I am an idiot, hope I didn't screw it up too bad

[viper_2031]

Well it goes like this, I was changing the oil on my FZ6 and I had used a funnel to pour the oil in, I left the funnel in when i started the engine to let the filter fill up, needless to say the clutch sheered off part of the funnel, a piece about 1/4 of an inch wide and 1/2 an inch long and about 1 mm thick. I was wondering how to get it out or if I have to get it out or what. if I go to taking everything apart do I have to replace all gaskets I remove I only have 300 miles on the bike, Also I just changed the oil pan because it had hit a curb another dumb accident, I hope that this is easy to fix, the engine only ran about thirty seconds before I realized what had happened. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
J

 

[Mart Man FZ6]

Man, I can't offer any advice on where the pieces went, but that really sucks. Hope everything works out OK.

 

[Ras Thavas]

Try draining the oil and see if the pieces come out?

 

[VEGASRIDER]

At the very least, I think it would be very important to get as many pieces of the funnel out. I say that because if you decide to run it with the pieces in, it's going to melt and I'm not sure what melted plastic mixed in with oil will do to the engine, but it can't be good.

 

[poorwboy]

You need to get the pieces out or they could plug up the oil pickup screen, and that would be catastrophic. The oil will not get hot enough to melt plastic.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Sounds like part of the funnel were shredded, or at the very least the pieces are relatively small and thin, which would be easier to melt vs one or two large thick solid piece of plastic.

 

[Scorphonic]

I agree with the comments so far, any foreign matter in your engine will be bad...but isn't that why filters are for? I doubt very very much if plastic will damage your engine, afterall plastic is quite soft in terms of moving metal pieces...I would assume the filter would remove the majority of the plastic. If it were me, i'd drain the oil again, take off the filter and replace, remove the panels of the engine and inspect the clutch/any moving parts, if required (i dont honestly know) replace any rubber seals before putting things back together. Of course the best thing to do would be to get in contact with a Yamaha dealer (or anyone with good motorbike knowledge) and ask them for a proper/definitive answer...at the end of the day your engine should be fine but best to get the pieces out of there!!

 

[stevesnj]

Bite the bullet and take it to a certified Yamaha mechanic and have them find and remove the plastic.

 

[Botch]

I agree with the comments so far, any foreign matter in your engine will be bad...but isn't that why filters are for? I doubt very very much if plastic will damage your engine, afterall plastic is quite soft in terms of moving metal pieces...I would assume the filter would remove the majority of the plastic. If it were me, i'd drain the oil again, take off the filter and replace, remove the panels of the engine and inspect the clutch/any moving parts, if required (i dont honestly know) replace any rubber seals before putting things back together. Of course the best thing to do would be to get in contact with a Yamaha dealer (or anyone with good motorbike knowledge) and ask them for a proper/definitive answer...at the end of the day your engine should be fine but best to get the pieces out of there!!

Agree.
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[HavBlue]

The oil will go through the pick up screen before it gets to the filter and yes, the pieces could cause a restriction which would reduce oil pressure. Get a clean pan and drain the oil into it. Buy a couple automotive paint strainers and pour the oil into the strainer to see what may have come out. Hopefully you will find your small pieces of plastic. The real question is how large or small the actual pieces are that may have been introduced into the system.

Food for thought: When you change the oil filter, fill that new filter with oil and allow it to sit for a moment while the element sucks it up. Fill it again and repeat the process. Now put the filter on. It will not spill as the filter has yet to completely fill. This will also reduce dry run time when you start the bike back up.

At one time or another I feel safe in saying we have all made mistakes. Having done so, we hopefully learn from those mistakes and move on.

 

[Hellgate]

I have a funny feeling you are going to be fine. I have no idea way, don't bet you life on it. I'd drain the oil and ride it. I think you are good to go, seriously. I envision it bouncing around, getting chewed up, caught in the filter and that is it. The motor oil really doesn't get that hot, not like an exhaust manifold or anything.

My 2 cents.

 

[wrightme43]

Yeah my only worry would be the pick up screen getting clogged.

Say you get just all sorts of crazy, remove a few bolts and drop the oil pan. Clean the pickup screen, clean the oil pan, and just go whole hog and strain the oil as well.

