ALBA 734 Big Bore for 2011 Rhino 700

ChrisH wrote:

The engine oil is not milked. The motor runs great. I just suspect that I may have a head gasket problem. Coolant may be getting into the combustion chamber and compression into the water jackets. I'm not sure. I'm currently running the Cometic multi-layer head gasket. Any pointers or advice?

Thanks

Chris, If the problem was as you suspected (coolant leaking into the combustion chamber), logic would dictate that in your video a good amount of fluid would be forced out of the open rad cap from the compression strokes

kronik wrote:

ChrisH wrote:

The engine oil is not milked. The motor runs great. I just suspect that I may have a head gasket problem. Coolant may be getting into the combustion chamber and compression into the water jackets. I'm not sure. I'm currently running the Cometic multi-layer head gasket. Any pointers or advice?

Thanks

Chris, If the problem was as you suspected (coolant leaking into the combustion chamber), logic would dictate that in your video a good amount of fluid would be forced out of the open rad cap from the compression strokes

Very true. The reason I was thinking it might be pushing air/compression into the water jacket was because I was seeing bubbles in the radiator and because the radiator hoses were not firm with pressure (when the cap was on and the motor up to temp).

I did run the motor for a while the next day (with the cap properly installed and coolant filled) and the hoses were firm with pressure. I don't know. Maybe I had air in the system... even after 10 or more hours after the build??? When I filled the system, I simply removed the bleeder bolt from the thermostat housing and filled the radiator. The radiator filled up with coolant and a stream of coolant was coming out of the open hole. I replaced the bold and put the cap on after one last top-off and started the motor up.

Thanks for the thoughts. I will continue to monitor it. I just noticed the level in the bottle was higher and then started looking around. I'm telling you I don't trust this thing 100% just yet!

I agree with Chuddly don't think its a head gasket because if your compression is getting in coolant you blow something off -hose-cap just to much pressure also if water shows no sign of oil in your water. an no sign of water in oil (milky) any leaks on outside of head in video after fan comes on looks like good circulation , think maybe trapped air keep us updated

After more testing and taking the advice of you guys, it appears you guys were right. The head gasket seems to be perfectly fine. There's no more bubbles in the radiator. No water in the oil. Everything seems to be running great. My guess is that there was an air bubble in the cooling system, even after several big runs and several tanks of fuel. I did not bleed the system properly (a stupid mistake); all I did was open and remove the bleeder screw from the thermostat housing and pour in new Engine Ice until it ran out the bleeder.

I now have about 200 miles on the motor. It seems like it runs better all the time. For example, the first few hours of run time the oil seemed to lose the golden honey color quicker than I was used to with the stock motor. Then after a few hours and a couple of oil changes (I changed the oil after each tank of fuel for the first 3 fuel fill ups), the oil seems to hold it's color like it did when it was stock. Similarly, I noticed the motor would use just a small amount of motor oil each tank of fuel for the first few tanks. It wasn't even off the stick but it was lower on the stick than when I added the new oil. Now after a couple of hundred miles everything seems to be stabilized.

This all might just be me being paranoid and OCD and, likely, just a little bit weird, but I do watch my motor and my maintenance very close. I run my junk hard yet I do try and keep it as nice as possible.

The power seems to be a little better over time too! It's hard to explain but the power feels real good and real smooth all throughout the powerband, all the way to the rev limiter. I am very satisfied with the power and how my Rhino runs. It starts easy, idles all day long if you want, and does not overheat. At this time, it seems to be just as reliable as stock.


Additionally, this thread has become my ongoing log of sorts about not just the initial build and all the fun stuff that goes along with tearing the top end out, but this might be cool to kind of show how some of the mods stand up to long term kind of testing. I have found very little info on the internet about how a big bore stands up, how it changes the individual "personality" of a motor, etc. Some people might like to know these things before tearing into a motor. And what better place for them to find that sort of tech than here on the HotRodRhinoForums!

Take a look at this pic:


I was riding the fence line at the ranch. A crew had just put in a brand new barb wire fence between us and the neighbor and I wanted to check t out. They claimed they got some of their equipment stuck out there while clearing some of the scrub brush out of the way for the new fence line. Of course I had to go out there and see just how muddy it was...

I found a spot where they buried one of their skid-steers and then beck filled the ruts. a week later it rained on that loose material. When I drove on it, I sunk past the CV shafts in the rear because I was in 2WD. I put it in 4WD and the front tires slicked out and sunk a few inches. At this point I realized I was about to get real stuck so I just put it in low range, diff lock, and dropped the go-pedal to the floor and held it there.

