Vision making a new noise - help diagnose please

[d0n]

Hey guys. I kept the vision and have been riding it a lot. It runs great!

Today it started making a noise from the front of the engine area... maybe the starter?

I only hear the noise when it idles. It sounds like a diesel truck idling sort of. A lot like a faint knocking in the engine. It runs great and the starter works fine.

Any ideas what this might be?

[dj]

Has the starter clutch been fixed?

[d0n]

I don't think so. Not by me anyway.

I should have mentioned that it's an 83 with 24k miles.

[kwells]

that would be the starter clutch bolts backing out

[dj]

I don't think so. Not by me anyway.

I should have mentioned that it's an 83 with 24k miles.

I'd definetly suspect the starter clutch bolts are loose.  Don't let it go to much longer or the starter clutch could get all mangled up.  Easy fix, takes most people 1 day total (took me 2 weeks, but hey I'm abnormal)

[d0n]

Thanks guys. I'll have to pull the starter and see what's up.

[h2olawyer]

dj has some tenacious gremlins hanging around at the moment!

I agree with the likely starter clutch problem.  It is kind of a pita, but not difficult.  Many Vs were scrapped when "professional mechanics" misdiagnosed this as main bearings.  The starter clutch bolts loosen & back out over time.  Most say it happened to them before 18K miles.  Did mine when the second stator fried - even though it was at less than 10K.

To check it, you need to pull the left side cover and look at the bolt ends sticking into the flywheel.  The starter clutch is behind the flywheel - it is not part of the starter motor.

H₂O

[don_vanecek]

Go back about two pages in the "Tech" part, the pictures on Don's starter clutch experience are still good (thank you photobucket). Give you an idea of what this job looks like. Tiger and Lucky have better text however.

Sorry, I'm computer illiterate, don't know how to post the codes for a past post that takes you right to them.

[d0n]

I can see (and hear) how this problem could be diagnosed as main bearings. It really sounds like that... except that the noise so far, is somewhat faint. I imagine if I keep riding it the noise will get much louder.

[h2olawyer]

Here's the link to Mr. Vanacek's starter clutch photos.

http://ridersofvision.net/forum/xzindex.php?topic=6525.0

Just a simple copy & paste - open the link you wish to copy - highlight the URL - right click - select copy - return to message where you want to place it - place cursor - right click - select paste.  Highlight the link in your message - look at the symbols above the smileys - the one with the earth & page with corner folded gives you a URL link in HTML.  Click on it - all your highlighted text is now a hyperlink.  Takes lots longer to explain than to do.

H₂O

[Lucky]

Importaint:

if the noise goes away above 2500 rpm or so it's the starter clutch. if it doesn't go away at any rpm (in neutral in the driveway is fine to test) then it's the balancer shaft drive gear, driven gear, or both.

--Lucky

[Tiger]

... I imagine if I keep riding it the noise will get much louder.

:)...Correct...and the "Fix" could be more expensive... :o Many of us have done this work already. As h2o mentioned, this entails removing the left side engine cover...NOT the starter motor. You have to remove the flywheel and therefore require a puller... ::) PITA...While this is removed there is, just behind the flywheel, a 46mm nut that you must check for tightness and make sure the two locking tab's are bent over... ;)

:) Its not a big job, as such...With all the right tool's...Mmmm, a couple of hour's and she will be right as rain... 8)

Here is a link to mine...just scroll thru' till you find it...about 12 in... ;)

http://ridersofvision.net/forum/xzindex.php?topic=5851.0

                              8).......TIGER....... 8)

[dj]

dj has some tenacious gremlins hanging around at the moment!
H₂O

Just checked things out and the spark plug caps are toast (one has 12kOhms resistance and the other is a solid open).  No wonder it wont start I am getting no spark!!!

[Tiger]

dj has some tenacious gremlins hanging around at the moment!
H₂O

Just checked things out and the spark plug caps are toast (one has 12kOhms resistance and the other is a solid open).  No wonder it wont start I am getting no spark!!!

>:(...Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[dj]

dj has some tenacious gremlins hanging around at the moment!
H₂O

Just checked things out and the spark plug caps are toast (one has 12kOhms resistance and the other is a solid open).  No wonder it wont start I am getting no spark!!!

>:(...Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

No, it was more like YOU F@CKING IDIOT, WHY DIDN'T YOU CHECK THOSE LAST YEAR WHEN YOU COULDN'T GET THE BIKE TO START.  STUPID, STUPID, STUPID...

[h2olawyer]

D'oh!

I can't say anything - the caps & wires on my Silver V are the OEM set I bought it with.  I tested them several years ago with a DVM & they were still OK.  However, the spark seems a little weak when I test them that way (spark plug removed & contacting the engine as per Haynes).  Guess I'll get a set this week and put them on while in Winter Park.

H₂O

[dj]

D'oh!

I can't say anything - the caps & wires on my Silver V are the OEM set I bought it with.  I tested them several years ago with a DVM & they were still OK.  However, the spark seems a little weak when I test them that way (spark plug removed & contacting the engine as per Haynes).  Guess I'll get a set this week and put them on while in Winter Park.

H₂O

Get NGK PART# VD05F this is what was suggested for me to get and they are rather inexpensive.  Tiger "chewed me out" for not doing this earlier.  Don't let him find out you haven't done yours yet.  ;D

[h2olawyer]

Since I knew the entire history of this bike & it hasn't been giving any ignition troubles, I haven't had the need to do more than the checks to see if they're working properly.  Did those when I got it back on the road again 4 or 5 years ago.  Still starts & runs fine - but a weakened spark may be contributing to the slightly lower power I'm experiencing at RPMs under 5K - at least lower power compared to the Pumpkin at those RPMs.

The caps & wires on Pumpkin looked & tested as new.  Also a nice, strong spark.  Won't worry about those for now.

H₂O

[dj]

Since I knew the entire history of this bike & it hasn't been giving any ignition troubles, I haven't had the need to do more than the checks to see if they're working properly.  Did those when I got it back on the road again 4 or 5 years ago.  Still starts & runs fine - but a weakened spark may be contributing to the slightly lower power I'm experiencing at RPMs under 5K - at least lower power compared to the Pumpkin at those RPMs.

The caps & wires on Pumpkin looked & tested as new.  Also a nice, strong spark.  Won't worry about those for now.

H₂O

Tigers gonna growl at you.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Tiger]

but a weakened spark may be contributing to the slightly lower power I'm experiencing at RPMs under 5K
H₂O

>:( Double GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROWL.... 

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