Bad noises... go away 90% when warm.

Understand, the bike needs valves checked, carbs sync'd and tuned.
Cyl 1 is too learn and 2-3-4 too rich- from what I can tell by the sound out the pipes, and the heat from the headers.

Please take a look @ this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymD32xiA2nk

Help! This sound is driving me batty. I am afraid to drive it.
Recently thought, hey, maybe it's the cam chain. Now that's an idea I don't like. Ugh. I am losing my mind over this. Am waiting on time to get under the valve cover this weekend... But it is drivin me NUTZO.

Please, advise!

 

Yup, sounds sick. But sorry no help but the bump...

 

dpawl, if you don't have a manual you need to get one. There is a section that tells you how to adjust the cam chain tensioner or look up rick-o-matix's post on adjusting cam chain. That might take care of some of the tapping. You will not get it all out, it is normal for these xj's to have some valve chatter. Based on my xj, your valve tapping sounds alot like mine. I have put nearly 500 miles on it since I finished resotoring & got her running good. I was concerned about the tappiing as well the first time mine ran for any length of time. Tapping valves on the xj is normal unlike if your car valves are tapping you'll have car problems. It isn't the same. A hard thing to get used to for sure.

 

Sounds like valve noise to me too, and possibly some chugging from an exhaust leak. I don't hear anything serious.

82 has automatic adjuster on cam chain.

Check your valve clearances and make sure the cam chain is tight while you're in there.

 

It's the chatter at start I hate most. Definately was not there 500 miles ago.
Started sometime after oil change <-- culprit?

On the other hand, I did just adust the outer two mix screws a bit. With no knowledge of how much or which way. lol Yes, dumb, but the off idle was driving me nuts. It seems to have cleared the idle to about 95% perfect. It still bogs between idle and 2800 though. Kind of like a back-and-forth thing till I hit 2800.

Maybe you can explain this... I pull the 4th cyl plug wire @ idle, and it runs almost identical to regular idle. I pull the 3rd wire instead, and it chokes and dies.
Damnit I need a colortune bad. And sync. Those visuals alone could help me immensely. I hope to get the valves checked this weekend. But to no avail - I am stick lacking a colortune, sync stick, and YICS tool.

Depending on the weather tomorrow I might just bring it to work, see if that clunk @ startup is gone or not. Only does it when it's cold. Then it seems to be just regular valve chatter. (which by the way, at speed should it sound kind of like plastic gears meshing too close?)

 

Hmm exhaust leak. I hit a few harsh bumps a while back. And I am a big boy (recently cranked rear susp to highest, front is where it was one bought)
When I hit the brake HARD, and the bike shifts forward, I hear something hit and then come back. It's not bottoming out. Any ideas?

 

There is something about this I have read here. I think you need to back the engine up one revolution and just move it forward 1/2 a turn. I thnik you hear a click and the cam chain tentioner moves up to the next notch. You might want to search Rick's posts and see if you can find it.

 

So, you guys are saying the cam chain can be tightened, but Micarl is saying its an auto adjuster. . . . . ?

 

If its like my 82 SECA 650 RJ it is not automatic, but you have to let/tell it to adjust, but it does the adjustment automatically. (My book says only models xj650, G, H, LH, and RJ have this type.) The rest have an automatic tensioner that it says not to touch. In the dark I think your issue was with the Maxim? and I don't believe it fits in that group (the ones that you have to tell). Of course, one of the redliners will be along shortly to confirm or deny this assesment.

 

Yes, the bike in question is my Maxim. The SECA is stored and awaiting work this winter I think.

I can't believe you guys can't hear the VIOLENT click clack when I start it cold. It doesn't sound good.

 

No I definitely hear it, as MiCarl said do the valve adjustment and while your in there you can look for this noise.

Exactly, find Ricks thread on camchain tensioner and read it.

I think MiCarl nailed your stopping clunck noise.
If one of the header pipes is loose it will clunck, possible were the muffler meets the header/collector is loose.

 

If you're getting noise just after releasing the starter button that could be the starter clutch. If it hangs up the engine pushes the starter and it makes a kind of screaming squeal. They are more likely to do this cold. If you went to a higher viscosity oil it could have helped the problem show up.

The YICS engines have a fully, 100% automatic, no touching ever required cam chain tensioner. To paraphrase the addendum to the service manual on cam chain adjustment: "Ignore it". They are simple devices and very unlikely to malfunction, however checking that the chain is tight when the valve cover is off will let all you valve train noise worriers move on to other business.

