knocking sounds!!!!!!!!!!!

ok i went to go find out what the knocking sound comminf from my bike and the tech said it was my cam shaft timing chain it knocks at low rpm how would one fix that?

 

If your going to be doing your own service you need to get a manual for it.

23. Rotate the crankshaft counterclockwise and
align the "C" mark on the timing plate with the
fixed pointer (Figure 66).

26. Loosen the holding bolt on the chain
tensioner. There should be an audible click as the
tensioner is released and comes in contact with the
chain. Make sure it does move into the chain; if
not, remove it and correct any binding. Tighten the
holding bolt to 4.3 ft.-lb. (6 N*m) and the locknut
to 6.5 ft.-lb. (9 N«m).

 

is there a free manual

 

Errr... there are "free" manuals out there but I would warn against them. Some carry viruses and ALL that I have seen are copyright violations.
Spring the $10 and get the XJCD, it has the manual and sooooo much more.

 

Couldn't have been much of a Tech to just "Tell" you it was your Timing Chain and not advise you of the problems having a loose Timing Chain can cause.

If the Timing Chain is loose enough for you to hear it flapping around in ther at low rpm ... you are dangerously close to throwing the Chain and kissing your Engine good-bye!

Inn the time it takes for a Strobe Light to flash once ... your Engine is going to come to a halt if you throw the Timing Chain.
You will lose control and crash.

All you need to do to rectify the situation is Manually take-up the Slack in your Timing Chain.
The process is pretty simple and a you don't need to do all that much, even though (according to the Yamaha Web Site) you have a MANUAL Chain Tensioner.

Here's what to do:
Go to this site and order the Manual.
Read the Section on Manually Resetting the Cam Chain Tensioner.
The book costs $80.00
You are saving the cost of needing a new Engine and a week to 10 days in the Intensive Care Ward.

We fix our own bikes in here.
The most important TOOL is having the Manual.
Personally ... I frown on the Plagiarists and Bootleggers.
Show me you care enough about your bike to BUY a book and I'll help you tune it up for Race Day!

There's a Copyright between you and me.

Here's your Link for getting the 550 ready to roar!

http://www.yamahapubs.com/html/itemsear ... el=XJ550RK

 

hollllllllllllyyyyyyyyyy kaaaabooodleeeee uhm i guess im off the bike till my next check is in thanks for the biiiiiiggg warning

 

If I may Rick, Chacal sells the factory books at half the price.

 

What a deal!
So, for half the price you get the complete Factory Manual.
Go for it!

Don't we have a Thread for the proper method of taking out the Cam Chain Slack on a bike with a Manual Tensioner.

I thought someone did one recently, complete with pictures.

What troubles me is the Lad who came-in and asked, Posted a pic of his with the missing locking bolt and was never heard from again!

 

ok i did something i took a wooden spoon and stuck the end in my ear and the spoon part to different parts of the engin and transmition well the knocking sound is comming from the the cover that hides the chain where the shifter is at and and the stater i put the spoon where the cam chain is and no knocking sound the knocking sound is comming from only the left side of the bike i dont think the tech that took a 30 seconed look at the bike didnt know what it was because he only works on harleys but the sound is comming from thoes two things and just mabye the generator but mostly where the chain cover for the back wheel is

so i put the bike on the stand to lift up the back tire and i put it in first gear and i let the tire spin a idle and it was still knocking the 2 3 4 5 and i was still knocking at idle im starting to think its the cluch because i just tryed it like 2 seconeds ago and i pull in the cluch and the knocking sound goes away

so is there any new thoughts

 

no one any one hmmmm

 

First:

Get the slack out of the Timing Chain!

Some noises are good noises. You might be listening to Valve closing.
You'll know better once the slack is out of that Chain.

I'll bring a book up from the shop and outline the procedure for getting the slack out of a bike with a Manual Tensioner.

I'll do that sometime this evening.
Look between the two middle carbs on the back of the block and see if you can locate the timing chain tensioner and lets be sure what kind it is.

Is there a locking bolt on the right side of the tensioner?
If there is you have a Manual Tensioner and its not too hard to manage the slack out!

