| Author | Message | ||
     Spacecapsule1 |
sounded like my header was loose but it isn't. rattle stops if i rev it past 1800 or so and stops below 1500. any ideas? I don't see anything that could be making that noise. i checked everything on the front of the engine. something internal maybe? definitely up top and towards the front though... | ||
| Hughlysses |
Uly's are notorious for the horn hitting the back side of the fairing at low RPM like that which makes a loud rattle. It can be fixed by bending the horn mount slightly. It could be something like that. | ||
| Blake |
As stated in the owner's manual, please avoid lugging the engine. Running it below 2,000 RPM is a severe dis-service to it. It you want stuff to be shaken loose, rubbed bare, cracked, or broken, then keep lugging the engine. Seriously, it's one of the worst things you can do to you Uly, or any Buell air-cooled twin. | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
I'm not riding the bike at those rpm's. I noticed the rattle while it was idling during warm up. Same noise hot or cold. It's loud enough to hear over my exhaust and only at those approximate engine speeds.... It isn't the horn, thanks though. I know its hard to diagnose a noise over the internet. Just wondering if anyone had any similar issues to help me pinpoint what it is. After 39k, i noticed the front header glowing red hot after 2-3 min warm-up when i replaced my belt last week, red hot into the second bend and it was in the 40's that night. Thought that was odd then a couple days after that I noticed the noise.... | ||
| Bike_pilot |
Glowing headers is totally normal, no worries there. Just FYI, essentially every four stroke ever made will make thin-wall headers glow, most folks just don't pay attention to their headers. The OMG my headers are glowing!!! thread pops up here and on every other bike forum I frequent with regularity  | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
...yeah i just thought it was odd because i haven't seen them glowing like that in a very long time, especially so soon after startup. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Mine has a mystery clacking I haven't tracked also. Happens worst when it's cold. I learned to have peace with it, but if somebody else finds it, I'll fix it.  | ||
| Boltrider |
Not sure what the rattle could be. And the headers, yeah they get hot very quickly. I've burned myself on them about 10 seconds after start-up. | ||
| Davenz |
My 07 XB12R has a loud rattle seemingly from the top end, that for all the world sounds like something loose rattling as the engine vibrates , I have tried to find it but failed. Its got no worse and the bike runs fine ? | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
just gonna ride it out i guess. nothing else i can do except tear the motor down and inspect the top end..... but it worries me because its a NEW noise that i can hear over a loud exhaust. | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
update: Found the source of the rattle. The 2 screws for the ignition coil were sheared off so the coil was just sitting there bouncing around. They're sheared clean right where they screw into the mount. Any ideas how to get them out? Never had any luck with extractors, they usually break leaving more trouble... I can't grab them with anything either. I don't know what else to do but drill them, but then how do I do that without messing up the threads? Obviously use a smaller bit, then what? I'm left with a hollow screw that's still stuck. In the past I've ended up chipping the hollow screw out in pieces and that's not easy to do.... | ||
| Brumbear |
I can fix any worry about an XB engine buy a helicon my 1125 sounds like a sewing machine having sex with a hornets nest | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
i prefer the xb over the water buells. modern? yes. superior performance? yes. do i like them? not at all. | ||
| Brumbear |
I like the sporty based engine better in some ways not in others. The sporty engine I could flog the shyt out of like a red headed step child the helicon not so much. The low end torque on the 1200 is SO MUCH FUN but so is running UP THROUGH 8K on the CR. I don't feel super heated in summer with the CR but it wasn't really that bad on the XB either. Over all I think I need to try an X1 then I'll know for sure  . But as far as noise in the motor the Helicon is way louder by far. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Space... The cone shaped screw extractors (*not* easy outs) sometimes work. And when they don't work, they just act like a drill. They won't shear off in there. If that fails, I then try left handed drill bits... my local Harbor Freight finally started stocking them. Once you get the hole hollow all the way through, the screw shaft often just spins out with the bit. The most important part is getting the hole started in the middle of the shaft. I often use a punch or a dremel tool to make that as perfect as I can before starting all the other steps... and things generally go well from there. | ||
| Greg_e |
Drill and use a helicoil, if you are very lucky the left hand drill will go straight down, but more than likely you are going to wreck the threads so just plan on a thread repair. | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
thanks guys. | ||
| Brumbear |
BTW I just screwed my clutch cover using an ez out so I hear ya that lil boo boo cost me big time  | ||
| Fast1075 |
Buell engines are not noisy. "Noisy" implies there is something wrong. Buell engines are factory equipped with audible operational indicators. The indicator for my primary chain and clutch operates at one frequency, and the valvetrain operational indicators run at another. Today, an unenlightened person suggested that my Buell vibrates badly at idle. I corrected the misconception. Buells do not vibrate at idle, they throb in anticipation of the ride. Also today, a pirate miscreant mistakenly called my beloved XB a "rice rocket". I informed him that rice does not grow in East Troy Wisconsin. | ||
| Brumbear |
well said  | ||
| Akbuell |
Space : FWIW, my '08 parts book shows the coil mounted to a stamped bracket, so the screw ends shouldn't ( I hope!) be too hard to remove. And the screws, (p/n 3480A) are 1/4-20 X 1-3/4 knurled head screws. Should be avail at a hardware store. Be advised they are Grade 8. Good catch on finding the source of the noise, and thanks for telling about it. Good stuff to know. Dave | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
Thanks dave. I haven't messed with them yet, but the screw size is good to know and now I don't have to dig out my manuals to check...  | ||
| Akbuell |
Just went to the basement to check. Took the left side scoop loose on my '08 XB-TT and looked in there w/a mirror and flashlight. The bracket has threaded 'bosses' on the bottom side, so should be 1/4in or so of threads there. And lots of space underneath, so you may be able to run the broken bits on though and out. The S/M lists 120-144 in/lbs of torque, and no mention of Loctite. Hope this helps, Dave (Message edited by Akbuell on January 30, 2012) | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
Thanks so much for the effort! This community is another reason I love Buell. I'm going to run a drill bit through and hopefully they'll twist on out with the drill bit as you suggested.... |
