clutch wear

[maudibbb]

Hello Everyone! Got a strange problem I need help with. My 2001 KLR is making strange sounds. Particularly noticeable at about 3k to 4k RPM's. It's a whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa noise. Happens in all gears, although at higher speeds in 5th. gear, it's less noticeable. In addition, I can feel the bike surging at the same time as I hear the sound. When I pull in the clutch and coast, the sound and surging both stop. If while in neutral I rev the engine through it's rpm range, the engine sounds like it should. Smooth (for a thumper) with no hiccups. Any ideas come to mind? Thanks!!!

[Fred Hink]

How many miles on your chain? Sounds like chain stretch to me. Fred www.arrowheadmotorsports.com

----- Original Message ----- From: maudibbb To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 7:21 AM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Recent strange noises and surging! Hello Everyone! Got a strange problem I need help with. My 2001 KLR is making strange sounds. Particularly noticeable at about 3k to 4k RPM's. It's a whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa noise. Happens in all gears, although at higher speeds in 5th. gear, it's less noticeable. In addition, I can feel the bike surging at the same time as I hear the sound. When I pull in the clutch and coast, the sound and surging both stop. If while in neutral I rev the engine through it's rpm range, the engine sounds like it should. Smooth (for a thumper) with no hiccups. Any ideas come to mind? Thanks!!! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[dooden]

Time to check the balancer system. aka Doohickey Chain might be loose and you could be hearing the chain noise. If your due a oil change, that would be a good time to take the left cover off the motor and give it a visual at least. Seems orginal gasket was all I reused when I opened my A15 up, but thats been a few years back now. Also check your drive chain, since its a simple check, bike on sidestand no major weight on bike, you should be able to push the chain up and just bearly make contact just aft of the swingarm joint. Since your drive chain can also give you that surge, maybe chain is too loose and its flopping around going down the road, can you watch the chain while riding ? Shadow on the concrete on your shade side can sometimes be the easiest quick check. Dooden A15 Green Ape

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "maudibbb" wrote: > > Hello Everyone! Got a strange problem I need help with. My 2001 KLR is making strange sounds. Particularly noticeable at about 3k to 4k RPM's. It's a whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa noise. Happens in all gears, although at higher speeds in 5th. gear, it's less noticeable. In addition, I can feel the bike surging at the same time as I hear the sound. When I pull in the clutch and coast, the sound and surging both stop. If while in neutral I rev the engine through it's rpm range, the engine sounds like it should. Smooth (for a thumper) with no hiccups. Any ideas come to mind? Thanks!!! >

[The Reverend]

Sounds to me you might consider turning up the pilot screw a quarter turn or maybe a half-turn. -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of maudibbb Hello Everyone! Got a strange problem I need help with. My 2001 KLR is making strange sounds. Particularly noticeable at about 3k to 4k RPM's. It's a whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa noise. Happens in all gears, although at higher speeds in 5th. gear, it's less noticeable. In addition, I can feel the bike surging at the same time as I hear the sound. When I pull in the clutch and coast, the sound and surging both stop. If while in neutral I rev the engine through it's rpm range, the engine sounds like it should. Smooth (for a thumper) with no hiccups. Any ideas come to mind? Thanks!!!

[Mike Hilton]

----- Original Message ----- From: The Reverend To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:38 AM Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] Recent strange noises and surging! Sounds to me you might consider turning up the pilot screw a quarter turn or maybe a half-turn. -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of maudibbb Hello Everyone! Got a strange problem I need help with. My 2001 KLR is making strange sounds. Particularly noticeable at about 3k to 4k RPM's. It's a whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa noise. Happens in all gears, although at higher speeds in 5th. gear, it's less noticeable. In addition, I can feel the bike surging at the same time as I hear the sound. When I pull in the clutch and coast, the sound and surging both stop. If while in neutral I rev the engine through it's rpm range, the engine sounds like it should. Smooth (for a thumper) with no hiccups. Any ideas come to mind? Thanks!!! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Charlie Y]

Dont ride again til you've checked the chain and sprockets THOROUGHLY the chain might be about to give out.

[Rick]

Have you adjusted your clutch cable lately? I just replaced the clutch cables on my wife's bike and mine and the cables themselves were frayed quite well at the connection point on the engine. The bikes have about 26,000 miles on them.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Jud Jones" wrote: > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Chris Long wrote: > > > > Hello all, > > > > I have a 2008 with close to 20,000 miles on it. I got it at 15,000 and > > the engagement point for the clutch has always been towards the end of > > the lever travel. I'm wondering if that is an indication that the > > clutch plates need replacement. > > > > Thanks for your help. > > My engagement point has been near the end of the lever travel for the last 40,000 miles, and I assume for the 4k before that when I didn't own it. I get a little better control with my stubby fingers by adjusting the lever for a little extra free play. >

[Hedrek]

I agree with another poster - could be a stretched chain/worn sprocket. I've had a bmw and concours for the last few years, so I was out of touch with chain issues. My 07 KLR with about 13,000 miles started making a crashing noise (thought it was the doohickey) and surging. Kept adjusting the chain, to no avail, then looked more closely one day and saw slanted sprocket teeth. Got a new chain and new sprocket and all is good again. Robert Hedrick Albuquerque, NM [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[maudibbb]

Hello KLRistas! I want to thank all who responded to my call for help, both on and off the list. Special thanks to Fred Hink who first diagnosed the problem correctly, and to Charlie Y who also figured out what was wrong. I replaced both sprockets and the drive chain, and voila, the problem was resolved. My apologies to Fred for not buying the parts from Arrowhead, but I needed the bike running the next day. As it was, when I went to my Kawasaki dealer, they only had the two sprockets which I purchased. I then had to go to Yamaha to get a chain, which they very kindly cut down to the correct length. When I came home, I used WD-40 on some shop rags to remove the factory gunk/preservative/grease from the chain. I then lubed it up appropriately and installed it and the sprockets. Problem resolved! No, I am not going to tell you how or what I used to lube the chain up, as the last thing we need is another thread on WD-40 vs the rest of the world! I ought to get at least 30K out of the new chain! He he! Completed the first leg of my trip when I left S.E. Arizona and arrived at the beach in Southern California. After a few weeks R&R... on to Miami Florida to visit my nephew and eat a Cuban sandwich or two. Then to Clearwater Beach Florida, to visit my daughter for a few & back to Southern Cal for a month of ocean swimming. Then a return to S.E. Arizona, hopefully missing the majority of the heat. Thanks again for making it possible!!! -----Original Message----- Hello Everyone! Got a strange problem I need help with. My 2001 KLR is making strange sounds. Particularly noticeable at about 3k to 4k RPM's. It's a whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa noise. Happens in all gears, although at higher speeds in 5th. gear, it's less noticeable. In addition, I can feel the bike surging at the same time as I hear the sound. When I pull in the clutch and coast, the sound and surging both stop. If while in neutral I rev the engine through it's rpm range, the engine sounds like it should. Smooth (for a thumper) with no hiccups. Any ideas come to mind? Thanks!!!