08 Honda CRF450 - Ouch, Looks Expensive

O&GDriller
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Tulsa, OK US
7/22/2019 9:35am Edited Date/Time 7/22/2019 11:27am
I was riding my spare/backup 08 Honda 450 as I like to run it every once in a while. I heard a bang and rear wheel/engine locked up. Pulled the head and it looks like it might be expensive....


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avidchimp
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4511
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7/9/2008
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Thousand Oaks, CA US
Fantasy
1102nd
7/22/2019 9:40am
About tree fitty.
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CDswinehart
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229
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9/26/2008
Location
Mendon, NY US
7/22/2019 9:43am
Ummm..... Is that a crack from the cylinder wall into the cooling jacket?
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7/22/2019 9:45am
Is that the new crumbling cylinder that's sone serious cracking. What happened to the head? Or center cases?
Mr. Afterbar
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5/13/2019
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Green Bay, WI US
7/22/2019 9:46am
Ummm..... Is that a crack from the cylinder wall into the cooling jacket?
Looks like multiple cracks. Surely from when the engine locked.

The Shop

O&GDriller
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478
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Tulsa, OK US
7/22/2019 10:20am
Ummm..... Is that a crack from the cylinder wall into the cooling jacket?
There's a large "hole" about 2"W x 1.5"H knocked in the cylinder wall protruding into the water jacket. This large "hole" is what allowed the piston to rotate as pictured. Believe it or not the connecting rod was still connected to crank and piston post failure.

I was too busy to rebuild myself so I had Robert Reynard/Reynard Modifications do it for me as Robert is a friend and one of the few I trust to work on my stuff. Robert's been doing this a lot of years and stated it's something he's never seen before. I'm 59 and have been riding MX for 48 years and it's a first for me.

Robert let me source the replacement parts to save money and he got it back and running this weekend. Total cost was right around $2,200. Parts were around $1,000 and Robert's labor $1,200. Bike needed entire bottom and top end including a new cylinder and head. The cases were fine. Dave Mitchell at MXTime does all my head work and was able to hook me up with a completely rebuilt head at an amazing price. Dave's a stand-up guy who's helped me out MANY times.
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O&GDriller
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Tulsa, OK US
7/22/2019 10:23am
Is that the new crumbling cylinder that's sone serious cracking. What happened to the head? Or center cases?
Head was struck by the piston and damaged beyond repair. I don't have any pics of it but saved it for "garage art". I was hit HARD. My prior post describes how I made out like a bandit getting a replacement head. Kudos again to Dave Mitchell/MXTime and Robert Reynard.
O&GDriller
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478
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7/16/2019
Location
Tulsa, OK US
7/22/2019 10:41am
Not expensive at all... because surely you’re not going to repair it?? Part it out.
I struggled with what to do with the bike as the repair was going to approach the value of the bike with a running engine. As it's a highly regarded 2008 Honda 450 which I only use as a backup in the event my or my sons primary bikes break during a track day we have a decent backup bike to ride and salvage the day.

I could have had it back together for right at $1,000 in parts if I had done the work myself. I didn't have the time or desire to repair it myself so I had Robert do it. Financially it was a tough call but to have a new engine all in for $2,200 it worked out OK.

If it wasn't a 08 Honda 450 I probably would have thrown it away/parted it out. I didn't want to do this as it would be very time consuming parting out for very little monetary return after you tear it down, post for sale ads and then ship stuff. The bike itself "only" has 195 hours on it since new and is a clean, well maintained machine which also played a role in my decision.

I'm not certain I made the correct decision but I did what I did...
stangkag
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1399
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9/28/2011
Location
Maybell, CO US
7/22/2019 11:09am
Hell, she'll buff out!
2
Wandell
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7563
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12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
7/22/2019 11:27am
Time to start searching for a CR500 engine!

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