A snap ring found on magenta while changing the oil

[dbarrie]

Hello,

I have a 2011 CanAm Spyder. I have taken it in for service for replacing the bad battery and changing the oil. While changing the oil they found a snap ring brought in half. Has anyone ever had this same type of problem? The mechanics are telling me, that I should drive it and if there are problems we will have to take the engine apart to see where the snap ring goes. They said it is not uncommon to have metal shavings on the magnets while changing the oil? They are saying it seems to come from the transmission? The spyder has had no problems? Has anyone had similar issue please help?

[Firefly]

Hello,

I have a 2011 CanAm Spyder. I have taken it in for service for replacing the bad battery and changing the oil. While changing the oil they found a snap ring brought in half. Has anyone ever had this same type of problem? The mechanics are telling me, that I should drive it and if there are problems we will have to take the engine apart to see where the snap ring goes. They said it is not uncommon to have metal shavings on the magnets while changing the oil? They are saying it seems to come from the transmission? The spyder has had no problems? Has anyone had similar issue please help?

The broke in half snap-ring was IN the oil... like stuck to the drain plug magnet?

Never heard of this and certainly would be concerned about riding it before figuring out where it came from. Maybe go online to a parts diagram (all dealers have them online for looking up parts) and look around to see if you can find where it might have come from. Can't be too many snap-rings inside the engine or tranny.

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: :agree:
It's time to start digging in the parts manual, and try to figure out where it came from. nojoke
When the engine is spinning at 5,000 rpm or more: that's no time to have anything loose inside of it, trying to escape! nojoke

[pegasus1300]

Yes there are shavings on the magnetic drain plugs but the broken half of a snap ring is not shavings. That ring kept something is place,that is now free to move more then it should. Best be doing more investigating. Removing the engine and going inside is going to be expensive enough without buying more parts then you need to because it was run and caused more internal damage. Either more investigation or trade it off for a different one.

[youngers]

is this the 2nd thread on this subject ?

[youngers]

I posted on other one ! hope you have good luck on this problem

[Chupaca]

Most snap rings are to keep parts from moving past a certain point. I would seriously check and get brp involved. As Bob said you don't want a bearing or seal move out of place at high rpm's...:yikes:

[KX5062]

I too am in the don't ride it camp. Snap rings are there for a purpose and usually that's an important one too. If whatever is being retained breaks loose the damage caused WILL be expensive and extensive.

[PMK]

I would be of the opinion do not ride or even run the engine.

I have never been inside a Can Am Rotax gearbox, but others have. Typically, and you did not post photo or offer the size of the part, the clips are often used to hold the gears for the gearbox in the proper position on the shaft. If you have seen how a sequential motorcycle gearbox works, regardless of who makes it, the some gears slide back and forth to lock into other gears beside them. If a snap ring failed and two splined gears or whatever engaged to gears simultaneously it would be bad.

A long while back, there was a person here that did his own teardown and rebuild. His photos and experience may be a great clue beyond parts books to see where it may have come from.

[rustynail51]

the decision to ride or not to ride should be determined by how much of the ring was found, if it broke in half not much is holding and it is just a matter of time until the rest breaks loose with the potential of a catastrophic failure. Would have to know how much of the ring is left.

[armyspydervet]

You could sell it to the next unsuspecting person and buy a newer one.

Wownojoke

[PMK]

Back to the clip, this guy had a bearing come apart. Maybe this linked posts can offer help if needed.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?70166-Bearing-Pieces-in-oil&highlight=engine+rebuild

[oldgoat]

Sorry to hear about that, not good news.

IMO the clip did not just decide to break. Some kind of force broke it.

I would not ride the Spyder or even start it until I had determined where it came from, examined the area around it very carefully for damage or wear & replaced the parts that were faulty/worn.

Some people can handle this themselves, most will have to pay the dealer.

[2dogs]

I too would not run the engine until you locate the other half of that snap ring. I hate to give you another headache but, that ring could have been inadvertently dropped in there during assembly, and, that sort of thing has happened before. It would less costly and safer to disassemble a working engine, locate the rest of the snap ring and reassemble, rather than to replace a possible mess of damaged internal parts if you keep running it. Good luck and remember it's always better to error on the side of safety. If that thing were to lock up on you in the number one lane and you couldn't get out of the traffic; I don't even want to think of the rest of the story.

[armyspydervet]

Was supposed to be sarcastic. Not sure how to type sarcastically.:roflblack:
Whew:thumbup:

[Al Gully]

There is a video device called a boroscope that you can use through the drain hole to see where your problem might be.
Some mechanics own them, I have access to one if anyone is close to me and has a problem like this.

[pitzerwm]

I'd make the dealer put it in writing what was found and the they recommended that you continue to ride it.

[PMK]

I'd make the dealer put it in writing what was found and the they recommended that you continue to ride it.

Yes maybe, but more importantly, I certainly would have kept the item found on the magnet.

[PMK]

144310144311
Items number 4 and 16 in the transmission. If the other half is in the bottom of the "pan" and everything shifts ok, I doubt you will ever have a problem. The shift forks also help hold everything in place. If the other half has not exited its proper place, then it could cause a problem if it goes through the gears. If the other half is 2/3rds or larger, then it will most likely stay in place. Why did it break? Interesting question. I highly doubt it is from assemmbly. Im sure the gears are pre assembled in the shafts(like the photo) and slid into the trans case. I tried to determine their exact purpose from the schematic, but there is not enough details.

