| Author | Message | ||
     Biggsammy13 |
Gents - hello. I must say I'm a return thumper driver (2 months previous experience) before I upgraded to the M2 and sold the former blast. My wife has since decided that she too would like to take up riding and well...after my own heart, she loves the buell. Before we get in to all of the cosmetic mods that will ensue, I would like to get some insight into the new blaster that we just purchased. When I test drove the 03 blast, 9800 miles, it ran alright. it did sound like there was a lot of movement going on in the primary when the bike was idling and in neutral but when it was in gear the noises seemed to fade. Previous owner told me the primary chain needed to be adjusted and the thumpers were habitual for such needs when sitting for a while. I noticed that I can hear them a little more clearly now in 1st and 2nd but not so much in the gears thereafter. The previous owner said he just completed a fluids change, new filter and new plugs but he did let it sit for nearly 8 months without riding it frequently. Any ideas what that sound could be and remedies for correcting the problem? Otherwise, rides smooth. V&H pipes on this thump and it sounds nice. Will probably cafe this baby out, throw a larger tire on the rear, repaint from the existing yellow and call it a day. | ||
| Rusty7983 |
sounds like it needs a primary adjustment. it is easy to do. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Gearheaderiko Posted on Monday, July 04, 2011 - 01:18 pm: Welcome back. No offense, but with only 2 months riding experience with the Blast its not likely you'll remember how it sounds or is supposed to sound. But your M2 should sound fairly close to it if they are both adjusted right. Whirring/whining means its probably too tight. More important than finger tight is listening for the change in noise. If you do it the repair manual way it will give you a good place to start if you are unsure (8-12 flats instead of the manual suggested 4.5). Listen for the clacking noise. Even with the V&H, you should still be able to hear it and within one full turn of the bolt you should go from clacking to zero clacking and you're good somewhere in between (just a hint of clacking is usually good-though some go tighter or looser). The primary IS NOT a high maintenance issue. As with a rear chain, sitting for long periods seems to tighten them up and heavy abuse will stretch them out. But when adjusted right, you shouldnt have to worry about the primary chain for a very long time. If the bikes been sitting and there isnt any reason to suspect the chain is way out of adjustment (IE:its not your bike, the factory spacer is still there, the adjuster bolt came loose etc.) then ride it for a few hundred to get things stretched back out before you adjust it. If the primary is under slight load (in gear, clutch in) noises tend to diminish. Unless you're really, really good at plastic painting, get the right colour bodywork rather than painting it over. Painting the Blast bodywork is a real good way to devalue your bike and painting over white or yellow is really going to start looking bad after some miles hitting road debris. PS from the FWIW file: If my wife were going to ride a bike it would be yellow with good tires, if I loved her. However, if her life insurance were paid up and that was more important than having her around, I'd opt for full coverage flat back and Dunlops. But thats just me....} | ||
| Biggsammy13 |
thank you Rusty and GearHead!...love the FWIW file - lol. and yes very true - I remember very little about the blast...except my knees touching my chest  the bike does have the factory spacer still there, should I remove that? (I've read around and that seems to be the general consensus - pry off with a screw driver?) Also, what is meant by flats?...rotations? or flat sides of the nut? I'll put some miles on it and see if that stretches the chain out...that seems to be the issue as it sounds like something is churning in there whenever it's sitting at idle or coasting with clutch in. otherwise, top end is great...got up to nearly 80 before the realization of expired tags slowed me down Any issues with HD fluid in the tranny? I typically run RP 20-50 or some other synthetic 20-50 in both holes on the m2 and have read around here that HD fluid is not the best for these bikes. thanks again from a thumper newb | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Spacer still on?-its tooo loose!