Primary Case Noise?

[GreenMachine]

I don't have a AVL (have iron)..Yours is louder than mine..I have the basic clattering valves sounds and a bit of engine noise (Pretty much sounds the same to me since owning it in late 06)...Is it me or does your engine seem to idle at a higher than normal RPM...I hear that whirling chattering sound too in the first video..Didn't seem to notice as much in the second..I don't get the cooling off ping sound but then again, different engines...I would check that primary chain tension again while rotating..make sure the adjuster is secured to the base. while the cover is off spin the tire and listen .You can reuse the fluid if u catch it in a low turkey tray. I'm assuming this mechanical sound recently reared its ugly head or u wouldn't be concerned....

[Rob Vespa]

Thanks for the advice.  I've only had the bike for a little over a month.  The noise has steadily increased during this time.  I didn't notice it at first.

Since I don't know what condition the bike is in, I've decided to drop it off at a local shop for a once over (and find out what is causing the noise).  While the bike is there, per suggestion, I may have the sprag/ES removed (if it isn't damaged, I'll save it).

[Rob Vespa]

Long time, no write.  I wanted to follow-up on this thread to let everyone know what happened.  There's a happy ending.

The delay was caused by my being out of town combined with having no help getting the bike to a shop.  After a few starts and stops, that was sorted out and I took my bike to the closet Enfield shop, Heindl Engineering.

We thought the main issue was the sprag clutch, which would need to be replaced or removed.  After digging into the bike, they found that a pushrod was loose.  Luckily, it didn't bend or damage anything.  I asked them to give the bike a once over, which was good, since they found other issues.  Example:  The noise at the cylinder head?  There was no exhaust seal.  The original owner must have had a different exhaust and forgot the seal when switching back to stock.

Props to Heindl Engineering. I got my bike back from the shop Wednesday afternoon. This is the first time I've used a shop and I was nervous. The service was quick and Dave and company went above and beyond.  They answered all my questions and took the time to show me a few things.

My bike is now running smooth. It's almost like a different bike.  Happy to have her back!

As a fringe benefit, while servicing a bike is no doubt expensive, the bill was less than the price of the part I thought needed to be replaced... and perhaps more importantly, the once over put my mind at ease.

Rob

[ridgerunner]

On a different note, many of us use ATF in the primary instead of 20W50

[Rob Vespa]

On a different note, many of us use ATF in the primary instead of 20W50

Thanks.  I bought ATF type F for this purpose, but chose not to use it after reading in forums and Snidal's manual about ATF versus AVLs (due to ES sprag clutch issues).  Have you had different experiences?

[ridgerunner]

With 20W50, I would find chunks of clutch material in the primary every oil change (2000-4000 miles). After changing to ATF, the fluid was clean and debris free after over 5000 miles. Yes, my sprag failed after 23,000 miles but that seems to be nearly inevitable on these bikes. Since I kick start 99% of the time, I am more concerned with tearing up the clutch than issues with the sprag clutch. IMHO

[Rob Vespa]

Did you replace the sprag or remove it?  I may switch to ATF F the next time it's ready for a change.  I've also been thinking about degreasing the gearbox and using oil there.  Then there are reliability/performance mods - exhaust, air filters, etc. - to consider for the future.  Right now, I'm just happy to ride the more-or-less stock bike.

[Kevin Mahoney]

Dave Heindl and his people are very good in the shop. I would take my bike to them

[Rob Vespa]

Dave Heindl and his people are very good in the shop. I would take my bike to them

Thanks, Kevin!  I actually recently took my bike in to Dave and company.  They were helpful and resolved several issues I wasn't aware of.  It was the first time I ever took a bike to a shop.  It turns out the noise and other issues were caused by a loose rod.  Luckily, the rod didn't bend or damage anything.  Also, there were a few things missing from the bike (e.g., seals), which they replaced.