Power Plant 101

[southbaymoto]

Crank Plate Issue

The reason I have chosen to write about this topic is because this is generally the most common malfunction associated with the Cannondale power plant. I intend on posting regarding other known issues but I will just start here.

The Problem.....
The design of the crank plate is flawed in the sense that the supporting bolts are unevenly distributed. After hours of riding and abuse bolts begin to wiggle loose. Unbalanced cranks found in late model cannondales can cause this issue to escalate. Initially this causes the seal to break. Eventually bolts can back out far enough to rub against other internal moving components. The contact will cause increased metal shavings and damage to multiple components if it goes undressed up to and including complete engine failure.

The Symptoms.....
A common symptom is for oil to back out through your air box from the crank case breather tube. Another symptom is for the bike to be burning an abnormal amount of oil, or unexplained, heavy plug fouling. Also heavy metal shavings in the oil at time of change can point to this issue. These are not normal characteristics of this motor. If you see these symptoms something is wrong and needs to be addressed.

The solution.......
OEM bolts are replaced with a more secure bolt and washer to keep crank plate securely in place. Also damaged threads are drilled, tapped and a timesert is used to secure the mount. Cannondale stud update can be effective but is not a guarantee. Loctite will not cure this issue. A new seal is required every time the crank plate is removed (this part can be found at www.cdaleparts.com). It is also recommended that if you experience this issue you have your engine performance balanced.

*Note
This issue can also affect the transmission plate and cause transmission, and case damage if it goes undressed.

If you like this posts please let me know info@southbaymoto.com or if there is any other topics you would like our expert opinion about.

[canibalistic]

:clap:

[Derno24]

I have to agree this is the type of information that makes this site worth while...

[thunderwolf]

Definately nice to know about the common problems with the Cannon's

[moto50]

I have done the stage 8 update to one of my motors and I am getting ready to put a spare motor together.
I was wondering what you meant by this.
[QUOTE]The solution.......
OEM bolts are replaced with a more secure bolt and washer to keep crank plate securely in place.QUOTE]

[southbaymoto]

I believe the stage 8 solution should work fine to secure the crank plate. Depending on the model of crank you are using there will still be an engine balance issue but I don't recall hearing of a stage 8 coming apart.

We use a different method of securing the crank and transmission plates in our DE1 kit but that's not to say that your selection will not work.

[kjquadracer]

so since i have some gassy smelling oil flowing out of the box runnin all down the stem, this is the problem im having. just traded for the quad. first ride today. is it damaged now? what should i do.

[thomez]

You might just need the oil line update. Check the appropriate tech bulletin at the top of the page in the "Dale Tech" section ^^^^^^

[southbaymoto]

Your problem might be actually that you have overfilled the oil. The ATV takes about 1.5 quarts completely dry. The oil is checked when the unit is warm because it is a "dry Sump" system. Also there is an update as thom referred to. Although the amount of oil that would be noticed as a result of that update would be a smaller amount in most cases. If this is not the case your problem might be more serious. Feel free to call our tech and go over some key points 310-530-8056.