Mike I have a KX250 case that needs that drain plug repair and the boss broke off that holds the pin that brings the shifter back to center. Not tech savvy enough to figure out how to DM you. Thank you, Gene
Sorry, I'm buried for the next several months at least and not taking on any more side work until I get caught up. I appreciate your thinking of me though and thank you for taking the time you watch. Mike
Super impressive. I weld piles of cases for guys. I wish I had the machine shop access like you do, unfortunately space and funds just aren't there 😂. Welding old oil soaked cast aluminum is an art.
zmotorsportsjkur@gmail.com I don't quote prices because I generally have to see the item as I've gotten burned in the past. I am in northern Utah and did side work when I have time. Thanks. Mike
I don't have a surface plate so I used a big old mirror. (thick glass, plywood backing) and taped some wet dry to it only on one end. (it won't buckle the paper, but your strokes can only go one way) Then put soapy water on it . I used this setup to save from having to buy a water pump for my 5.9 Mopar. Because every penny counts and anyway I'm a cheapskate. It seemed to take forever but I finally got a gasket surface. Good information on your channel. Thanks for posting it.
Years ago, I had a primary chain break and crack open my housing. I had no idea how to fix it at the time so I sold the bike cheap. Thanks for showing this.
Very well descriptive video learned a lot about my heat and my amps definitely tuning in to see more of your techniques just cracked the oil filter case on a 2012 Suzuki S 40 went into a little panic mode until I watched your video very helpful and descriptive thank you for that you're a man who really knows his trade highly impressed
Just follow the process that I outlined and you should be fine if you are familiar with welding aluminum. Also keep in mind that not all cast aluminum is created equal as some have more porosity or less porosity than others so some adjustments on the fly are often required. Good luck in the repair and don't rush it. Thank you for taking the time to watch. Mike
Cut a slot out of the side of the drain plug boss, so its possible to get in to weld up the drain hole. Weld the drain hole up using mixed AC/DC wave form, then machine down the weld flat, drill and tap the drain hole. Takes a 1/4 of the time of messing about like shown on the video, welds arent riddled with inclusions, and the case doesnt get distorted due to the large amount of heat put into it.
Thank you. I have a Precision Mathews PM1340GT lathe. I have a full review of it way back in my video library. It was one of my first videos on RU-vid. I also have a review video for my PM935TV milling machine about the same time frame. Thank you for watching. Mike
I’m doing it, the three quarters tang for the return spring broke “that’s cheap” three quarter of material wide by three inches high and was only like a couple sixteenths thick “just a tab” for an arm off the back of like a,,,,,,, fork return piece. kick shaft return
Thank you so much for making a well produced video and explaining your thought process. I have used WD40 with my carbide burrs on aluminum. I looked at the Formax products and there seem to be different types available. Can you tell me the type you use? Thank you so much.
Thank you for the comments. I have been using Formax F-200 for many years. However, I recently tried CRL Tube Wax and actually prefer that, especially on abrasive discs, but also on rotary bits. Mike
Just found your channel. Subscribed. Truly impressed with your skills! I will be telling my fellow builders about your channel. Thanks for your videos! J
I'm sorry, at this time I am buried and I'm not taking on any additional side until I get caught up with what I have already committed to. Thank you for your interest and thanks for taking the time to watch my video. Mike
Was only here for any tips to repair a racing mower gear box but oh boy you grab my full attention and sub something tells me you would have a good go at this without all the fancy equipment if only the workmen ship here in the uk was as good 😎👍
I have a 2004 TRX450R that the cases are warped and creating a problem when putting the two half's together, they teeter when they are aligned together. I am wondering how much work will need to be done and if it is a costly fix? I have a lot of time/money into this bike and don't want to give up on it. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
If the warpage is too severe it may mean the cases are trashed. When lapping cases some material removal is acceptable but too much and it will reduce crankshaft and countershaft endplay creating a rotating assembly that is way too tight. I would suggest a little lapping at a time with test fitment to measure endplay along the way. Mike
That's what I'm afraid of, I bought one case half new from a dealer and the bike had no issues the first couple years and then out of nowhere the transmission failed as I was driving it, I was in fourth about to switch into 5th and there was no fifth gear it was like neutral so I geared back into fourth and tried to go right down to neutral but it wouldn't. It turned out that it ruined the middle shift fork and burned up a gear but after I got a new shift fork and gear I was putting it back together I noticed the warp issue. It doesn't look like a lot of material would need to be shaved off but I'm in a bit of a pickle and need an expert to look at it.@@zmotorsports62
Hard to see it in the video but Ive gotta ask.... Does the slug you pressed in stand a little proud on the inside of the case??? If so wouldn't this prevent a full draining of the case when the plug is pulled?
No, the insert is flush with the inside of the case. I also blended it a little with a rotary bit before sending it back to the owner. Thank you for taking the time to watch. Mike
There's not many engineers who can do what you do Mike i.e. diagnose, weld and machine to a very high standard. Wish you could do some welding on my honda cb900 crankcase. But I live in the UK and a long way away.
