Various teething problems

[sgd37]

Hello everyone,

I'm a year in my restoration and I got her started and she seems to work ok for most part however there is a clack or whistle that can be heard by the carburetors that I don't know what to make of. I've never heard one of these engines up close before. Could someone look at this video and tell me if she sounds ok.

https://youtu.be/5VnLKPBvT1w

Also she doesn't seem to want to run with the choke closed and I'm wondering if this is due to the air screws. Any tips for properly setting them or do the carbs need to be balanced for that?

Another odd  thing is that the oil light seems to go out when it runs and then immediately come back on when I stop the engine. As I understand it should take a few seconds.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Johnwebley]

the "clack" noise could be backlash in the primary chain,slapping around ,if you sync the carbs it should help,

 as for not running with the choke closed,its only for cold starts,and very efficient,when the engine starts you should need to open the choke maybe a quarter,and after a minute fully open,

 also set the tick over at 1,200 till you get it running sweetly ,

 see if these helps.

[davidrsmith]

Hi
I have just got my 550 running and had the same sort of noises, I took the bike to a local mechanic, he balanced the carbs and adjusted the tappets, it got rid of about 95% of the noise.

Even though the carb slides looked about even, when the mechanic put the vacuum gauges on they were wildly out, I was amazed at the difference with the carbs balanced.

The slow running screw on the bottom of each carb should be put fully in, then backed off 1 1/2 turns.

Dave

[hairygit]

Hopefully your mechanic adjusted the tappets BEFORE balancing your carbs, synchronisation should only be performed after all other items have been set correctly, including oil level.

Sent from my X6pro using Tapatalk

[Trigger]

Hopefully your mechanic adjusted the tappets BEFORE balancing your carbs, synchronisation should only be performed after all other items have been set correctly, including oil level.

Sent from my X6pro using Tapatalk

I always balance before doing the points for fine tuning

[sgd37]

Thanks for the advice everyone,

I probably need to readjust the cam chain tensioner as well, as I haven't since I started it. Will give it a tune up and balance the carbs and see the effects.

Trigger how do you fine tune the points exactly?

 I'm assuming that the oil light issue is nothing to worry about. Would a stuck oil filter have any effect on the light?

Thanks again

[sgd37]

Sorry to keep bringing this up,

But could the oil light coming back on quickly be an early sign of the main bearings wearing out, I did test them when I rebuilt it and they seemed within spec. Or are there too many things it could be?

Cheers 

[Trigger]

Sorry to keep bringing this up,

But could the oil light coming back on quickly be an early sign of the main bearings wearing out, I did test them when I rebuilt it and they seemed within spec. Or are there too many things it could be?

Cheers

I would be worried if I had just built a engine and the oil light came back on. Do you have oil at the top end ? Is your oil pump running at full pressure ?

[sgd37]

Well it doesn't come back on while running but there is no delay in it coming back on after I shut the engine off.

There is oil at the top end I removed the end caps and checked that oil flowed out. I might get my hands on a pressure gauge, do you know what the full pressure should be? Is there an easier way to check?

I have running in oil in it currently, wonder if it will behave any different with standard oil.

Cheers

[K2-K6]

Is the current oil different in viscosity to normal?
The decay of pressure is a function of the gaps in the various bearings in combination with the oil viscosity in use,  bigger gaps or thinner oil will change the time it takes to, in effect,  leak down the pressure after the oil pump stops.

[sgd37]

The advertised viscosity is 10w40.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Running-In-Oil-Breaking-In-Oil-Mineral-5L-5-Litres-/121850175015?hash=item1c5ed61e27:g:Q4IAAOSw1S9Wf~xH

So assuming it's true then it's possible that it's what I'm most afraid of and that I have somehow worn out the bearings since assembly. I haven't ridden it but I have cranked it a few hundred revs with just assembly lube.

Will get a pressure gauge and plug it into the pump. Try a thicker oil in the future maybe? Really don't want to open her up again.

[K2-K6]

If it meets that spec then it shouldn't give you a problem,  I also doubt very much that you've done any damage in that short running so although it seems odd I'd not worry unduly yet. An oil pressure reading would give you a more informed look at what's going on though to help decide if there's any problem.

[sgd37]

I think I may have a problem. When I was putting her back together I put a small amount of bonding compound around the hole that the 10 mm bolts that hold the bearings go through. I did this because when I took it apart there was left over compound in the hole, still stupid I know. I'm worried that I may have f upped the clearances and now shes eating bearings. I'm gonna change her oil out soon. Presumably there will be metal in the pan if that's the case.

Cheers