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[trevorch]

My 2011 EFI B5 seemed to be noisy around the valve gear area. A few seconds after starting from cold, there would be one quite load metal against metal "clack", thereafter still quite noisy valve gear sounds. Finally persuaded my dealer to do something about it. He had the bike for two hours today, carried out a full 3,000km service and told me the "clack" noise is gone and overall the engine is quieter. What did he do? He offered no explanation and h asked me to stay out of the workshop, till finished. The kickstart now has the same compression resistance as a 500 without a decompressor whereas before, the kickstart gave almost no resistance. My conclusion is that somehow he disabled the automatic decompressor.
Any thoughts?

Regards TrevorCH

[PeteF]

It's your machine and he should tell you what he's done. He should also keep any replacement parts for you to inspect. If he has disabled the decomp your electric start won't like it (unless it's the electric start that triggers the auto decomp - I don't know how these things work) I only kicked an EFI off once and that one seemed to have plenty of compression at the k/s lever.

[Les H]

Hi Trevor. Never worked or seen inside the EFI/UCE engine but I think they have hydraulic tappets and they might be able to remove them or do something to them from the inspection plate that the engine still has in the old location. If they are gumming up they will cause loss of compression maybe by holding the valves open slightly or by not pumping up so there is a large tappet clearance and hence the noise....just a guess though!

[trevorch]

Hi PeterF,
Many valid points there. Don't know if any part was removed, but it begs the question. Have same thoughts about the electric starter, but it feels exactly the same, only the kick start feels different. Any way, the warranty covers everything (Usual exclusion about wearing parts and light bulbs etc) and is valid until December 2013.
Having known the guy through 4 years and two Bullets, I respect his knowledge, but without buying the official factory workshop manual, the EFI engine is still a mysterious black box to me. Gave it a good thrashing over 75km on the way home and it feels more lively and less top end noise. So its wait and see, but I shall ask him to confirm that his "modification" does not invalidate the warranty, for the sake of good order.
Cheers TrevorCH
(BTW over a weekend ride of 200km fuel consumption was amazing 2.75L/100km or 103Mile/UK Gallon.)

[Alan R]

Hi LES H---Specially for you ( Brush-up on your Spanish first though !!)----------------------http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyIgEmRfd8E-----------

[Les H]

Hi Alan. I had a look around on You Tube myself after posting on this thread. Not sure what you think but it seems the timing side main bearing has failed (cracked) which has allowed the exhast cam to clout the half time pinion that sites on the crankshaft...is that what you see? I was going to post the link as well, but not sure if Trevor would have appreciated it...he obviously thinks that the hydraulic tappets are not the problem.

[trevorch]

Hi Les H,
Just finished writing a letter to my dealer, for a friend to translate, when I saw you were back in action. Alan R's video gave some food for thought. I think in the middle of the exhaust cam gear, I saw something that looked like a centrifugal mechanism. Now I begin to realise maybe what this automatic decompressor comprises and perhaps the loud clang that I have heard was this being actuated. Without this decompressor action, the force required to use the kick start is very high and I don't think my right knee will be in favour. As it was delivered, kick starting was girls stuff. Perhaps I live with it until I hear back from the dealer. I feel sure his modification would invalidate the warranty. Going to have a 2nd look at the video now.
Best regards TrevorCH

[Norm]

We have had a UCE bust the sprag recently and first thing Tim Busby said to check was the auto decomp

[Les H]

Just took another look and the trouble was caused by the timing side main bearing inner race sliding out off the shaft and the exhaust cam clouted it. I guess they fixed it by Loctiting it back on the shaft. there's no mention of removing the entire bearing. Sould be a good enough fix though as long as they use the right stuff and make sure everything is spotlessly clean.

[Alan R]

Hello all---- glad you found that vid. useful. Yes, that's the centrifugal-based, automatic de-compressor. I too was not amused about the "Keep out of the workshop" attitude and the reluctance to explain just what's been done to your engine. LES---that inner race, loose-fitted on the crankshaft is a poor idea. I agree with you---it certainly looks like that's what's happened. The Spanish sub-titles and the mechanics' explanation seems to indicate that as well. Apart from a single, isolated occasion recently--( Hello WAYNE at Hitchcocks !) these are the only times I've seen inside the UCE engine. Are these a form of WET SUMP engine ?? It seems the oil is flung up onto a "Catcher" and routed into the gearbox. I'm not impressed with a PLASTIC oil pump gear wheel---the last thing you want as a "Sacrificial" item is anything to do with the oil pressure----even if the engine has broken down elsewhere it still needs oil circulating, surely.(HITCHCOCKS--- maybe a brass substitute ???) Was that a STEEL, H-section con-rod I saw ?? But still the floating bush ?? Not sure--couldn't tell. Interesting though. What is the gearbox like out on the road ?? Looks very "compact and bijou" in there. TREVOR --- how do you navigate that web site that has your recent club-ride on ?? Couldn't see you or that basket that CATH mentioned ??