| Author | Message | ||
     Beachbuell |
Has anyone had their cams or more specificly the cam bushings mushroom or start to show signs of major wear around 12K miles. I was giving my 2004 XB12R a once over before heading out to Daytona. Upon start up The bike was making a very bad and distinctive sound (almost like a swishing or washing machine sound), it caught my attention right away. I let the bike warm up properly and took it for a test ride. I rode the bike to the gas station to top off the gas and check the tire pressure, then headed out for a short ride to get her up to temp thinking maybe the noise might go away. After returning from my quick ride the noise was still there and there is also a terrible rattling sound between 2-3K RPM's. I mean all Buells make noise, its the nature of the beast. But I know what my bike sounds like and what it should sound like. These sounds are not normal and it has me a little worried. I'll be tearing into her after Biketoberfest. I was really looking forward to riding the Buell up there, but for now I'll be riding an 07 Fat Boy I guess. | ||
| Beachbuell |
By the way I have been running Screamin Eagle Syn. 3 in my bike since the 1k service and my bike has always been serviced and maintained properly. Yes, I do ride her hard, but she is well taken care of too. | ||
| Punkid8888 |
hows the oil look, and is it up to the proper level? I would do an oil change and use a very clean container for the waste oil. once your done inspect the oil for any contaminates, maybe even send it to one of those labs that analysis oil. Then usually can tell you all sorts of things about the condition of the engine. | ||
| Beachbuell |
Well I don't need an oil analysis. I know the level was proper and that there was Syn. 3 in it. I am wondering what might cause the cam bushings to wear pre-maturely and cause this with only 12K miles on the bike and if anyone else may have had this problem. | ||
| Ceejay |
I think what he means is that the lab can tell you if there are any bits of metal in it and of what type. Stuff a naked eye can't see. If your bushings are shrooming you would definitely have some bronze in the oil, and if the bike got too hot the lab could tell you that too, as well as if it got water contamination, silica(beach sand), salt, pretty much anything. Would be a good idea and the fifty to a hundred it would cost to get it done is far less than the grand or more that a rebuild will cost. That is of course unless your looking for a reason to build a monster  | ||
| Beachbuell |
Naaaa, the rebuild will only cost me parts. Its not the cost of it, its the idea of this happening with ONLY 12K miles on it. | ||
| Ccryder |
What about primary chain adjustment. It being loose could create those noises. If it was "tuber" it could be the nylon shoe breaking. I had a Tech adjust mine once and didn't lock the adjuster with the lock nut. A few miles later she made some TERRIBLE noise when it backed out! Neil S. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Sounds like primary chain tension to me as well. Cam bushing failures are fairly rare, but not unheard of. There is speculation that pulling the cam cover without taking off the rocker boxes can damage them. | ||
| Beachbuell |
Thanks for the input guys, but that was the first thing I thought too. I popped the inspection cover off and it was set perfectly. I double checked the oil level and went through all the checks and things I could think of short of draining all the fluids and re-filling them. I didn't have the time to do that as I am leaving first thing tomorrow morning for Daytona. I'll tear into it next week some time when I get back. I have a pretty good feeling about the cam bushings being shot. I know someone who hd the same exact issues/sounds as mine and thats what it ended up being. I just don't understand how or why YET. |
