I'll try that, I was hoping maybe it was in the plug wires or something, those are cheap enough to replace, but who knows......
If it was a coil or a plug wire or both, would the irregular spark cause the chattering that I'm hearing?
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I'll try that, I was hoping maybe it was in the plug wires or something, those are cheap enough to replace, but who knows......
If it was a coil or a plug wire or both, would the irregular spark cause the chattering that I'm hearing?
Fire jumping could sound like chattering (like a stun gun pulsing). Like I've been saying, pulling the plug wires one at a time is the easiest way to narrow down the hunt to the cylinder.
Since you unplugged one of the coils and it smoothed out somewhat, that could be because you killed fire to the faulty wire and it was not able to jump the arc, but, still ran on 3 cylinders
. Did the strange noise stop when you killed the coil???:cheers:
After I disconnected that coil, I did take it for a ride up the road, and the chattering like something was loose, was still there:bang head: Because of that, now I really don't know what to look for. I just don't want to take it to the bike shop and get charged a buttload of money for them to mess around with it.
shawn kloker
Well-Known Member
I would listen to it with a stethascope then decide where to go in.Sears sells a nice mechanics one for $15.Clutch?Waterpump?
rdrossco
Member
If you go to Sears get a commpression tester as well, take out all of the plugs and test your cylinders compression, they should be within about 4lbs of each other. This will tell you if you have internal problems.
Just a thought but wouldn't the engine run smoother at idle on the front two cylinders than three. I'm not sure on a v4 but a v8 will run smoother at idle with two cylinders missing. This could mean that your coil or wire that did not change when you unpluged it, is bad.:ummm:
Just a thought but wouldn't the engine run smoother at idle on the front two cylinders than three. I'm not sure on a v4 but a v8 will run smoother at idle with two cylinders missing. This could mean that your coil or wire that did not change when you unpluged it, is bad.:ummm:
As instructed, I pulled the plug wire off each plug, one at a time, starting the engine after each 1, to see if I notice a difference. The engine seems to idle smooth when the front 2 and right rear plug wires are attached, but not when the left rear plug wire is attached. Something's up with that left rear wire or coil, but that doesn't explain the sound from the engine. This is driving me nuts :confused2:
Bill Seward
Well-Known Member
This one might sound way out there, but I swear it happened to me, and a friend's Max.
Loud rattle from front of engine? Shut it off and give the front header pipes a tap with a rubber mallet. Sometimes, the welds holding the inner pipe breaks loose, and the pipes rattle together. Sounds like the whole thing's faling apart.. (assumption here is that you have at least the stock headpipes.)
Fix is simple. Give the pipe a shot with a ball peen hammer, to bend the outer pipe enough to hold the inner one tight. 2 or 3 good ones should do it.
Then, think about a used set of header pipes. Or, you could-maybe pull the pipe, and have the inner one rewelded at the flange. I just picked up a used set of header pipes.
My friend's pipe started rattlin' at Americade a number of years ago. He swore the motor let go, and he was gonna have to renty a truck to get the Max home. I listened to it, walked over to the motel owners place, and borowed a ball peen hammer. My friend like to have shit himself when I whacked the pipe a good one, but became all smiles when the rattle stopped.
Anyone else ever have this happen?
As far as the misfire -
1. Slide stuck in a carburetor?
2. Vacuum line to advancer split, or not connected?
3. Got the ignitionwires on the right plugs?- (unlikely this is the problem)
4. The wires in the Vmax coils can be replaced, as you are aware.
Is there a chance the wires are not fully inserted in the coils?
Good luck.
Loud rattle from front of engine? Shut it off and give the front header pipes a tap with a rubber mallet. Sometimes, the welds holding the inner pipe breaks loose, and the pipes rattle together. Sounds like the whole thing's faling apart.. (assumption here is that you have at least the stock headpipes.)
Fix is simple. Give the pipe a shot with a ball peen hammer, to bend the outer pipe enough to hold the inner one tight. 2 or 3 good ones should do it.
Then, think about a used set of header pipes. Or, you could-maybe pull the pipe, and have the inner one rewelded at the flange. I just picked up a used set of header pipes.
My friend's pipe started rattlin' at Americade a number of years ago. He swore the motor let go, and he was gonna have to renty a truck to get the Max home. I listened to it, walked over to the motel owners place, and borowed a ball peen hammer. My friend like to have shit himself when I whacked the pipe a good one, but became all smiles when the rattle stopped.
Anyone else ever have this happen?
As far as the misfire -
1. Slide stuck in a carburetor?
2. Vacuum line to advancer split, or not connected?
3. Got the ignitionwires on the right plugs?- (unlikely this is the problem)
4. The wires in the Vmax coils can be replaced, as you are aware.
Is there a chance the wires are not fully inserted in the coils?
