Author Topic: had to leave my bike, im walking home :( advice please.. UPDATE 10/05 (Read 3380 times)

andy8190 · « **on:** September 27, 2009, 03:02:07 PM »

ok so i was riding my bike and it seemed louder than normal didnt think anything about it but then came a clicking noise. cylinder 4 doesnt seem to be pushing out as much exhaust as all the rest, i felt the air coming out of the muffler. checked the oil and its so low i cant see it on the dip stick

. how do i know if i really messed anything up? i left the bike ther am walking home to get oil

bender01 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 27, 2009, 03:27:13 PM »

Maybe a valve adjustment nut came off? Id look before starting back up if its right on top still you might get it with a magnet. I really have no idea but its a hopeful guess. They do like oil.

andy8190 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2009, 03:31:00 PM »

yeah they do like it. i didnt even think about it bc i changed it not a super while back, i guess my bike just burns oil a lot. i did do a valve adjustment friday. if it helps anything it seemed like a pretty rythmic clicking.

andy8190 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2009, 03:32:28 PM »

i dont have any tools on me so i must walk

Hush · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2009, 04:28:50 PM »

Sounds like your #4 valve adjuster has come lose (un-adjusted its self) and therefore you will have less compression on that cylinder.
That clicking could be the lose tappet flying up and down and doing nothing.
Makes sense if you just did a valve adjust, these things are evil, they seem tight and then slacken themselves off.
Not sure about your oil problem, probably not connected at all.
I'd def lift the valve cover on #4 to see if that's all that has happened, if so all good and re-set the valve gap, hopefully the wee nuts and screws are still sitting in place.

JohnG · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2009, 04:40:27 PM »

If you can't see the oil on the stick then count the nut coming off the rocker arm as a blessing in disguise. You may have been minutes from turning it into a boat anchor!!

andy8190 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2009, 05:17:13 PM »

ok guys good news, or some atleast. i finally got home after walking 5 miles and got my friend to take me back. I put oil in it first and it took less than a quart to get back up to normal level prolly even less than half quart. Took the valve on number 4 intake and low and behold the nut was at the top of the screw. I tighted down, didnt have a feeler gauge so i just did it to where i could get just a little up and down gap. drove it home. Got home and still noticed week compression on the exhaust though, is this due to not the proper gap?

andy8190 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2009, 05:25:47 PM »

oh and the bad news, that tappet chewed up the tappet cover some. I wiped out all the debris i could from the cap but im sure some feel down. Will this little bit of debris really screw something up, or is the aluminum soft enough to just pass to the filter or something?

andy8190 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 27, 2009, 06:01:13 PM »

also a quick question. My bike sounds louder, like when i rev it the sound is louder and deeper than it seems like it used to me. Could changing the gas/air mixture effect this?

1timduke · « **Reply #9 on:** September 27, 2009, 07:49:46 PM »

Did you recently change the mixture, change exhaust? Did you check the other valve lashes? New mixture (jetting or filter) = a slightly different sound, change (or remove) exhaust, definitely new sound or loose exhaust clamps resulting in loss of backpressure and more noise. If you didn't check the other valves, better do so. Hope it helps.

-Tim

Hush · « **Reply #10 on:** September 27, 2009, 07:56:46 PM »

Also look for a hole in your muffler, the sound change and loss of back pressure may indicate this.
I'd say re-set your tappet and see how it goes.
Not sure about metal fillings, only two ways to do that, pull sump off and clean out filter etc or tear down motor and clean it out.
Being a cheap bastard I'd drain the oil, change the filter, clean out the sump and screen then top up with new oil....but I'm damn cheap.

mystic_1 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 27, 2009, 08:00:52 PM »

Having an improper valve lash could be causing both the noise and the lack of exhaust pressure. Get that sorted and I agree check all your other valves.

As to the debris, it should all end in the sump which is the next stop for the oil once it hits the tappet area. Pull the sump cover and flush some oil through the oil by pouring some in via the tappet covers until you believe you've retrieved all the fragments.

mystic_1

Gordon · « **Reply #12 on:** September 27, 2009, 08:02:29 PM »

Quote from: andy8190 on September 27, 2009, 05:25:47 PM

oh and the bad news, that tappet chewed up the tappet cover some. I wiped out all the debris i could from the cap but im sure some feel down. Will this little bit of debris really screw something up, or is the aluminum soft enough to just pass to the filter or something?

