So encountered a strange issue today while going for the first ride of the season.
So while going out on a ride, I noticed that the engine was vibrating at a pretty steady interval meaning it would be running vibrate a bit then stop and then after a couple of second start vibrating again. It happened all of a sudden, and it happened if the clutch was in, in neutral, or just running normally. I was trying to find the source of it, then I turned the engine off to see what I could see. Started the bike back up and it the vibration seemed to have gone away. It was the weirdest thing. While I was riding back to camp, I'm not 100% sure if it was just in my head or not, but the bike seemed to be vibrating a little more than in the past, but the bike ran fine.
If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it because that had me baffled.
I'd pull the stator cover and check the flywheel, see if anything is amiss in there.
If the woodruff key sheared and the flywheel moved, the timing would be off and it would be popping and/or backfiring so I don't think it's that.
Lots of vibration is usually related to the clutch gears not being aligned with the 3 marks when reassembled.
If it's minor vibration it could be loose, broken, or missing mount bolts or
**** frame.
I was thinking it might be something to do with the flywheel only because I sheared off the woodruff key back in May due to the flywheel not being torqued down enough (long story short-- performed field surgery on stator, didn't have a torque wrench on me, keep riding).
I don't think the punches could be misaligned only because over the summer when I replaced all the seals I missed the third punch and the bike vibrated like hell. I did notice some grooving on the clutch basket which I filed down.
What has me confused is the regular interval of the vibration and the fact that it went away after I shut off and restarted the bike. Not sure if it's relevant, but about ten minutes before the vibrations began I started to run out of gas before I switched the petcock to reserve.
I'm just hoping I don't have to do too much tearing into the engine, I was hoping to make it out to the dunes on Thanksgiving.
As stated check flywheel , also check crank bering while the cover is off. I've seen sled engines drop there balls, after a cage failure does exactly the same thing. ( never seen a Lt do it but possible). If you dont find anything its possible the balancer shaft key sheared and will catch when you shut it off. Under harder acceleration it will slip again, Coming and going. I always put the balancer and flywheel nut along with clutch side crank nut with a impact gun. Ive never had one slip, ever. Don't use a big air impact though or really let it hammer it on or you will have problem.s I also clean all threads real well with brake cleaned and use RED loctipay close attention to the trans oil, a broken piece floating can cause this and will settle out when you stop but get picked up and tossed around.
Thanks for the help you two.
I'll check out the flywheel and balancer shaft tonight, I'm leaning toward thinking it has something to do with the balancer slipping somehow. In any case, if I find anything especially weird I'll be sure to post pictures.
Check to make sure all motor mounts are tight and all spacers are in place also.
Good point grk , if a motor mount comes lose it will bang around pretty good.
I just wonder how you guys make it with out me... Lmao
It's definitely the counter balancer.
I took off the stator cover to see if the flywheel was lose and while I was messing with it, I noticed that the counter balancer wasn't turning in concert with the flywheel. I haven't taken off the clutch cover to check out exactly what it is because I'm dreading messing with it, but I'm about 99% sure something is slipping. Sometimes the counter balancer will catch and do what it's supposed to do, occasionally it'll slip.
I really don't feel like taking the clutch-side apart. What a bummer.
Tore into the clutch side last night even though I really didn't want to. (Left Hand Milk Stout is to blame for that.) And something became immediately obvious to me-- the nut that holds the gears on the shaft that drives the water pump impeller was completely lose/coming off the threads. I ran out of beer before I took the clutch basket off, but I'm sure there's a whole bunch of other loose stuff back there. If everything goes to plan I should have the bike back together in time to make it out to the dunes this weekend.
What dunes you headed to?
Let me know if you need a hand with your bike
That's it. I'm setting this piece of
**** on fire.