Yeah...I got ya. Bob helped and he checked the valves and springs. He was on
one side of the engine and I was on the other taking that baby apart. They were
all tight. After considerable cussing I realized that we gotta go lower. I'm a
lazy sod myself but this one is going to take some effort to solve. It was much
worse under a load but still ran rather well. Bottom line...it needs fixed and
that's that. We'll find it. I'll bet you wish you were here to be an armchair
mechanic....LOL! It's always more fun to boss the wrenchers around. (and we'd
love to have someone of your caliber here too.)....HotrodMamma.
----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis Hammerl
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 10:51 PM
Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Broken valve spring...
To be specific, I meant remove the cover and turn the crankshaft
several times while watching the action of the valve gear. At some point, the
cause of the noise should have been obvious. I might add that no valve should
have any clearance. One with clearance would be the source of the noise.
Observation is a great part of diagnosis. In truth, I'm a lazy sod. I don't
take anything apart unless I REALLY have to. And then, only as much as needed.
I wouldn't remove the head unless I knew I had a bent valve. How do you know ?
That's the one that doesn't return up all the way... Did it start to miss when
all this started ?
--- On Fri, 7/31/09, Creative Residential Designs
<[email protected]> wrote:
From: Creative Residential Designs <[email protected]>
Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Broken valve spring...
To: [email protected]
Date: Friday, July 31, 2009, 12:39 AM
Oh yeah...there's problems. I don't think you can watch for the
unusual things that are broken in the top end of your motor...I do think that
you can hear 'em though! At least it's not the KNOCK KNOCK of an engine that's
too far gone. I won't know more until tomorrow with the top end removal. At
least I salvaged the cam cover gasket.
----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis Hammerl
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 9:35 PM
Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Broken valve spring...
Before you started to take it down, did you turn the motor
over and watch for unusual things happening ? I would have expected to hear or
see something. I'd hate for you to have to do more than what is needed.
--- On Thu, 7/30/09, Creative Residential Designs
<[email protected]> wrote:
From: Creative Residential Designs
<[email protected]>
Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Broken valve spring...
To: [email protected]
Date: Thursday, July 30, 2009, 4:23 PM
Hey Dennis...I took everything off of the top of the engine
that I could without removing the whole top end so far. I have found nothing
yet so I'll keep you informed. I'm trying to eat enough bologna to keep me
going until I get it all apart.
I was able to save the cam cover gasket. When I replaced
the cam cover gasket last year I put High-Tac on the bottom side of the gasket
and silicone ("snot") on the top side. Bob recommended this and now I know why.
I took a razor knife gently around the gasket on the top side so that the
gasket stayed stuck to the engine itself. The High-Tac glued the gasket firmly
to the engine and the silicone released it from the top side. I will post some
pictures of the disassembly later.
I wrapped the cams in saran wrap and marked each one. I
have some more tips that I will share with the group later that work well.
HotrodMamma.
----- Original Message -----
From: Creative Residential Designs
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 7:51 AM
Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Broken valve spring...
I'll let you know. I do have a parts bike with a good top
end. I was weighing the idea of just swapping the whole top end. If nothing I
do have parts but I hate to take that cam cover off. I'll have to try and save
it if I can. HotrodMamma.
----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis Hammerl
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 10:31 PM
Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Broken valve spring...
Let me know what you find. A broken valve spring
would be a first for me. Other than the faulty hydraulic adjuster problem, I've
never seen a cylinder head failure of any sort. If it didn't drop a cylinder at
time of noise, I'd bet on a cam follower. Sure be easier to repair than a
valve. Good luck.
--- On Wed, 7/29/09, Creative Residential Designs
<[email protected]> wrote:
From: Creative Residential Designs
<[email protected]>
Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Broken valve
spring...
To: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 11:58 PM
I went for a ride on my '83 650 Nighthawk
today. It was about 170 miles round trip. Coming back home I heard a noise in
my top end. Lucky me, I was at a town only 20 miles from home. It was a tap,
tap, tap. I put some oil in even though I put some oil in before I left home as
it was a bit low still. I rode it slow for about a block. There was no noise
until I put it under load...tap, tap, tap but not real loud. And then...PING!
ping ping ping. I think I broke a valve spring. I pulled it over. I was riding
with Bob so I jumped on the back of his bike (ARRGGG! I hate the back seat!)
and we came back and got the trailer. I am pulling the cam cover off tomorrow
to have a look-see. Now I have 3 bikes and nothing to ride! My old Harley
needs a clutch and I'm waiting for the clutch lever that was donated to me by a
very nice member of this forum. ;) for the Nighthawk Nightmare project. Between
the generous donation of a tank and that clutch lever from members of this
forum I should at least have one bike to ride again soon! Thanks to the
generous members of this forum for helping me to get a bike on the road again.
HotrodMamma.
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