Yamaha Yzf-R1 Intake Valve lifter problem/repair

My Yamaha YZF-R1 2005 model has now been down for almost two months. It sucks. The last time I drove it, I decided to drive a little fast, so I opened up the throttle, i think I was in 2nd gear, and I let the engine rev up to about 12,000 rpms I believe, maybe stayed a 2 seconds there, I was climbing a hill, when going down hill again, I released the throttle and immediately felt that most of the engine power was gone.

In the mean time i took my bike apart (literally) to take the engine out. I have never thought that I would ever do this by the way...

I had to take the R1 engine out as this is the only way to get a look at the engine head - the two top engine mounting bolts are connected to the engine head and frame of the motorbike.

Already with the engine head cover off I could notice some metal pieces sitting loose, but I could not quite determine what it was.

Here are the pieces that I found in the engine when I took the engine head cover out:

Later I found out that this is actually the inside of a valve bucket, where the valve shim sits and where the top of the valve stem hits.

To get the R1's engine out, it was kind of a struggle in a way, all went fine, up until I had to get the bottom engine mounting adjust bolts out. The Yamaha R1 repair manual calls for a 'pivot shaft wrench'

Here is what the pivot shaft wrench looks like:

Yamaha R1 Pivot Shaft Wrench

Off course I did not have this Pivot Shaft Wrench, so I managed to essentially take a allen wrench and on one end make it like a fat screwdriver, so I could wrench the tool. That did the trick. I was able to turn the engine mounting adjust bolts out.

I placed some concrete blocks under the engine, with like half an inch space left, so when I took out the engine mounting bolts, the engine wouldn't fall all the way to the ground. That was a good thing, as I noticed that i did not remove all of the wires, there were still a couple of cables to disconnect like the one for the stand, one for the gears and the thick cable for the starter motor.

Back to the broken part. On cylinder #4, the valve bucket of one intake valve (intake valve lifter) (the center one of the 3 valves) basically got jammed and the valve broke through the valve bucket.
Why did  this happen? I have no idea, this should not have happened. I even think I read that the 2007 R1 models had some similar issue and that there was a recall, maybe there was a recall on this model as well, I am not sure. I don't think that this should have happened. I always changed oil frequently along with an oil filter. Why did the valve bucket (intake valve lifter) on one of the intake valve jam in it's valve cylinder?

Here are more pictures of the valve problem:

Here's a close-up of an intake valve bucket (intake valve lifter) area. The crack seen is actually a valve bucket still in there

Took these pictures with a Sony Bloggie cam, it does really well in close ups

Note the broken pieces of the valve bucket  (intake valve lifter) on the left. Amazing that that is actually still sitting there and not have been washed away with oil to the carter. Some of these pieces actually broke little pieces of the engine head cover.

Intake valve upper spring seat seen here, where the intake valve cotters burst through.

Top view of the Yamaha r1 2005 engine showing the valves

You could already tell by looking at the intake camshaft that something wasn't right on cylinder #4. The manual says that if you see scratches on the camshaft lobes to discard it and to install a new one.

I know that this valve problem can be fixed. It was not such of a big issue (besides the big work on getting to the problem), the intake valve lifter that's broken has to be removed, hone that area, replace a valve lifter, valve, intake camshaft and that would be it, but how much would this all cost? You know what? I bought an entire 2006 model R1 engine head complete with camshafts and valve cover for around $250, you can't beat that. At least I know I have an engine head that is working.

I was thinking now that I am so deep in to the engine to do some performance mods, like shaving off some metal of the head, port and polishing the intakes and exhaust, but you know, geez, it's already so much work.

And i want to spray the bike too.

I will keep you posted on the progress.

Yamaha R1 Slipping clutch - pictures of friction plates

Slipping clutch on the Yamaha R1, again!

I took out the clutch plates just to check how they looked like. I assumed that there wouldn't be any material left on the friction plates, however there still was.

Problem is that the steel discs are blue meaning that they overheated.

I am going to change it soon, however I was contemplating to actually insert an old steel disc as an extra, so to make more pressure on the springs, and to actually use up all the kevlar on the friction plates. I'll keep you posted.

Here are pics of the R1 clutch plates

Bought Yamaha R1 Brake pads on Ebay from partsangel, they send me the wrong brake pads

Hi guys, As you can see above, I bought front and rear brake pads on Ebay from partsangel for my Yamaha R1. I did the front brake pads and made a video on how to change your Yamaha R1 brake pads. Unfortunately, after finishing the front brake pads, upon removing the rear caliper and removing the old brake pads, I matched them with the new ones I bought. Dang! they don't fit! It's so annoying when that happens, certainly when you already removed the caliper and now you have to put it back without good brake pads. i wrote them about it, wel see what they will answer.

In the mean time, enjoy my video on how to change your front brake pads on the Yamaha R1.

Amazed at durability of Shinko tires

In my ealier posts I mentioned that I installed Shinko tires, well my front tires have surpassed two rear tires changes and the front tire still looks like new! I am amazed.

The EBC brake pads weren't good after all

I replaced my rear tire, and noticed when I removed the rim from the swing arm, one brake pad fell off from the caliper. Actually, the asbestos block separated from the metal plate. That is odd. There was like 4mm asbestos left, how come this came off the plate? Not cool, now I have to order new brake pads. Maybe temporarily I can glue that pad on myself on the plate. Not sure what glue could work though.

