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Camshaft Top End Rattle

  • Thread starter Thread starter Suzuki_Don
  • Start date Start date
Coady said:
That sync is way off Don. Was that with a warm engine and no choke?

I wouldn't want to run another 900 kms with sync like that.

You could pull them roughly into line quite quickly after warming up the bike with a 5 minute ride.
Click to expand...

It was with the motor slightly warmed up and the choke was off and at 2000rpm.
 
I'd sync em ASAP. A small amount of idling at this stage won't do squat to your break in. No different to getting caught at the lights a couple of times - as long as you do it swiftly and just aim to get em roughly lined up.

Cause seriously, you won't be riding round at wide open throttle all the time even if you wan't to.
 
OK Final Results

OK Final Results

I got the carbs synched.


At these revs:

P1010055.jpg



With this result:

P1010053.jpg



This is the latest video after the synch was done. i think it's a bit quieter, what do you all think.


http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/dd105/donclifton/GSR Pics5/?action=view&current=P1010056.mp4


After I did the synch I went for a ride and it was running like a dog and eventually stalled a mile from home. Thought I was out of juice, put on prime and it took off again plenty of power but very rough at idle. Then it hit me, I had left the vacuum hose off the fuel tank. Pulled over, put it back on, switched back to ON and everything was alright again. Rode it hard for about 20-30 mins, got back and took the video above.

Thanks ALL.
 
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Quieter!!! Are you kidding? Sounds like a different bike.

That's a massive difference. To my untrained ear it now sounds like any old GS should.

I reckon you got it.
 
Nice one Don, if even I can tell that sounds better, then it must be heaps better :D
 
Sounds and looks great! Must be a nice feeling to have your bike back huh?
 
Sounds like you've cracked it Don. Well done.

You've become a guru on the 550/650 conversion.

Even sounds a lot quieter, to my half deaf ears. The idle does sound a bit high though on that last video. Drop it back to 1000 rpm, just to make sure.

Now ride the snot out of the bloody thing!!:p
 
Hey there Don. Glad to see you got it back together. I am beginning to wonder if all the noise is coming from the clutch basket. I was checking out 2 old GS1000 baskets that I have sitting around the shop the other day, wanting to fix one of them up for a spring rebuild project. I placed them on a wooden table with the gear up and gave them the twist test. One of them had a little more play in the spring/backing plate than the other. After looking a little closer at it, the rivets were actually moving around in their holes in the cast part of the basket.....Imagine the noise this would make in a motor with straight cut gears..idling in neutral.....Try loading the clutch in gear, sitting still and see if the noise gets quieter. I agree with you, it's a bit quieter.....Billy
 
BadBillyB said:
Hey there Don. Glad to see you got it back together. I am beginning to wonder if all the noise is coming from the clutch basket. I was checking out 2 old GS1000 baskets that I have sitting around the shop the other day, wanting to fix one of them up for a spring rebuild project. I placed them on a wooden table with the gear up and gave them the twist test. One of them had a little more play in the spring/backing plate than the other. After looking a little closer at it, the rivets were actually moving around in their holes in the cast part of the basket.....Imagine the noise this would make in a motor with straight cut gears..idling in neutral.....Try loading the clutch in gear, sitting still and see if the noise gets quieter. I agree with you, it's a bit quieter.....Billy
Click to expand...
Billy, I did find the springs in the clutch basket to be loose and tightened them up by inserting a screw driver between the coils and twisting to spread the coils a bit. The rivets were secure as far as I could tell. I will probably do a clutch basket repair at some time in the future after the motor is run in. Might even try to pick up a spare clutch hub and ring gear and do the mods on that and then it a simple swap over one weekend. Although these baskets with the straight cut gears are a bit like hen?s teeth here in Australia and they are heavy on postage due to their weight. Wonder where I could get new springs from?

Ian (49ER), thanks for the help, it?s been a long journey since the first email I sent to you about camshaft end float. I have dropped the idle down and it sounds not too bad. I think maybe the noise was not as bad as it may have sounded in hind sight. I could have had the camera too close to the source and it depends how high anyone viewing the video has the volume on their computer. But the knock was definitely there.

Anyway I am relatively happy with it now. And plan to put plenty of miles on it now as we are in the last month of spring heading into our summer. Good riding weather for the next 6 months or so, although we can ride all-year 'round over here.

