Hey everyone, I'm new here and to the FJ - just picked up an '89 for a song. I'd been riding around and commuting on a 500cc thumper which was fun enough, but we recently moved to the country and that bike wasn't built for the freeway.
I need help identifying some noises, in the video below. I hear two things at idle, a ticking in regular, constant time (lifters?), and some lower-pitched chatter/clunking which I'm concerned about more. Sounds like shaking a bag of marbles. The marble noise either goes away or gets drowned out above 1000-1500 rpm. Aside from that noise at idle and huge revving with the choke pulled all the way (carb jetting?) the bike runs strong and smooth.
fj1200.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-NixtOdSk0#)
Not sure if that's normal, a common issue, or what (motor sounds completely different from my thumper) or if I can let it go or need to deal with it sooner.
Thanks in advance,
Drew
Welcome to the site,
It sounds to me that your idle speed is a bit low, It should be 1,000-1,200 rpm's. They all make that sound if the idle is too low. You can raise the idle speed by turning a thumb screw under the carbs in the middle of the set. These motors have shim over bucket style valves so no lifters here. The engine rpm's will climb once the engine gets some heat in it and the engine revving should go away once the choke is closed. If the bike has been sitting for some time it may be a good idea to remove the carbs and give them a good cleaning and then synch the carbs to make sure they are balanced and woking together properly.
These are fantastic motors, damn near bulletproof unless you dont take care of them. My 91 model has a touch over 108,000 miles and I know a fellow with an 84 FJ 1100 with over 200,000 miles on his stock motor. You have found the perfect site for all of your FJ needs..
Enjoy the ride....
Eric M
I agree with Eric that the idle is low. Raising it will help.
It sounds to me that your noise is starter chain slap. Raising the idle will help quiet it.
There is no adjustment for tension or guide that you can do unless you dis-assemble the engine, and then I think all you can do is replace it. It doesn't seem to do any harm.
Cheers,
Arnie
Hey Drew-
Welcome to the site and congrats on scoring the best looking FJ! My bike sounds similar but has proven herself reliable with 54K on the clock, and the oil looks good at each change, no motor shavings. If you ever get up toward the White Mts I'm in VT, love to have an excuse to go for a ride!
Doug
Thanks guys! Glad to hear nobody's too alarmed by those noises. I'll see about setting the idle speed a little higher. I guess I was a little freaked out by the prospect of something rattling around inside the engine case.
It's a fun bike. I rode it home from an hour away - caught myself doing 85mph and didn't feel it at all. I'm sure there are newer, smoother rides out there but I'm coming from an '82 FT500 and the FJ's like buttah.
Doug, sounds great. I've never seen a part of Vermont I didn't like.
Drew,
I hear ya on the speed, mmm tasty but not so good for your health in large doses. To clarify my previous post, the White Mountains- obviously in NH not VT, I was suggesting a halfway meet, because they're not in VT you see, we have Green Mountains, but then you're from the coast so maybe this is too much information...
Sincerely giving you a hard time because it's fun and I'm bored,
Doug
+10 on raising the idle speed to at least 1000rpm.
all perfectly normal noises for a lugging engine.
welcome to the group!
KOokaloo!
Frank
D'oh, yeah, I'd have known that if I thought about it for a second... long day. Actually, I'm a recent transplant so I'm not even
from here yet... don't even have the Mass plates off my vehicles. :) But either way, NH or VT would be a good time.
Quote from: carsick on August 21, 2010, 10:56:36 PM
Drew,
I hear ya on the speed, mmm tasty but not so good for your health in large doses. To clarify my previous post, the White Mountains- obviously in NH not VT, I was suggesting a halfway meet, because they're not in VT you see, we have Green Mountains, but then you're from the coast so maybe this is too much information...
Sincerely giving you a hard time because it's fun and I'm bored,
Doug
Quote from: carsick on August 21, 2010, 07:18:35 PM
Hey Drew-
Welcome to the site and congrats on scoring the best looking FJ!
you say that about all the FJ's
I agree with everyone who said the idle is too low, 1000-1200rpm is best.
the noise is normal, and the ticking is a wanted noise . if the engine gets quiet then your valve clearance has closed and you will burn valves. so,noisy is good .
Just wait till you get it real hot and it sounds like a tractor :rofl:
Tractor? Yikes :) Thanks, guys, for all the suggestions.
Mind if I ask a couple other new-guy questions?
First: Is the gague cluster supposed to wobble a bit? Not the needles, but the entire cluster inside the fairing. Mine seems to be attached to the fairing at two points across the horizontal axis but can be tilted a little but up and down; this is apparent when riding over a bump. Normal? I haven't owned a fully-faired bike before.
Second: Anyone have a line on a cheap replacement windscreen? Mine was scratched and yellowed and ugly as hell. I painted it flat black which is a short term improvement, but still too rat bike for me. I see ZG replacements on eBay etc for around $70, which I'll buy if I have to. Can I do better than that?
Third: can anyone suggest (relatively) cheapish saddlebags or luggage? I'll commute about 70mi down I-95 on this thing, and I don't think the old backpack is going to be comfortable. Generic soft bags are probably OK.
Thanks again...
