| Author |
Message |
    
Jetmech83
| | Posted on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 11:38 am: | 
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I have a stock 07 XB9 with about 18K miles on it. It has been running fine, but recently a noise has developed from the engine. It sounds like it's coming from the valvetrain. The valvetrain sounds louder with a sort of popping/hammering/knocking noise with it when accelerating and deaccelerating through 1000 to 3000 rpm. It almost sounds like the lifters don't have oil in them. There is also a noise like something rattling around inside. The bike doesn't have any performance loss and seems to run fine. I did have both rocker boxes pulled out for the rocker box gaskets leaking about two years ago at about 11K miles. |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 08:40 am: |
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Try using a long screwdriver as a stethescope (SP?), and see if you can't pinpoint the source. While a collapsed or 'leaking' lifter is possible, I don't think they would create a noise that would show only at certain RPM's.
My best guess - loose nut on the crank at the primary side, or the rotor magnets coming loose from their mounts, causing the noise. May be as simple as the primary chain is loose.
Hope this helps, Dave |
Ulynut
| | Posted on Monday, June 11, 2012 - 08:06 pm: |
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Could also be an exhaust leak at the flange. Check the header bolts.
Leaking intake seals can make a lot of noise as well. |
Sirvincentblack
| | Posted on Monday, June 18, 2012 - 08:27 pm: |
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my bike ran like a top this morning (65 degree's) and tonight on the way home..a turd! (90 degree's) Got home and took off the air cleaner to take another look and noticed on the Throttle control there is a brass inlet that looks like it should have a vacuum hose attached but doesn't. Don't see anything loose either that would account for it..anyone have a picture of theirs or a service manual that could look it up?? It always runs worse when it is hot out. |
Sparky
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 - 01:19 am: |
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SVB, What bike?
If there is no loose hose that looks like it should go there, then the brass inlet should most likely be capped with a rubber cap that's available at most auto parts stores. |
Dc29
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 05, 2012 - 08:41 pm: |
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Did you ever get the noise problem resolved.I have the same sound 400mi. after HARLEY shop fixed rocker box leak.They say was nothing they did to cause it.Bike has 26000mi. plus. |
Jetmech83
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 05, 2012 - 11:54 pm: |
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The problem is not resolved. I actually was working on it tonight. I took it to a local Harley shop and they said it sounded like it was coming from the primary; like the rotor magnets or the stator. I drained the oil from the primary and the drain plug was covered in metal. I took off the primary chain and sprockets, everything looks good and couldn't find anything loose. Nothing looks like it was grinding either. Does anyone have any ideas on what to looks at next? |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 12:25 pm: |
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Yeah, but you won't like them. 
How much metal? How big were the pieces? |
Jetmech83
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 04:19 pm: |
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The whole chip detector was covered in metal. The pieces where about 1/8" or less, most of it was fuzz. I'm thinking some of it was from the magnet on the rotor because one of the magnets was missing a piece of it's corner. I don't know why the primary is making metal, and I can't figure out if the primary is really the source of the noise that started this project. Just want get the bike up and running! |
Jetmech83
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 04:25 pm: |
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Hey Dc29, what did the Harley shop tell you it was if they are saying it wasn't caused by them? |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 04:50 pm: |
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Not much else left to check that isn't inside the cases then. That suggests a transmission / 5th gear drive assembly problem.
On an XB, that means splitting the cases.
Before I did that, I'd rule out *everything* else first. Which means taking off everything you can from both the primary side and from the cam cover. If you can't find anything wrong there, you had to do all that to split the cases anyway.
Bummer. |
Al_lighton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 05:12 pm: |
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Have you replaced your stator any time recently?
