Author Topic: my G5 is laid up (Read 4094 times)

jartist · **on:** September 11, 2011, 06:36:30 pm

I didn't want to post at first 'cause the negative posts kindof suck but I'm having enfield withdrawals and there's nothing left to do on a Sunday but hang out on the forum. My bike started making an awful racket similar to WillW's bike. I'm confident that the good folks at CMW and my dealer will sort her out but I'm really missing my G5 in the meantime! I know it's just a machine but man I love that bike!

r80rt · **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2011, 07:17:22 pm

They'll get you back on the road soon. in the mean time, try not to think of all the fun I'm having on mine

YJake · **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2011, 09:57:19 pm

Make sure you fill us all in on what happened to her!

-Jake

Maturin · **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2011, 04:08:26 pm

Hope you'll be back on two wheels soon, Jartist. Concerning negative posts I may say, that your posting will immediatelly turn into a positive one when you can get a diagnosis and it turns out it's nothing complicated.
So if we can get an answer to the clatter- problem, your failure can at least prevent others from having trouble. Heads up!

ScooterBob · **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2011, 05:49:01 pm

Hmmmmmmmm ........

olhogrider · **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2011, 06:24:51 pm

Hope you get it fixed soon. Is it in Santa Cruz?

Great to see Scooter Bob stick his nose in here. Love to hear his opinion.

jartist · **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2011, 07:46:28 pm

Thanks everybody for the emotional support.

Yeah, the bike's at Il Motorino/cycleworks in Santa Cruz where I bought it. They will probably start tearing into it this week as soon as they get word from CMW. I've got my own theories about what the problem is but I'm going to let the professionals do their magic- the suspense is killing me!

2bikebill · **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2011, 10:15:04 pm

Wating with baited breath - as you may imagine....

GSS · **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2011, 03:25:56 am

Let us know.....

jartist · **Reply #9 on:** September 20, 2011, 07:33:06 pm

Great news! I called my dealer today and they said that the problem was the auto decompression mechanism sticking open so they removed it and are waiting to receive the right side cover gasket to put it back together. I'm so happy that it turned out to be something so simple! We shall see when it's put back together.

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #10 on:** September 20, 2011, 07:45:23 pm

Nice! I wonder if some Marvel Mystery Oil or ATF would have helped to free it up? Regardless, glad things are moving along before the real cold and wet weather set in.

Scott

singhg5 · **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2011, 08:45:16 pm

Quote from: jartist on September 20, 2011, 07:33:06 pm

Great news! I called my dealer today and they said that the problem was the auto decompression mechanism sticking open so they removed it and are waiting to receive the right side cover gasket to put it back together.

I'm so happy that it turned out to be something so simple! We shall see when it's put back together.

This is certainly a happy news.

Once you get your bike, let us know if the clanking sound is gone and if it sounds / runs normal.

cyrusb · **Reply #12 on:** September 22, 2011, 09:00:32 pm

Waiting to recieve a cover gasket? A cover gasket? They did not have one? I give up. Is the requirement for a dealership to not have a single part? What about the auto decomp? Will they be installing a new one, or just leave it out?

jartist · **Reply #13 on:** September 22, 2011, 10:45:32 pm

I've no complaints. I was going to deactivate the auto decompress myself as soon as the warranty was up anyway. As far as cover gaskets go, it's a small dealer and they ordered a few to have on hand. It takes a while to build up inventory of parts you need and in the people's republic of California out here there is a heavy inventory tax assessed every year so NOBODY keeps parts on hand that aren't moving.

Desi Bike · **Reply #14 on:** September 22, 2011, 11:01:26 pm

california uber alles?

Arizoni · **Reply #15 on:** September 22, 2011, 11:08:37 pm

IMO, removing the auto decompression lever would be a mistake.

Without it in place and operating as it should, the starter motor, starter gear train and the sprag clutch will be subjected to much higher loads as they raise the piston against the full compression caused by the exhaust valve being fully closed.

This sounds like a good recipe for part failure to me.

ScooterBob · **Reply #16 on:** September 23, 2011, 12:57:15 pm

Quote from: Arizoni on September 22, 2011, 11:08:37 pm

IMO, removing the auto decompression lever would be a mistake.

