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This is why YFZ's have oiling problems
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: Ride1Rob

This is why our bikes aren't getting enough oil through them. I just had mine rebuilt and there is alil metal from breakin, but the rest is gunk. Probably from loctite. There was also a little grass on this screen. I was going to wait to check b/c normally I check it every 3-4 oil changes. But due to my motor getting rebuilt and I don't even have 4hrs on it something told me to check it... I'M GLAD I DID! Sad thing about it... ALOT of dealers steal have no clue about this screen.

1st pic is after it was cleaned and ready to put back into the oil tank

2nd and 3rd pics are completely disgusting...

http://img436.imageshack.us/img436/6024/img1481gc1.jpg

http://img436.imageshack.us/img436/3856/img1464or9.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3481/img1473mh9.jpg

Posted by: f1502nv

how long has it been since you cleaned it last? if you havent ever cleaned it how old it the bike? im just tring to figure out how long we should go before we pull the tank and clean for maintenance.

Posted by: YFZ450 11x

Wtf man

I found out about that screen 9 mos after I bought my YFZ and I took it out to clean it and it wasnt enev close to thet bad.It was bad enough that I cut it right out. It was a little bit to much of a pain in th ***** to reach to clean after every oil change( I do an oil and filter change after every ride).
If I were you I would check your engine breather lines to make sure they are still on correctly. A buddy of mine had this problem and his motor sucked in all kinds of dirt, grass, bugs...Doesnt look normal to me!!!

Posted by: Ride1Rob

Like stated in my post, the bikes fresh off of a rebuild. That's where all the gunk from the loctite is from. The grass... I haven't had that problem since I got rid of my stock filter. Once I went with my K&N it solved that problem... til I checked it this time. Recently I've had a friend of mine whose bike was having motor problems due to lack of oil. I kept asking the guy at the shop to check that screen and I don't think he ever did.

Posted by: Ride1Rob

quote:
Originally posted by f1502nv
how long has it been since you cleaned it last? if you havent ever cleaned it how old it the bike? im just tring to figure out how long we should go before we pull the tank and clean for maintenance.

Read the post... This screen was clean every 3-4 oil changes. I've had my bike almost 3 yrs and the 1st time that I cleaned it was probably 7-8 months after I got it. It had grass covering the screen like the gunk you see now. I got rid of that stock filter and got a K&N and that solved that problem. I'd still have minimal aluminum and metal chips though. The bike ran for 2yrs 6 months and then I rebuilt it...

Posted by: beastlyone

how do you locate the screen to clean it? this makes me want to check mine now haha

Posted by: SRH

christ im going on my 4 th season and never touched mine, guess i will do it before i hit up some practices this winter

Posted by: YFZ450 11x

I dont even know why its there??? I cut mine right out over a year ago and havent had a problem. The bike already has an oil filter!!!

Posted by: Ride1Rob

Actually, I'd rather have that as extra protection and check it every couple of oil changes. If not for the screen this mess would have been cycling through my motor.

Posted by: BSTURDIVANT

The screen is to stop junk from ruining your oil pump! It's the only protection for the suction side of pump! The oil filter catches any small particles before entering the engine oil system! Do not remove the screen! clean every 40hrs of operation at minimum!

Posted by: YFZ450 11x

Im not worried I change my oil once a week. It comes out the same color it goes in

Posted by: Ride1Rob

quote:
Originally posted by YFZ450 11x
Im not worried I change my oil once a week. It comes out the same color it goes in

You could change it everyday... that still wouldn't stop whatever trash that's in there from cycling through your motor when you're riding/racing. Hopefully none of your bearings or anything go bad

Posted by: Builder

Hey thanks for the info I am a honda tech working for velocity cycles and only rarely see the yfz but now I know to look at that to. Theres some stuff about the 450r that most dealerss don't check and even honda doesn't really say anything about.

Posted by: 05yfz450

should we cut out that screen? or should we leave it in.ijust did my first oil change on my new 05.and will check this on my next oil change.and i will remove it if it will not hurt my motor.

Posted by: Ride1Rob

quote:
Originally posted by 05yfz450
should we cut out that screen? or should we leave it in.ijust did my first oil change on my new 05.and will check this on my next oil change.and i will remove it if it will not hurt my motor.

I'm not moving mine! That gunk you see in the screen would have been in my motor if not for that screen. Main thing is to check it.

Posted by: 06yfz450mxer

I'm a little worried about mine now I have an 06 model and haven't checked it once yikes right. I am gonna cehck it before I ride it again. My question is how hard is it to get at? Can I do it with my oil tank still in the quad or do I have to remove it? Thanks for the info.

