Nasty noise when pulling away

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Spankey
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:40 pm
My Bike: ZXR 400 L8
Location: Hemel Hempstead

Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by Spankey »

Hi all,

My beast has recently taken to making a rather nasty noise when pulling away, the only way I can describe it is that it sounds like there is a lot of gravel in the gearbox, and it really struggles to accelerate. Obviously not a good noise, any ideas what it could be? It has a rather noisy clutch as well, noise gets quieter when the lever is pulled in, would that have anything to do with it? I checked out previous posts but I couldn't find anything that mentioned this specific problem...

Over to you!
razzcolio
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Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by razzcolio »

Spankey wrote:It has a rather noisy clutch as well, noise gets quieter when the lever is pulled in, would that have anything to do with it?

not sure about ur first problem. but my clutch does the same and im led to believe this is normal...
cargo
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Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by cargo »

Chain and sprockets in good condition......................???????????????????????
Spankey
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:40 pm
My Bike: ZXR 400 L8
Location: Hemel Hempstead

Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by Spankey »

This I do not know... how would one go about checking this?

I knew about the clutches being loud, just wasn't sure if mine was overly loud and had something to do with it...
cargo
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Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by cargo »

Are you seriously asking me how to check your chain and sprockets ? ? ? ..............Have you ever adjusted your chain ?
Spankey
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:40 pm
My Bike: ZXR 400 L8
Location: Hemel Hempstead

Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by Spankey »

wait... no, the chain is lubed and doesn't have excessive play (was adjusted a month or so ago) the bike passed its MOT on Sunday as well and I watched him check it. I thought you were referring to the cam chain, which I have no idea how to check... Sorry confuddled
cargo
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Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by cargo »

You should be checking you chain everyday................A chain can certainly go from correctly adjusted to hanging on the ground in a month especially if it's getting near the end of it's life...............get down on your hands and knees and look
Spankey
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:40 pm
My Bike: ZXR 400 L8
Location: Hemel Hempstead

Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by Spankey »

It was adjusted a month or so ago, I do check it more regularly (though not every day). There is about 1cm movement up and down, maybe a smidge more. The adjuster still has room to move back and the rear sprocket seems to look in pretty good nick (all teeth even and present and don't look worn). Thats all good isn't it?
cargo
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Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by cargo »

1cm ??

bit tight me thinks...................

whats the front sprocket like ?
Spankey
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Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:40 pm
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Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by Spankey »

um not sure about that can't really see it at the moment, I have to take gubbins off to check properly don't I?... to be clear on the chain movement I meant 1cm up and 1cm down (maybe a smidge more)

... Sorry if I sound like an idiot... biggrin
cargo
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Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by cargo »

you got one thing right anyway...................


It pretty basic really this noise you are experiencing seems to happen when you move off...............so lets think about that for a moment

The bike is sitting there engine running and as you begin to move theres a noise................now which bits of the bike have changed in the action of starting to move forward.....................oh of course it's the wheels but what is making the wheel turn ................think................yes of course the chain and sprockets they start to move as well just as this noise appears.............so it must be the noise of loose change rattling in your pocket that you are hearing.

Easy really...............could also be the gearbox maybe the output shaft bearing or an internal bearing or some issue with the gearbox itself............or even the clutch but normally clutch problems manifest themselves when it starts to slip or wont lift properly............a bit of a rattle in the clutch that fades when you pull the lever in is normal enough............... or even a wheel bearing or a sprocket carrier bearing..............or and this is the biggie.........have you done anything recently to the bike like remove the wheel? or adjust the clutch or any other kind of "maintaince"

Now thats more or less the thought processes needed to find the source of this noise......go get your hands dirty
Spankey
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Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:40 pm
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Re: Nasty noise when pulling away

Post by Spankey »

... Touche sir... I shall be getting my act together and getting my digits dirty at the first opportunity!

Thank you for your time!
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