Primary chain slap?
Thread Starter
|
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
RE: Primary chain slap?
I heard the slapping sound last on Saturday, rode it Sunday and today and heard nothing. I'm fairly confident it was the primary chain just at its loosest point before being ratcheted up to the next step on the adjuster. Knowing how it works makes this seem like the most likely scenario, although I'm surprised it would allow itself to get that loose between adjustments. When I checked it Sunday AM it wasn't loose enough to slap, IMO, so maybe it had adjusted itself before that time. Once on a step on the adjuster it can't come back down.
When I tried to isolate the sound I put my ear directly to the outer cover, without actually touching it when hot of course, and the noise was clearly in the area where the chain would slap against the housing. There isn't anything else in that area. I'll keep my ears open, though.
When I tried to isolate the sound I put my ear directly to the outer cover, without actually touching it when hot of course, and the noise was clearly in the area where the chain would slap against the housing. There isn't anything else in that area. I'll keep my ears open, though.
Thread Starter
|
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
RE: Primary chain slap?j No comments?
ORIGINAL: Mississippi Bagger
Did you rotate the engine to make sure that you only had 5/8 inch play at the loosest point?
Did you rotate the engine to make sure that you only had 5/8 inch play at the loosest point?
Thread Starter
|
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
RE: Primary chain slap?j No comments?
ORIGINAL: Beemervet
My '98 is doing the same thing. I have the Hayden M6 tensioner, but I have maxed out the shims and there is too much slack in the chain. New bikes don't have an inspection cover do they? I don't think looking through the derby will give you a good idea about the chain. (BTW, bad compensators usually sound like a bottom end slap and not intermittent.) If the chain is hitting the inside of the primary, you will have some aluminum in your primary oil. Take the cover off and check for marks, it's obvious. Maybe time for a new chain for both of us.
My '98 is doing the same thing. I have the Hayden M6 tensioner, but I have maxed out the shims and there is too much slack in the chain. New bikes don't have an inspection cover do they? I don't think looking through the derby will give you a good idea about the chain. (BTW, bad compensators usually sound like a bottom end slap and not intermittent.) If the chain is hitting the inside of the primary, you will have some aluminum in your primary oil. Take the cover off and check for marks, it's obvious. Maybe time for a new chain for both of us.
Bikes with the auto-tensioner have no inspection cover, so I can only peer through my derby cover to see the chain. You can see well enough with a flashlight and long screwdriver to know if the chain is too loose. The sound did not originate from the front of the primary cover, but rather toward the middle where you'd expect a slapping noise from a loose chain. Anyway, like I mentioned, it seems to be gone for now, so I presume it adjusted itself. This noise was sporadic, maybe once every 5-10 sec. when at idle and stopped when the engine was revved beyond that. This was identical to my memories of older bikes with loose-chain slap.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
