Engine trouble, with another Yan-clone, Henry price.

[zoro]

I have been running, a yan- clone in my enfield, since i bought it of Henry Price last may 2012, i have done a sevice with good oil, every 4000 Km, warming the bike up well, to working temps, before setting of, even the first few miles where always taken easy, with no high revs, to let the rest of the bike & engine warm up a little more.
In the last few days, the engine note, has changed, this morning while kicking the bike over, the noise of gravel was coming from low in the engine, most likely the start of a bearing break up.
The engine will come out tomorrow, but in checking the oil, it was clear, of any steel & alu, pieces. The filter was clean also, might have caught it in time.
The engine has to be lifted in frame, or removed to clear the frame tube, the bottom 4 bolts, on the engine casing, sit to low, to remove this casing.

My question, to the one,s who have experience on this subject, Is the biggest problem with the yan-clones the bearings, on the crank, is there any other noted problems with these engines & should i check any thing else, when the engine is apart, from what i have read, is that the Yanmar bearing fit straight into the yanclones. I hope that this might make for a better engine.
Another one, bites the dust, from henry price.

[henneberg]

Hello,

The chinese Yanmar diesel clones are available in different quality in term of bearings, diesel pump and injector. I know Altmann, who made the "Riding on Salad Oil" Enfield, did change the outer main crank shaft bearings after some few thousand kilometers of driving,

regards, Erik