Without it in place and operating as it should, the starter motor, starter gear train and the sprag clutch will be subjected to much higher loads as they raise the piston against the full compression caused by the exhaust valve being fully closed.

This sounds like a good recipe for part failure to me.

There is NO measurable difference in stater amp draw with - or without the auto decompressor. It mostly works at "kicking speed" - or when the battery is too dead to operate the processor. If you don't kick start - toss the thing and have one less pile of small parts to break inside the engine ....

olhogrider · **Reply #17 on:** September 23, 2011, 06:07:36 pm

Please pardon my ignorance but how does the decompressor work on a UCE? How can it be disabled or removed?

jartist · **Reply #18 on:** September 23, 2011, 06:52:25 pm

The exhaust valve cam has a centrifugal weight that turns a pin on the cam surface. That pin is round with a flat and when the rpms are less than 700 or so the pin has the round part up prodruding into the cam making a bump for the cam follower to momentarily blip the exhaust valve open. It's disabled by removing those bits. Not sure if just the pin is removed or the weight too.

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #19 on:** September 23, 2011, 07:27:49 pm

I think the weight and spring are removed as well. I remember reading that the starter is up to the job but I do wonder about the sprag over the long term. More and more I just want to get one of those and put it on the shelf just in case.

Scott

jartist · **Reply #20 on:** September 23, 2011, 08:14:51 pm

I think the thing that kills the sprags when the engine kicks back on startup. The beefier sprag design should handle normal startup if it can handle kickbacks.

Jack Leis · **Reply #21 on:** September 23, 2011, 08:20:40 pm

Glad to hear your getting it fixed. I have a definate interest, I just brought my brand new G5 home Tuesday.

olhogrider · **Reply #22 on:** September 24, 2011, 01:42:29 am

Thanks for the explanation. I went by the shop and saw your bike. Shame you have to wait for a gasket. I saw the KPIG bike there. They said it was for sale for $10,000. I started calling to move money around. Then the shop owner called and said $13K. That's the same as my dealer wants. No bargain there.

Arizoni · **Reply #23 on:** September 24, 2011, 03:02:05 am

Hell, if you wait long enough it will be up to $20,000.

olhogrider · **Reply #24 on:** September 24, 2011, 05:07:53 am

It is a 2011 H-D Blackline. That's a Softail with most of the chrome blacked out. The list price was $16k. The 2011 has the tiny

96 cu in engine. For 2012 they kept the price the same and upped the engine size to 103". Dealers are marking down 2011s by $3000. I think the lady who won it just wants the ten grand and told the shop they could have anything over that. Who would pay what a dealer charges to get a used (8 miles) bike?

jartist · **Reply #25 on:** October 14, 2011, 06:39:49 am

Finally got my bike back! Just rode home about ten miles. So far so good. Changed to an 18 tooth sprocket while they had the right side cover off but I can't say that it made that big of a difference. Its been so long since I rode it last that I can't compare it to the 17 tooth too well.

2bikebill · **Reply #26 on:** October 14, 2011, 07:48:05 am

Glad to hear your bike's back home.
Can you be a bit more specific about the noise it was making? Was it a tappet-like clatter, and did it begin suddenly? Was it much worse when the engine was warmed up to full operating temperature? Was there metal coming out on the drainplug magnets?
My own bike is going back to Watsonian Squire today. I've been assured that whatever the problem is it will be mended!
Sounds like a result, but there'll be no rejoicing here until that bike is back home and running like it should - I've been here before remember...... $:-\$
This time I'm having to pay my own delivery & collection costs. It aint cheap and I'd like to think the engine is going to be properly stripped down and the problem actually fixed this time!

jartist · **Reply #27 on:** October 14, 2011, 04:42:10 pm

Quote from: WillW on March 07, 1974, 03:04:48 am

Can you be a bit more specific about the noise it was making? Was it a tappet-like clatter, and did it begin suddenly? Was it much worse when the engine was warmed up to full operating temperature? Was there metal coming out on the drainplug magnets?

Yes to all the above. Good luck getting your bike sorted quickly. It really is a drag when the bike is out of commission even when it turns out to be something small.