| Author | Message | ||
     Jdubxb |
I've heard of the term "rod knock" but I am not sure what it is supposed to sound like. Last week I started noticed a faint ticking noise. This week it became more noticeable. I describe it as a metallic ticking sound. Could it be the sound of valves hitting the piston? | ||
| Shoggin |
Rod Knock is not a "tick", Its a knock. Low, loud, and once per revolution. Your valves are not hitting the pistons, you'd know if they did because the bike would immediately run very poorly or not at all. It's not really an internet question, and even a video with a crappy iPhone mic won't really help, but you are welcome to try. A slight ticking could be normal injector noise, normal valve train noise (for Buell haha), or a flattening cam lobe. Swing by your local V-twin shop with a 6-pack and ask them to listen to it. You can also use a wooden handled screw driver to your ear as a stethoscope to pin point where the noise is coming from. | ||
| Jdubxb |
Without my helmet and earplugs on, it sounds more like knocking now. I was hoping it would be lifter noise from me not checking the oil level recently, but adding oil didn't help. Is it worth rebuilding the motor if I tear it down myself and send in the crank assembly? Aside from the knocking noise the motor runs fine, but it's got 146,700 miles on it so other things may start failing as well. | ||
| Blake |
Check the simple stuff? Primary chain loose? Stator loose? | ||
| Shoggin |
150K miles is impressive!! It's not just the engine with those miles on it. Time to retire the ol' girl You can buy a whole low mileage XB for much less than a re-build will cost you to have done. IMO | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The flappy valve in my muffler got loose and it made a scary sound. It was replaced under warranty. When your bike is idling, lean on the actuator on top of the muffler with a screwdriver and see if it changes. | ||
| Sagehawk |
Are there pinging issues? Carbon buildup will make a motor noisy. My flhr built a lot of carbon, and upon disassembly there were gold colored spots on piston and matching spots in head. My light came on finally that it was built up carbon hitting built up carbon. Get boroscope to do a visual and also do a compression check. That should reveal whether that is a issue or not. | ||
| Akbuell |
Might try taking the oil filter off, cutting it open, and looking at the filter element. If something is coming apart, the evidence will be there as debris. Hope this helps, Dave | ||
| Ishampadron |
Post a video if you can. I had a knocking sound that got progressively worse in the front cyl and then my bottom end blew out just riding around. I'm amazed that you got that kind of mileage though. Upon inspection of my engine it was a rod bearing that took her out. If its the same thing I had i'd retired that engine. (Message edited by ishampadron on December 06, 2018) | ||
| Jdubxb |
Guys, thanks for the recommendations. I've had the stator nut come loose before but it was a long time ago and I can't remember what it sounded like. It wasn't pleasant sounding though, that much I remember. I will check it for sure. I also plan on cutting open the filter. The bike has an APH exhaust so no interactive valve to inspect. There was significant pinging not too long ago, where I couldn't even get past half throttle during a roll on without it pinging. Running Techron and Lucas in several tanks of gas made the pinging go away. The bike is definitely parked. If the stator nut is tight and the primary chain isn't flopping around, I think I will take my time and remove and tear down the motor, mainly as a learning opportunity, but also to see (as best as I can) if I can get away with just a crank/rod rebuild. | ||
| Steveford |
You'll want to throw in new lifters. | ||
| Sagehawk |
How many miles on the bike? | ||
| Blake |
"it's got 146,700 miles on it..." | ||
| Mog |
Jdubxb, Blake and all, this afternoon, sunny, 64 degrees, Wilmington, NC my 10,500 mile Uly knocked like mad & gave up the ghost. I mean It was a hammer at sync with the RPM. Sounded more like a split piston but could also be a rod knock. 2nd to 3rd pulled in the clutch at a legal pace, engine (on its own) over revved and would not quit. After a few seconds making sure I had absolutely no throttle twisting, it settled down after having hit the rev limiter for that same duration. It continued to sputter at 45 miles per hour while nursing it through about 3 green lights (2miles or so). Then a red light appeared making it impossible to keep the faltering revs up. It died as I coasted into a large gas station. Being partially deaf and the wind noise I could not hear the knock definitively until I tried a restart at the gas station (helmet off). What a sound ! ! ! Here is where the Twilight Zone comes in. Unknown to me, the wife was next door to the gas station at the doctor's office. I took this route rather than the previous twisty because of the lack of performance, knowing gas stations abound. Weird but very lucky. She drove us back to the house to get the trusty Sprinter for a Uly delivery to Carolina Coast H-D tomorrow. I will leave it to them and report when they let me know. Sucks a bunch, because I was planning on riding with our son when he comes out from Montana on the 23rd. Guess I will have to drag out the Suzuki Savage 653cc single.   | ||
| Jdubxb |
Sorry to hear that, Mag. What year Uly? I think the larger rod bearing in my '08 helped it last as long as it did, compared to the smaller crank pin motors. My condolences on having to go from a XB to a Savage, but it's better than not riding. Let us know what the dealer says. | ||
