99 GSX-L - Crank Bearing or Counterbalance Death

[silverws6ta]

Usually I just come to absorb knowledge; but trying to isolate a probable cause since I just returned home today from the SC coast. I was out in Port Royal Sound this past Sunday; the 2nd GSX-L I bought in 2012 suddenly died at low RPM cruise; Basically seized up as it seemed - and wouldn't restart. Was towed back to shore and did more inspection; I pulled plugs, which looked fine, pulled RAVE's and cylinders look OK - but she is knocking on the bottom end (no plugs) so I stopped there. Has 275 hours on the clock (no rebuild) - compression was fine, no warning whatsoever. For what its worth, my other GSX-L has 334 hours on it (original no rebuild) and still purring right along. Granted I have been anal about maintenance, and fuel lines were changed on both. I can still turn the motor over by hand, but it has a 'snag' point -- No holes in the block or catastrophic failure I can find. I'm going to assume I go for a total rebuild at this point - and assume it was the crank bearings that went. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Dr Honda]

It's hard to say until you do a autopsy.

BUT... before talking the engine apart... inspect the pump. Maybe you just sucked something up. Since it was idle it could have just stalled the engine.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

it's going to take a lot of talking to get that engine apart...

 

[silverws6ta]

it's going to take a lot of talking to get that engine apart...

Enough talking can make anything happen! I'm going to pull the pump this evening and see if that's it (hopefully) - the spark plugs also looked good as well. Didn't find any metal shavings.