Name that noise

[rabbot81]

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

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

[Yamifj1200]

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

[Arnie]

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

[carsick]

 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

[rabbot81]

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.

[carsick]

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

[racerman_27410]

+10 on raising the idle speed to at least 1000rpm.

all perfectly normal noises for a lugging engine.

welcome to the group!


KOokaloo!

Frank

[rabbot81]

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.

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

[Travis398]

Hey Drew-
Welcome to the site and congrats on scoring the best looking FJ!

you say that about all the FJ's

[Mark Olson]

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

[rabbot81]

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

[carsick]

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

[RichBaker]

A little wobble in the cluster is good, gauges break if you tighten it up...

[rollinghelmet]

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

i made this homemade carb sync tool

http://www.powerchutes.com/manometer.asp

some more info

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

[rollinghelmet]

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