Skip to the bottom for "Hmmm"

So I picked up the 1998 Smokin' Joe Monday (some here already know about it, see "Potential F3 Owner") and drove it home. Not a terribly long ride, 20 miles. On the way home this thing felt weak and sputtered a bit. I could get it to 85-90, but that was a feat and it would not move beyond that. So Yesterday I poured Seafoam in the tank and ran it for a few minutes, cut it off and let it sit overnight. After work today I undressed the bike (MUCH easier than the Ninja, by the way), checked brake fluids, radiator fluid, pulled the fuel pump cover off to inspect, some minor things. I started the bike, it sounded better. I decided to take a quick illegal naked-bike jaunt down the road to see if Seafoam helped at all. Holy b!tch nutz. It pulled so hard my ********* hurt. There's a good deal I still need to do (fuel/air filters, plugs, real carb cleaning), but good lawd, the difference the Seafoam made was stupid.
Only the ram air duct is working. The low speed ducts are doing nothing. Don't ask me why.

Now a "Hmmm"

When I'm pulling off from a stop, as soon as I get to the back end of the friction zone (and for the first couple mph) I hear and feel a grand chatter down below, accompanied by a very brief shutter during the duration of said chatter. Also, I hear the faint roughness (the shhhhh sound I imagine a clutch plate would make scraping against something) at idle with clutch lever released. It don't hear it with clutch pulled. Once I'm moving, the chatter is gone. Shifts are fine. Only happens on initial takeoff. Does it sound as if the clutch plates are bad?? Or is there another culprit I've overlooked??

 

I had a chatter on my F3 a couple months ago and it was just when i was still or going less than about 10 mph when the rpm was real low like at 1,000 and what is was that slow rpm speed made my exhaust springs chatter. I just took replaced them with some other ones i sprayed with WD-40. It doesnt really sound like this is your problem, but its just something simple and inexpensive to look at before you tear into the cluth lol.

And about how much seafoam did you put in your tank? I bought some and ive been meaning to run some through my bike. Thanks, Rider

 

I used half of the 16oz bottle for the full tank of gas. Believe me, this stuff does not disappoint. Let the bike idle with it for a little bit, then let the bike sit overnight. The improvement was unreal.

I'll take a gander at the springs, but judging by the circumstances surround the chatter, I'm a tad skeptical. Won't know without looking though, right? Thanks for the tip!

 

The hydraulic cam chain tensioner goes bad on these bikes and causes a chatter / rattle.

A manual one costs ~$50 and you won't have to worry about it again.

 

CCT never crossed my mind, but that could make a bit of sense.

 

did you post the pics of that bike yet???? is it illegal to take your bike naked??? even if you have all the lights hooked up

 

I'll grab some shots when I get home. In NC you don't need fairings, just lights/signals. Hell, on our cars, we don't need windshields, but you must have wipers intact. lol! true story!!!

 

I no longer think anything is wrong with my clutch. I think instead that I was used to being able to pull off on the ninja at 2000rpm without issue, but the CBR was nearing stall and bucking. I was replicated the chatter tonight to pin point the noise and stalled the bike. So I upped the rpm a little, and it did it a little. I bumped my pull off rpm to around 4k, and it was quiet and smooth. I took it for another naked ride, and was the bike was smooth as long as I kept rpm up while pulling off in first gear. Carbs still haven't been cleaned properly. Doesn't help, I'm sure.


As promised, a couple photos. Not the best quality, but here ya go.

Tuesday, 6:30pm


Tuesday 7:15pm

 

 

hsahahahaha, i remember i use to drive my cavalier down in Nc with no front bumper and fenders. i think my hood was off as well.

where in Nc are you. i should be down by cherry point this summer and planing trailing my bike that way. it would be cool to take a ride with another smoking joe.