Colin

Member
Jun 14, 2002
1
0
OWNERS OF 125 YZ YAMAHA

I am busy compiling a report on the amount of failures that have occurred on the Yamaha 125 YZ.

When a failure occurs, the piston ring locating pin moves in towards the piston crown allowing the ring to rotate towards the transfer and exhaust ports. When this happens the ring ends protrude into the ports with the end result a badly damaged piston and barrel.

After numerous inquiries directed at Yamaha Distributor in Pinetown as to the reasons for these failures, answers received are as follows:
- most of the failures have occurred whilst operating the bikes on sandy motocross tracks or on fast enduro sections.

Yamaha maintains that in these conditions, the fuel mixtures are being run on the lean side causing excessively high combustion temperatures being placed on the piston crown with the end result that the ring-locating pin moves in and the failures occur.

With the above in mind I have asked myself the following:
(a) Why would Yamaha with their vast experience have the locating pin hole drilled deeper than required
(b) Are the pistons supplied by Yamaha being received from a vendor with poor manufacturing qualities.
(c) Why have these failures occurred during most of the 2001 year? (On bikes fitted with the 36mm carb and on the 2001 model fitted with the 38mm carb)
(d) Prior to 2001, failures of this kind did not occur.
(e) I have evidence where these failures have occurred, that the carb jetting has been run on the rich side.
(f) Finally, why has Yamaha radically changed the piston and barrel porting configurations on the 2002 models? No such changes during period 1996 to 2001.

I believe that Yamaha are well aware of the problems relating to these failures but still refuse to admit to their shortcomings.

I would appreciate it if you could forward any information relating to the above failures stating the following:
(1) State the track surface type – hard or sandy?
(2) Was standard exhaust used?
(3) What were the jet settings
(4) Model / year of bike
(5) Type of barrel used ( A / B /C )
(6) State the town where failure occurred
(7) Weather conditions and date

All information can be forwarded to my E-mail address as follows : [email protected]
 

1999RM125

Mod Ban
Apr 1, 2002
174
0
well a buddy of mine owns a 2000 yz125, somehow, dont ask me, but somehow a piece of the piston pin circlip broke off, causing him to get a complete top end, cylinder and all, i think the total was almost 1000$ for the repairs
 

marcusgunby

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 9, 2000
6,450
2
I have known a few pre 2000 YZs do this-i think Eric Gorr has some info on it on his website.His suggestion was to run a wiseco.
 

DEANSFASTWAY

LIFETIME SPONSOR
May 16, 2002
1,192
0
Youre talking about 02s right ? 02s have a new center located piston ring locating pin and new cyl design. We havent seen any shifting out so far .
 

jeffd

Naïve Texan
N. Texas SP
Jun 9, 2000
1,610
0
Originally posted by 1999RM125
well a buddy of mine owns a 2000 yz125, somehow, dont ask me, but somehow a piece of the piston pin circlip broke off, causing him to get a complete top end, cylinder and all, i think the total was almost 1000$ for the repairs

Happened to me too. Circlip broke and extended my transfer port to the top of the bore. I ordered a new OEM cylinder and top-end kit for it and fixed it myself for ~$420. I will not put the blame on Yamaha for a circlip failure. For all I know I installed it improperly...

In any case, my YZ runs great now and I have no other top-end related failures.

-jeffd
 

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