Was curious on two things Sir, what Formax grease is your tube that you had used on the carbide Burr tool? Formax has different item numbers Also, after you applied the dycem, you sprayed some type of lubricant on the sandpaper.. what did you spray on the sandpaper and what grit did you use for the aluminum? Thank you very much very informative video I appreciate it ! I definitely would love to invest in some of the machinery that you have I just have welding equipment no , Mills or lathes.. unfortunately I can't do repairs as precise but thank you
Thank you for the comments and for taking the time you watch. I am glad you found it informative. As for the Formax, it is #200 and the grit that I used on the surface plate was 220-grit. For lube on the surface plate I just used some JB-80 Liquid lubricant. I don't necessarily think the lube matters all that much, the JB-80 was what I had readily available but I do find myself using it quite a bit for things like this. Mike
I'm in the process of repairing my cases off of my yz250 after a connecting rod let go and cracked the bottom front of both sides as well as gouging the inner perimeter of the case where the crank is. I have had success so far with depositing clean Tig welds, now am going to clean up the inner perimeter first with a die grinder. I then plan on taking the mating surfaces close to flush with a file as I don't have access to use an end mill like you did. What would be best for finishing it off once I get it to within 1/16" of flush with the file? Keeping in mind that this is the mating surfaces of the crank on a 2 stroke with no gasket.
Whenever I repaired a case at the split where the case halves met I used I file like you then when I was within about .020”-.030” I would apply bluing and lap the case halves on my surface plate, but any large flat surface would be sufficient. Best of luck and thanks for watching. Mike
@@zmotorsports62 as I'm not a machinist by trade abd don't have experience with lapping, what kind of sand paper did you use in the video? And what fluid did you lubricate it with?
I used some 220-grit followed by 400-grit wet sandpaper to lap the case half. I used some WD-40 as lubricant if memory serves and move the case in a figure 8 until all bluing was gone.
I have an Rm85 (2 stroke) that has a hole on the very edge of the crankcase (where the two crankcases meet a gasket) I hope that makes sense. I was planning on trying to repair it with jb weld but I now know that’s not very wise. Should I just cut my losses and take the motor apart, send the crankcase in now? Or should I try to fix it myself with the jb weld? I appreciate the knowledgeable video, stay safe
Personally I have not seen much success using JB Weld. I know a lot of people use it and have heard of mixed success but I have the capabilities to fix it the proper way by welding and machining so I opt to go that route. I've had to remove a lot of JB Weld by the time it comes through my door over the years if that's any indication. Good luck and thank you for taking the time to watch. Mike
@@zmotorsports62 Since I’m young and broke, I figured I’ll try to patch it myself, if I can’t fix it myself I’ll reluctantly send it in somewhere. Thanks for the luck and for the information, you are awesome. Stay safe, Dominic
It’s possible as long as you could get it clean enough and there aren’t any seals or other rubber/plastic near the weld area that could be damaged. Mike
@zmotorsports I had a crack on the inside of my dirt bike case that I had welded. I haven't put it together yet because I just want to be sure or at least more confident that it has a good chance at holding up. Is this something you'd consider looking at and potentially I could mail it to you for your expert eye on it? Or maybe a recommendation on someone who I can send this off to. Much appreciated in advance. I will pay for the work and shipping as well.
Hey Mike I have a 2003 gasgas wild 300 hp that has a crack on the left case half from the top to the bottom of the case (chain popped of and slapped the case will I was 5th gear pinned) I was wondering if you might be interested in repairing it for me.
I have search for one on line but it's a very rare atv and they do not make cases for it anymore. I also used jb weld on mine but it didn't work just like you said
Are you referring to a threaded boss? If so, in those applications UCD machined a new boss roughly the same size as the one cast into the case. Then before cutting the damaged boss off of the case built a small fixture to hold the new boss in the correct position for welding. Cut the damaged boss off and weld the newly machined boss in its place. I hope that is what you were asking. Thanks for taking the time to watch. Mike
I am buried at this time but if you're not in a hurry and can accept the shipping charges I would be happy to do it. You can email me at zmotorsportsjkur@gmail.com Thanks. Mike
Ya, I enjoyed this thoroughly. Cant believe the dickhead who commented on your choice of words of all things. Why dont we critique his videos...oh nevermind, we cant. Lol great job my man, nice shop!
Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and especially for the comments. I don’t get some people with their comments but I appreciate your feedback. 🤔 Mike
Very nice repair. I currently have a cracked case I would love to have you fix it for me. If your interested I can send you pictures and maybe you could give me a price.
Great video! Do you have a hard time seeing the puddle while tig welding. Do you have any tips on helmet selection. Right now I have a Miller elite that came with the welder. Thanks
Thank you. I’m not a big fan of the digital helmets. I realize they have a huge following and are all the rage but I still prefer a fixed lense. I don’t really like tools that require batteries for some reason although I do have a Miller Big Window Elite that my wife bought me about ten years ago but I just use it in tight spaces when I can’t flip my fixed lense helmet easily. I use a #10 gold lense with a clear protective lense in front on both of my fixed helmets and can see very well. I’ve found that the gold lense seems to reflect some of the light back into the work. Thanks for taking the time to watch. Mike
Hey Mike If you have answered this question I apologize but how can we get in contact with you to do some work? I have a cracked engine case off a Ktm 300 I would like to have repaired. Jack
Good work. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this repair was only worth it because it was for a friend, right? If this was a paying customer, it's gotta be cheaper to replace it than repair it.