Chris

Posted by: Builder

I would leave it in. If you remove the screen that stuff will go threw your oil pump and could damage it. Sure the oil filter will catch it but that oil filter will clog up quicker than that screen will.

Posted by: Toadz400

Mods, this thread should be made a sticky. Every YFZ owner should be aware of this screen and to make sure to check it and clean it every few oil changes, if not every oil change.

Posted by: Ted J

Where is that located on the quad? I want to check mine but don't know where it's at.

Thanks!

Posted by: coryatver

quote:
Originally posted by Builder
Hey thanks for the info I am a honda tech working for velocity cycles and only rarely see the yfz but now I know to look at that to. Theres some stuff about the 450r that most dealerss don't check and even honda doesn't really say anything about.

what stuff Im interested

Posted by: Toadz400

quote:
Originally posted by Ted J
Where is that located on the quad? I want to check mine but don't know where it's at.

Thanks!

It's towards the bottom of your oil tank facing towards the engine. Pull that line out and the end of it has that screen on it.

'Builder', what things do the dealers and Honda not check/talk about?

Posted by: Ted J

quote:
Originally posted by Toadz400
It's towards the bottom of your oil tank facing towards the engine. Pull that line out and the end of it has that screen on it.

Sweet, thank you sir!

Posted by: harescrambles

This is old news but here is what mine looked like on the 05, i have just bought a 07 that ill be checking.

Posted by: motomanmike

Ok guys, many of you in your posts have said its grass on the screen. Its clutch fibers, small pieces of the clutch discs that sheer off. Also you are going to have the "gunk" you had after assembly. Its lint off of all the shop rags you use when wiping everything down before assembly. Whatever you do don't remove this screen. It is to protect the oil pump, and why would you want to? There are three parts of the yfz motor that screen oil, one is the screen in question in the tank, the second is in the botttom of the cases and seldomly gets anything on it, and of course the third is the oil filter. No matter how much you change your oil, you will have some metal filings in the engine. They wear during use, its that simple. Change your oil everytime you have a race or long practice and it will significantly extend engine life. Usually the first part affected by neglect is the cylinder heads and they aren't cheap to replace on these quads.

Posted by: Piker450

not everyone should have to worry about this, dude you must not break your stuff in right because that is not right, i had an 05 ran in a bunch of xc races checked that screen and nothing like that came out, just remember break in easy they will last longer, and change oil and filter after every race, or every other ride, oh ya dont use quaker state, bad stuff

Posted by: Ride1Rob

quote:
Originally posted by motomanmike
Ok guys, many of you in your posts have said its grass on the screen. Its clutch fibers, small pieces of the clutch discs that sheer off. Also you are going to have the "gunk" you had after assembly. Its lint off of all the shop rags you use when wiping everything down before assembly. Whatever you do don't remove this screen. It is to protect the oil pump, and why would you want to? There are three parts of the yfz motor that screen oil, one is the screen in question in the tank, the second is in the botttom of the cases and seldomly gets anything on it, and of course the third is the oil filter. No matter how much you change your oil, you will have some metal filings in the engine. They wear during use, its that simple. Change your oil everytime you have a race or long practice and it will significantly extend engine life. Usually the first part affected by neglect is the cylinder heads and they aren't cheap to replace on these quads.

First off, I know what was on my screen. I know the difference between grass and lint. Clutch fibers don't look like grass. I rode in alot of grassy conditions at times and I was running the stock foam filter when I found this. Wen to the K&N and never found grass again.

quote:
Originally posted by Piker450
not everyone should have to worry about this, dude you must not break your stuff in right because that is not right, i had an 05 ran in a bunch of xc races checked that screen and nothing like that came out, just remember break in easy they will last longer, and change oil and filter after every race, or every other ride, oh ya dont use quaker state, bad stuff

As far as breaking in my bike right. I got 2 1/2 years off of my motor when it was stock and almost 500hrs before the piston finally cracked. The gunk you see (As stated in my post) was after a rebuild. Loctite and sealant in between the cases. And as far as breaking it in easy (LOL). I've seen guys pamper their bikes for weeks and have the motor go in less than a year. I'm currently almost a year on a race motor with a breakin of about 20mins of heat cycling and then riding it like I stole it

Posted by: speedfreaksguy

I learnes this the hard way. 10 minutes after a rebuild and...
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/3826/2004042600011lx0.jpg
After pulling it all back apart, I find no oil is returning to the motor from the oil tank. I pulled the oil line and found that screen to be completely clogged.