There was a superseding change on the stators where they put a plastic wire keeper on it where the earlier ones were just gooped into place with potting RTV. SOME rotors have had some interference with that wire keeper and I believe the bolt heads that hold the rotor to the front primary sprocket. I don't know if it generates ferrous particles that would stick to a drain plug magnet at all, but I suspect it'd make some ugly noises. |
Jetmech83
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 06:05 pm: |
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It still the original stator from the factory. Looking at it, it does have the superseding change plastic wire keeper on the stator. Is the transmission / 5th gear drive assembly problem a common problem and would it make a noise like that? |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 09:26 pm: |
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A bad 5th gear drive assembly will hoot while the bike idles in neutral, and be grindy when you push the bike around. It will make shifting hard (or impossible), and will release metal into the primary chamber. |
Sparky
| | Posted on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 01:42 pm: |
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What condition is the primary chain shoe, deep or shallow grooves in the plastic? And is it the one that has a approx 1/8" thick metal base under the plastic rubbing part?
Another thing, I believe the torque spec for the primary sprocket nut has been upped to 240 to 260 ft/lbs. It'd be worth it to have the tech loosen and retorque it per this spec update:
 |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 02:43 pm: |
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All XB's came from the factory with the better shoe backplate.
But I suppose you could have either ground through the shoe or overtorqued the adjuster and "broken" something important.
The fuzz sounds magnetic... so it's not from the primary chain slapping the case. Unless its ground all the way down to the primary cover bolts.
If that crank nut is loose, it would knock at idle until you put some drag on the clutch (even a little, not even enough to move the bike). Once you drag the clutch the knock stops.
Oh! But it could be a clutch plate or clutch part disintegrating though, that would be magnetic and could make noise. That would be good news (relatively). |
Dc29
| | Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2012 - 11:03 am: |
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I called the HD shop and told them bike had a noise now that it didnt have before they worked on it.They told me to bring it in and they would charge a minimum to diagnose the noise.I said no thanks you have done enough already. This all started when I took the bike in to get rear rocker box leak fixed under warranty with only 2 days left on my 2 year warranty.They told me my warranty was over but I was ready and pulled out my bill of sale with the date I bought bike from them.This was the only time bike had ever went to shop as I do all my own maintenance etc.Didnt want to take bike in for this but was to busy with my son and mini sprint racing to work on bike, thought they could handle a oil leak.This was also the same shop that told me when I bought the bike that at a 1000mi. I would need to bring it in so they could set the valves.I was standing there with the Buell shop manual in my hand I bought the day I bought the bike and I told her [Maybe you need to spend some time reading this manual].I bought 1125r and most fun bike i ever owned and reliable 08 model. XB been setting for A year now but need to fix noise and ride it. |
Dc29
| | Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2012 - 11:18 am: |
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Foregot to mention I have allready checked primary drive gear nut but have not checked clutch hub nut. Soon as I get off this computer Im going to pull off primary and check it. |
Jetmech83
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2012 - 04:09 pm: |
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Well there is bad news. I'm pretty sure the noise I was hearing was a rod knock. Just drained the engine oil, and it came out a silver looking color. I pulled the filter and the oil was a gold color. And when I cut open the filter, I found lots of pieces of brass in it. This after 3K miles both on the filter and oil. This suggests a bearing coming apart. So I guess it going to be a overhaul, which was not the news I wanted to hear. Any suggestions on mild performance upgrades while I have it opened up? |
Harleyelf
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2012 - 11:05 pm: |
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Gold color? Sounds like a cam bushing. A cam lobe hitting the case where that bushing used to be every engine revolution would certainly knock. |
Jetmech83
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - 01:21 pm: |
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Well I finally got around to getting the motor apart and the noise is a bad fork bearing on the rear cylinder. I took the crank to a local Harley shop and they said the crank is not rebuildable and that I would have to buy a new one for 700 dollars. My friend seemed to think that a new piece could pressed in. Has anyone had a crank fixed? Also, where is a good place to buy a new crank, pistons, bearings, cam bushings, seals, ect.? |
Froggy
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - 02:26 pm: |
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Several members have had their cranks repaired by Dark Horse Crankworks http://www.darkhorsecrankworks.com/
Be sure to check out this thread, and post your info to be added to the list
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/384 2/648773.html |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - 02:56 pm: |
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You probably want the new 08 style crank, with some case machining to match it. |
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Noise coming from valvetrain