when it did actually occur.

I would think the pulley is still Ok and you can continue to use it.

The belts need a good and thorough inspection to insure they are Ok.  Same with the tensioners.

Patch the cover inside and reinstall it.

These Valkyries are pretty much bulletproof and the only reason to do anything would be for appearance purposes, which in your case, the damage is pretty much out of view!

***

So is your point...you advise not to try going back to the dealer?  If they admit they broke it, it gets fixed.  If they blow him off he looses nothing more than what he already has.  I think he knows its a long shot, you just want him to what, feel stupid for asking?  I for one disagree with your assessment of the crank pully.  It needs to be replaced

[tank_post142]

something is chewing up the belt(look at the mess sitting on top of the belt below the gear) my $ is on the gear.

[Walküre]

something is chewing up the belt(look at the mess sitting on top of the belt below the gear) my $ is on the gear.

Yeah, and that in itself, is scary - possibly one of a few scary things - there's a spot on the "flange" that we can't see in the pictures, sticking in the path of the belt, eating it up. Can't remember what that gear looks like, if the flange is pressed on it, or separate, but believe it is a separate piece. Slept since then, and NOT in a Holiday Inn...

Another possibility is a bent shaft, which would cause the gear to "wobble", hitting the belt on the edge of the flange with each rotation! And, if the bike was started with a wrench on it, turned a bit, before hitting really hard (which it looks like!), then that could possibly have enough leverage to bend the end of the crankshaft. that would be the worst case scenario. My guess would still be that the bend in the flange is what is causing the belt to chafe.

let us know how it goes. Personally, I STILL think that approaching the dealer is the right thing to do. And believe me, even if you aren't too mechanically inclined, there's nothing very complicated about our Valks, that the average Joe can't do, with a little time, and studying first. it's really a great opportunity, to a) buy new tools!!, b) learn a bit, and c) get together with other Valk owners, that live close by, and build camaraderie. Virtually no matter WHERE you live, I'm pretty certain there's SOMEone nearby, who can and will give you a helping hand.

I see you haven't given us a clue, in your profile, of whereabouts you hail from. Believe me, it can't hurt to add it, at least a general idea. You never know when someone might be right up the street, and can give you an extra set of eyes, hands, and opinions. I've been here a year, been wrenching all my life, but have learned an enormous amount from the knowledgeable folks here on the forum. There are people here, who know MUCH more than any Honda mechanic I've ever met, and know the Valkyrie inside and out. And they don't mind being "used" as a rule...

Again, keep us posted, and maybe think about adding your location.

Roger

[Skinhead]

+1 on MOST of the last post.

[Ricky-D]

Looking close at the pulley I see nothing wrong with the working part of the pulley and it's only looking like the lip is bend down some. The pulley is fairly heavy gauge steel and not easily moved.

And the shaft is the crankshaft of the motor which in this case, it took such a small force to bend the pulley lip and the same will bend the crankshaft - ? - I kinda doubt that - ! -.

Like I said, the belts need to be inspected and also the tensioner pulleys.

Patch the cover and ride....

***