Posted by: Ted J

quote:
Originally posted by speedfreaksguy
I learnes this the hard way. 10 minutes after a rebuild and...
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/3826/2004042600011lx0.jpg
After pulling it all back apart, I find no oil is returning to the motor from the oil tank. I pulled the oil line and found that screen to be completely clogged.

Dude, that sucks! I just freshened up the top end on my YFZ after replacing the head gasket and before putting oil in it and firing it up for the first time I checked that screen. I got lucky and there wasn't much on it but I'm glad I checked it now.

Thanks to the people on the forum here for pointing that out!

Posted by: Toadz400

I still say this should be a sticky! Very important for every YFZ owner.

Posted by: Ted J

Hey speedfreaksguy, did the middle intake valve touch the piston? It looks like it maybe did.

Posted by: 250r4life

i finally checked mine today... i've had my bike 14 months, probably have a good 40 days worth of dune riding on it, not to mention what i've doen around the phoenix desert and motorcross tracks and what not...

it wasnt bad at all... there were a couple metal shavings, but hardly any and other than that it looked great...

im glad i checked though, and i would reccomend it, as if it is clogged the damages will be major...

Posted by: xrxmxcx

quote:
Originally posted by Ride1Rob
First off, I know what was on my screen. I know the difference between grass and lint. Clutch fibers don't look like grass. I rode in alot of grassy conditions at times and I was running the stock foam filter when I found this. Wen to the K&N and never found grass again.

After reading this i dont really understand your reasoning behind thinking that pieaces of grass can end up in your oil filter screen after going through your filter.
So a piece of grass gets past your airfilter? How that happens is a mystery to me, i always check all clamps and hoses prior to riding, but anyways... The piece of grass gets sucked into the carb, and through the valves into the combustion chamber. Your saying that when that happens the piece of grass it gonna make it down past the rings and into the lower end? I dont think so, it will get blown out the exhaust ports probably and never to be seen again, if it wasnt burned up on the combustion stroke. The only way that you can actually get "grass" in your oil is a breather line or the idea that it actually is clutch plate fibers.

just my .02

Posted by: yfzrider45

Can somebody please explain where this screen is and how easy or hard it is to get at?....i'm new to yfz n i'm only good at chassis work n all that......I'd really appreciate the help!! thanks

Posted by: Toadz400

quote:
Originally posted by yfzrider45
Can somebody please explain where this screen is and how easy or hard it is to get at?....i'm new to yfz n i'm only good at chassis work n all that......I'd really appreciate the help!! thanks

quote:
Originally posted by Toadz400
It's towards the bottom of your oil tank facing towards the engine. Pull that line out and the end of it has that screen on it.

It's pretty straight forward and easy. The only thing I found difficult was I had to remove the oil tank and the oil line leading into the tank because of how it's positioned. At least I think I did, I remember it being somewhat a PITA but it was a long time ago. It's definitely worth the time to take it out and make sure it's clean. You'll save yourself a lot of time and money in the long run.

Posted by: yfzrider45

If i pull it will oil start flowin out lol, i have a full tank....

Posted by: ktmbill

If you are cleaning the screen not all the stuffs on the screen, and you should take the oil tank out and clean it and the oil lines to the motor.
Note if you do not change the cam chain it will eat the plastic guides that will plug up the screen & oil lines. I have rebuild 16 YFZ 450 motors and the cam chain makes a mess.
their is a screen in the motor as the pick up tube but you have to spilt the cases, to help clean that screen spray carb cleaner in the drain plug in a upward spray.

Posted by: Toadz400

quote:
Originally posted by yfzrider45
If i pull it will oil start flowin out lol, i have a full tank....

You will need to drain your tank. Do this during your next oil change.

quote:
Originally posted by ktmbill
If you are cleaning the screen not all the stuffs on the screen, and you should take the oil tank out and clean it and the oil lines to the motor.
Note if you do not change the cam chain it will eat the plastic guides that will plug up the screen & oil lines. I have rebuild 16 YFZ 450 motors and the cam chain makes a mess.
their is a screen in the motor as the pick up tube but you have to spilt the cases, to help clean that screen spray carb cleaner in the drain plug in a upward spray.

Does this happen after a certain amount of hours or abuse on an engine? I've had my head off several times when messing around with the cam mod (I think I can do it in my sleep now) and I've never noticed any abnormal wear in the plastic guides. I have no idea how many hours I have on my engine but it's quite a few and it's still running strong. Valves are still in spec, never had to shim them!