* When you adjust the chain, then take the spacer off-you'll have too loosen up the bolt and the spacer will fall right out. Flat=flat side of the nut. Per my above post: If the spacer is still there, adjust the chain ASAP. At 9800 miles the chain is probably extremely loose and damage is imminent. You will take a lot of slack out. Dont go too tight and re adjust in 500-1000 miles. Remember, just like your M2, the primary case is aluminum, soft and with an adjuster bolt and jamnut that big, its very easy to strip out. HD synthetic can be run in both the engine and primary. If it runs in your M2, it runs in the Blast! The trans is the same in both bikes, the clutch housing a little different, but the clutch plates might even be the same or at least the friction material is. My own opinion is to use the best protection for the transmission as possible. There's only one way to pull the trans in the Blast and that is to split the engine cases (I dont know if the M2 still has a trap door for the tranny, but I think it does). If you have a choice on which is better for the clutch plates or better for the trans, opt for transmission protection. *The spacer is supposed to be pulled at out the 1000 mile first service. Not to say that the service was never done as it wouldnt be the first time a dealership has left the spacer in or not done the adjustment. I'm also 99% sure the M2 and Blast use the same primary chain. So the Blast wouldnt need any more primary chain maintenance than your M2 and at half the HP, the Blast should need less. | ||
| Rusty7983 |
the primary chain is the same as sportster. so you are probably right with the m2 chain. i ordered one (due to abuse). it is normally stocked at hd dealers. of course like always, mine was out. i am still waiting on parts. i think you are hearing the box of rocks sound. i love my jardine exhaust, but can't easily distinguish the sounds. | ||
| Biggsammy13 |
box of rocks sounds right, I would describe it more as the sound a train makes when getting up and running, a dull sound of gears churning along...lots of work going on in there. I threw it on a rear stand, removed the spacer, tightened up the primary chain quite a bit but noticed when dropping into 1st (from neutral) the rear wheel would begin to turn...even with the clutch in. Loosened the chain, wheels don't turn but noise persists. without an inspection window on the primary casing, must I pull off the entire primary casing to be able to check how loose the chain is? thanks. | ||
| Ezblast |
Sounds like someone before had the adjuster too tight and ate the adjuster shoe - quick deal - replace adjuster shoe. EZ | ||
| Biggsammy13 |
thanks EZ By adjuster shoe I assume you mean what is outlined in the picture below?  | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Yes, thats the shoe. As far as not having an inspection window, you'll get used to it. You dont really need one, you just need to learn to trust the procedure. The "by ear" method of adjustment is really far more accurate than any other common form of adjustment (even if you had an inspection window are you really ever sure you're at the absolute loosest or tightest part of the chain? ) The rear wheel will turn even with the clutch in and even in neutral with the bike on a stand. I think you're starting to look just a little too closely. If you're concerned about gears churning you might want to check the fluid level first before you tear into the primary. Unless you're planning on doing an "IronButt", adjust it and ride it. Its almost always a bad idea to tear into a recently acquired bike looking for problems that might not even be there. "Sounds like someone before had the adjuster too tight and ate the adjuster shoe" The evidence suggests the primary has never been adjusted. | ||
| Biggsammy13 |
thanks Gearhead - I definitely don't want to tear into this thing unless it's necessary. I'll try changing the primary fluids first to see if that has any effect...as well as re-adjusting the primary chain (without worrying about the rear wheel spinning or not) after reading around I'll try this method of adjustment mentioned by EZ on another thread "Ride a half hour,take two adjustable wrenches with you, find a very flat space and park with the engine on, loosen lock nut and loosen adjuster till you hear noise, then tighten just till noise disapears, hold set bolt in place and tighten down. Di it just the way I described and you should be fine. EZ" } | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Thats pretty much it. First time you do it may take a little experimenting (I mean, it IS your first time). I can hear the clacking over my loud exhaust, so you should hear it over the V & H. The bolt will probably turn in a long way. A final distance of 3/16" between the bottom of the locknut and the top of the adjuster bolt head (bolt threads showing) would not be unusual. When you find out how easy this is to adjust, you'll realize you dont have to get it perfect the first time. Err on the loose side rather than the tight side. If you lose top end speed or power, its too tight (or very, very loose). | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
PS The needed wrench sizes are 7/8" and 3/4". |
