| Author | Message | ||
     Patagonia_101 |
I've been having a really loud, low pitched rattle/knock from my motor sense about 10k miles two months ago. Checked the primary, everything was perfect. Screwdriver stethoscope narrowed it down to right side of the motor, just below the timing inspection plug and behind the cam cover. I saw this post by Tattoo72 http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/491597.html?1252143389 and got excited, tore off the cam cover and found everything within spec. Had a local mechanic listen too it, he thinks the noise is too low pitched to be lifters and doesnt' sound like a flywheel issue. He didn't have any idea what it could be. Any ideas from the experts on this forum? I don't want to tear the engine completely down, but I think that is my only move from here unless somebody has an Idea. | ||
| Kustomklassix |
I think I may have the same noise with my '03 XB9 (10,568 miles). Anybody? | ||
| Patagonia_101 |
Kustomklassix, Have you done anything to try and fix the problem? | ||
| Buell920 |
sounds like the "normal" transmission noise. you hear it at idle only? it's the gear(s) some have more lash than others. older XL's and Buells had it to a small extent but it seems to have magnified the sound when the "trap" door was removed and the trans was enclosed in the case. sounds that come from the engine are hard to pin-point as the sound harmonics can send you in the wrong direction very quickly. try to find a local shop with a Dyno, load it on there and walk around around it while its in gear with light to heavy loads and you will see that the sound goes from a Clunk to a weeeeeeeerrrrrrr sound. simply putting the bike in gear and slipping the clutch will not fully load the trans so avoid this type of test in sub for a Dyno. Scott | ||
| Patagonia_101 |
Buell920, Thanks for the info. I can hear the noise at idle and in every gear through the entire rpm range. It doesn't seem to change based on load. Also, the sound doesn't change, it just gets faster with higher rpms. | ||
| Ourdee |
Sounds like a rod? | ||
| Patagonia_101 |
Sounds like a rod? pushing or connecting? | ||
| Bromanowski |
sounds like it might be rod knock. Check the oil for brass. | ||
| Patagonia_101 |
I drained the oil and didn't find any brass. Then I pulled the oil filter and dumped most of the oil out on a paper plate to let it dissipate. I didn't see any brass there either. I haven't cut open the filter yet, I will do that tonight. | ||
| Bromanowski |
If it was one of the bottom end bearings you should have noticed the brass pretty quick. It will sit in the bottom of the drain pan, looking almost like gold flake. You can still take apart the filter if you want to be extra sure. That's good news though. You don't want it to be a bearing. | ||
| Patagonia_101 |
I cut open the oil filter tonight and poured out the remaining oil...it looked like I struck gold. Tons of brass shavings. Guess that means bearings  . How big of a job is that for somebody that has never done it before? | ||
| Beachbuell |
First off you've got to figure out where the shavings came from. If they are in your filter then that means the shavings have already been cycled throughout the motor. You may be in for man you bargain for. I'd say your oil pump is on its way out soon, if not scored to hell. Ride her till she blows. Then fix and rebuild! | ||
| Pogue_mahone |
oil analysis can tell u exactly where the metal is from. | ||
| Patagonia_101 |
BeachBuell, Thanks, I'll keep an eye on that pump. I'm a little reluctant to ride it till it blows. I've only owned this bike for 3 months and I didn't have the knock until after I bought it. So I'm hoping that I caught it early. Pogue, Would the size of the shaving tell me anything about it's origin? They were all very small and circular. How else can I analyze the oil to figure out the origin? | ||
| Pogue_mahone |
oil analysis is where a lab tells you what is in the oil. it can tell if u need a new air filter down to what metals are in the oil (bearings or crank/rod/case) maybe at this point not much value...if it is knocking time to take it apart and fix it.or get a whole new motor.might be cheaper to get a wrecked XB and use that engine and heave the one you have. i have seen used complete engines for sale in the denver area for 2k and even a whole unfinished totaled but almost finished re build for 2k as well.that was a whole bike,he needed wheels and some fairing parts was all. any ideas what a engine re build costs? vs a complete engine from buell? vs a salvage engine? | ||
| Etennuly |
Is it possible the oil pump could be knocking? If it is a brass geared pump it could be eating itself. If that would be the case it could be an easy fix but, you would likely have a mess of shavings to get out of the entire oiling system. |