| Mog |
BAD NEWS Rods, piston or valves, they knock like a hammer at rpm. Looks as though the throttle butterfly screw went into the cylinder. Front or rear I have not yet seen.  So... part it out and/or sell it real cheap as a second for someone else. The bike has just 10,572 miles on it and has been cared for by a great shop at Carolina Coast H-D in Wilmington, NC. Not their fault that the screw went down the intake, just a design glitch on an otherwise wonderful motorcycle. Very sad but I have a few other Buell bikes left. So if you want it real cheap, drop me a PM. I will post it and some dollar figure on here & on the bikes for sale area of Badweather. Our NC Diamonback ride 2018.  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Don't write it off just yet. I knew a guy that allowed a small screw into the intake of his X1 and we thought it was a rod. It ended up being embedded in the piston crown and was pounding into the head. They did replace the head abut I think the piston and bottom end were salvageable. Those little bore scopes are pretty cheap nowadays. I would poke it into the sparkplug holes and see what you can see. If the screw lodged under a valve, then perhaps the piston and valve did bad stuff to each other. | ||
| Mog |
Natexlh1000, THANKS, that is a valid point. I will check that out. Right as of now the Uly sits off to the side with its air box cover removed displaying the gaping intake Venturi with a screw hole unfilled. The bike will stay there for about a week until some of us meet to discuss the future. Rotating the engine forward involves a fair cost if the bore scope needs access & clearance. Note the nice empty hole in the throttle plate.  If it is, as you indicate, a screw that can be dislodged, maybe without a head removal (wish-wish) that would be real nice and it just might actually run. Small variances in the combustion chamber might cause hot spots for preignition, then again maybe not. At this point it is all guess work. Any other ideas out there will be considered before the axe falls. But as you suggest, it is not written off,,,,,,, yet. | ||
| Ducbsa |
It's been a few years since I did it, But "Rotating the engine forward involves a fair cost" ?? Other than new zip ties, I'm drawing a blank. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/555917.html?1271477720 http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/406 2/513209.html?1257938663 https://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?16821 -How-to-Rotate-your-engine-With-Pics! | ||
| Mog |
Thanks for the info Ducbsa. I have considered doing it myself but prefer, at the tender age of 74 to let some bright younger folks use their skills augmented by my earnings. I'll keep you all up to date. A few years ago I'd be happy to swing the spanner. Now I am most content to pay the costs and savor the results. Retirement has its rewards.  | ||
| Mog |
PICTURES  Just in today are the pics that Brian made of the inside of the rear ULY cylinder. Natexlh1000 hit the 'screw on the head', literally!!! The folks at CCHD will put a price together for an engine rotate & head removal. We may dig out the screw and just grind the area smooth where the edge of the chamber/squish has been imbedded by the screw. Head with screw head and several thread impressions about a half inch from a valve at right top.  Piston with thread indentation. Location on piston head unclear at this time & will be clear when head removed.  My big consideration is that the rod is still straight, and the piston skirt not bent if the impingement was not dead center over the wrist pin. Also, where'd the screw shaft go? Until that dollar figure and a bit more damage assessment, no sale, part-out or fix decision will be made. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Wow. possibly lucky-ish there. I hope your connecting rod doesn't have a wrist joint in it. Did the valves look OK? | ||
| Mog |
Nate, I did not understand "I hope your connecting rod doesn't have a wrist joint in it." Are you referring to caged needle, plain or other bearing types? We will not know if the rod is bent until the head is off and accurately gaged against spec.  So far, the valves seem to be OK for the amount of area seen by the borescope but they need much greater scrutiny with the head off. I await the mechanics cost for repair. Thanks for the support! | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Sorry. I was trying to be cute with a metaphor. Connecting rod undamaged = no wrist Connecting rod that is bent = has wrist. | ||
| Mog |
Nate, I like that metaphor. I'll have to lighten up a bit. Without your suggestion of the screw being imbedded in the head or piston, the ULY would be toast. | ||
| Mog |
Update. Got a years worth of riding on the work done and it has been flawless. Jan 15th 2020 though, the engine went to redline while riding. Posted under Uly Throttle Cables. The Jan 2019 work done was to pull the offended head & cylinder and I asked to pull both front and rear cyl. He cleaned the pistons and cylinders, new bolts, gaskets and oil plus maintenance parts. I saw it before going together and thought it was all new stuff. Barely could see the screw's impression after the head and piston cleanup. Great compression. Really nice work. All else appeared clean and good, so it was bolted back together, tested and paid for with a check for a bit over a grand. I am happy and the wife and I can keep riding the Uly, when her hip is feeling better. |
