RM125 Engine Noise Issue

Matt_B_#57
Posts
10
Joined
4/16/2020
Location
Douglasville, PA, USA
Edited Date/Time 4/22/2020 10:46am
Hi all,
So I’m having an engine noise issue with my 2001 RM125 and hopefully you guys can provide some guidance. In the video, you’ll hear an underlying clanking that is consistent with the RPM’s and a strange noise as the bike winds down from being revved up. The video does not do the underlying noise appropriate justice, it is louder in person and definitely not typical for a 2 stroke. This noise started suddenly last summer at a local mx track and since then I haven’t ridden it much out of fear something will be damaged even further. There doesn’t seem to be any power lost in the bike either. The piston was Wiseco and compression on the bike was decent but less than ideal so I recently rebuilt the top end myself with a type B Vertex piston/rings and had the cylinder professionally replated and the noise was unchanged by the rebuild. I don’t think the noise is coming from the power valves. Also, the crank had zero up/down play at rebuild and there is no play in the flywheel. The noise is unchanged if I pull the clutch in.

I’m fairly certain it’s a bearing issue in the bottom end but before I tear apart the engine, I wanted to see if anyone had any experience with a similar noise and what your issue was.

I appreciate any advice in advance!

Also, sorry for the odd camera angles. I was trying to get my phone's mic to pick up the noise as best as possible so I was trying different mic locations to do this.

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kb228
Posts
6153
Joined
1/31/2018
Location
Mansfield, OH, USA
4/20/2020 11:58am
Grab a mechanics stethoscope from harbor freight for $3. You can pinpoint exactly what it is. Id go ahead and pull the cylinder and see what you can find. Somethings wrong for sure.
DynoDan22
Posts
769
Joined
9/7/2011
Location
Victorville, CA, USA
4/20/2020 12:32pm
Sounds like a main Bering or big end bearing of connecting rod.
jbonemalone
Posts
301
Joined
12/4/2016
Location
Otis, LA, USA
4/20/2020 12:43pm
Definitely a lower rod bearing. Tear it down and measure the free play and side play.
Cheaper to rebuild than replace cylinders and cases.
Bruce372
Posts
6329
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
4/20/2020 2:12pm
The 2001 wore through the power valve actuator prematurely.

Take off the cylinder side cover and check it out. You can replace it with the 2002 part number
1

The Shop

Matt_B_#57
Posts
10
Joined
4/16/2020
Location
Douglasville, PA, USA
4/22/2020 5:11am
To give everyone any update, a lot of your comments were consistent with my suspicions so I split the cases last night and found a good amount of metal flakes in the crankcase. The pic below shows the metal, which look like little white flakes in the picture (there was more before I took the pic but I stupidly wiped the case with my finger to see if it was metal and therefore removed a good amount from the photo). I cannot tell where the metal flakes are coming from however, they made their way into the main bearings and when I was spinning the bearings, they had a very gritty feel and would even get stuck at various points of rotation. I believe this is what was causing the strange noises however, if you guys have different opinions about this let me know, especially since it wouldn’t seem to explaining the “knocking” noises to me however, I could be wrong. Everything on the transmission side seemed fine. All the bearings were tight and no wear on any parts except the clutch basket. I think I'll file down the clutch basket for now, which I know will wear the basket even quicker down the road but when your wallet isn't that fat you'll need to find a few value engineering options every now and then!

Also, it’s important to note that the crank bearings had zero play in them. The races looked fine and the ball seemed to look fine as well with the exception of the metal flakes stuck in the bearings. I will be taking a very close look at the bearing fatigue when I pull them to see what the ultimate mode of failure is. I want to find the source of this metal. Any suggestions on where to look would be appreciated otherwise, I’ll be sure to post what I find when I get a chance to dig deeper in a few days.

Thanks for the feedback so far!!



kb228
Posts
6153
Joined
1/31/2018
Location
Mansfield, OH, USA
4/22/2020 8:37am
At this point you just need to redo the entire motor. I wouldnt waste my time trying to find the culprit.
sandman768
Posts
8116
Joined
3/21/2014
Location
Saratoga Springs, NY, USA
4/22/2020 9:14am
how Does the top end and powervalves look ?
pete24
Posts
2733
Joined
10/20/2011
Location
Marlborough, MA, USA
4/22/2020 10:03am
we call that "stripper glitter" aka the thrust washers on the sides of the rod rebuild the crank and put some mains in it
DynoDan22
Posts
769
Joined
9/7/2011
Location
Victorville, CA, USA
4/22/2020 10:46am
Stripper glitter for the win!! Check the thrust washers on either side of the rod.

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