| Author | Message | ||
     Bad_ass_bolt |
i was reading this post: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/12698.html when looking into hydraulic clutches. the pics of primary chain drives made me wonder if my "piston slap" is actually the chain slapping. any input yall? | ||
| Reepicheep |
Pop the inspection cover and check the tension. A 10 minute check. Make sure you check in several positions (rotate the rear wheel in gear) to get a good reading. I assume you have a firebolt, so you have the new beefier updated primary chain tensioner. Unless you ran the bike with a badly misadjusted tension, the tensioner is probably not broken. That can be checked as well, but probably requires pulling the primary cover to do right. | ||
| Fst_tyms |
When are you hearing the "piston slap"? I have a similar problem, I think, on my Firebolt, it happens when I throttle off. I get a popping almost like a backfire. | ||
| Azfirebolt |
The buell makes a lot of noises. Yes, your primary chain is making some slappage. There is valve nock associated with the header pipes. Remember, it is a HD... | ||
| Austinrider |
My bike did the same thing when it was new. Just the chain getting stretched a bit. After the 2500 mile check up it was back to the old 'tap tap tap" of what I assume to be the lifters. What exhaust do you have. I know my XB9 pops alot when coming off a hard acceleration and I just cut the throttle for engine braking (most noticeable at the track). Not a big deal. The Stock exhaust covers it up pretty well from what I observed, the D&D that I have did a horrible job at covering it up. | ||
| Bad_ass_bolt |
THE BIKE IS BONE STOCK RIGHT NOW. PART OF THE REASON I WANT A LOUD EXHAUST IS CAUSE HD'S WEREN'T DESIGNED TO BE SO DAMNED QUIET. SO I'M GONNA EITHER BUILD A PAIR OF STRAIGHT PIPES LIKE THE PICS FROM "ANOTHER CUSTOM EXHAUST" OR I'M GONNA SHORTEN THE D&D CANISTER OFF MY OLD FZR CAUSE IT SOUNDS BAD ASS ON THE BUELL. STUCK IT ON IN THE GARAGE WITH AN ADAPTER FOR FUN AND MAN IT SOUNDED COOL. I DON'T THINK THE EXHAUST POP IS WHAT I AM HEARING. IT IS CENTERED AROUND THE FRONT JUG SOMEWHERE. NOISE IS WORST WHEN I FIRST START IT UP AND IS COLD AT IDLE. IT IS A LOUD TAP TAP SOUND BUT IS LOUDER THAN ANY LIFTER OR VALVE I HAVE EVER HEARD. THEN AGAIN, HD TWINS OR NEW TO ME. WELL, IF I CANT FIGURE IT OUT I'LL JUST COVER IT UP WITH A PIPE. | ||
| Bad_ass_bolt |
Azfirebolt, WE SHOULD GET TOGETHER SO I CAN HAVE YOU TAKE A LISTEN. MAYBE WE COULD MEET UP AT THE PAVILLIONS ONE OF THESE DAYS WHEN THEY ARE HAVING A SHOW. OR..... IF YOU WANNA HIT YARNELL HILL WITH ME WE COULD RIGHT OUT ON GRAND TO WICKENBURG. I LIVE IN EL MIRAGE SO IM WAY WEST VALLEY. THE THING THAT SUCKS FOR ME IS I WORK 1-11 PM WITH WED THURS FRI OFF. | ||
| Frank_sinatra_1 |
Piston Slap isn't the end of the world. Try a 1300 S&S bored and stroked sportster engine 20 years ago for real SLAP. Use good gas. Spend the extra dime for octane so you don't hear ping. Keep the bike in motion for air and cooling. That slap will always seem to do it when ever IT wants to.. not when you want it to.  | ||
| Noface |
I"ll bet it's not piston slap, but the usual cam chest noise that seems to be inherent in these 45deg v-twins. They are all noisy when you first start them. Especially if you compare them to liquid cooled Japanese bikes. Have anyone that's owned a HD for awhile listen to it and see what they say. | ||
| Bykergeek |
Yep. My 883 sportster made the same sounds (actually more than) as my XB9r. Check your primary chain and if it is tensioned correctly, it is likely the normal valvetrain clatter. | ||
| Gearloose |
Austin,after having my TPS set by Waterloo HD/Buell, (Koolaid Daves cohorts) my D&D doesn't do any "fat woman in a tub" fartin or poppin!  | ||
| Darthane |
It's probably just valvetrain noise (rhythmical tapping). My XB9R's valvetrain is very noisy - easily heard over the exhaust at idle with a race kit. | ||
| Fst_tyms |
I asked my mechanic about it, he said his is worse than mine, and that it was normal. | ||
| Bad_ass_bolt |
I checked my primary chain tension but I am not sure what I found. When I put the bike in gear an roll it forward till the chain stops the bike, all the slack is in the top part of the chain. When I do this I can push the chain up to where the bottom edge clears the inspection window. Sure looks like more slack than it should have. Does this make any sense the way I described it? | ||
| Static |
bad ass- I've always checked my primary chain when the bike is on a swing-arm stand and when adjusting by eye should have between .25-.50 inches of of slack when you grab it and move it up and down. You shouldn't have as much slack as you do now. ( I have started checking my chain every oil change or 2500 mi.) |
