Hi people, I dropped my oil and to my horror found what looks like a broken spring attached to the sump plug magnet, see the attached photos. I haven't seen the valve springs but fear that's what it is. If it's from the valve gear how could it get to the crankcase? I suppose it could be from the gearbox. I had a dyno-tune and valve adjustment recently and ever since then the engine often misses at low rpm, below 3000 and that makes me suspect about valve damage. Can anyone suggest what the part is and where it's from? Many thanks already....
Thanks for your interest Robarano. Sorry for the shorthand, I believe the term I should have used is "valve return spring".
It would have been helpful if I'd mentioned that the engine is a 996. Thanks for reading my post and I'll be grateful for any advice.
It looks like the spring on the gear selector linkage which operates the gear drum on inside of the leftside case. Try your gear change to see if it feels any diffrent softer/loose one way firm the other- up-down if you get what i mean. brian.
It looks more like the end of the gear selector lever spring which is under your left side casing. Beaten to it but thats the one.
Most likely the Fork Return Spring or alternatively the Gearchange Lever Return Spring as the only two springs that your broken bit looks like. Andy
It looks like you may have been lucky then if it has come from the gear selector area. Not far to drop into the sump and be captured by the magnetic plug. It could have caused havoc if it got caught in the spinning bits.
as said, it's the lighter gauge fork return spring - nothing to show scale but the 'U' gives it away plus if it was the thicker wire return spring you would be struggling to change gear whereas you actually don't miss the fork return spring even if it's removed.
Thats close but no cigar its number 20 not number 27 without number 27 you would have gear change problems
Many thanks for your advice and for easing my mental anguish. You all deserve a cigar. I was worried about how deep I'd have to dig to replace a humble spring. Thankfully the gearbox is behaving normally so I'll try to forget the broken bit and road test the bike as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
I'd have to strip it myself, couldn't live with possibility that some bits have broken off and have even a remote chance of getting caught up or creating wear.
Don't worry the remainder of the spring is perfectly safe now as no longer under any stress plus cannot escape from where it's fitted. (happened to me twice).
Does the 996 have the rocker springs like wot are in the two-valve engine?..... ....'cos to me, the OP's pics show something that isn't really identical to the gearchange examples...... ......but it does look like the long tag like wot is on my exhaust rocker lifter...........
996 has rocker/valve springs similar to the 2v (unless they've been removed?) but the hooked end is not as long or as square as that shown in the OP's pics.
Only a thought, because of the misfire he says he has...... Trouble is, can't tell what the gauge of the piece is in the pic.............certainly looks heavy duty.........
