echums Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Hi, I've started doing bits and pieces to my bike, and so far so good. I have two questions though: 1/ My sidestand switch doesn't work, which is ok, because it never did, so i just got used to it and never ride off with the stand down, but i want to change it. In my hayes manual, it says to check continuity in one position and infinite resistance in the other. Will a bog standard multimeter be able to take these readings or do I need something different? 2/ When idling my engine sounds quite rough, not clanking, but its definately noticeable. if the choke is on (ie more revs) the noise dies down, and as soon as you put it in gear the noise dies down, and disapears when im riding, unless im going really slowly in traffic. Someone said It might be the camchain, so i took the tensioner off, checked it, and reinstalled it, hasn't changed. Do you think it sounds like its down to the camchain be worn, or the sprokets (i assume there are some if theres a chain). If you think it is that, is a cam chain something you can change yourself without having to go to a garage? Sorry, there is 3rd question. The bike will only start when it is in neutral. Someone asked me why I would want it to start in gear, all my mates bikes start in gear, which is useful if u stall in traffic, or because my yard in on a slope, so i park it in gear. My housemate just holds in the clutch on his bike, and it starts. Mine doesn't however, if i push the starter button when its in gear, the oil light comes on, and nothing happens, no noise, no clicking, no whining. In neutral, it starts first time everytime. Is this normal for this model, or is it a fault? Its a 1998 XJ600 N by the way. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlydan Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Sounds to me like your sidestand switch is working perfectly!! It's there to make sure you don't ride off with the sidestand down, as in if you do the engine cuts out. You may have the idle speed down too low & not a problem with the camchain, if camchain the noise would get worse on acceleration. If it don't start with the clutch pulled in you may need to replace the clutch switch (take off the lever & you'll see what looks like a brake light switch behind it. They do wear out). If that switch has been removed, you may need to bypass it (or replace it) to enable starting, locate the wires & put in a wire to connect the 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockerted Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 noise could also be clutch rattle if it goes off when you pull the clutch in or accelerate.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 1 yes a normal multimeter will do the job just fine,,,,,,,,,,, 2 as rockerted, it could be the clutch rattling,, or it may be that the carbs need balancing, again, yes it could be the cam chain,, how many miles has the bike done ?? over bout 40k then it is likley.. or may be the chain guides are worn ? when did the bike last have an oil and filter change ? has this been done on a regular basis. 3 Had the same problem on my Fazer Thou, turned out to be the little plug had pulled out of the switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echums Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 I bought it last May, with just under 40k on the clock. I've just done an oil and filter change (which stopped the breather hose dripping oil all over the engine after any ride more than 15 mins). I don't know how regularly changes have been done, by the looks of the old filter, not too often. Am I right in thinking I should try upping the iddle a bit, and if that doesn't work, take it to a garage for a diagnosis, then seeing if its something I can do, or something i have to leave to them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Idle speed should be 1200 to 1300 rpm........... Does the noise go when you pull the clutch in ?? Weather you take it to a garage or do it your self is up to you ,,, do you have the tools and gauges to do the carb balance ?? its not a real hard job, ]but it is the one job I would do first ,,, would you be able to change the cam chain if needed ?? you could use a split cam chain,, other wise it is a full engine strip, but if you go down the split chain route, it is a job I would want some one in the know to do !! a mistake would mean a new engine !! Try finding out where abouts in the engine the noise is comming from, get a longish screew driver, put it to the engine then rest your ear against the handle,move around the engine till you find where the noise is the loadest, this may give you a clue to where the problem is .............. PS. did you reinstall the cam chain tensioner "by the book" or just shove it back in as it came out ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echums Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 OK, impatient, started it up, went along to tescos (no milk), and back: about 10-15 mins each way. When I got back, it idled steadily without the choke. It was idling at about 1000 rpm, so i cranked it up a touch, it sits someonewhere around 1300 rpm now. This helped a little with the rattle. I then revved it slowly to see if the noise would go and it seems to disapear completely at just over 2000 rpm. I then