Then there would be no lagging doubts in your mind. You would know its right and be done with it, never to leave the funnel in the bike again.

 

[Hellgate]

Yeah my only worry would be the pick up screen getting clogged.

Say you get just all sorts of crazy, remove a few bolts and drop the oil pan. Clean the pickup screen, clean the oil pan, and just go whole hog and strain the oil as well.

Then there would be no lagging doubts in your mind. You would know its right and be done with it, never to leave the funnel in the bike again.

Good point, I do forget these have a pan, not just two case halves.

As Stan Ridgeway sang, "Just drive she said."

 

[Raid The Revenge]

A piece of plastic in the oil huh? Let me think about this...

Hmm... I'm looking at the inside of the clutch right now...and I don't see how pieces of plastic in there could cause any serious harm.

Getting out the plastic would require a bit of work. You need to do the following:

1) Drain the oil
2) Drain the coolant
3) Disconnect coolant hose
4) Disconnect clutch cable
5) Remove clutch cable holder
6) Remove cover
7) Take pieces of plastic out
8) Replace Clutch Cover Gasket and do everything in reverse to put it back together

It sounds like a lot of work. Personally, I'd do it! If I did something like that to my engine...yeah...I'd totally do it! It's entirely up to you.

I don't think the plastic would do anything serious. Honestly.

 

[Hellgate]

A piece of plastic in the oil huh? Let me think about this...

Hmm... I'm looking at the inside of the clutch right now...and I don't see how pieces of plastic in there could cause any serious harm.

Getting out the plastic would require a bit of work. You need to do the following:

1) Drain the oil
2) Drain the coolant
3) Disconnect coolant hose
4) Disconnect clutch cable
5) Remove clutch cable holder
6) Remove cover
7) Take pieces of plastic out
8) Replace Clutch Cover Gasket and do everything in reverse to put it back together

It sounds like a lot of work. Personally, I'd do it! If I did something like that to my engine...yeah...I'd totally do it! It's entirely up to you.

I don't think the plastic would do anything serious. Honestly.

Hey Elm, Why the coolant??? That is segrigated from the motor oil, unless it is like a '69 Suburban I used to own...it made this cool white cloud...

 

[wrightme43]

Well I guess that would work too Elm.

Wouldnt it be easier to just remove the pan? If the engine was running and it shaved say x number of chunks off they would of traveled to the pickup and stopped. When the engine was shut of depending on thier density would of floated or sunk to the bottom of the pan. The clutch is just going to sling them out, or if one gets inbetween the plates, it will just smash and smear it slipping untill its melted away.

If it were mine I would drop the pan. Its a easy and simple task. Remove headers, drop pan. Clean, clean screen, replace pan, reinstall headers. Done deal. No more worries.

 

[poorwboy]

Hey Elm, Why the coolant??? That is segrigated from the motor oil, unless it is like a '69 Suburban I used to own...it made this cool white cloud...

You beat me to it. No reason to drain the coolant.

 

[Raid The Revenge]

I thought you had to disconnect the coolant hose to get the clutch cover off? Look here:

Here's what the service manual says:

Or maybe it's one of those things where YAMAHA goes...
"You gotta take off the radiator cap to change the rear tire? Just so we can charge more for hours of service?"

It's your call. The oil pan sounds like a good idea too. The question is: will the plastic from that funnel float on oil or not?

 

[wolfc70]

I would drain the oil and see what come out. If no plastic come out, and depending on the size of them, I would pull the clutch cover off and see if any are laying in the casing. If the pieces are larger, damage will be minimal. If it is ground off plastic, then you may want to pull the pan and check the oil pickup screen, just to make sure it is not clogged.

When DIY, always double check everything, before starting the bike. If you are worried about oil starvation, prefill the filter as HavBlue stated. I would not even worry about that though. During an oil change, the bike was running 30 minutes prior to draining and filling the oil. There is more oil on wear surfaces after 30 minutes than when you start you bike after sitting all night. Even the few seconds of no oil pressure as the filter fills up are not going to do anything, as long as you don't zing the engine. If prefilling the filter makes you more comfortable, it is worth doing it then for the peace of mind.

 

[BranNwebster]

I'm going to agree with Have_Blue. You put the oil in the pan along with the plastic. It's going to go through the filter first. In fact I bet it's already in it.