Blocked Oil Screen.

[SteveW]

I've just changed the oil and filter on my DRZ400.
Here is a picture of the "Hidden" oil screen.
I've got my own thoughts, but what do folk think would have happened if I'd have left it any longer?

IMG_1789.PNG (673.85 KiB) Viewed 2859 times

[Tonibe63]

....oohhh ssshhhh111tttt
Has it ever been out in it's life?
Gearbox swarf?

[SteveW]

The bike had a top end re-build.
Then 600 miles later it had a top end seizure, resulting in a new cylinder head.
I decided to change the oil today...20 miles after the new cylinder head.
The repair shop hadn't removed the bash plate (it was still full of crud). You can drain the sump with the bash plate in place, but to drain the oil from the frame or to access the "Hidden" oil screen, the bash plate has to come off.
I'm thinking....after the first re-build did the repair shop check the screen? Probably not.
Did the blocked screen result in the top end seizure 600 miles later?
Obviously the second repair shop didn't check the screen.....was I heading for another expensive repair?

[Helicoptermanr22]

Is that the filter in the lower frame? If so it definitely didnt help the top end at all and probably didnt do the bottom end any flavours:((

[SteveW]

Yes it's the screen from the lower frame. The bottom end is seems fine.
I'd say DRZ owners beware!
Check this screen when you change the oil and filter.

[Dark Knight]

Thats absolutely horrendous.
The oil screen will be in line immediately after the oil pump, so it is likely the oil pressure would have been down quite a bit.
Hope that you have got away with it, I would check the oil screen again after doing a few ride outs.

[SteveW]

Yes, I'm going to do 10 miles or so, then replace the oil and filter....and check/clean the screen.

[zimtim]

Yes, I'm going to do 10 miles or so, then replace the oil and filter....and check/clean the screen.

was just going too suggest similar,
when i had a similar issue with the KTM it actually took 4 oil changes before i was happy that i had cleared enough i did use a cheap oil for the first 3 as normaly the oil for Ktm runs at £50 a change

[boboneleg]

This is a classic on Suzuki's Steve. As you probably know that screen can be a fecker to get undone and so a lot of people leave it with possible oil starvation to the head.

I once bought a DR350 off a bloke 'for spares' , he had done loads of work to it but didn't check that screen which resulted in a fecked engine, his loss my gain.

Are you saying that those guys who did your engine did all that work and didn't clean that screen ? if so I'd be having words

[SteveW]

No they didn't check it Bob.
No harm done though, I've got it in time, they did a good job on the actual engine work, but they don't know their way around DRZ's...they're mostly in to road bikes.....no excuse for missing this screen though.
I think it's quite common to neglect this screen, as you say it's a bit of a fecker to get out. I'd also think that some folk are unaware of it.
I'm just glad I've probably found the reason for the bike's recent woes. I'm pretty sure this screen wasn't checked after the first rebuild.