So, I learned five things this past Saturday morning.
1. A new reason why running open cam belt covers is bad/dangerous.
2. Getting one's finger in said open belts hurts and will make the beast with two backs up your finger.
3. It is possible to retard the timing of the valves by getting said finger in the belts.
4. The bike will run like shit when the vertical cam is off one tooth.
5. You will feel like a retard and your friends (rightfully so) will laugh at you if you do this.
So, the story. Three of us took a ride down to Maxton, NC for the ECTA racing (http://www.ecta-lsr.com/ (http://www.ecta-lsr.com/)).
It was a great day for riding in the afternoon but it was pretty cold in the morning. I commonly put my left hand down by the engine for warmth when it is cold, but I never put the right one down there because it is usually running the throttle. However, at a stoplight, I decided to quickly put the right one down there just for a second. Not thinking about where I was putting it, I got it too close to the belts. The tip of my glove got sucked into the cam gear. Part of my ring finger was pulled in as well and promptly got the shit smashed out of it.
This managed to make the belts jump one tooth, retarding the timing slightly, but luckily not enough for valve damage. So, not only did I have a sore, swollen, bleeding, possibly broken finger, but I also had a bike that ran absolutely like shit in the midrange for about 400 miles of riding. I couldn't even ride a wheelie. [bang] Weird thing was that it still ran great at WOT above 6000 RPM.
Here's some pictures of the injured digit (sorry, some suck):
The reenactment:
(https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/3415035196_f2393f879c_o.jpg)
Doesn't look to bad:
(https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/3414228283_dd6175102d_o.jpg)
Now it looks like shit:
(https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3629/3418191768_632c7e7155.jpg?v=0)
(https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3418191614_e3a52ae603.jpg?v=0)
(https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3418191488_9586a94f0e.jpg?v=0)
Dude that sucks balls. Hope its not broken. With the belt covers off it doesn't take a minute or so to put the cam back in time.
Quote from: Ducaholic on April 06, 2009, 06:31:02 AM
Dude that sucks balls. Hope its not broken. With the belt covers off it doesn't take a minute or so to put the cam back in time.
Yea. And all I needed was a 6mm allen key and couldn't find one. I'm sure someone at the race event had a set but I couldn't find them and didn't feel like make the beast with two backsing with it any way. I found a 6mm allen socket but that won't work for the vertical cylinder because the frame is in the way.
However, I did just go out and change the timing back to normal in between rain showers.
so what's the word on your finger?
Quote from: Smokescreen on April 06, 2009, 07:03:33 AM
so what's the word on your finger?
I didn't go to the doctor. I'm pretty sure it isn't broken but the tip may be fractured. I've got full range of motion except for complete full extension because the last knuckle is really stiff and it hurts to extend, but obviously it isn't so bad that I can't type.
I made a stint for it and been wearing that some, seems to help get the stiffness out. Alcohol, drugs, and Carolina basketball wins make the pain go away. [thumbsup]
A few years ago I completely took off a fingernail when I blended my finger with an immersion blender. :-X :-[
(http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/shenews/06/blender.jpg)
well... shit-biscuits! :o
good that the bike didn't explode, though.
Quote from: Jobu on April 06, 2009, 06:22:29 AM
(https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3418191488_9586a94f0e.jpg?v=0)
Mmm.... Bratwurst...
I had a finger look like that after it got dislocated playing football.
Keep that finger wrapped around at least 6-12 ice cold cans a day and it'll heal up in no time.
As previously mentioned, congrats on NOT grenading the engine. And props for finishing the ride, too.
Dude, exactly how far in the frame do you need to stick your hand to test engine warmth?
Sorry about your finger though. Congrats on only skipping one tooth.
I bet if you weren't wearing gloves it would have skinned the tip of finger.
That would have been SWEET.
If he wasn't wearing gloves, he probably wouldn't got his hand sucked in...
Quote from: NAKID on April 06, 2009, 09:04:49 AM
If he wasn't wearing gloves, he probably wouldn't got his hand sucked in...
Good point.
I was justing
hoping thinking there were be more carnage to such an epic brain fart.
This reminds me of the many threads where someone thought it would be a great idea to clean their chain with the motor running...the rag gets stuck in the sprocket and pulls the fingers right on in for some flesh & metal fun.
Quote from: Obsessed? on April 06, 2009, 08:20:14 AM
Mmm.... Bratwurst...
I had a finger look like that after it got dislocated playing football.
Keep that finger wrapped around at least 6-12 ice cold cans a day and it'll heal up in no time.
As previously mentioned, congrats on NOT grenading the engine. And props for finishing the ride, too.
You know he could cut himself on cans, further exacerbating the injury. It would be far wiser for him to utilized frozen pint glasses PRN, generally each with an infusion of "Old Engine Oil" or "Old Viscosity" or any similar medicinal to aid in the healing process.... I'm just thinkin' about the guy's safety... in fact, I'm sorta thristy now........
I'm going to forward my own perspective here and dub this reason #237 for leaving the dang thing stock.