pulled the clutch it, not really any difference, let it out, same. Put it into gear, not much change, but when i found the biting point, it disapeared completely, even at 1300rpm, so i don't think its a matter of revs. I tried to have a listen with a screwdriver, not sure, but it seemed loudest when i touched it around the cam chain tensioner but not a huge difference. I difficult to know, because its always been like that, so i'm not used to what it should sound like. Also, i put the sidestand down while in gear, it didnt cut or stall or anything, then i tried pushing the sidestand switch in and out with my hand, nothing, engine didnt cut, so i assume its knackered. No I don't have the tools to do the carbs, but my housemate's old man has everything, and he's comming to visit in a couple weeks. Any ideas from this info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9rider Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Your starting problems with sidestand/ clutch etc is probably the cut out relay. Don`t know where it is on your bike, but thats a problem i had with both my Thunderace and YZF750. Have a look under your seat/battery area, and have a listen while you push your starter button, you will hear it click. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echums Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 LOl, well I took the belly-pan off (it looked botched and shitty anyway), found out the guy who had it before has simply cut the wire comming out of the sidestand switch. Hayes manual says to follow the wire to the plug (to replace it), but obviously, i got no chance coz 1/ the wire is cut, and 2/ the underside of the bike is BLACK with gunk. I'll give it a good thorough wash to see whats going on. I also wanna take a couple pics of bits i'm not sure about to see if any of can help, coz there are strange things going on. For example, imagine you are looking at the chain front on as if you were about to remove the chainguard. Look at the swingarm, and on the underside of it comes out what looks like a cable (at least its black, and cable-like), which goes.....nowhere. Its sticks out about 4-5 inches and just ends. No idea what that could be. I'm wondering if he cut the cable to sidestand switch because (appart from being a twat), maybe there was something wrong with the clutch switch. I went to test it (following the hayes manual), and from what I can tell its just sort of underneath the clutch lever. The mounting bolt was either so rusted and decayed that I couldn't get to it, or just gunked up. Again I'll check it once I've cleaned it. It's quite scary when you start taking an interest in, and looking at thing, you find all sorts or botched jobs, and crap you almost wish you hadn't seen (like one of the long bolts holding the belly-pan on, which was screwed into the engine mount, and instead of being secured on the other side with a nut - like the other one was-, it was simply rusted in and snapped off.) I had to bend the bolt to a right angle and use it as a lever to unscrew itself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 " For example, imagine you are looking at the chain front on as if you were about to remove the chainguard. Look at the swingarm, and on the underside of it comes out what looks like a cable (at least its black, and cable-like), which goes.....nowhere. Its sticks out about 4-5 inches and just ends. No idea what that could be." Bike could have had a Scot Oiler fitted some Time in the past,that could be the pipe that goes to the chain ?? follow it back a see where it goes to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I then revved it slowly to see if the noise would go and it seems to disapear completely at just over 2000 rpm. I then pulled the clutch it, not really any difference, let it out, same. Put it into gear, not much change, but when i found the biting point, it disapeared completely, even at 1300rpm, so i don't think its a matter of revs. Without being there to here the noise ???? still may be cam chain ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echums Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Another question. Downpipes, now the belly pan is off, they look much more prominent. Because they aren't chrome or anything, they look sort of yellowy, and blotchy. I doubt I can change their appearance, or can I? But when it comes to cleaning the bike, what chemical and cloth or brush or scrubber should I use on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted January 10, 2009 Moderator Share Posted January 10, 2009 Downpipes, are they Stainless steel, test them with a magnet (fridge magnet) to find out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echums Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Magnet sticks well to some bits (like the upper parts), and only just or not really on the lower parts. I found a vid on youtube on how to synch carbs. Looks pretty straight forward. As for the fuel source, ive got a washing machine next to where I keep my bike, can I just put the tank on that, so long as its above the carbs? As for the fuel line, do I have to buy a longer fuel pipe to supply the carbs when I synch them? Is it as straightforward as he makes it look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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