Well, I blew it

Changed the oil late last night so I could ride today - failed to get the vapor return hose securely on the drain plug nipple - lost the oil in the bike and seized the engine. As I was hustling along today there was a time when I thought the rear tire seemed a little 'greasy' and the valves seemed a little loud but I was having too much fun to slow down.

Now I have to decide if I'm going to spend good money getting the engine done - or just call it a day and part the bike out. This bike has over 100 hard hours on it with only a leaky fork seal and a bad lightweight battery in the 'bad' column. Man, it's been a good bike. It's always felt like it was built for me - just that 'magic' feeling.

I'm sad.

I have made up my mind in advance that if anything happens to my 310 engine, I'd send it to ZipTy for a rebuild. Other than seals and bearings, not much wears out on the rest of the bike. You might want to at least talk with Tinken and find out what your options are. Who knows, your bike might rise from the ashes like a Phoenix and be something far better than it was.

4 stroke should be cheap if its piston n bore, if youve worn out valve stems tho that can add up quick, whip it apart an make an informed desicion from there..

(keep it)

That truly sucks! That is some bad luck. If only the oil return line/oil cap mod you suggested was done sooner this may not have happened.

2 Strokes are typically much cheaper to rebuild. It sounds like he seized the bottom end and that could be the crankshaft. Hopefully it's not too bad, but I had my bottom end rebuilt and it was around $2000 with parts and labor.

Sorry to hear this, whatever you decide, it'll turn out OK.

I missed that. What was the suggested mod?

Just do this and be done with the return line.
http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/te310-oil-change.30244/#post-275538

A TC250 drain plug and an oil fill cap with a nipple for the return line so the oil goes back to the motor and not on the ground via a breather filter.

Thanks, joedirt and Micfasto.

It looks like Zip-Ty was working on something along these lines. Not sure if they still plan on it: http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/threaded-oil-fill-cap.33596/

Tinken, any idea about this?

It's still going to be made, we are just playing catch up at the moment with KTM/Husky. We are racing the Glen Helen 24 coming up, after that production of those things will go back in Que.

Sorry to hear about your bike MikeB, let us know if you wish to rebuild it, it may be possible to add the 310R mod to it with the cases open so you will have a separate drain plug.

What a bummer Mike! This is such a poor design feature that I am certain you are not the first, nor will you be the last. Don't beat yourself up, man.

Why can't they put in an oil level sensor like some of the lawn mowers etc.... with all this tech out there?

One more sensor to go bad. Yeah...that's exactly what we need on a dirt bike.

I know but sure saves me $2500 on an engine. Too bad one of our backhoes didn't have one on it, when stick puntured oil filter and cost $10,000.

Technology is there, just have to use it. Gladly push a bike because of bad sensor, than price tag $1500.

Oil pressure sensor would be pretty easy on the x-lite .... pressure sensor in a banjo bolt on the external oil line.

Rather than a low oil pressure sensor, I'd rather have that breather return mod Tinken was talking about. That might be the best 310 mod ever. In addition to concern over the hose coming loose and dumping your oil, us guys with the '12s get to fiddle around with that stupid setup every oil change. That hopefully coming soon ZipTy mod would change a potential disaster to no big deal.

That mod be great but what happens if you bust a case racing, gasket goes bad or seal?

Busted case happened to me and lost my oil out through bottom of clutch cover. Had no idea till engine locked up.

.....until you snap that off and loose all your oil again.

I had my banjo bolt back out with 28 miles on the bike and blow oil all over my leg.

Luckily, I was 100 yrds from the truck and the oil fouled my back brake and I stopped and shut it down right away.

My 2014 with 36 miles had the top banjo bolt come loose, oil leaked out, and engine locked! I'm not impressed- the dealer is a good one, so I am hoping for the best. (Makes you wonder if the Italians knew that the Austrians were taking over & pissed about it)