Alpha

[desert1]

Looks like I will be taking Alphas engine apart, shes developed a knock.....ah well a golden opportunity to learn more about engines. Looks like the Maine ride will be out for me this year.
Bruce Doucette
78XS1100
Alpha

[Ken Talbot]

Don't despair, Bruce, it could be a simple as a slipped cam chain tension adjuster.

[desert1]

The sound has got a douple rap sound like a repeating "Dah- dah, dah-dah" possibly a piston insert or bearing. I will keep an ear on it and ride the bike minammly till I get some time to work on it Your right Ken it could be something simple. the end is not near.....let the guys know when I,m inside and what i find......

Bruce

[TopCatGr58]

Originally posted by desert1
The sound has got a douple rap sound like a repeating "Dah- dah, dah-dah" possibly a piston insert or bearing. I will keep an ear on it and ride the bike minimally till I get some time to work on it Your right Ken it could be something simple. the end is not near.....let the guys know when I,m inside and what i find......

Bruce

Ooooh, with that type of sound, it does sound ominously like a connecting rod clamp may have come loose, and so it hits one side when the piston fires, then hits the other side when the crank turns and carries the piston thru the exhaust stroke and then finds the other side of the "GAP" when it pulls the piston back down for the intake stroke!?

Then, again, maybe it's just trying to evolve into a HARLEY

[strom]

If it's a sound, like sbd knocking on a wooden door, then that's probbably it (what topcat wrote).

In that case, it's quite some work, but since I've never heard of sth like those bolts loosening, u're in trouble.
Don't ride the bike... the engine might seize due to metal shavings of the bearing (that fell apart).
In the best case, u'll have to replace the bearing (bout 25$), in the worst case u'll have to replace the crankshaft, one rod and one bearing.
Since there's a lot of parts bikes there, there should be no problem obtaining the parts...
But once again.. don't ride the bike till u know what the problem is. If the engine seizes, u'll probably have to replace the whole engine, and that aint cheap.

If top speed is down, then this is probbably it.

If top speed is the same and the sound is clicking, check the camshafts.

Or it may be sth else... (I hope)

When u determine the cause... a bearing or a camshaft... check the oil pressure, or if u have engine apart, dissasemble the oil pump, degrease it, check for scrapes and grooves, put it back together and shake. If u hear a ringing sound, it has too much play and cannot provide sufficent oil pressure (check cleaning the guts posts).

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but **** happens.
I went through a similar thing with the kawa, and I recommend buying a case of beer, and hide all the mallots and heavier hammers... cause u probably WILL be tempted to use them.

LP

[sixtysix]

Bruce! Sorry to hear it is getting worse, if it turns into something terminal than you can alway get one of these:

[desert1]

Thanks for the support and tips Guys, I, m thinking its piston connecting rod, bike still has plenty of power and no other noises and whatever it is I will tear it apart and repair it..yeah krap happens, just something to overcome and learn more about these engines. I did want to get a ring job done anyway.......

Bruce Doucette
78XS1100
Alpha

[xssiveone]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by desert1
[B]Thanks for the support and tips Guys, I, m thinking its piston connecting rod, bike still has plenty of power and no other noises and whatever it is I will tear it apart and repair it..yeah krap happens, just something to overcome and learn more about these engines. I did want to get a ring job done anyway.......


Bruce, just in case you don't need the ring job, you don't need to touch the top end just to replace the crank and rod bearings. Just trying to save you some cash.

[Phill the strat]

Mr Bruce,...
hmmmmm thought I recognised the "Alpha" name....

"A knock" that don't sound good by anyone's standards.....these motors don't knock, unless the big end bearings get stuffed.....AGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH.......

Thicker oil perhaps, plus some sawdust???????

Phill

[desert1]

Just about to ride in and get a second opinion from Toads Cycle Works on Alphas fix. Heck, maybe a few ounces of flour in the gearbox is the ticket Phill........at worst I could always park her in the kitchen and use her as a tea towel holder..... oops, that would be plagiaristic in a figurative sense.

Hope I'm in the right forum.

Bruce
Alpha. "Knocking on heavens door?"

[desert1]

My Elevens a 10

When arriving at Toads Cycle Works the boss and owner of the business came over and I asked him for a minute ( understand that this Guy has been building bikes from the ground-up for years and knows his bikes) to give a listen to the my bike. He checks it out real carefully holding the throttle in various stages then retrieves a stethescope from his shop and listens......not a thing wrong with this engine he says, what your hearing is due to the Vacc. advance mechanism and dried rubber components in the cam chain guides and related parts.....he says ride her! Sounds great for the year, he says!

Owls had is back on Bill and Mark if your reading this!!

Bruce
78XS1100
Alpha

[Jdwags]

Great News Bruce

Bruce,

That is GREAT News!! I'm happy to hear that. I was a bit worried as well as I heard a little "noise" from the Mongrel after finally getting some great results on the carb tune.... was hoping it wasn't thinking about its days under the tarp in the Po's back yard.

I think i have it worked out though..

Glad your back off the center stand..

[desert1]

long road back

For the majority of our bikes its a long road back to running half decent since its common to hear that they have been purchased from someone who parked it in the yard or if luckier, out of the weather in a shed, forgotten somewhere. I don't know if I will ever get this bike to run half decent but i keep trying to figure it out when something is amiss and I think I'm getting closer... I just bought new grips (chrome and fancy) and a new air filter and soon a new back tire.....now I think I will head out for a ride!

By the way Gary, keep looking for Triumphs around these parts like yours but have'nt seen one yet. Then again, there a quick bike.


Jeff, I will send you some recent pics of my bike and the hard bags.

Bruce
78XS1100
Alpha

[sixtysix]

Re: long road back

Originally posted by desert1
By the way Gary, keep looking for Triumphs around these parts like yours but have'nt seen one yet. Then again, there a quick bike.
Bruce
78XS1100
Alpha

Actually no faster than an XS top speed is 132 or something. Too much fairing, bags and weight to push any faster I guess, besides this is a touring bike , glad they didn't find anything terminal on Alpha!

[Phill the strat]

G'day Alpharider,
hmmmmmm well that was a bit of good decision making to get this guy to listen to yer motor, via a stethoscope....the clickclack of the vacc advance mech is "always" there, but the diagnosis that the cam chain slippers are also making some noise is pretty deep.

Hmmmmmmmmmm and all this from a guy who stands in front of a Marshall stack all day huh???? heheheheheh

Just put deeper ear plugs in bruce...you won't hear any knocking at all..

Phill