rainman
4th January 2009, 21:04
I started my bike up today to go for a pootle up to Puhoi, and as I have been on leave for a few days and have not been riding, it was properly cold. There was a mild knocking noise, which went away after it had warmed up. This was combined with misfiring once or twice - which may be unrelated. This has happened to me twice before over the past 12 months, but has gone away - the first time I replaced the plugs, the second time I confess I did nothing...
Given I'm on leave at the moment I now have a chance to look at this, but although I'm a halfway competent rider, I'm a mostly incompetent mechanic. That said, I'm keen to learn, and happy to give things a go, but know my skill and tool limits. The bike is a 97 Suzuki Marauder VZ800V, coming up on 45000 kms. Last serviced about 6 months/6000 kms ago, so probably due for at least an oil change RSN.
Power delivery is fine, there's no major smoke blowing out the pipes, and oil consumption is negligible. The noise is not noticeable under load even at low speed, nor when I started up to return from the pub.
I have read my service manual, plus the last umpteen pages of this forum, plus another US site, for anything to do with engine noises and have reached the following conclusions:
Noises are effectively impossible to diagnose over the Internet
Engine noises may be located by using a screwdriver/garden hose - I'll do this tomorrow
Engine noises are not to be ignored! Even intermittent ones.
Top end noises can be related to valve clearances, cam chain tensioners, or cam chains about to pack in (among many others no doubt)
Cam chains have a typical life of about 45000 kms :sweatdrop
Cam chains slipping and/or breaking should be avoided at all costs as this buggers up your valves and pistons
It's probably within my capabilities to check/adjust the valve clearances, although apparently Marauders are particularly fiddly so I should budget many hours and maybe multiple attempts for a first time.
Cam chains/tensioners are further down in the service manual after the bit about using a crankcase separating tool, and other scary things, and V-Twin cam jobs may even be extra tricksy, so.. I'm thinking all cam chain/tensioner work is beyond my capabilities
In any event it looks like cam chain tensioners aren't really adjustable, the manual says check and if sticky replace.
....
Therefore I need a spannerman.
Can you knowledgable folks please confirm that my reasoning is correct? I don't want to shell out cash needlessly - there's a recession on - and will happily have a crack at fixing this if it's likely to deliver a result, but it seems given the age of the bike that finding a trustworthy and competent mechanic is probably the best option.
TIA
Given I'm on leave at the moment I now have a chance to look at this, but although I'm a halfway competent rider, I'm a mostly incompetent mechanic. That said, I'm keen to learn, and happy to give things a go, but know my skill and tool limits. The bike is a 97 Suzuki Marauder VZ800V, coming up on 45000 kms. Last serviced about 6 months/6000 kms ago, so probably due for at least an oil change RSN.
Power delivery is fine, there's no major smoke blowing out the pipes, and oil consumption is negligible. The noise is not noticeable under load even at low speed, nor when I started up to return from the pub.
I have read my service manual, plus the last umpteen pages of this forum, plus another US site, for anything to do with engine noises and have reached the following conclusions:
Noises are effectively impossible to diagnose over the Internet
Engine noises may be located by using a screwdriver/garden hose - I'll do this tomorrow
Engine noises are not to be ignored! Even intermittent ones.
Top end noises can be related to valve clearances, cam chain tensioners, or cam chains about to pack in (among many others no doubt)
Cam chains have a typical life of about 45000 kms :sweatdrop
Cam chains slipping and/or breaking should be avoided at all costs as this buggers up your valves and pistons
It's probably within my capabilities to check/adjust the valve clearances, although apparently Marauders are particularly fiddly so I should budget many hours and maybe multiple attempts for a first time.
Cam chains/tensioners are further down in the service manual after the bit about using a crankcase separating tool, and other scary things, and V-Twin cam jobs may even be extra tricksy, so.. I'm thinking all cam chain/tensioner work is beyond my capabilities
In any event it looks like cam chain tensioners aren't really adjustable, the manual says check and if sticky replace.
....
Therefore I need a spannerman.
Can you knowledgable folks please confirm that my reasoning is correct? I don't want to shell out cash needlessly - there's a recession on - and will happily have a crack at fixing this if it's likely to deliver a result, but it seems given the age of the bike that finding a trustworthy and competent mechanic is probably the best option.
TIA