This is where that 734 started roaring! Instantly, the power rolled on fast and hard and the dash showed a healthy 22MPH. Mud was flying out of those Bighorns and pounding the underside of the fenders. It sounded brutal! Well, those tires started cleaning out and I just walked on out of there like nothing. Actually, my Rhino was pretty muddy but it was awesome.

So there you go. This is my long term update. I have a set of 30" Bighorns that I am expecting any day now. I can't wait to get those tires mounted up.

chris there is also a bleeder on the water pump itself......traps air alot of the time...we bleed both with it jacked up in the front...hope this helps

I was doing some maintenance (when I found yet another set of melted stock CVT vents in THIS THREAD ).

Anyway, I decided to pull the spark plug and check what it looked like. I'm not real good at reading a plug by it's color, but maybe you are. This spark plug has about 250-300 miles on it, or about 30 hours. It is an NGK iridium plug. Do things look ok based on this plug?

ChrisH wrote:

I was doing some maintenance (when I found yet another set of melted stock CVT vents in THIS THREAD ).

Anyway, I decided to pull the spark plug and check what it looked like. I'm not real good at reading a plug by it's color, but maybe you are. This spark plug has about 250-300 miles on it, or about 30 hours. It is an NGK iridium plug. Do things look ok based on this plug?

When doing a plug reading you really want to shut it off when at wot if theres any idle time on it, it kills the plug reading. Just my opinion

right on plug chop wot shut off,pull plug

Cool.
I forgot about that one little detail. LoL!

how has the 734 kit been treating you lately..any problems?

This thing burns oil.
I hate to say it, but something is not right. It's got great power. I love the power. I will never go back to stock because it runs that good and that much stronger than stock. But something isn't quite right.

Ever since I did this build, it has burned oil. I wonder if there isn't an issue with the piston rings since all that drama went down when I built the motor. I did everything by the book and gapped the rings according to CP specs.

It is using over half a quart for every tank of fuel. The harder I run it, the more it uses.

The motor runs wicked strong. It does not overheat or bubble the radiator. It starts easily and doesn't stall. If it were not for the oil burning issue, I would never know there was a problem.

I've got about 300 miles and 30 hours on this build. Reliability has been questionable with this kit. But the power is amazing.

you have a siphon break right?

Yeah, I do have the siphon break.
That where I notice the smoke, from the siphon break. I can't see it smoking from the exhaust but I see a poof of smoke from the siphon break filter when I let off the gas.

Sounds like a little crankcase blow-by.

has to be a cracked ring or something

Have you heard of anyone else having trouble with this setup James?
Thinkin about going with this setup.

no..but shit can happen...rode mine 330 miles with shrek and mike on new build and oil was right on the money when we got back...both my other motors had over 2000 miles with no oil issues

i hate it for chris

So do You ride it till it quits or pull it apart now ?

tear it apart and see what it is

I would check it out , sucks a big one to redo but it happens to every body.
Chris don't know what kind of ring compressor you have but the one made for cylinder to come down on piston then you can remove it is the best way

I don't mind pulling it apart. It's the downtime that gets me. Summer is prime riding season for us.

I will attempt to call Nate from Alba and let him know that I'm burning oil on a practically new motor. Maybe he'll help me. Alba has been a great company to deal with during this build. I can't imagine doing this stuff had I bought from some no-name on eBay. Shit does happen. It is just shitty when it happens to you... LOL!!!

I hear ya , maybe get your rings first then pull it down

ChrisH wrote:

I don't mind pulling it apart. It's the downtime that gets me. Summer is prime riding season for us.

I will attempt to call Nate from Alba and let him know that I'm burning oil on a practically new motor. Maybe he'll help me. Alba has been a great company to deal with during this build. I can't imagine doing this stuff had I bought from some no-name on eBay. Shit does happen. It is just shitty when it happens to you... LOL!!!

Down Time !!! Thats the part that kills me. I try to do all my wrenching through the week so I can ride on the weekends. When You figure in the job, fire dept, the yard, the "honey doo's", it just doesn't leave much time. Oh Yea, then You have to figure in tear down time, order parts, put back together time !

Sorry Guys.... Just venting !!!!! I hate it when something is always broke. I like to RIDE !!!

I would just keep oil with me till winter then tear it down lol