I'll be researching the technique and posting it here after sundown!

 

i found what i looks like its a peice that has two hex screws that is bolted to the head and then it has it looks like a 10mm head thats pointing out the right side am i wrong?

 

Bingo!
That's the Tensioner.

Now you have to take-off the Left side Crank Case cover and turn the Engine over by hand in the opposite way it normally rotates ... coming to a stop at the C mark.

Then, loosen that Bolt on the side of the Tensioner and let the Plunger push the Slack presented before it out and retighten it.

Someone with a Manual Tensioner will fill-in the blanks.
I'll look it up an post it if someone else doesn't chime-in by then.

 

You rotate counterclockwise, which is the way the engine normally turns.

1 - Remove timing cover on LH side of engine.

2 - Turn slowly counterclockwise until the C aligns with the pointer.

3 - Loosen lock bolt on RH side of tensioner. You should hear it click as it tightens.

4 - Tighten lock bolt.

 

Cam Chain Rattle (Death Rattle is exactly that : a rattle.
It has to get real loud before it's means Instant death. Some run years with it.. But Don't Try It
Knocking is something entirely different.. Could ven be something in the clutch area as you described. Unless you have experience or a useable manual and have Read and understoodf it.. Don't ..go rushing to fix things there's a High probability of causing yrself serious grief.
Go slow .. fewer self induced misstakes/problems that way.

There are 2 manuals that I have downloaded that applies to our bikes (Sadly I've no idea of the URL) One a Haynes the other a Clymers (much better).
I just last week downloaded the Honda Factory Service Manual for my younger Son's.. Brand New Honda 600rr Yup! a Month old Model and already the Factory Manual is available for Download
Ain't the Internet grand... No hassles. no Viruses, likely gonna cost me a fortune to print off the 300 pages tho... but it's only moments to scan something with an antivirus pgm. (AVG is a Decent FREE Virus pgm Google it)

 

Sorry to be waaay off topic, but at what point do the Manufactureres just not care about Copyright infringements??? Does the Model A FORD forum worry about Proprietary Information, or does FORD support any attempt at keeping the Relics on the road ???
I'm just saying that at 25 years or more, we're not stepping on anyone's toes, especially when the dealer doesn't even want to look at us !!!

 

So, your going to download the whole 300 Pages, huh?

Just be sure you download Page 2 ... too.

The Page with the Copyright and Date.

 

it doesn't seem the Yamaha factory site has XJ650 manuals as far back as 1981. There is another vendor selling .pdf versions described as factory manuals for $9.95. Anyone have experience (or comments) re: these?

http://www.servicemanualz.com/yamaha_xj ... anual.html

 

that web site looks fishy. it looks almost exactly like another site http://www.repairmanuallibrary.com, but cheaper.
sounds like one bought a copy of each pdf and re-sold them for a different price. I don't see any mention of any kind of relation or authorization with any of the original publishers, so legality is questionable. one site does not provide any contact info other than the WHOIS record.

More than likely the PDF's are just scans of the originals, and they are a pain to navigate unless you bookmark everything. You cannot do simple things like search, unless you take the time and OCR the whole manual.

I unwittingly bought the 550's manual on CD on eBay which turned out to be just a burn of the same scanned PDF's. It's a pain. I like the printed version a lot better, especially since I can lay right next to the bike. the extra couple of dollars are worth it, IMHO.

 

I'll agree, Stero, that one does look fishy.
And TIMEtoRIDE, when does something illegal stop being illegal? It is simply a matter of principle. I'm sure your quite right about the Ford model A (good argument by the way) but copyright infringment is what it is. It is stealing.

 

Well it is stealing, and I don't have a dog in the race anyway- - I got the XJCD. I'm just saying after a period of time, the Manufacturers should want to give the accurate info away to the classic enthusiasts.
To prepetuate the heritage- - to reward brand loyalty.
And a free download from Yamaha would destroy the pirates !

 

Your reasoning is sound and I agree, it would be a major boost to the enthusiests and would kill the pirates in one fell swoop!