Drew
Quote from: Travis398 on August 22, 2010, 12:40:43 PM
you say that about all the FJ's
Even yours! But not mine, she's not so pretty. Grass is always greener you know. Just trying to stir up the lurkers-
Doug
A little wobble in the cluster is good, gauges break if you tighten it up...
i recently brought a fj 1200 with that exact noise after following this guide on cleaning and balancing the noise was gone
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=655.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=655.0)
i made this homemade carb sync tool
http://www.powerchutes.com/manometer.asp (http://www.powerchutes.com/manometer.asp)
some more info
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=302.msg2227#msg2227 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=302.msg2227#msg2227)
Its a bit fiddly and time consuming but in will turn it into a smooth running beast.
Remember to take out the 2 top rearsub frame bolt and lower it a bit to get air box out
Go over front brakes cause i had a stuck piston that may have caused a front lockup and droped it
A quick fix maybe to check for a stuck float I had one on carb 1 and check the diaphrams for holes use non-harderning gas resistant gasket goo good luck on any holes if you pull carbies apart use proper gas resistant o-rings
Needle seat o-rings 7mm ID by 1.5mm X-section
Quote from: rabbot81 on August 22, 2010, 03:42:22 PM
First: Is the gague cluster supposed to wobble a bit? Not the needles, but the entire cluster inside the fairing. Mine seems to be attached to the fairing at two points across the horizontal axis but can be tilted a little but up and down; this is apparent when riding over a bump. Normal? I haven't owned a fully-faired bike before.
Drew
Welcome Drew,
This wobble can be fixed, but you'll have to have the fairing off the bike to do it. I can't remember now what exactly I ended up doing but I had the same problem with my cluster, and to a lesser extent, my headlight. I remember replacing some of the hardened rubber washers/spacers at the connection points with hardware store available replacements, and also making a crush washer of sorts with a section of fuel injector hose---and tightening up the cluster and headlight. Long story short, it worked. I think you'll be able to asses and fix it easy enough (If I can figure this out , you can) when you get the fairing off. Two or three 1-1/4" O.D. soft rubber washers ( or any rubber spacer) jambed between the fairing and the cluster will alleviate the problem until you can get the time or have another reason to take the fairing off.
Quote from: markmartin on August 24, 2010, 09:07:06 PM
Quote from: rabbot81 on August 22, 2010, 03:42:22 PM
First: Is the gague cluster supposed to wobble a bit? Not the needles, but the entire cluster inside the fairing. Mine seems to be attached to the fairing at two points across the horizontal axis but can be tilted a little but up and down; this is apparent when riding over a bump. Normal? I haven't owned a fully-faired bike before.
Drew
Welcome Drew,
This wobble can be fixed, but you'll have to have the fairing off the bike to do it. I can't remember now what exactly I ended up doing but I had the same problem with my cluster, and to a lesser extent, my headlight. I remember replacing some of the hardened rubber washers/spacers at the connection points with hardware store available replacements, and also making a crush washer of sorts with a section of fuel injector hose---and tightening up the cluster and headlight. Long story short, it worked. I think you'll be able to asses and fix it easy enough (If I can figure this out , you can) when you get the fairing off. Two or three 1-1/4" O.D. soft rubber washers ( or any rubber spacer) jambed between the fairing and the cluster will alleviate the problem until you can get the time or have another reason to take the fairing off.
Aha! Thanks, I'll remember that. Might be a good winter project. I've got a couple pieces of steel mesh screen to reattach to the top of the side fairings anyway. They were half detached already and rattling all over the place generally driving my crazy, so I pulled them out altogether. Re: "if I can figure this out...", it may well be impossible to underestimate my mechanical ability. Although I compensate with enough determination to really screw things up now and then. :)
Now, about that carb sync...
Beware.... other listers who have "fixed" the wobble later reported broken speedos and gas gauges. They may not have broken because of the "fix", they may have..... My '90 has it, hasn't changed since I bought her with 2300 miles in '94..... the gauges all work.
Hrrm. You guys have way more experience than me, so I wouldn't argue, but I'm confused. On a naked bike or cruiser w/o fairing, the cluster is attached in a pretty rigid way, isn't it?
Rich, where in Arizona are you? I was lucky enough to spend all of my 4 years in the USAF in Tucson. Still have mixed feelings about my service but I fell in love with Tucson, the surrounding desert, Nimbus pale ale and those cheap carne asada burritos from Los Betos. I'd have stayed without a second thought were it not for family back up north.
Drew
I'm in Tucson, a native, actually, one of the few..... I love the Dez! Spent about 16 years away, came back in 1980.
Quote from: rabbot81 on August 25, 2010, 08:35:16 PM
Hrrm. You guys have way more experience than me, so I wouldn't argue, but I'm confused. On a naked bike or cruiser w/o fairing, the cluster is attached in a pretty rigid way, isn't it?
Drew
No, not usually. The exposed gauges all have rubber vibration damping in the mounting. With the FJ having a "dash" they've just vibration damped the whole assembly.
Cheers,
Arnie
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks Arnie.
Rich, good to hear. I lived there from 2001-2005 and noticed a recurring theme there: almost everyone is from somewhere else. I only recently started riding a street bike (friends and I rode quads back then) which is too bad since it occurs to me how much fun the Catalina highway would've been to ride.