Please help???

[Green11]

can someone please answer my question?...i have a 79 xs1100 and i have unknowingly ran the bike with gas in the oil due to leaky petcocks or carb issues ...i now hear a loud taping/chatter noise on the top of the motor ...what have i destroyed??.should i worry???...or is it just time for valve adjustment ?..its old an the PO didnt take very good care of it ..ive only owned the bike for a couple of weeks...so its hard to say if that noise has always been there before i bought it...i probably bought a LEMON

[fredintoon]

can someone please answer my question?...i have a 79 xs1100 and i have unknowingly ran the bike with gas in the oil due to leaky petcocks or carb issues ...i now hear a loud taping/chatter noise on the top of the motor ...what have i destroyed??.should i worry???...or is it just time for valve adjustment ?..its old an the PO didnt take very good care of it ..ive only owned the bike for a couple of weeks...so its hard to say if that noise has always been there before i bought it...i probably bought a LEMON

Hi Scott and welcome,
compared to the booming knock of run main bearings, a top end clatter is a mere trifle.
What you should do is identify and fix the fuel leakage problem before you run the engine again.
Then do an oil and filter change. Then adjust the timing chain tension.
Clymer's and the search function should guide you through the procedures.
As to the bike being a lemon, ask yourself, how much did you pay for it?
The very worst case is that you bought a rolling chassis that needs a replacement engine and even that is fixable.

[MaximPhil]

can someone please answer my question?...i have a 79 xs1100 and i have unknowingly ran the bike with gas in the oil due to leaky petcocks or carb issues ...i now hear a loud taping/chatter noise on the top of the motor ...what have i destroyed??.should i worry???...or is it just time for valve adjustment ?..its old an the PO didnt take very good care of it ..ive only owned the bike for a couple of weeks...so its hard to say if that noise has always been there before i bought it...i probably bought a LEMON

Hi Green,
Welcome. All may not be lost. Obviously you will need to address the leak of gas at the source. Change the oil and filter. Run it for a bit and change the oil again. Listen if that quiets it down. BEFORE adjusting the valves or the timing chain tensioner. READ the Manual and tech tips on this site. Hey atleast it runs
Phil

[MaximPhil]

Fred types faster than me
Phil