No issues as long as you don’t camp out with the welder. There’s plenty of webbing and support in the case plus the aluminum dissipates the heat so quickly it hasn’t been an issue. Although when I was doing a lot of the Yamaha Banshee cases back in the 90’ through 2000’s when they’d lose a chain and blow the countershaft out and wrap the sprocket into the mix, I would bolt the cases to help with keeping the countershaft aligned and running true when welding back together. I also lap the case on the surface plate when complete to ensure a flat sealing surface. Thanks for watching and hope that helps. Mike
Thanks man, fun watch! I have a dented & cracked case on my RM250. Ignition side, on the bottom close to the cover. Not sure its repairable, kinda thin right there. If I posted a quick vid to my channel could you lend your advice? BTW - Nice Shop!
Thanks for the comments. Sorry for the delayed response. If you want to post the video I will take a look at it next week when I have time. Thanks for watching. Mike
@@zmotorsports62 Hi Mike, thanks for taking a look! Here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sbBQPCZy9EU.html Super cool to watch you work, technical, clean, and precise. I used to work in a bronze art foundry back in the day, did a lot of TIG welding on large monuments (not so technical, clean, or precise). Even helped with the MGM lion in Vegas right before I got fired :) I blame the girl. Good stuff amigo.
Can you fix my case it’s a 2006 crf450r and it blow a connecting rod so it slapped the counter balancer and broke the hole shaft and the bearing keeper fell of I want to repair it because on eBay there cases for sale gust I don’t want a jb welded case for $500
I have several other large projects I have to get done but if you’re not in a hurry for it I’d be willing to take a look at it and see if it’s something I could repair. Mike
Sorry, I no longer have my speed shop. I just posted the video showing how to repair these cases. Thank you for your interest and for taking the time to watch. Mike
@@zmotorsports62 Thanks. What you did to fix that, is exactly what I need. If I use JB Weld just to hold me through riding season, does this really screw the machine shop in the repair?
Hi Mike! Amazing work man. That was awesome. I’m in NC as well and have a similar crank case problem. How could I reach out to you for your business? What’s your website or Facebook?
Mike, do you do these repairs commercially? I have a clutch side trans case from a quite rare 1971 Carabela 125 MX bike. One of the collars that holds in a gear bearing in, is broken cleanly all the way around. At some point, before I got it, someone attempted to repair with a globs of what looks like white JB WELD. Would love to get it repaired. You seem to have the patience and care to do it properly. Thought I’d ask.
I am very active on either garagejournal.com or irv2.com where you could send me a private message. I think you can also email me via RU-vid by going to the “about” section and hit contact. Thanks for watching. Mike
Back when I had my business and was doing a lot of powersports work, a repair such as that would be approximately $125-$200 depending on extent of damage. I’ve repaired quite a few over the years where the sprocket on the transmission countershaft came apart and tore the side of the case out. Those required more time and therefore could potentially be upwards of $300+. Thanks for watching. Mike
Hello Mike, that is a very good example of a case repair for sure. I have photos of the right side case to my Electra Glide that needs repair somewhat similar in nature to your work in this video. Is there any chance that I can forward these three or four photos to you for you opinion and thoughts that would come to mind once you view them. I believe that the case is repairable as long as close attention to every detail, just like what you show here in this video repair. Thanks for posting such a bitchin' video and opening up a door of possibility
Ok, I just read that you don't do much in repairs since you closed your doors in 2017. Actually I want to do the repairs on my own. I am asking if you could see what I see in the photos, which is, if it's a possible repair or not. That would boost my confidence a ton or bring into reality if its too much to ask for in performing the repairs. I tried searching for a replacement right side case for a 1991 FLHS and always land on pages the want to sell an S&S lower end for $4,500.00
Thank you for the comments. I am located in Northern Utah. For a repair such as this they run in the $100- $200 range sure to taking about 1.5- 2.5 hours depending on the extent of the damage. That particular case half was only the drain plug and relatively easy so $120. Thanks for watching Mike
Is there anyway you can give me a business name for you if I could get a quote from you or just explain what I would have done from you if you still do this type of work please.
I don’t have my business any longer but I still do some small projects for people from time to time. The easiest way to contact me is private message through garagejournal.com forum where I am quite active. Mike
In this video I demonstrate the repair of a drain plug in a cast aluminum motorcycle engine case, CORRECTION, I TALK ALOT ABOUT HOW TO REPAIR THIS BUT SHOW YOU NOTHING!
I've done a couple now for subscribers but I'm sure shipping costs outweigh finding a good local shop. If you really can't find anyone else and don't mind the cost of shipping plus the repair I guess we could make it happen. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. Mike
@@zmotorsports62 awesome, where do I send pictures of the piece needing repair? It’s an inner casing I was told it can be welded and told by others it can’t so I’m not positive but I can send you a few pics of it and even a video to show you the damage
