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Noise and Vibration While Riding

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by Antothoro, Aug 27, 2021.

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  1. Antothoro

    Antothoro Member

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    I'm hearing a kind of whining and feeling a vibration in the clutch lever.

    Decided to take a video of the situation.



    Thoughts?
     
    Antothoro, Aug 27, 2021
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  2. JCH

    JCH Active Member

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    One of them is a exhaust leak and the whine noise I'm not sure about but maybe in the stator move around the engine with a piece of hose in the ear or long screw driver and see if you can duplicate the noise at idle to try and pinpoint both noises.
     
    JCH, Aug 28, 2021
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  3. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    Can you duplicate the noise with the bike on the center stand, or does it only occur when riding?

    Also: Please keep all questions about your bike in one thread. It makes diagnosis much easier. The history of what's been looked at and done really helps.
     
    k-moe, Aug 28, 2021
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  4. Franz

    Franz Well-Known Member

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    Clutch basket bearing?
     
    Franz, Aug 28, 2021
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  5. Jetfixer

    Jetfixer Well-Known Member

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    That sounds like the speedometer is making the noise, easy enough ...disconnect speedometer, ride bike see if noise stops . If that is it pull cluster open up lube the pinion and lube speedometer cable .
     
    Jetfixer, Aug 28, 2021
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  6. Antothoro

    Antothoro Member

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    It's the speedo. Unhooked the speedo cable and the noise went away.
     
    Antothoro, Sep 1, 2021
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  7. JCH

    JCH Active Member

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    Nice easy fix if your ok with out your speedo,you can just use your tach RPM for MPH
     
    JCH, Sep 2, 2021
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  8. Jetfixer

    Jetfixer Well-Known Member

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    The first time this happened to me , I was slowing down for a stop light ...I thought I was dragging a tree branch it was so LOUD stopped looked over bike found nothing took off and it sounded like a jet engine , pulled over disconnected speedo cable ...no more noise. When I got home removed cluster , pulled speedo lubed the cable, the pinion inside speedometer, put it back together and no more noise. My theory is the pinion dries out after 30 plus years , all I know is it worked for me .
     
    Jetfixer, Sep 2, 2021
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  9. Antothoro

    Antothoro Member

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    I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with the pinion inside the speedo. Am I thinking about this correctly that I'll have to tear down the cluster ?
     
    Antothoro, Sep 2, 2021
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  10. Jetfixer

    Jetfixer Well-Known Member

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    Yes the pinion is connected to the speedometer needle , your option is to try to open cluster or look for a used speedo. I believe you have a 550 is that correct? My xj750 Seca has a different cluster that can be opened fairly easy , as to the 550 I cannot say how easy this might be.
     
    Jetfixer, Sep 2, 2021
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  11. Antothoro

    Antothoro Member

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    Been riding around without the speedo hooked up... The tach started whining. I guess I need to take them both apart ;-)
     
    Antothoro, Sep 3, 2021
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  12. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    It's most likely just that the cables need to be cleaned and lubricated.
     
    k-moe, Sep 4, 2021
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  13. Antothoro

    Antothoro Member

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    So, I pulled the speedo cable, wiped it down, sprayed cable cleaner in the shaft to lube it. nice junky liquid came out. Still got the noise. It's more intermittent now. So that's better. I'm still thinking that i need to lube the speedo itself. Can I just spray chain lube into the speedo?
     
    Antothoro, Sep 6, 2021
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  14. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    The innards of the speedometer are sealed. The only thing that can be lubed from the outside is the socket for the cable end.

    Cable cleaner is not a suitable lubricant for a speedometer cable. It really needs to run in grease, or a sticky chain-lube.
     
    k-moe, Sep 6, 2021
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