Top end noisey!

[xj11john]

Hey all you gurus, and wannabes like myself,
Ive noticed that my bike is pretty noisey in the top end, probably due to the gas-oil fiasco I had with it when I first got it.
"Gas doesnt lubricate so good", to quote a bike mechanic friend of mine.
Duh! anyway I'd definetly say he was on to something there, so anyway I use dino oil now - rotella 15w40, and ocassionally add some top end oil additive to the gas, but it is still noisey,
So.... I was wondering if short of replacing anything, should I go to synthetic oil just to cut down on the noise.
I KNOW There is a monster thread on OIL.. but I really dont want to read all that again! just looking for some advice on the subject in realation to my noisey problem...
.... Oh and hi everyone... since it has been a few months since Ive been on the site.
Thanks a bunch.

[randy]

John,

Is everything properly adjusted? Check valve clearances and adjust cam chain. Set timing with a strobe light. There is no magic oil to fix worn parts, but proper clearances willl make it as quiet as it'll get without having to do major work.

[mro]

pretty noisey in the top end

Probably the single most annoying thing about XS11's to me is the top end "noise".

I had adjusted the valves/cam chain, still noisy. Checked adjustments and reset cam chain. Pulled tensioner and checked that. Changed oil and brand.

Thought maybe I was doing something wrong untill I got to hear several other XSes. Turns out mine is not as loud as a few other guys....

Took awhile to sorta get used to. Then Simplyd1 came by my shop and dropped off a wind shield. Week or so later stuck it on and went for a ride. WTF....Changed the acoustics and can hear even more noises from the top end

They are a little quiter, right after putting a new chain in em. Had split the cases for a few last year. Since went that far saw no reason to not put in new chains.


mro

[TopCatGr58]

Hey John,

What everybody has said! Your real problem is that your exhaust is too quiet!!

You might try a thicker grade oil on your next change going to 50wt for the top range. But yeah, full synthetics are not recommended due to possibility of clutch problems, as well as possibly new leaks past gaskets!

But just realize that these machines are rather noisy, as long as you have verified that your cam chain isn't Xsively slack and clearances are within spec, you'll be good to go!
T.C.

[HobbyMan]

Castrol GTX 20w-50 works well for me.. I do not want to ignite that conversation. Adjust your cam, makes a BIG difference. Your valves are probalby making a bit of noise because of lack of adjustment. I don't hear anything on my 80G, but on my Dad's 79F w/fairing it is extreemly noisy.

[xj11john]

Thanks All for responding, and sorry for the long wait on a responce.

I will probably check valve clearances some time, right now too busy.

Actually I was running the Castrol 20W50 and after switching to the Rotella 15W40 made it quieter.

I am starting to think that living on a gravel road that gets alot of travel- all those cages kiking up the dust- and only having a bike cover over the bike, along with worn out indivulal oval K&N Style air filters may have something to do with it. I'm thinking my bike may have ring wear due to the dust being sucked through these gauze style filters that you really can see through- I know I needed to stop being so cheap and buy new ones, but me with the "I can fix them"- mentality, I didn't buy new ones.

Even after adjusting the timing chain tensioner the top end was noisey- Even for these bikes, but then I do have a windshield (windscreen- not fairing) so I do realize that it will be more noisey since it does cut down on wind across the ears.

So I will either check the clearances or have them checked, since my valve cover/half moons are leaking anyway. The bike has about 41,000 mi. on it.

Also, the other morning I noticed black smoke coming out of the right tail pipe, and I'm hoping that it is not burning oil.
It stopped after warmed up, (I do have a idle mixture screw that does not do much in adjusting on #4 carb, so probably has a broken needle, but bike runs too good to pull off carbs now.)
Thanks again for your comments.

[Pat Kelly]

You should be able to see light through an airfilter. Once light dosen't pass through then it's time to replace or (in the case of K&N and most foam filters) clean/re-oil them.
K&N warranties their filters for 1 million miles.

[DiverRay]

John,
Black smoke is running rich, BLUE smoke is oil, and probably a worn engine. I would expect you need to adjust the valves. Please DO NOT go too long, as the valves will tighten, and you can end up with a burnt valve, and major money outlay.
Ray

[DELL82]

My xj1100j is a little noisy and SINGS TO ME after 60MPH, sweet . When you change to K&N individual filters what holds up the carb rack? Right now I have the OEM air box on and it has a bracket that holds up the intake side of the rack. I was afraid to change over because my exhaust manifolds are 24 years old and outer layer is cracked, didn't want to put additional load on them.

[xj11john]

Pat,

These filters were being rubbed by a bad fuel line routing I had done when I installed in-line fuel filters, the rubbing had accually caused holes in the wire mesh, and you could see completely through with no gause in places. I know what you mean about "seeing through" a filter using a light or looking through it at the sun, but believe me these things are worn out, I even had to take silocone and some medical gause to patch them on these holes.

But having no garage and forgetting to cover the bike at times, I'm sure some lime rock, gravel, and such would be coating these poor filters, since we live on a road that dusts everything in our yard, but the good news is we are moving to our "new" house in a couple of weeks, it is not a new one but it is new to us, and we're thrilled with it!

These are the K&N style but unfortunetly they are not stamped K&N, they are some other brand, they are not marked.

DiverRay,

Thanks for that advise, I was thinking the other day about the black smoke and remembered that black smoke was a rich mixture, and I remembered that one of my idle adjusting screws was stripped - on #4 specifically, you can adust it and it doesnt make much difference in the idle unless you tighten it all the way closed, so thats where the black smoke was coming from.

Dell82,

there is nothing to support the carb rack, so I took wire and went around the rack of carbs and then to the frame under the gas tank, but that still doesnt work the greatest, the wire seems to get loose and then the carbs are wearing on the boots, and getting cracked, there must be a better way to support the carbs
Anyone with some ideas or solutions for the support of the carbs??

Thanks again for your comments!

[Ken Talbot]

Originally posted by xj11john
Anyone with some ideas or solutions for the support of the carbs??

A drum roll please...

are you ready for it...

a stock airbox!

Yeah, I know lots of guys like the looks of the indy filters, but I look at this as one area where Yamaha had the right idea.

YMMV

[motoman]

I will definitely second that Ken!!..........Using any type filter housings other than stock cause alot of negative variables that WILL decrease overall performance.

[79XS11F]

Having Pod air filters is going to allow you to hear more valve noise that's for sure. As has been pointed out these bikes do create a fair amount of noise in the top end. There's a lot going on just under that thin valve cover. If your sure your cam chain and shims are adjusted properly there's not much you can do about the noise.
I have however been told that top end noise can be reduced somewhat by adjusting valve lash to as close as possible to being the same at all intake valves and again for all the exhaust valves. This involves having a lot of shims on hand and of course whatever number you go with must be within the specs for the intake and exhaust sides. I have not tried this yet because I just don't have a lot of shims on hand.
Rob