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AdAn82 · 05-13-2017, 12:38 PM

Dodged a HUGE bullet . . .

So, I was doing a test ride yesterday after my valve adjustment. Everything was purring like a kitten. I actually felt like it was running better than when I got it!

Stopped at a stop light and accelerated fairly quickly on green and I noticed a tapping sound developing. Uh oh.

Within a quarter of a mile the tapping was definitely getting louder and kept pace with the RPMs. Crap.

Within the next half mile, it was deafening. Had to limp it home (luckily, very close).

Because of the way things unfolded, I suspected a lock nut had come loose on one of the valves. So, I let it sit overnight and ripped it back apart. Bingo.

Not only had it backed off . . . it was GONE. I was worried I was going to have to pull the motor and find what kind of damage this had done (and to find the nut!). But first I dug around in the bottom of my tool bag and found my flexible magnet-on-a-stick . . . poked it around in the top end and heard that satisfying "click" . . . found it! Used a mirror and a bright flashlight to look around for any damage and couldn't find any. Re-did the valve adjustment (and tightened the HELL out of all of the lock nuts). Started right up an is purring like a kitten again.

I'm bummed because I had planned on leaving for Key West early this morning . . . but, I'm pretty happy that this happened yesterday down the street from me instead of in the middle Seven Mile Bridge halfway through my trip!

On another note, I made the change from normal to synthetic on my 3rd oil change and WOW. It's so much more smooth now! Shifting is easier, it even sounds like it's quieter!

05-13-2017, 12:38 PM	#575
AdAn82 Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 19	Dodged a HUGE bullet . . . So, I was doing a test ride yesterday after my valve adjustment. Everything was purring like a kitten. I actually felt like it was running better than when I got it! Stopped at a stop light and accelerated fairly quickly on green and I noticed a tapping sound developing. Uh oh. Within a quarter of a mile the tapping was definitely getting louder and kept pace with the RPMs. Crap. Within the next half mile, it was deafening. Had to limp it home (luckily, very close). Because of the way things unfolded, I suspected a lock nut had come loose on one of the valves. So, I let it sit overnight and ripped it back apart. Bingo. Not only had it backed off . . . it was GONE. I was worried I was going to have to pull the motor and find what kind of damage this had done (and to find the nut!). But first I dug around in the bottom of my tool bag and found my flexible magnet-on-a-stick . . . poked it around in the top end and heard that satisfying "click" . . . found it! Used a mirror and a bright flashlight to look around for any damage and couldn't find any. Re-did the valve adjustment (and tightened the HELL out of all of the lock nuts). Started right up an is purring like a kitten again. I'm bummed because I had planned on leaving for Key West early this morning . . . but, I'm pretty happy that this happened yesterday down the street from me instead of in the middle Seven Mile Bridge halfway through my trip! On another note, I made the change from normal to synthetic on my 3rd oil change and WOW. It's so much more smooth now! Shifting is easier, it even sounds like it's quieter! __________________ Adrian 2016 CSC RX3 2015 TaoTao 50 2006 GSX-R 600 (retired) "If the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off"
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