Now something Rick and I disagree on: I say never, ever, ever turn your engine backwards. Doing this puts tension on the cam chain on the slack side, placing a load on the rear cam chain guide and tensioner they were not designed to carry. Turning the engine in the forward direction presents the slack in front of the tensioner where it belongs. Even with the manual tensioner you do not turn the crank backwards: you put the crank in the correct position (LOOK IN THE BOOK) and reset the tensioner. EXCEPTION: You do have to turn the engine backwards (a little bit) to remove the shim bucket tool.

 

I know from experience exhaust leaks make strange noises. I'm surprised no one else addressed this but if you can pull #4 and it runs the same it can't be firing IMHO. Does the header get hot ?

 

I'd second that Bill, if a cylinder is firing, pulling the plug wire should make some noticeable change - eg a drop in RPM

 

Heard that WILD CLACK after you started both times. Did you put to heavy of an Oil in her? could be it's not getting there quick enough? therefore as it works its way up and around, it quiet's down? Mind you I could be just way out to lunch on this as well. Mine has the normal valve clack once it's running, but stays constant. That's just a scary CLACk CLack clack at the beginning.

 

Not all YICS engines. Don't forget, the 550s (and I think some years of the bigger ones too) have a "semi-automatic" cam chain tensioner that DOES require an actual adjustment to be done (sort of.) You unlock it, let it adjust and re-lock it, but it's not completely automatic.

True. One caution; when you DO turn the motor backwards as Carl mentions, do it SLOWLY as it may pull the starter along for the ride. And only as far as absolutely necessary just to remove the tool. If you "miss" when positioning a camshaft for instance, you have to go back around.

 

I yanked on all the headers and pipes this morning. They seem fine. (tight, no wiggle)

I agree pulling the 4th cyl plug and it stays the same is not good.
But I can hear the spark zapping the tip of the plug as I put it back on.

Stamp - thank you for addressing the sound I am talking about. No clear "YES" that it was heard until you. It is only Castrol GTX 10w40. I don't think that is too heavy. . . ?

Now I have to see if I have a plug wrench at the store here to check the plug out... They are autolite plugs instead of NGK, but they are resistor plugs and was 'told' they were gapped right. Have not checked myself.
I only got the autolite because that's all they had in stock but I think I should throw the NGKs that were in the bike back in.
When I pulled the plugs to swap them, all four were a bit white. That's too lean right?

I am so mad right now. I want to get this thing running perfect, but don't have the time or cash right now (to buy a carbstick/colortune/yics tool).

That's why I was trying to get ahold of Rick, he helped me with the SECA a year or so ago. But he's still recovering from knee surgery so I can't do much with him. I was going to make my own carb sync and YICS tool but the instructions to make them are so vague and honestly a bit confusing.
All I know is, it's still bogging on me.

If I can buy a new set of plugs today, what is the proper gap?

 

Check if you have resistor caps too - resistor plugs and caps is not a good idea.

I'm sure you realize because it sparks at cable does not mean the plug is good, you could have a fuel issue in 4 only too

Gap is .028 to .032 - seems to run better closer to .028 - not sure why

 

Bought NGK, they are set to .032, and idles a bit better.

How do I know about resistor caps / plugs?

All 4 of the autolite plugs I pulled were closer to .025, and they all look light dark brownish.
(I did not gap those plugs before install. They came .025)

So the idle is still rough. Haven't checked the pulling-wire-off thing yet.
It definately runs better though - I actually pulled the front wheel a few inches off the ground going down hill... that was rough!

So now I need to get the carb sync and tune done, and valves checked.

By the way, that noise is DEFINATELY something metallic sounding and definately in the head. Still sounds like a chain clicking to me.
So Saturday I will get that looked at. Is it safe to drive for now? 20 miles to work and 20 back?

 

I'm lost on the rest of the stuff.. but as for the oil? maybe to light instead of to heavy? I'm running GTX 20w50 in mine. When it's cold I don't have the normal clatter, (its very min. quiet at -1C to +2C), but once it starts to warm up, (30 seconds - minute), it's the normal valve clatter these bikes do. Now if your running to light? it's not coating the areas enough therefore giving off that large CLANKs at the Start? Trying to get the oil up and in the area as quick as it can, but since it's to thin? it just keeps going until there's enough to help quiet the clatter a bit. Possibly the oil pickup maybe clogged?

I think I'm out of straws to grasp now =)