Pardon my ignorance, but what is a "head bearing"? (I'm assuming you're referring to an engine component, not the steering head bearings.)
ST1300 Valve check questions
- Thread starter tdeboeser
- Start date
Have you thought about the alternator? Maybe the rear bearing is getting a little sloppy. I don't know what the history is on these 1300 alternators though. Just a thought.
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tdeboeser
that's not me!
I meant head bearingssss
:. But at this point I don't know what it could be. Although, on the highway pulling in the clutch the vibe/roughness dies down abit, but not completely.So it seems more like a "load" thing. Maybe rear bearing thing...
gosh i don't ... wish i had money for a new ST
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tdeboeser
that's not me!
I hadn't thought about the Alt, but the rear it where I might be headed now. I'm hoping it'll be the rear wheel bearings and not a swingarm ...
Thanks
Are you sure the vibe is from the engine?Ok, so Big Kudos to Mark ( Brlfl ) for his help and for him lending me his tools...
Mark.
Mark let me borrow his Carb-tune which worked much better than my "Mad Scientist" method https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36596
I found my #4 cylinder off big time ( I musta not pay attention on my mad scientist sync ). The others were pretty close. The Carb-tune was much easier to work with, probably worth the extra $$.
The idle is much better, and the ST is smoother of the rev range. BUT I still have my "vibe"/roughness/something". I'm going to re-do my CB's this weekend, my thoughts are now leaning toward maybe the head bearing ... but I am stuck for what this could be.
Also, has anyone use Sea Foam in the intake... somehow? I'm gonna try it in the fuel tank, and maybe in the oil. But I can't see a way to get it in the intake....
Thanks!!
There was a post on ST-O a long while back about a lister chasing engine vibes that turned out to be from a loose exhaust?
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tdeboeser
that's not me!
No, I'm not sure ( anymore ). Now I'm thinking rear wheel.
I've checked the exhaust and engine mounts, I'll check 'em again tho... I seem to miss things from time to time..
There is a warning in the HSM about not spraying any comercial carb cleaner down the throttle bore because it's coated with moly.
I'd be leary about anything but air going down the bore.
I'm not familiar with shaft drive motorcycles, but you say the roughness dies down when you hold the clutch in and riding but returns when you are accelerating and/or coasting? Wouldn't that point towards something that creates the load? For example the drive shaft where it mates to the wheel or the other side? Is there any fluid you can drain and check for metal wear perhaps? (If I am wrong about fluid and such, just ignore me please )
)
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tdeboeser
that's not me!
I'm not familiar with shafts eitherI'm not familiar with shaft drive motorcycles, but you say the roughness dies down when you hold the clutch in and riding but returns when you are accelerating and/or coasting? Wouldn't that point towards something that creates the load? For example the drive shaft where it mates to the wheel or the other side? Is there any fluid you can drain and check for metal wear perhaps? (If I am wrong about fluid and such, just ignore me please
. My vibe/roughness can be felt at a stand still, but it's more noticeable when underway. I didn't get a chance to even touch the bike this weekend. Maybe this weekend...Thanks for the suggestions...
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tdeboeser
that's not me!
I've been off-line for a while, but I found what/where my vib is from. See this post for more...
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46961
I think I have everything I need to start the u-joint replacement ... today!! whoooo.... ( I haven't ridden in a month ).
Back to work now.
Thanks,
Tom
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46961
I think I have everything I need to start the u-joint replacement ... today!! whoooo.... ( I haven't ridden in a month ).
Back to work now.
Thanks,
Tom
Tom... if you have a camera and the desire, would you mind documenting your steps... you don't have to document every turn of the wrench but the major points would be cool.
It looks like a pretty straight forward replacement in the manual.
Good luck.
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tdeboeser
that's not me!
It's not so much the desire, but the skill...
I do plan on trying to video tape what I do. Hopefully I can get to editing it properly.
It does look straight forward, and last weekend ( when I thought I had all the tools ) I started to take things apart it looked like a maybe a 3 hour job.
I called a coupla dealers to inquire about what the job might cost. I understand their position, but both said they'd need to "diagnose" the problem, about 2 hours worth of work.
bah! I say.
Hi. I know this is an old thread but the description of vibration appears similar to what i am experiencing. I have read as many threads as I can find on vibration and have tried all the suggestions. New plugs, cb adjustments,engine mounting bolts, tb sync, air filter, sea foam, and nothing seems to make a difference. I have just got this bike as a replacement for an older st. It is an 04 with just 13000 miles on so suspect it has been sat for a while. I have listened to mellows vid about the u joint and do not think it is that but this thread suggests it might be. What I don't quite understand is that the vibration happens at standstill as tdeboeser states for his bike . Surely this means the u joint is not in operation? And yet it was the u joint for him. Any thoughts would be gratefully appreciated. Howard.
Correct, if you are at standstill, the drive shaft and u-joint are not moving as either the clutch is pulled in or the bike is in neutral.
One thing I've noticed is not all u-joints fail the same way, they have 2 sections to them and several points that can fail in different ways. Many don't notice any issues until a vibration starts and just a few miles later it grows until the u-joint fails in a bad way. I was lucky in that I noticed something in my garage, never noticed any vibration at all, and just took the chance at pulling the u-joint. I was very lucky.
I think the lowest mileage u-joint failure I've heard of is at 35k miles so 13k doesn't seems likely. However, you folks in the UK deal with a lot of corrosion the rest of us don't typically worry about.
If the vibs are there when it's running and not moving, that would rule out any driveline issues to me. Did you read the threads on cleaning the 5-way t-connector under the airbox where the throttle bodies are? I'd clean that as many have gunk in there over time or on a bike that sits for a while.
Hi Mellow,thank you for the quick reply. I have cleaned the 5 way already. Also pulled the ht leads off one by one whilst running and am pretty are it's running on all four. Now I'm truly stumped.... If you or anyone else have any ideas I would be most grateful. Howard.
I read , I think it was Micks thread, about his pump and lower tank after the bike being unridden for some time so that is at the back of my mind. Am I right in saying that I can simply take the pump out by undoing the plate under the seat to see if anything is obvious? Many thanks.
Mick had a very specific situation with a sitting bike. I think some other issue was going on with it before he got it as the corrosion was pretty bad... most pumps out of the lower tank won't really show you much working or not from a visual inspection. But, if you do shine a light in there you might be able to see if you have rust or gunk, obviously, make sure the upper tank is empty and you are into the lower tank so gas doesn't go anywhere and when you shine light, good idea to turn it on away from the bike and then point it into the tank... for sparks sake..
Yes,as this bike has done so few miles I am thinking that it may have been unused for some time and have a similar problem. I'll have alook. Might replace the pump just in case. Looks like i can get an inexpensive replacement easily enough. Thanks Mellow