I'm with Hush. Change the oil and filter and clean the screen, etc. I'd probably even do it again in a couple hundred miles, but I'm paranoid like that. $:-\$ All it takes is for one tiny sliver of aluminum to get stuck in one of the oil jets leading to the top end and the camshaft and head are toast. Clean oil is cheap insurance.

I'm glad you figured out the problem, and you're lucky that the nut was still on the screw. They're no fun to fish out when you have no idea where they are.

andy8190 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 27, 2009, 08:57:59 PM »

what is a valve lash?

I did change carb bodies. I got some cb500 carb bodies and put all the insides from my cb550 in them. I was told the bodies are exactly the same so if i put my 550 parts in them is still should be ok though. I did move the needle position up to the middle notch because the PO had them down one, i think that was causing my running rich problem. I pulled just plug 4 and 1 today and 4 looked nice and tan but one looked really lean. I will check the rest tomorrow.

I plan on setting the valve tappets again tomorrow after its cool.

I have not touched the exhaust and i dont know why there would be a new hole in the bike because it did not sound like this the last time i ran it before changing out carb bodies

I have a uni air filter in, i have read that you usually dont have to change stock setup in the carbs for these filters though

One quick question off topic so i dont have to start a whole other thread, what is a reasonable price for a set of cb550 side cover emblems, i am buying some from a member and he said make him an offer. they look in pretty good shape

p.s. gordon i received the part and got it on, so far (even though a short ride today 14 miles) it seems to be doing great

mystic_1 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 27, 2009, 09:40:07 PM »

valve lash == valve clearance.

mystic_1

andy8190 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 27, 2009, 09:40:51 PM »

gotcha, never heard it called that

pablo78cb550 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 27, 2009, 10:08:15 PM »

i had that happen to my SR500. you might want to check the end of the valve. the tappet tap danced on the valve end and put a nice dip in it. so you could never get a good reading.
FYI

andy8190 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 27, 2009, 10:33:18 PM »

how would i go about doing that? im completely new to this

Hush · « **Reply #18 on:** September 27, 2009, 11:05:40 PM »

Just remove the valve cover and peep in through to see the end of the valve stem, it should be nice and flat, if it has a bad grove in it you may have trouble getting the valve gap right.
See I speak newbie perfectly.

andy8190 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 27, 2009, 11:09:26 PM »

haha i appreciate that hush. i will try to peak in there tomorrow if i have time

P.s. how about those All Blacks winning the Tri nations. they are going off at 1-1 favorites for the world cup coming up. think they can pull it off this time

Hush · « **Reply #20 on:** September 27, 2009, 11:20:41 PM »

If that bunch of girls play as bad as our cricket team I'll be highly pissed, they might be firing now but are known to peak too early, I wouldn't bet on them winning.

andy8190 · « **Reply #21 on:** September 27, 2009, 11:47:14 PM »

yes they are known to blow it come world cup time.

do you know what i should offer someone for a good set of side cover emblems, no one answered that yet for me

Hush · « **Reply #22 on:** September 28, 2009, 01:31:06 AM »

Sorry not sure on that, Kiwi $$ and US $$ not really compatible, I paid $30 for the Honda badge that goes across the forks?
See what they want on Ebay.

andy8190 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 28, 2009, 02:00:39 AM »

no luck ebay didnt have any

IHWillys · « **Reply #24 on:** September 28, 2009, 08:48:25 AM »

If you don't know the going price and are unable to suss that out here or elsewhere on the 'net(I don't know), try offering what they are worth to you. I'm sure you have an idea of what you'd like to pay for them, disregarding the "deal of the century" type. You might offer too much or too little. If the latter, the seller will let you know. If the former, well, you offered a price you felt was fair so what's the harm?

Ken

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Author Topic: had to leave my bike, im walking home :( advice please.. UPDATE 10/05 (Read 3380 times)