EVERYONE: Thanks very much for all the help that everyone has offered. I don't really know what the solution was in the end, was it the clutch, was it the carbs out of synch, was it the piston height kissing the head; who knows!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just something I did notice on one of our two lane highways when running the bike in: when I snapped the throttle shut at 85 or so it shakes it head a bit and makes me nervous just for a second or two until it straightens up again. I did notice when doing the chain adjustment before my last ride that there is a small amount of play/movement in the back wheel when it is held for and aft (9 o'clock & 3 o'clock) and rocked back and forth. I have replaced the swing arm bearings and the three wheel bearings. Could this cause the head shake that I am referring to when snapping the throttle shut at speed. When it is closed more gently there is no problem.
 
Suzuki_Don said:
Billy, I did find the springs in the clutch basket to be loose and tightened them up by inserting a screw driver between the coils and twisting to spread the coils a bit. The rivets were secure as far as I could tell. I will probably do a clutch basket repair at some time in the future after the motor is run in. Might even try to pick up a spare clutch hub and ring gear and do the mods on that and then it a simple swap over one weekend. Although these baskets with the straight cut gears are a bit like hen?s teeth here in Australia and they are heavy on postage due to their weight. Wonder where I could get new springs from?
Click to expand...
You dont need new springs, just take it apart by grinding off the rivets, and shim the springs with washers. Unless your springs are broken. Then clamp it back together and get it welded back together. I did this on my 750 basket and it worked great.
 
I did the shim the spring thing on one bike and the clutch quieted down nicely. On another bike I bought the clutch hub was rebuilt with a HD backplate and stiffer hub springs, and that clutch is quieter still. Not sure where to come with those springs but it's worth the project I think.
 
Nessism said:
I did the shim the spring thing on one bike and the clutch quieted down nicely. On another bike I bought the clutch hub was rebuilt with a HD backplate and stiffer hub springs, and that clutch is quieter still. Not sure where to come with those springs but it's worth the project I think.
Click to expand...

OK thanks, looks like it will be washers, grinding and re-welding then at some stage. I am sure they don't make a HD backing plate for the 550.
 
Suzuki_Don said:
OK thanks, looks like it will be washers, grinding and re-welding then at some stage. I am sure they don't make a HD backing plate for the 550.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that Harley made any 550's Don! :p

Enjoy your summer rides mate.

Just did a 1000 km charity ride with some mates, on Saturday. Lots of twisty country roads between Wairoa to Wellington and back to Napier. Took us 14 and a half hours, including breaks. Had a mix of rain and some slippery roads along with some excellent DRY tight twisty sections. A pretty good day in all.

I was pretty stuffed yesterday.;)
 
Thanks Ian, your Kiwi sarcasm was not wasted on me. Glad you had a good ride. I am looking forward to some time in the saddle myself. We currently are enduring a hail storm here with much thunder and lightning. But I'm sure we will get some good weather soon. Thanks for the help.
 
Last edited:
Dunno Don, according to the doom and gloom tonight (the news), we're all in for storms and rain and floods and all those pestilent things we just deserve to get coz we're such an evil race of beings this summer.

Oh, sorry, did I say that out loud? :p
 
pete said:
Dunno Don, according to the doom and gloom tonight (the news), we're all in for storms and rain and floods and all those pestilent things we just deserve to get coz we're such an evil race of beings this summer.

Oh, sorry, did I say that out loud? :p
Click to expand...

Thanks Pete, you're such an encouragement.
 
I always thought you guys looked upon a single fluffy cloud as being bad weather and if it ever passed in front of the sun the end of the world must be nigh....

Good job Don and a great thread to follow for anyone else seeking that 6th gear. Just a shame you had the pain in the first place.
 
hampshirehog said:
I always thought you guys looked upon a single fluffy cloud as being bad weather and if it ever passed in front of the sun the end of the world must be nigh....

Good job Don and a great thread to follow for anyone else seeking that 6th gear. Just a shame you had the pain in the first place.
Click to expand...

Hey Wally we had more than a fluffy cloud here last night. See the result -- a tree fell on my house. We had a huge electrical storm, hail and strong wind. I could have done with a good forester to help saw up the tree -- do you know where I could find one.


P1010064.jpg



P1010070.jpg



Now this thread is almost at it's end I feel I can get a bit social and include a picture of two of non technical content.


.
 
Last edited:
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