I tend to differ with you on the shift fork statement. The shift forks act to position the sliding gears. Unless a shift fork or shift drum fails, those gears go into position with no clips involved.

If the clip is from the gearbox, it holds the free spinning gears in position so the are not able to slide over, or wobble, allowing two gears to engage at the same time.

From the looks of things, we have not seen a photo of the clip section, so it may be a piston wrist pin clip, or maybe somewhere else.

[scott16119]

I'd keep riding and hope for the best, I'm not sure what the cost would be to disassemble the engine, but I bet it could easily be in the $1000.'s and there is still no guarantee they will find where it came from. I also hope your dealer is 100% trustworthy. Who knows for sure. Did that really come from your machine or not.

[PMK]

Since the original person posting this signed up in March of 2017, and has two identical posts with no replies to either of the topics they started, the persons interest here in pretty low and the likelihood of them returning to use any help provided will be stale until the engine comes apart.

Whether it comes apart as a teardown from blowing up, or as an inspection item to find the cause of the clip, all the best with it.

[PMK]

I'd keep riding and hope for the best, I'm not sure what the cost would be to disassemble the engine, but I bet it could easily be in the $1000.'s and there is still no guarantee they will find where it came from. I also hope your dealer is 100% trustworthy. Who knows for sure. Did that really come from your machine or not.

As for the dealer, it seems odd they would find the broken part, then advise to ride it if they were simply out to get the money. Possibly they expected a reaction of let's fix it, and when the person waivered a bit, they backed down to just ride it.

Let's hope the dealer is not that ruthless, but it won't be the first nor last time it happens.

[Firefly]

I'd make the dealer put it in writing what was found and the they recommended that you continue to ride it.

Good point.


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[Firefly]

I looked at the gearbox schematic. If it hasn't caused any issues, I would keep riding it. It is possible the other half is still in place, but I would look for it on the oil plug at the next oil change. Or, its a 2011. You could sell it to the next unsuspecting person and buy a newer one. It may never cause a problem. Looks to me like most of the snap rings are there for assembly purposes and the gears are fine after assembly into the gearbox. I could be wrong. have been before. If you notice any change in the way it shifts in any gear, then there might be a problem. If the other half of the ring is in the bottom of the pan, it will probably stay there and never move. Ride it, thats what I would do. If it was under warranty , then that would be different.

I can't condone selling to an individual when you know something is wrong... I wouldn't be able to sleep well. Now.. trading it in to the dealer who told you it was okay to keep riding it? Sure.. the. The burden is on them.


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[Mikeye]

I looked at the gearbox schematic. If it hasn't caused any issues, I would keep riding it. It is possible the other half is still in place, but I would look for it on the oil plug at the next oil change. Or, its a 2011. You could sell it to the next unsuspecting person and buy a newer one. It may never cause a problem. Looks to me like most of the snap rings are there for assembly purposes and the gears are fine after assembly into the gearbox. I could be wrong. have been before. If you notice any change in the way it shifts in any gear, then there might be a problem. If the other half of the ring is in the bottom of the pan, it will probably stay there and never move. Ride it, thats what I would do. If it was under warranty , then that would be different.

REALLY, Sell it to some unsuspecting person and buy a newer one? And then that person who is your UNSUSPECTING BUYER, has to shell out hundreds of dollars to get his supposedly operational machine fixed because you failed to disclose a potential problem? WHY.?

[oldgoat]

Original Poster

Where the hell are you?

A lot of people have spent time thinking about your problem and typing stuff for you & you have disappeared into thin air.

That's not how it's done around here.

[wanderingman]

Hello,

I have a 2011 CanAm Spyder. I have taken it in for service for replacing the bad battery and changing the oil. While changing the oil they found a snap ring brought in half. Has anyone ever had this same type of problem? The mechanics are telling me, that I should drive it and if there are problems we will have to take the engine apart to see where the snap ring goes. They said it is not uncommon to have metal shavings on the magnets while changing the oil? They are saying it seems to come from the transmission? The spyder has had no problems? Has anyone had similar issue please help?

I strongly agree with the people saying not to ride it. If it was just a snap ring on the magnetic plug I would not be near as concerned as part of a snap ring on the plug. First of all it took force to break that ring. That means something happened inside the engine which should not have happened. Yes there should be concern for additional engine or transmission damage and greater repair costs. My larger concern would be an occurrence which caused sudden engine or gearbox lockup. I have experienced it. Not an experience I want to repeat. On a modified two stroke, I have had the piston ring expand into a piston port. Engine stoppage is instantaneous. Rear wheel lockup matches the engine lockup. This has the potential to cause very costly medical concerns for the rider in addition to costly engine/transmission repairs. The least expensive and absolute result of this experience is the need of underwear replacement which is unpleasant while awaiting some one to recover your Spyder.

As a Tech Rep for an industrial engine manufacturer (high speed gas turbines) I have seen the results of internal engine malfunction on numerous occasions. They are ALWAYS much more expensive to the extreme, compared to repair prior to catastrophic failure. But even this concern pales compared to the risk of human body damage if you experience a rotating mass lockup.

[kep-up]

My first question Mr. Troll, is this: Did you actually see the broken piece on the magnet?