| Author | Message | ||
     Hughlysses |
Well, damn. Beautiful weather here yesterday, today, and should be tomorrow and Monday as well. I rode to work yesterday and seemed to notice some extra engine noise but couldn't quite convince myself it wasn't normal. Went for a couple of rides today and the thing seemed to get worse and worse. Got home with it and it's definitely rattling. I tried the trick of putting it in gear when idling and easing out on the clutch but I couldn't tell much with that. I tried shutting the engine off, put it in gear and rocked it back and forth and it does seem to have more "slack" than usual and make something of a clank so I guess it's a loose crankshaft nut. Guess I'll pull the primary cover off tomorrow and find out...  I see that the service bulletin about increasing the crankshaft nut torque came out in September 2005. My Uly is a late 2006 build / 2007 year model- surely it was torqued properly at the factory? Are these things still working loose periodically? | ||
| Ratbuell |
Are you sure it's the nut, and not just a loose primary chain? | ||
| Reepicheep |
loose stator nut will stop clanking with light clutch drag. When it clanks, it sounds like somebody hitting a bell with a hammer. I rode my M2 40 miles home in this state, making sure the clutch was always at least a little loaded, with no visible damage to anything. Sounds like a loose primary chain to me also... | ||
| Hughlysses |
I'll check before I pull the cover off, but I've had a loose primary chain before it didn't make much noise at all. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I know when my chain gets out of spec (like it is now, 500 miles short of the 20k), it sounds like an engine knock. Frighteningly similar noise, actually... | ||
| Hughlysses |
Thanks for the suggestions. I hope it's the chain; lots easier to adjust the chain than pull the primary. I just know the last time I let the chain get out of spec I noticed a lot of vibration without much increase in noise. This time I seem to have a big increase in noise with no noticeable increase in vibration. | ||
| Reepicheep |
check the bolt that holds up that front exhaust strap mount as well (as well of course the strap itself). Lost that on my 9sx after an exhaust repaint, and it eventually sheared a header stud. Hard to spot until you look specifically for it, but you can hear it. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Good idea. I did check all 3 straps and they look good, but I didn't think to check that bolt. I'll check that first thing. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Front exhaust strap mounting bolt still in place and tight. Next up- check primary chain tension. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Don't forget to do the "whole" check...lots of times I just check it wherever it sits, and adjust, and my "adjustment" only lasts for a couple thousand miles. If you lift the rear wheel and do the adjustment like the book says, I bet it will last longer. Or so I've heard.  | ||
| Hughlysses |
I checked the chain adjustment and it's at least close (~1/2" up down in one spot). I don't think there's any way the chain's making the noise I heard. With the bike up on a lift, I put it in gear and rocked the back wheel back and forth to try to tell if there's perceptible "slack" in the primary crankshaft sprocket. I stuck my finger through the chain inspection opening and rested it on the sprocket while I did it, but I can't tell. It's not real obvious if there is free movement. Guess I'll pull it apart and see.  Of course, if it turns out NOT to be the primary sprocket nut, I can't imagine that racket is being caused by anything easy to fix. | ||
| Reepicheep |
The transmission will have quite a bit of play even when things are right... Hang on, let me walk out to the garage... (pause) My 2007 Uly (helical cut gears) in first gear will roll a good 3 inches of play. I probably need to adjust my primary chain, it's been 5k miles, but it's not slapping around. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Yea, there's definitely plenty of play in the transmission; I knew that was normal. What I was trying to see if I could detect movement in the primary crankshaft sprocket without a corresponding rotation of the crankshaft. I'm on hold for a while. My "garage" is a carport. The next door neighbor's male friend decided to cut her grass. The last thing I need is a thorough dose of dirt/dust all through the primary with the cover off. | ||
| Hughlysses |
OK, primary cover is off and nut does not APPEAR to be loose on first test. Getting out the 1/2" breaker bar and applying more torque to see if it moves. If it doesn't, I'd say my problem is elsewhere. Update- tried nut with 1/2" breaker bar- it's definitely tight. I'll put the primary back together and start looking for something else, but I can't imagine what it'll be. (Message edited by Hughlysses on February 20, 2011) | ||
| Mnrider |
Maybe try tightening the primary chain to less than 1/4 inch or tighter to see if that changes the noise. I think you can run it tighter than the book says. | ||
| Hughlysses |
The danger in running it too tight is that it gets tighter when it gets hot, and you could end up stressing the crank, clutch, or transmission bearings. I've always run it at the tighter end of the range (3/8" cold) and it's never sounded like this. Buellistic (tuber guy) is a big proponent of running it as LOOSE as possible (~3/4" IIRC) because that's what the racing Sportsters did. If I let mine get loose at all I notice a marked increase in vibration. | ||
| Swampy |
Try running it and adjusting your primary chain by ear, you can hear it slap when it is too loose and you will get a whirring sound when it is too tight. | ||
| Hughlysses |
OK guys, it's back together and running and sounds like the crankcase has a hammer rattling around in it. I'm going to start a new thread with video/audio of the sounds of doom. New thread here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142838/617384.html?1298237312 (Message edited by Hughlysses on February 20, 2011) | ||
| Xoptimizedrsx |
see other post on it.. also sent reply email... poof fixed well fixed in an afternoon and morning. xopt |
