Mechanic's Stethoscope helpful?

[crankcall]

if its an exhaust leak you should be able to feel puffs of exhaust pushing by a gasket. Start the engine COLD and put your hand around the areas where the pipes come out of the head.
If the picture Trials posted is an HD engine, I could see one of those locknuts backing off and letting a pushrod/rocker get slack. If an injector is sticking you can often clear that up with a can of injector cleaner through the engine, but you have to run the engine and thats the challenge.......whats really wrong

 

[Trials]

I got the Sthethoscope, neat little tool. But being a HD it makes a bunch of normal chattler and sounds. I think I am getting close to figuring out where it is coming from. It's definitely different then before, I just did a run (photo tag) tonight just to see how it was running. Much louder then before and more clunky/ticking noise. I know that might not seem much different with it being a HD engine, but something is up.

Compression test time.

 

[sburns]

If something is changing fast enough to notice, I recommend parking it until you figure out the problem. Little problems can turn into big problems quite quickly. On a bike, this not only costs you money, it may get you hurt.

A few days ago someone posted a video on a facebook group asking for help with their car. They had changed the oil and filter and it sounded like crap after. After running for ~15 seconds, the car gave an oil pressure warning. This bright spark kept repeating the test to see if anything changed. I shudder to think what the inside of that engine looks like after running without oil flow for minutes.

Very sound advice, thanks.

 

[Mad Mike]

Wouldn't surprise me....might have had my VTX up to 159KPH (GPS) on a certain section of (non Canadian) road this past summer where I may or may not have actually been exceeding the speed limit by that much anyways... that's all I'm saying LOL.

Was trying to hit the magic 162KPH (100MPH). Had a 25-30 MPH headwind and I just ran out of horsepower and couldn't do it. But my bike is only a 1300....

#vtwinproblems

Wow. On that same road, no headwind and dragging an ST1300 I managed to Do the Ton (164 GPS) on a 2011 Ninja 250.

 

[Trials]

It's not coming from your chain primary drive is it? You might want to check that, is messy but easy.

 

[sburns]

It's not coming from your chain primary drive is it? You might want to check that, is messy but easy.

Not as far as I can tell. I actually opened up the primary case to look in there, it seemed normal.

 

[sburns]

I found a mechanic I will be taking it there shortly to discuss with him and for him to hear it.
?

 

[Trials]

Not as far as I can tell. I actually opened up the primary case to look in there, it seemed normal.

Long shot, was thinking that if it had a buggered chain link in there that might do it, you would hear it every time it hits the chain tensioner.

 

[sburns]

Thought I would update my own thread.

Finally figured out the problem and is now fixed. Just took some time and some miss steps.

So the ticking sound was coming from the cam chest. After some research I decided to try and do the work myself.

It wasn’t too hard to rip it apart and get into it.

The cam tensioners were ground down and needed to be replaced.

Found a piece of it at the bottom

While I was in there I decided to replace some other parts. Specifically the tappets (lifters).

Well this is where it kinda went off the rails. I did soak them in oil overnight and bleed then down correctly, but when I put it back together it ran really rough and still had the ticking noise. Tried again, but no luck. Took it to a mechanic and he found it was two of the lifters, they needed to be primed. Ugh.

It’s actually good as I’ve always wanted my bike to be looked since I got it by somebody just to be sure of the condition. So that got fixed and everything else about the bike was ok.

Another side benefit, they introduced me to a Lucas oil additive. I dunno what this stuff is exactly but the bike runs a lot quieter (ya don’t laugh). For a Harley or mine it’s much quieter then before and smoother. I probably had lifter noise from the beginning but it’s so much quieter it’s kinda weird.

Anyhow all good now bike is ruining great. Been on a few long day rides, enjoying being back on 2 wheels.


Sent from the Moon!

 

[PrivatePilot]

Did you replace the cam chain tensioner with the updated hydraulic replacement?

Good thing you caught it. Those engines were infamous for blowing up when those poorly designed tensioners eventually failed....as they all do, sooner or later.

 

[sburns]

Did you replace the cam chain tensioner with the updated hydraulic replacement?

Good thing you caught it. Those engines were infamous for blowing up when those poorly designed tensioners eventually failed....as they all do, sooner or later.

Mine has the updated hydraulic tensioners (I have a 103). Ya the old one's in the 88's were a bad design, the shoe could wear down but it didn't stop the spring from grinding into the cam chains, and causing the cam chest to blow apart. Crazy!

 

[basmn]

I use a length of 1/2" hollow pipe...tape the end so as not to scratch the parts

 

[Trials]

You have a cam chain? Why!

 

[sburns]

I use a length of 1/2" hollow pipe...tape the end so as not to scratch the parts

Huh? The stethoscope is like $15 bucks from Princess Auto. You would have to put some serious pressure on the end to scratch anything.

 

[sburns]

You have a cam chain? Why!

Why not!

 

[Trials]

 

[sburns]

Pretty sure that is a single cam, not a twin cam.

 

[Trials]

gotcha.

That sure looks like a part that could be upgraded.

wtf did they not just put gears in there? Cost savings?
... have you read this? Twin Cam Engine - Chain Driven Cams And A Twisting Crank

 

[sburns]

gotcha.

That sure looks like a part that could be upgraded.

wtf did they not just put gears in there? Cost savings?

That version in your pic is the older style tensioners and cam plate from the TC88. The one which could blow up the engine. As you can see the plastic shoe can wear down and the spring mechanism will jam into the chain, then boom! Yes, can and should be upgraded.

Mine is the upgraded version with a newer cam plate, used in the TC103 which I have. I believe they use chains as it allows for less tolerance on the cam shaft. You can put in gear drives but your run out as to be within a tighter tolerance. Just a guess though.