04 crank issues

[clutt225]

What is the deal with the 04/05 cranks. I was told that the 04/05 cranks are bad. The conecting rod at the wrist pin will lock up and break doing mega damage. I just bought the bike but the engine is curently out for the winter rebuild. Should I be opening what seemed to be a good motor just to check the wrist pin. How comon is this problem.

[ATC350X 85]

It was mainly the 05's and it was the right side crank bearing. They used a different bearing manufacture in 05 supposedly. I have over 100 hours on my 04 and its fine.

[400exBro]

I have only heard of late 04 and early 05

I have had mine since they came out, one the first in ontario at least. Haven't had any problems (knock on wood) but since i am doing engine work i am going to check on all the bearing in the engine to ensure it won't go on me this year!

[wvspeedfreak]

Actually I believe they did have some wrist pin bearing issues in addition to the crank bearing problems.How widespread it is I don't know.I think I remember BSTURDIVANT posting about this.

[compedge]

I have a 04 w/ 6 hours on it and the crank just went. The thrust washers on each side of the connecting rod seem so have shaved themselves down from hitting the rod. I found metal shavings in the bottem end. So I just ordered a stock crank, je 13:1 piston and a stage 2 hot cam and a little head work.
I think it will go alright.

The early 04's had a problem. I just bought the bike from a freind. I no the history on the atv.

[Donjuan54]

My friend just last weekend blew his 450 motor because of the bad crank. It did exactly what clutt 225 said in his post.He did not get the extended warranty plus did not take it to dealer for services Cheap a__. So he is partly at fault. But i would think they would just replace it.The local dealer here in chandler az Towne and Country motorsports told him yesterday that they will not replace the motor because it was like 3 days over the six months manufactuer warranty. Has any body else had this problem if so let me know thanks. Would it be worth a shot to call honda direct? By the way he has a full big gun evo exhaust filter plus rev box. I told him i would give him $1,000 for the rolling chassis!

[clutt225]

If I replace the crank with oem will it allso be an unfit crank, or are the replacment honda cranks going to last. Is a falicon crank the only answer or just the best answer.

yah if he calls honda they will prob. honor it

[compedge]

Maybe I should try to call honda also. If He's ganna fix it himself I can get a brand new stock crank direct from Honda w/ the bearing on it for $215 + shipping. It takes 3-5 days to come in.


Pete

[Nate Dogg #76]

Bought a brand new 04 450R in October 2004. The engine is 100% stock except for the exhaust pipe. I use it for mx racing only. The quad has been maintained on a regular basis and there has been absolutly no problems with the crank or anything else.

[andy roth]

I bought a leftover 04 in feb 2005 . The motor locked up within 10 mins after getting it home. They said that the thrust washers was the wrong size and they replaced the crank,crank bearings, and oil pump under warranty. I was pissed off because I thought that I should have had new motor or a another 450 but I finally got tired of arguing with the honda rep. I kept it over the summer and traded it in for the 06.

i have around 200+ hours on mine, no problems at all, and i bought my 2005 about 2 or 3 months after they were released to dealers, most of the time when this happens it will happen within the first 10 hours

[Dubzy14]

Clutt you know my 04 crank went, but it was only the washers between the piston pin on the crank...which still fried the crank somehow...id replace it soon if its still an 04

[hoopd450]

my 04 had probably 50 hours on it and the the lower rod bearing locked up, it pushed the thrust washers down by the drain plug. i have seen the exact same thing happen to two different 04's and a couple of 05's. i have never seen any trouble with main bearings though. i just think that if you race, they need a crank/ rod and main bearings every 50 hours or so. especially if you're running i high compression piston.

[Dubzy14]

i meant connecting rod not piston pin haha, but yea the washers at the bottom of the "connecting rod" went on my 04 crank and jammed alot of stuff, and ruined the crank bearings too..expensive rebuild there

[hoopd450]

i fixed mine myself for about 400 bucks

[clutt225]

This sat. we will be tearing it down to go over it.
Dubzy stop by if you get the chance.

[2MuchChi450R]

If you had the extended warranty, call Honda, they'll prolly honor it. I have over 100 hours on my '04, but most of the problems were with the late '04 - early '05 450's. I got the first one off the truck :D When my crank does eventually go (~200 hours), I'm going with the Falicon crank :devil:

[compedge]

Ah sh*t. I went to the dealer today and honda has a back order on the cranks!!!!! 2 weeks or whenever they want to make them.
Falicon is $500 w/ knif rod and balanced.


Pete

[clutt225]

well we tore down the 450 today. The good news is I don't need cases because I was warned about the problem and did not want to take a chance on it staying together. Good thing. The piston pin has major scoring were it conects to the rod, the top of the conecting rod has some bad marks, the cylinder has 2 large scratches. The thrust washers also seem to have alot of play.


This is the top of the rod

[clutt225]

the cylinder

[clutt225]

man I am glad I caught this before it let go.
this is the pin

[compedge]

You caught it just in time. The thing that sucks about my motor is I shut it down after about 30 knocks. my cylinder, piston, and rist pin are perfect. My crank doesnt even seem bad. But you can see the trust washers are a little thiner on one spot about 1" long on both of them.
The knock was so bad it sounded like the crank bearing feel out. I did find some large metal shavings in the motor.
Im ganna replace the crank, rod, piston, cam and bearings.

Pete

[Eric_Winkworth]

Honda isn't making these 450R's like there old 4 stokes. Of course you can definitaly tell just by looking at that piston in the picture above, made to fly not to last.

I love honda's always have, but after seeing 50 goldwings with cracked swingarms that needed welding, and all these 450R's with crank problems. I'm starting to think they finally figured out how much money they can make on selling parts!

I dunno

Long live the 250R

[400exBro]

So those marking on the side of cylinder are not a good sign??

I have markings similar to those that Clutt225 posted but not as harsh, very faint. If you run your fingers through the cylinder you can not feel any indentation, meaning it didn't scratch the cylinder walls.

I will find out if these marks have to do with the crank bearings or if a little bit of dirt got into the engine.