Good luck.
clintard
Well-Known Member
might as well change your plug wires. I changed mine and they were green on both ends. made a big difference. Make sure u have a friend with small hands because the fronts are a pain in the ass to get to.
Robbarrie
Well-Known Member
Do you know what the problem was yet, has it now been fixed ?
No need to change them. They are solid core and can simply be trimmed to get good clean connections again,
Sean
I've been out of town since Thursday and I'm back. Just now read the posts. I appreciate everybody's help. I'll take a look at the header pipes too.
I forgot to mention in my first post. I had been riding the bike rather hard most of the day. When this actually happened was when we were leaving the restaurant and I decided to run the boost wide open just to see what it would do, so I did as instructed on the forum and unplugged the solenoid thinga ma jigger. The bike sounded awesome and ran awesome for about 20 miles down the road and that's when this all happened, it all of a sudden lost power and the clattering in the engine started. I pulled off the road immediately thinking it was because I ran the boost open, and plugged it back in, but nothing changed as far as the power loss and engine sound. At that point I thought I had screwed something up by running that boost wide open. I don't know if this helps you guys to better diagnose it.
I forgot to mention in my first post. I had been riding the bike rather hard most of the day. When this actually happened was when we were leaving the restaurant and I decided to run the boost wide open just to see what it would do, so I did as instructed on the forum and unplugged the solenoid thinga ma jigger. The bike sounded awesome and ran awesome for about 20 miles down the road and that's when this all happened, it all of a sudden lost power and the clattering in the engine started. I pulled off the road immediately thinking it was because I ran the boost open, and plugged it back in, but nothing changed as far as the power loss and engine sound. At that point I thought I had screwed something up by running that boost wide open. I don't know if this helps you guys to better diagnose it.
Robbarrie
Well-Known Member
I have never heard that it was a problem to run it open. I really think it was going to happen anyways. Any progress on finding the problem yet ? Your post doesn't indicate that you have. Good luck, I hope it doesn't cost you your shirt to get it fixed. I am now seeing that Vmax parts cost a small fortune now matter what you get....holy shit.
shawn kloker
Well-Known Member
I don't want to sound like a bad guy but it sounds to me like you spun a bearing. Drain the oil and check to see if it is full of brass chunks. Won't hurt to change the oil anyway but no need to put any back in if it's full of gold pan shiny stuff.
On a side note. I've got a good 05 engine (buster doesn't need it) if you end up needing one.
Sean
On a side note. I've got a good 05 engine (buster doesn't need it) if you end up needing one.
Sean
Bought a manual and went ahead and ordered high performance NGK plug wires and plugs today. I checked the compression with a meter and it looks about normal for a 13yr old bike with 29,000 miles. Talked to our head auto mechanic at work today and explained to him what had happened. He does the work on his own Harley, so I figured what the heck, I'd ask him if he had any idea. Thinks that it might be my plugs/plug wires. He said that would explain the loss in power and sound that I'm hearing, if I'm getting an overload of fuel to the cylinders/valves, because it might be firing out of sequence. I don't know......, I'll start with that. He said that if it was any type of internal engine damage that it wouldn't even idle smooth or run at all.
:damn angry::damn angry::damn angry::damn angry::damn angry::damn angry:
Trying anything to keep from paying $60hr for these doofuses around hear to "work" on it.
:damn angry::damn angry::damn angry::damn angry::damn angry::damn angry:
Trying anything to keep from paying $60hr for these doofuses around hear to "work" on it.
4gasem
Well-Known Member
At worst you'll have new plugs and wires...:thumbs up:
If it fixes it, it's all good!
Robbarrie
Well-Known Member
Have you got it fixed yet ??? Wanting to hear what happened and what you did to fix it.
Robbarrie
Well-Known Member
Trial and error is sometimes the only way to go. Start with the least expensive and hope you hit on the first shot. Not sure if you were following my problem I was having. When I rode the bike in traffic and stop and go - it was fine. But take it out on the freeway in would heat up like crazy. Common sense doesn't necessarily point to a thermostat. But as it turned out it was. So sometimes its not always what you expect at first. It was an on again off again thing too boot.
With the noise you said it was making and the loss of power, you probably thought the worst. Understandable !
Personally, I think it maybe more than just plugs and wires. However, hind sight will always be 20/20 after you find the problem.
I hope the fix works for ya, get back that piece of mind knowing the bike is up and running again.
With the noise you said it was making and the loss of power, you probably thought the worst. Understandable !
Personally, I think it maybe more than just plugs and wires. However, hind sight will always be 20/20 after you find the problem.
I hope the fix works for ya, get back that piece of mind knowing the bike is up and running again.
