675 Chain Snapped

Was out for a ride in the peak (UK) on sat when I got a bit of a shock mid corner @ about 60mph, massive crack, back wheel locks momentarily and engine cuts out...glad to be upright but feels expensive I thought.

Turns out first impressions weren't wrong, chain plate had snapped, chain whipped round cut through indicator and put a hefty dent in the bottom of my arrow can...at least it wasn't my leg! Started it up in neutral, seemed to run sweet, sigh of relief...new chain easy!

3hrs later I'm in the garage waiting for the chain to go on and get the dreaded "come and have a look at this, it's not good!" turns out the chain has chewed through the crank case.

So phoned a few garages to get a new engine in, around £1800 all told. Can't afford that! So it's an engine off ebay job £600-800 seems like the going rate (which I can't really afford either) but it's going to be the cheapest way.

I have/had an 09 STR, I need an engine to replace this one as I've read this is the simplest and cheapest way to do it, rather than take engine apart then weld up (sounds like a faff).

So my questions to you folk are:

- Will any ST/STR engine from 08-11 work or do I need to be worried about engine codes?

- Anything to look out for on engines off ebay? (they've all done such low mileage :-D its a miracle!!)

Expensive weekend

 

In short yes it can be done but the engine would need to be stripped to get the crank case off so it can be completely cleaned before welding, from what I have read this is not so straight forward and it is simpler, faster and cheaper to get a new lump and chuck it in....providing it's not a dud!

 

So the guy from the garage who rescued me mentioned that he has repaired similar holes in crank cases using sheet steel beaten to shape (roughly) and generous amounts of chemical metal to hold this piece in place.

I'm obviously tempted as its going to be a lot cheaper and I dont even have to remove the engine...anyone got experience here?

My main concern is the expansion and cooling of the metals occurring at different rates causing the chem metal to crack (good to 180 degrees or similar).

So far I've taken the sump off the bottom of the engine and fished out the engine fragments which were punched through! Any advice appreciated.

 

How big a hole are we talking? I could probably get two small fingers into mine

 

Scrapped the bodge and am replacing the engine with a second hand one off ebay! I wouldn't have been confident riding it with the chance of the glue letting go and leaving oil all over the back wheel!

Hopefully given time I can take the crank case off and have it ally welded up and sell on. Only a few hundred quid down this way rather than £1000+

 

I have however managed to snap the expansion tank pipe off the radiator (that crimped clip is a horror to remove), this has now been chem metalled back on and seems solid...less critical though & easier to inspect every once in a while!