Posted by: ktmbill

here is some pics of bad guide.
We replace the chain at every rebuild at 20 hrs.
THe will kink up and you can see it unless you take it out.
Sorry did not have a bad chain tossed them away.
All so you can take the mag side cover off and look in your fly wheel and if it has black pieces in it

Posted by: ktmbill

pic 2

Posted by: ktmbill

pic 3

Note the guide lips on the sides are gone

Posted by: Toadz400

That's good to know. If I ever rebuild the YFZ I'll definitely take a look at that and replace the chain and guide. I'm hoping I'll get a long life out of my YFZ as it's given me no trouble yet. *knock on wood*

Posted by: #17YFZRACER

this thread is definitely sticky material

Posted by: Ride1Rob

quote:
Originally posted by xrxmxcx
After reading this i dont really understand your reasoning behind thinking that pieaces of grass can end up in your oil filter screen after going through your filter.
So a piece of grass gets past your airfilter? How that happens is a mystery to me, i always check all clamps and hoses prior to riding, but anyways... The piece of grass gets sucked into the carb, and through the valves into the combustion chamber. Your saying that when that happens the piece of grass it gonna make it down past the rings and into the lower end? I dont think so, it will get blown out the exhaust ports probably and never to be seen again, if it wasnt burned up on the combustion stroke. The only way that you can actually get "grass" in your oil is a breather line or the idea that it actually is clutch plate fibers.

just my .02

Maybe you're correct on the way it got in, but it was on my oil screen. On more than one occasion I found grass clippings in my stock filter as it was needling through the filter. That's why I figured it got in through there.

I also never figured out why they didn't make this a sticky

. There are many that didn't know about the screen until they saw this thread. Hell, there are dealerships mechanics that don't know about this screen. Definitely good preventative maintnance.

Posted by: Toadz400

My first post in this thread I mentioned this should definitely be a sticky. Guess this isn't important enough for the mods to give a crap.

(Haha, just kidding mods...hoping this will get your attention though and you'll make this a sticky

)

Posted by: yfzrider310

STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY STICKY

sorry i had to do it....common mods

Posted by: #17YFZRACER

we need the mod on the TRX forum they have like 6 stickys. if they dont someone is just going to have to save this thread by posting whatever on it every once in a while.

Posted by: Ride1Rob

Yeah, it seems that this would have obviously been a sticky by now. This can surely be the difference between catostrophic failure and your motor getting the proper lube as it's supposed to. I've seen where forums with 6,7,8 stickies and we can't get two that are important. Maybe there's no mod for this forum?

Posted by: #17YFZRACER

only one way to find out

i know there is because he took the time to kill one of our threads before

and hes probably laughing at us right now

Posted by: JR3

Yes the screen on the line from the oil tank can get clogged with stuff heres a pic of what mine looked like awhile ago.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/250ex3/101_5652.jpg

Posted by: #17YFZRACER

just getting this thing back to the top because we cant get a STICKY

Posted by: JimmyHoffa

Not only is it annoying that this isn't a sticky, it's misleading. When anyone looks at the TRX forum, there's like 6 service information stickys, and there's 1 on this forum. Unless you're clever and search a lot like me, you'd think the TRXRs were 1/6th as reliable as a YFZ, when they're actually somewhat close to the same. Maybe there's some money flowing from certain manufacturers that us common folk don't know about...

Posted by: JR3

quote:
Originally posted by JimmyHoffa
Not only is it annoying that this isn't a sticky, it's misleading. When anyone looks at the TRX forum, there's like 6 service information stickys, and there's 1 on this forum. Unless you're clever and search a lot like me, you'd think the TRXRs were 1/6th as reliable as a YFZ, when they're actually somewhat close to the same. Maybe there's some money flowing from certain manufacturers that us common folk don't know about...

agreed

Posted by: Ryan

Where any of these issues corrected in the newer models? I just bought a 08 and am pretty curious about it. More so the cam guide and chain than anything. Cleaning that screen seems like an easy job.

Good thread!

Posted by: Ride1Rob

It's not hard. It's just a b!tch trying to get to it (lol).

Posted by: yfzrider310

Someone should post some pics of where exactly the oil line screen is. Maybe?

Posted by: #17YFZRACER

i dont have a pic right now but i can. the line that goes to the bottom of the oil tank is the one with the screen. you will need to stand the quad on its @$$ and take the line out of the tank. thats the easiest way to get to it besides taking off the tank.

