Posted by frank on January 18, 2002 at 02:35:40:
In Reply to: New Engine after 10,700 Miles posted by Keith Howey on January 17, 2002 at 23:24:37:
Keith
I posted last year around this time about going to start my Savage one monrning and suddenly a terrible clacking noise started coming from the engine. I figured it was toast after 70k miles. I towed it to a dealer ($140!), dealer charged me ($100) to diagose it. I get a call after a couple of days from them saying my bike was a goner and would need a complete rebuild. around 1,500-2000 dollars! I told them to button it back up and I'd come pick it up. I got it home and tore it down myself. Low and behold, I found the problem was a broken cam chain tensioner adjuster in the lower right side case of the engine. After 70K, the chain had stretched so much that the adjuster ran out to it's end and the spring popped out and brokee. The noise was the adjuster rattling loose around the drive gear. $150 later and some of my free labor of love, I was riding again. Of course, it was what made me give the Savage up for the Sportster. The point is, I would make damn sure to get a second opinion by a knowledgeable person you can trust before deciding it's a goner and forking over big bucks. It is true, you have to constantly watch the oil level on this bike. I've read about too many savages biting the dust waaaayyy before their time one this fourm because of oil level neglect. But you say you were having it serviced regularly (every 3k is not that unreasonable). Good luck and let this forum know the results so that we can learn.