Well at least your face didnt get cold while wearing a tie on your trip.
Quote from: MrIncredible on April 06, 2009, 11:35:54 AM
I'm going to forward my own perspective here and dub this reason #237 for leaving the dang thing stock.
But what interesting stories have you ever heard about leaving anything stock??
;D
Quote from: eichh on April 06, 2009, 12:50:14 PM
Well at least your face didnt get cold while wearing a tie on your trip.
[laugh]
I did that to all of my fingers with soccer / footballs by age 14.
I got to replace a horizontal head on an M750 because the owner thought it would be cool to wipe the bike dry after washing it....with open belt covers. Rag got caught in the belt, skipped a tooth, bent valves, and quit running.
Glad to hear you still have 10 fingers! [thumbsup]
Quote from: Duck-Stew on April 06, 2009, 04:20:53 PM
I got to replace a horizontal head on an M750 because the owner thought it would be cool to wipe the bike dry after washing it....with open belt covers. Rag got caught in the belt, skipped a tooth, bent valves, and quit running.
Glad to hear you still have 10 fingers! [thumbsup]
Just got back from a short ride. Everything is running great. [thumbsup] And I can wheelie again. ;D
I was telling John that all I could think about were Harleys when I was riding with the screwed up timing: Lots of noise with very little power. [laugh]
If your finger can get caught in there, think about the crap that flies up off the road. I prefer to leave them closed up. Not that you can see them at all on my 916 anyway.
Jeez Kent, you were lucky. One less finger, no problem, but imagine a bent valve!! ;D
Oh, and this is more like a brain shart than a brain fart. ;D
Quote from: pompetta on April 07, 2009, 06:21:23 AM
Jeez Kent, you were lucky. One less finger, no problem, but imagine a bent valve!! ;D
Oh, and this is more like a brain shart than a brain fart. ;D
I'm just glad he got the 'too epic' right.
Quote from: ducpainter on April 07, 2009, 05:18:41 PM
I'm just glad he got the 'too epic' right.
He didn't at first. It was "to epic"...
Quote from: NAKID on April 07, 2009, 06:24:30 PM
He didn't at first. It was "to epic"...
pompetta must have slapped him upside his head for being stoopit. ;)
Quote from: NAKID on April 07, 2009, 06:24:30 PM
He didn't at first. It was "to epic"...
[laugh]
I was wondering if anyone caught that.
Quote from: pompetta on April 07, 2009, 06:21:23 AM
Jeez Kent, you were lucky. One less finger, no problem, but imagine a bent valve!! ;D
Oh, and this is more like a brain shart than a brain fart. ;D
When it happened, I was definitely more worried about the bike. :-\
Quote from: ducpainter on April 07, 2009, 06:25:25 PM
pompetta must have slapped him upside his head for being stoopit. ;)
Once again,
You can't fix stupid.
Quote from: NeufUnSix on April 07, 2009, 05:54:11 AM
If your finger can get caught in there, think about the crap that flies up off the road. I prefer to leave them closed up. Not that you can see them at all on my 916 anyway.
Really, I haven't had a problem with stuff flying up off the road. I'm not riding on gravel. Though I've heard a couple stories of it happening (only one verified), but I've also saw one verified instance where some gravel got inside the belt covers and screwed up the belts that way. :-\ I'll take my chances and leave my finger out of them. :P
I've got a great pic of a pt with her hand caught in electric hedge clippers
I was hoping this would be as cool
it isn't
try harder next time
Quote from: Mother on April 08, 2009, 05:09:53 AM
I've got a great pic of a pt with her hand caught in electric hedge clippers
I was hoping this would be as cool
it isn't
try harder next time
Motorcycles and using them = cool
Electric hedge clippers and using them = not so much
But next time I do it, I won't wear any gloves.
When I was around 7 years old, I got my right middle finger caught in the sproket of my BMX bike.....made it to about 3 o'clock before I noticed. Ouch/yuck! Sat there crying on the sidewalk until some good neighbors came out with tools to release my rear wheel.....that SUCKED!
WTF would I insert my finger between the chain and the sprocket of my bike you ask?? I had just finished "working on" the bike and wanted to check chain tension while riding. Not one of my better ideas...
Good luck with the digit! Glad you didnt have to go to the ER and could finish the ride.
I took my guns to the range 2 weeks ago
I forgot the keys to unlock my cases.
Quote from: rgramjet on April 08, 2009, 06:34:44 AM
When I was around 7 years old, I got my right middle finger caught in the sproket of my BMX bike.....made it to about 3 o'clock before I noticed. Ouch/yuck! Sat there crying on the sidewalk until some good neighbors came out with tools to release my rear wheel.....that SUCKED!
Oh, that reminded me of another one I did a couple of years ago.
I got a new bicycle, first ride out on it, forgot that it had a very different geometry from my other bike, reached down for the water bottle without looking, and grabbed a handful of front wheel instead, causing me to crash! :o Luckily I had on full-fingered gloves, so apart from a slightly melted glove, the only damage was to my ego. [roll]