compensator nut question

[trmn8r]

What type of sound would one expect if your compensator nut is loose, or maybe just comeing loose?

Last couple of days, been riding back and forth to work, funny tappy, rattly sound that I notice more when I'm wearing my helmet, I guess because it maybe funnels the sounds from down low up to my ears as opposed to without helmet, more wind I don't notice the sound as much.

Sound 'seems' to be coming from left side of motor, up front somewhere. Where I 'think' compensator nut noise would be coming from.

Sound is kinda sorta sewing machine like, but louder, almost a rattling sound at certain loads/rpms. I guess pretty much any RPM if the load is right. Pulling harder going up a slight hill it's not so bad, top the hill where load on the motor just lets up the sound is louder, then as you start going downhill, the sound eases up a bit, but is still there.

Is the fix just to pull the primary cover and retorque to proper spec?

Serious question, but let the merryment begin , didn't want to go ask it anywhere else.

[Geezer-Glide]

Who are you again??

No seriously, before you dig into the primary, check everything else. Especially heat shields!!

If it is the comp nut, you'll have to pull it off, clean any loc tite off of it and reapply. Torque to 75 # then tighten it 50 degrees. In other words............ crank the shit out of it!

[trmn8r]

K thanks!

I keep riding along, trying to look and feel around down there hoping to find what it is. Hopefully tomorrow gets a bit warmer and I can get out there and check it out good. Been down in the single digits around here in the mornings, with highs of mid 30's pretty sucky weather for riding or working on a ride.

Is it blue locktite or red on that comp. nut?

Having to ride the bike these cold ass mornings cause the tranny in my truck went out a few weeks ago and been to cold to work on that... now started having his noise issue.

When it rains it pours.

[Geezer-Glide]

It should be red loctite. You may need a torch to loosen it. A plumbers torch for soldering is adequate.

[vafatboy]

They may sound a little different from one to the next, but mine didn't have a sewing machine sound at all. It was a knock, knock, KNOCK.

If its loose enough to knock, it'll come right off with little help from a wrench. If you go in and find it is loose, check the teeth on the rotor where they mesh up with the splines on the shaft. Mine had rounded just a bit and it had a little rattle after I put it back together. Had to go back in and replace it.

A heat gun work well on the locktite too. Used a pick and acetone to clean it up.

[trmn8r]

I stopped on the way home, picked up a primary cover gasket, and went ahead and grabbed a primary chain tensioner shoe while I was there. I'm not so convinced that it may not just be that. Figured with 60000 miles it might need replacing anyway. I have to admit I've probably been a bit remiss in my maintenance the last year or so, the tensioner probably hasn't been adjusted in about a entire year, and maybe 10000 miles.

I'm a bit ashamed of my maintenance the last year or so.

[Backroad Mike]

I just replaced my chain tensior shoe at 118k. It was starting to show about 1/32 grove wear and I had the primary off anyway to replace the belt.

For the comp, you'll need a 1 1/2" socket and some type of breaker bar to use for leverage in order to get the 50 degree additional torque after the 70 ft lbs. I used a 1/2" breaker bar with a 4 ft piece of black iron pipe slipped over the handle end for the leverage I needed. DO NOT USE AN IMPACT WRENCH. You will risk damaging the stator/rotor assembly. I think you also need a 1 3/8" or 1 1/4" to remove the clutch pack since it all needs to come off together.

You'll also need a primary locking tool to hold everything in place while you break it free, and again when you torque it down.

[Bluetoys]

what year/engine? If you see any copper flake in the primary oil, dig deeper.

[dynageno]

Keep us posted whoever you are

[Geezer-Glide]

1 3/8 socket for the clutch basket, and it's a LEFT handed thread. Righty-LOOSEY, lefty TIGHTY in this case.

[MegaGlide]

I don't remember the last time I adjusted my primary chain.
I check it every 5k, but it never needs it.
And if you gotta stand on that nut to loosen it, that wasn't the problem.

[Infidel!]

Could be the compensator itself. They've been known to go bad

[trmn8r]

well compensator nut appears to be tight, local guy who has never steered me wrong told me they dont just back off a bit, if it comes loose it'll come all the way loose. Primary chain might have been a tad bit loose but not bad, grooves were worse than 1/32", somewhere around 3/16" I'd say, looked like it could have just been tightened, but I went ahead and replaced it with a new one. got that all buttoned back up, clutch adjusted, primary filled. Letting all the other vital fluids finish dripping now before I go refill it and take it for a spin to see if it's the same or better. Got my fingers crossed that it was just a loose primary chain making the noise that was bugging me, but I'm not counting on it.

[Sonic]

[trmn8r]

ok, took it for a spin, sound still there, stopped got off, crawled all around listening while trying to rev motor up to RPM I keep hearing at... 41st time was a charm. door on left lower fairing where it hinges so you can open it up for more wind or close it off must be wearing or getting loose from use.
I swear I listened all over and around, even before Geez' suggested it in post #2, and a few times after that. Oh well, changing out the primary chain tensioner show didn't hurt anything anyway, after second look, groove may not have been as deep as I said in previous post, but it was for sure worse than 1/32". All the fluids needed changing really bad... guess pulling the primary cover can be considered penance for not keeping up on my maintenance like I should.

41 report concluded. Now if only I could make this 41 thread self destruct in ten seconds.