Hi guys,

My '89 cane has recently started getting especially rattly, which I'm guessing means it wants some valve shims (it's past due) or has a CCT issue. However, it's my daily driver and I have nothing else to get to work with right now, so I've avoided any teardowns. This evening I took it out for a ride and did a few WOT runs on the freeway, and I've noticed the engine feels somewhat sluggish and has a few power "hiccups" as I accelerate. I've never known this bike to do that before, so I'm hoping it's just something related to this (pending) maintenance. Can those issues cause this sort of engine trouble, or do I need to look at something else? I was hoping to leave the teardown until the end of the season, as I live in an apartment and I don't have anywhere to work right now. Either way, I'm going to change the plugs tonight, just to be safe.

Thanks,
Fisher

 

the plugs can make a HUGE difference...always amazes me when they are changed. my bike was making a weird *** noise a few weeks back, thought it was some valve chatter as well, changed the plugs and it ran like new!!

 

I'd get on that valve adjustment ASAP. lettin em go aint good. I gotta do mine too.

 

Changed the plugs tonight, seems to be running a lot better. Most of the rattle is still there, though, so I'll probably be taking it in soon to get the valve adjustment done.

 

pfft. screw the stealership, and shop labor. gimme the parts, I'll to it myself. its not extremely hard honestly, I simply use a paint stick to mark my cam position, and the timing so that I just line up the paint marks, and put it all back when I'm done.

 

I don't think it would be a problem to do it myself, but I live in an apartment, and I really don't feel like taking off my head covers in the parking lot, haha.

 

She's got just over 21,000 on her right now. I bought her with about 15,000 and I've done a lot of work since then, but I think the previous owner(s) neglected most of the routine maintenance. You could have started a bonfire with what I pulled out of the air cleaner.

If we don't need shims to do valve adjustments, then I'm going to trash this shop manual I've got, which claims they're needed. It's given me several pieces of wrong advice, including the number of links in the drive chain, oil capacity, and others. What's funny is that the cheap Haynes manual I have has been right on. Go figure.

 

I dont buy the cam chain being worn out by 21K. I'm almost certain mine is original at 41K and its still just fine.