Posted by: yfzrider310

so is it easier to take off the line from were it hooks up to the cases or where it hooks up to the oil tank?

Posted by: Mr331

If there is a measureable amount of stuff on that screen, be worried. Under normal wear you will get a piece here and there but normal is not to have the screen covered. If my screen is covered like that (never has) my motor is coming out and the cases are getting split. Pulling the screen is a good idea and it will improve oil flow but the real issue is seing what and how much is on there.

Posted by: #17YFZRACER

quote:
so is it easier to take off the line from were it hooks up to the cases or where it hooks up to the oil tank?

oil tank, you dont need to take it off the motor.

Posted by: 06YFZ450SE

I have had my YFZ450 from sept 06 and I have never looked at this screen. I change my oil/oil filter every 10 hours and I clean my UNI after 2 rides. I just did an oil change so Iam gonna wait till I do another oil change to it. I have about 70-75 hours on my quad give or take some. So what do I clean the screen with. Thanks

Posted by: Simon MX49

I dunno about the rest of you, but I've had mine since March 22 of 05 and I was completely unaware until about 5 minutes ago there was even a filter in there? lol.

Guess I better check it

Posted by: JR3

quote:
Originally posted by 06YFZ450SE
I have had my YFZ450 from sept 06 and I have never looked at this screen. I change my oil/oil filter every 10 hours and I clean my UNI after 2 rides. I just did an oil change so Iam gonna wait till I do another oil change to it. I have about 70-75 hours on my quad give or take some. So what do I clean the screen with. Thanks

just use carb cleaner opr brakleen wipe it off and the cleaner will evaporate off

Posted by: #17YFZRACER

dont use an air compressor to blow it off because you will just blow all that crap into your filter and into the oil line.

Posted by: 450killer265R

quote:
Originally posted by YFZ450 11x
I dont even know why its there??? I cut mine right out over a year ago and havent had a problem. The bike already has an oil filter!!!

yeah yamaha spent time an money putting it in for you to cut out

why u think its there for looks?

Posted by: gotboostido

whats up, well after reading this tread. i wanted to check my screen. just a little info first. my bike is an 07 yfz450 ballance se. the bike is also stock., and isnt raced. with about 30 hours on it and maybe 5 oil changes. there wasnt a single speck on it, i mean not a thing. i was kinda mad for doing this check. but at least i got peace of mind now, with this bike. later

Posted by: ready4oryou2

After I read this I checked mine and I've had my yfz since end of November of 05. Nothing on it at all. I had an insane amount of time on mine. In my opinion its a waste of time to check it. To each is own.

Posted by: ohsobad_chevy

quote:
Originally posted by ready4oryou2
After I read this I checked mine and I've had my yfz since end of November of 05. Nothing on it at all. I had an insane amount of time on mine. In my opinion its a waste of time to check it. To each is own.

Preventative measures are NEVER a waste of time......as opinionated as your post was meant, you need to appreciate people like Rob that try to help fellow riders. Next time keep your negative comments to yourself, please.

Posted by: JimmyHoffa

agreed. '06 with 40 hours and the JT oil fix. 3rd oil change showed minor red gasked shavings on screen, and a few peices of clutch fiber. NOT a waste of time for me. All it takes is a few people with buildup to make a case for inspection. We have that, and on top of the proof, it only takes 5 minutes to check. Someone needs to brush up on thier wrenching skills. I'm sure you've wasted 5 minutes of your life before and not been too angry about it.

Posted by: Tico-Tampa

Thank's Rob for the info, will check it out on my quads and if there is something I'll post the pics! I hope there is nothing but is its worth to try !!!

Posted by: Ride1Rob

No problem guys. I understand that everyone won't appreciate someone trying to help them

. What's good on one bike may be a disaster waiting to happen on another. Like stated before, It's called preventative maintnance. I would say mine looked like that after the rebuild because it wasn't as clean built like coming from the factory.

Posted by: Thumper1220

Ok ok...old news I know but I just remembered. Have 06 when it was new I checked this screen as well as replaced the oil filter. After about 4-5 hours of riding there was a little RTV and some aluminum shavings on the screen....a few more shavings than I would have liked but......not one spec of metal in the oil filter anywhere.....

So...if you remove the screen you have nothing to stop all that crap from circulating through your oiling system!!!!

(would be lucky to last a season without that screen!!)

so leave it...obviously it is there for a reason.

and if you cut yours off and it's still running I would go buy a new oil line in a hurry