I have been riding my Spyder for about 3 months now and am now getting past the honeymoon stage and am now hearing the sounds it makes better because I have a better understanding of how it is built.. I have a few symptoms and I am wondering if someone would like to take a shot at diagnosing. I already have my own opinions but I am hoping someone smarter will convince me one way or another.
1st thing:
The drive belt wines (which I consider normal even though I never have heard this on a harley)
Problem is sometimes when I turn (could be right or left) is makes a sound which I can only describe as sounding like the belt is rubbing against the flange very hard sort of a groan. Inspection of the front and rear pulleys shows no grooving but the Belt is less than a 1/16 away from the inside flange on the rear pulley.
I believe the wining is from being overly tight even though I just had the dealer check tension. This sound may be normal and probably is.
I believe the groaning is because of rubbing on the flange. (it sounds like it is coming from the front though. I think an adjustment might help but have been reluctant since the dealer said it was fine and because there is so much talk about tension and adjustment. I am an old harley guy and the way I have always done it is to make sure that it was tight enough to not slip and centered on the rear pulley. (Harley pulleys are cupped to keep the belt in the middle
Probem 2 I am now hearing lifters ticking which may be normal for a shimmed valve engine. This is only the second I have ever owned and I suspect that this is quite normal... I really don't feel like disassembling everything to get down to the valve covers and checking if it is typical. I am also thinking it might be possible that I am hearing a Y pipe gasket leaking.
Problem 3...
This machine has the Hindle exhaust. I have not checked for a Green filter but suspect if I opened the air box I would find one because this bike (bought used) has so many mods. There is no juice box, not sure about O2 fix. I suspect this is causing all of the below:
Problem 4
This is the general running of the engine which is all tied to mods but not sure
Idle is rough and 1400 rpms or so.
Big dead spot between 2,800 and 3,800 RPM
Sometimes when I start the bike and then back up and change to forward it will start to what seems like hit on only 1 cylinder for a few seconds. Killing it and restarting fixes this or just reving the engine for a few seconds (maybe as much as 10)
After decelerating with the clutch engaged, it sometimes stutters when I twist the throttle.
sometimes pops and cracks when decelerating.
I am thinking I need to....
Loosen the belt and adjust the it one way or another untill I stop the groaning (this happens only when it is hot out.. Clearly because of tackiness of the belt. I thought I would losen the belt with 1/2 turn on left side thus loosening it a little and moving the belt out slightly. If this fix's the groan I will be happy .. If I have moved it out a little and it is still groaning I might try the other direction.
I will pull off the tupperware on both sides, and use s cigarette to see if there is exhaust blowing out from either of the gaskets.. if so I will replace
I am really strongly considering ditching the Hindle. It is way too loud for this type of vehicle, and I suspect nearly all my rough running and performance problems are related to this
Any other suggestions?
Is this just the nature of the Beast?
Help
1st thing:
The drive belt wines (which I consider normal even though I never have heard this on a harley)
Problem is sometimes when I turn (could be right or left) is makes a sound which I can only describe as sounding like the belt is rubbing against the flange very hard sort of a groan. Inspection of the front and rear pulleys shows no grooving but the Belt is less than a 1/16 away from the inside flange on the rear pulley.
I believe the wining is from being overly tight even though I just had the dealer check tension. This sound may be normal and probably is.
I believe the groaning is because of rubbing on the flange. (it sounds like it is coming from the front though. I think an adjustment might help but have been reluctant since the dealer said it was fine and because there is so much talk about tension and adjustment. I am an old harley guy and the way I have always done it is to make sure that it was tight enough to not slip and centered on the rear pulley. (Harley pulleys are cupped to keep the belt in the middle
Probem 2 I am now hearing lifters ticking which may be normal for a shimmed valve engine. This is only the second I have ever owned and I suspect that this is quite normal... I really don't feel like disassembling everything to get down to the valve covers and checking if it is typical. I am also thinking it might be possible that I am hearing a Y pipe gasket leaking.
Problem 3...
This machine has the Hindle exhaust. I have not checked for a Green filter but suspect if I opened the air box I would find one because this bike (bought used) has so many mods. There is no juice box, not sure about O2 fix. I suspect this is causing all of the below:
Problem 4
This is the general running of the engine which is all tied to mods but not sure
Idle is rough and 1400 rpms or so.
Big dead spot between 2,800 and 3,800 RPM
Sometimes when I start the bike and then back up and change to forward it will start to what seems like hit on only 1 cylinder for a few seconds. Killing it and restarting fixes this or just reving the engine for a few seconds (maybe as much as 10)
After decelerating with the clutch engaged, it sometimes stutters when I twist the throttle.
sometimes pops and cracks when decelerating.
I am thinking I need to....
Loosen the belt and adjust the it one way or another untill I stop the groaning (this happens only when it is hot out.. Clearly because of tackiness of the belt. I thought I would losen the belt with 1/2 turn on left side thus loosening it a little and moving the belt out slightly. If this fix's the groan I will be happy .. If I have moved it out a little and it is still groaning I might try the other direction.
I will pull off the tupperware on both sides, and use s cigarette to see if there is exhaust blowing out from either of the gaskets.. if so I will replace
I am really strongly considering ditching the Hindle. It is way too loud for this type of vehicle, and I suspect nearly all my rough running and performance problems are related to this
Any other suggestions?
Is this just the nature of the Beast?
Help
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