Yamaha YZF-R1 Engine code 46 problem and fix

Earlier this month I was driving and all of a sudden pooooffff. My R1 Stopped in the middle of the road. The instrument cluster was still lighted, but it also showed the Engine code 46. The R1's starter motor also wouldn't run. I had to get towed back home. Engine fault code 46 meant there was no power going to the ignition control unit. I was hoping for an easy fix. Checked all the fuses, they were all good. I was hoping that it would be the regulator because I have one. But you can't check it if you can't start the bike.

Push come to shove. After measuring the 3 white wires of the stator (generator) it was clear there was a short.

I removed the stator/rotor assembly and it was clear that this was the culprit. All the magnets of the rotor were broken in a million pieces and slit one of the 3 white wires to the ground. It was even hard to get the rotor out, had to use a hammer.

I managed to buy a used stator/rotor for a cheap price, and place it in and it worked like a charm.

However I must warn you: When you remove the side generator engine cover, the rotor assembly comes out, but: There's a big chance that pieces of the starter clutch and dampeners will fall off and fall in the engine!!!

I had one dampener fall in the engine, and wasn't able to get it out, tried with a vacuum cleaner, it sucked all my engine oil out, but not the 1 dampener that fell in, and I wasn't feeling like to remove the entire exhaust (rusted bolts) to get the oil carter out. so you are warned.

Anyway I got it fixed. Picture will follow of the broken magnets.
If you have any questions let me know using the comment form below

How to remove a starter motor from a Yamaha R1

Here are pictures that I took when I removed the starter from my Yamaha R1. Removing the starter wasn't so easy. Even with the service manual. You know why? Because they left out a little piece of information and I'll give it to you: how to get that damn throttle body out, to be more specific, how to get to the screws on each of the 4 throttle body rubber hose clamps that fit on the intake manifold. The manual just shows an image of removing the 4 clamps... yeah.....how? I'll show you.

Even when the throttlebody was out, it was still not THAT easy to get the starter out. Wow! How am I going to get this starter out? I'll show you. If you have the tools, you can easily do this within an hour. I took much longer since I had to figure out how to get the clamps out. Anyway, here are the pictures of removing the Yamaha R1 starter motor:

The first thing to do is to remove the seat by using a 5mm Allen Wrench

Next is removing the R1's gas tank with a 5mm Allen wrench

Continuing for the tank removal, remove the side panel of tank with a Philips screw driver on each side of the tank

Still for the tank, remove the 5mm allen bolt on each side of tank in front side.

Lastly for the tank, the 5mm allen bolt at the tanks pivoting base under the seat, for now, just make it a little loose, so you can pivot the tank up and can remove the hoses and cable easily.

Now with the tank turned up, start by removing all hoses, this pic show the underside of the tank, I already removed the high pressure fuel line. Keep removing the other fuel lines and 2 cable connectors, when done, remove that 5mm allen pivoting bolt to remove the tank and put it aside.

Next to remove is the R1's air filter housing (air filter box). There are screws all along the side, and one hidden under the rubber that my finger points at. Just pull it out with pliers. There is one screw hidden there.

Remove that connector.

Now with the cover off of the air filter, and air filter removed. Remove the  allen bolts holding the velocity stacks and remove them.

Once velocity stacks are out, you can just take out the bottom of the air filter housing. This is where the real work starts!

But before you can remove the bottom of the air filter box, there are 2 hoses attached, one in the back and one in the front.

Next, remove the 2 hoses as shown here.

Remove this connector

Next, remove the throttle cable, there are 2. Just pull it back by hand, use a thin long angled plier to remove the cable.

Okay, all done and well. How do I get the throttle body out? Here's how:  a wrench with a 12" extension with a 5mm allen key at the end, removing the side panels (not mentioned in the service manual) Okay, I didn't take picture on how to remove the side fairings, but I guess you know that, it's easy. I just remove the top screws.

At first, following the service manual, I thought, man, how can I get these clamps out with a regular allen wrench?? Answer: impossible!!!

Here is one clamp shown with the allen bolt loosened, this is the easy one, from cylinder 3. Throttles from cylinder 1,2 and 3 can be done from the left side by entering your long extended wrench from where the fairings where. The one from the cylinder 4, the clamp is pointed to the right side, so you have to enter your long wrench from the right fairing side that you removed, and fiddle it under the radiator hose.

Once all the throttle body hose clamps are removed, you can pull it off, but carefull, as shown here, there are some more hoses to remove.

When all loosened, it will look like this. I didn't remove all the hoses and cables, a bit of a pain, this being in the way, but I didn't want to dissassemble the entire bike! I'm in enough shit already! :-) Now let's get to removing the starter, shall we?

Once you remove the rubber heat shield, you can see the starter and it's two bolts to remove. Once the two bolts are out, it is tricky to get the starter out, at first you gonna curse, it's like "how did they get that starter in here?" Answer: duh, it was already mounted on the engine when they mounted the engine to the frame, duh. Okay, so how do I get the starter out? That rubber heat shield, try your best to get it out of your way to the right, and there is one to the left as well. Then, once you removed the starter cable, hold that connector with pliers and wiggle the starter back and forth so it can disengage from the transmission. Then when the starter is loose, pull it to the right side as far as you possibly can until you see the spline from the starter. i was then able to pull the spline side up and get the starter out. Same way to get the starter back in, with back first.

The 2007 starter will fit the 2004/2005/2006 Yamaha R1.

Hope you liked my procedure with pictures to remove the Yamaha R1 Starter.

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