Short history:
I went for a ride with a couple of guys I met and 1 of them turned up on an 03 fe501.
It took a bit to get going, once going would need throttle to keep it going, wouldn't e-start (not even turn over) at all and was a real mission to get it kick started. It was basically running like a piece of crap all day. Hesitant, stalling and like it needed some major carb work - which it probably does.
It was obvious he isn't very mechanical and when I asked him about maintenance he says he changes the oil and cleans the filters.
This bike really gave Berg a bad name and so at the end of the day I put my hand up to take a look at his valve adjustment and decomp systems.
His valves were way out - so I done them by the 1/6th method.
The kicker decomp cable was wound right out and so totally ineffective.
I had nothing to measure the lift of the auto decomp but it was opening the valves but it didn't look to be very much and so I suspect it's worn.
I adjusted the kicker decomp.
It kicked over easily and started on the 3rd or 4th kick. Heaps better than the 25th that it was doing earlier in the day.
Once warm it would kick over OK on 1st or 2nd kick. Still struggled a bit on leccy leg and wouldn't start.
Heres the main problem:
Once running it makes quite a noticeable tick, tick, tick sound that seems to come from the front left but I can't really be sure.
I thought that it was my fault leaving a valve loose and so took the covers off and checked them all again. They were all good.
Started the same, same result - tick, tick, tick.
For the record I've done my valves many times and never ended up with noises etc.
It's an unusual sound and I'm confident it isn't valve adjustment related.
The bike now kick starts easily, still runs pretty ordinary but heaps better than before.
The noise may have been there prior, I didn't really notice but wasn't really listening either.
Any suggestions / possible causes greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance. Sorry about the long post.
Coops
I went for a ride with a couple of guys I met and 1 of them turned up on an 03 fe501.
It took a bit to get going, once going would need throttle to keep it going, wouldn't e-start (not even turn over) at all and was a real mission to get it kick started. It was basically running like a piece of crap all day. Hesitant, stalling and like it needed some major carb work - which it probably does.
It was obvious he isn't very mechanical and when I asked him about maintenance he says he changes the oil and cleans the filters.
This bike really gave Berg a bad name and so at the end of the day I put my hand up to take a look at his valve adjustment and decomp systems.
His valves were way out - so I done them by the 1/6th method.
The kicker decomp cable was wound right out and so totally ineffective.
I had nothing to measure the lift of the auto decomp but it was opening the valves but it didn't look to be very much and so I suspect it's worn.
I adjusted the kicker decomp.
It kicked over easily and started on the 3rd or 4th kick. Heaps better than the 25th that it was doing earlier in the day.
Once warm it would kick over OK on 1st or 2nd kick. Still struggled a bit on leccy leg and wouldn't start.
Heres the main problem:
Once running it makes quite a noticeable tick, tick, tick sound that seems to come from the front left but I can't really be sure.
I thought that it was my fault leaving a valve loose and so took the covers off and checked them all again. They were all good.
Started the same, same result - tick, tick, tick.
For the record I've done my valves many times and never ended up with noises etc.
It's an unusual sound and I'm confident it isn't valve adjustment related.
The bike now kick starts easily, still runs pretty ordinary but heaps better than before.
The noise may have been there prior, I didn't really notice but wasn't really listening either.
Any suggestions / possible causes greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance. Sorry about the long post.
Coops
