Engine sound and vibrations - excessive noise from chain and valves?

[AGSTS]

So the top bolts that screw in directly to the frame and hold the crash bars is a mystery to me. Came to try again the next day, tried to pull on it with pliers - it's out. Seems like there's little to no thread there. Same bolt on the other side is not coming out and is still turning with little resistance but not coming out.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Those two holes, from the factory, one is threaded, the other is simply a "line up hole" for the fairing bracket.

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[AGSTS]

Okay, that's new information, thanks. So the hole on the right side has no thread - how is that bolt supposed to stay there? I can pull it out with my fingers, I don't get how it remained there this whole time and didn't fall out. Left one seems to be just turning with little resistance and I cannot pull it out. So the hole is threaded but the bolt is not unscrewing, extremely annoying.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Someone apparently drilled an stuck a bolt in one of the holes.

I'd grab it with a vise grip and pull it out while spinning it.

If you do use the guard again, you might Heli-coil the hole with the correct size thread/bolt so it's NOT just for "show"..

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[AGSTS]

Excellent advice, thanks again. Ordered some helicoils and will try to tackle that bolt once they arrive.

On a different note, last night I checked sparkplug caps and leads to see if they are not loose. Would you be able to spin them with a bit of force after they’re snug? I cut the leads with wire cutting pliers for cylinder 1 and 4 as they were spinning freely, but once I cut the leads the wires were all squished up together and it made it really difficult to fan them out without bending them repeatedly and breaking them. So I fanned them out as best as I could and screwed in the cap. No noticeable change in vibrations - they’re present from idle to redline.

Is it just better to use those pliers that just cut the isolation material and then cut the wires once they’re exposed so I could do it with more precision?

P.S. Re-did the TB sync (2 screws had to be screwed in all the way to sync the bodies) and surely the main screw has been definitely touched. I couldn't even raise my idle above ~1200 RPM. Following what @TownsendsFJR1300 said in previous posts I re-did them but and now it's much better - I can sync them without bottoming any of the screws. However, None of the cylinders are reaching the indicated 218 mmHg vacuum and are at around 205 mmHg. Carbtune and some conversations here mention not to look at the values and just focus on syncing the bodies, but why is this the case? Wouldn't that mean the engine is getting more/less air than originally intended?

 

[Gary in NJ]

Do you have access to a leak-down tester and an air compressor? Maybe it’s time to do some actual diagnostic testing.

 

[AGSTS]

Do you have access to a leak-down tester and an air compressor? Maybe it’s time to do some actual diagnostic testing.

Unfortunately no, I do not. But I now remembered - wouldn't it create 218mmHg vacuum at sea level?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I'm at sea level and it would not go to the specified Hg. No way

IME, ignore the overall vacuum # from Yamaha and sync as you have-No screws bottomed out, able to adjust all of them, full adjustment and good levels of each cylinder(all even as close as possible).

As I recall, I trimmed a wire or two and just cut the wire evenly(one cut, no other surgery). Just spin the cap back on dead center and snug (obviously, don't over tighten). Don't over think/over do it.

Not reading back 47 posts but did you ever check valve clearances?

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[AGSTS]

I'm at sea level and it would not go to the specified Hg. No way

IME, ignore the overall vacuum # from Yamaha and sync as you have-No screws bottomed out, able to adjust all of them, full adjustment and good levels of each cylinder(all even as close as possible).

As I recall, I trimmed a wire or two and just cut the wire evenly(one cut, no other surgery). Just spin the cap back on dead center and snug (obviously, don't over tighten). Don't over think/over do it.

Not reading back 47 posts but did you ever check valve clearances?

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Negative, that's a pretty long and big job that I've never done before, so I want to cross all the alternatives and then get to it.
Will re-check the wires later today, can't believe they had no impact, seen a lot of good comments here. Maybe I've cut too little (I've cut only a couple mm) or didn't seat them properly to the cap.
Current status is as follows:
- Exhaust mounts: done
- Subframe bolts: done
- TB sync: done
- Spark plug wires: sort of done
- CCT: shipping
- Engine mount re-torque and crash bar removal: shipping hex heads for my torque wrench, arriving tomorrow
- Valve clearance: pending
= Vibration same as before

 

[AGSTS]

Did the spark plug wires again, cutting more of the wire this time. Everything went much better this time, plug caps screwed in tightly. No change in vibrations.

Engine mounts, crash bar and valve clearance seems the only remaining options. Going to tackle mounts with crash bar tomorrow.

 

[AGSTS]

Last bolt remaining (and the most problematic) holding the crash bars at the top of the frame, where the fairings would be fitted on a faired version. Quick question - is there a nut holding the bolt on the inside of the frame? The nut is not coming out and it seems like a nut is holding it in. I would need to remove the battery box at least to reach the bolt from the other side.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Last bolt remaining (and the most problematic) holding the crash bars at the top of the frame, where the fairings would be fitted on a faired version. Quick question - is there a nut holding the bolt on the inside of the frame? The nut is not coming out and it seems like a nut is holding it in. I would need to remove the battery box at least to reach the bolt from the other side.
View attachment 74191

"Stock", there is no nut in there, just threaded aluminum frame..

The inside of the frame is mostly hollow so it's possible someone added a nut in this mod.

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[AGSTS]

I hate that person now.. So much fiddling for such a small issue! Will tackle that bolt today and my CCT arrived just now, so will change it out too.

 

[Gary in NJ]

Sawsall

 

[trepetti]

Sawsall

Dremel .....

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Torches


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[TownsendsFJR1300]

Big hammer...

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[trepetti]

Big hammer...

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The Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator

 

[AGSTS]

Most of these have already came to my mind!

 

[trepetti]

Where's the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom!

Boy, I miss my cartoons sometimes!