Suzuki DRZ 400 cam retainer...BROKEN

I've got an '01 DRZ400E with a broken cam retainer and am being told
the most effective way to fix the problem is to replace the cylinder
head completely. Obviously that's gonna be more expensive than I'm
thinkin' it needs to be. Anyone had experience with this problem?
Maybe throw some advice my way, I appreciate it...CSD

 

If you broke the cam bearing retainer by trying to torque oily bolts,
it's an expensive lesson. Maybe there is somebody who already has a kit
to repair such screw ups?

The bearing cap was originally bolted to the head at the factory and
the parts were line bored to ensure perfect alignment.

Maybe you could find a machine shop that would make a sleeve that would
slip over the camshaft, providing the necessary clearance.

What do you make the sleeve out of? Bronze?

Then they could take a new bearing cap and bore the cylinder head out
to provide clearance for the sleeve.

But what keeps the sleeve from spinning out of alignment with the oil
pressure hole?

A press fit steel dowel pin sticking through the cap from above?

 

No, I didn't break the retainer (the first time anyway)...my best guess
is that the decompression ring broke (somehow) and when it spun off it
broke the retainer.

That's what I'm hoping for.

Excellent questions...AND is all this machining/hassle going to
actually save me any money from buying a new head? I just wanna
ride...CSD

 

To be sure we're talking about the same thing, I went to the CYLINDER
HEAD parts diagram at www.partsfish.com.

The camshaft bearing caps don't have any part number, because they are
part of a machine matched set of three parts that is the $500 cylinder
head. The camshaft bearing caps are complicated thin castings that are
easily damaged.

There is another part on the diagram that is called RETAINER DECOMP.
It's item # 27, but I don't think it's what you are talking about.

Yeah, I know what you mean about needing to get your habit in motion.

Japanese motorcycles are great for getting a lot of riding in, during
the season. Then, when they break down, you either have to get a whole
new ride, fork out a lot of ca$h for
expen$ive part$, or find a friendly old machinist who is willing to
make new parts out of
raw materials just to prove he can still do it.

You might be able to get a used cylinder head from a motorcycle salvage
yard.

And, check the dualsport and offroad forums for messages concerning
your particular machine. If this is a common problem, there may be a
recall on the model, or some aftermarket company may have a fix it kit.

 

THE source on all things DRZ:

www.thumpertalk.com

see the DRZ400 section.

 

Any competent engineering shop should be able to sort out a fix.