86 250es BIG RED Top end Tick HELP!!!

[Big OL Red]

I recently picked up a 86 big red did all the fluids adjusted the valves and still ave a top end tick. I think its the Cam timing chain or maybe the guides? The ticking is worse as the motor is under more load. almost no tick at idle and after i get to speed and am crusing it calms down also. Any ideas/diagnosis/suggestions...Can I still ride with this noise if im easy on her?

[Flyingw]

Its very possible the cam journals are galled. When this happens, the lifter adjustment changes but before resolving to that possibility, be sure you are adjusting the valves right. .003 gap but you have to ensure the gap remains the same after you tighten the locking nut. If you feel confident the valaves are adjusted right, the only way to know is to pull the rocker cover and cam to inspect the cam journals. I have an SX motor with galled journals and after carefully adjusting the valves, it would start ticking almost immedietly.

[Big OL Red]

yes im confident in the valve measurement. Is it ok to ride with the fournals galled for a bit? I just spent a pretty penny on the bike and wanna ride atleast while I save up to get it rite? Ill probley have a buddy thats a mechanic do the work on the timing chain tho. Thats a little out of my league. Maybe you can help me with a new problem im having I replaced the gasket on my right side crank case cover yesterday and now my kickstart doesnt recoil... gotta take it back off is there a spring in there or something. for now ive just been pulling it back up by hand and locking its in.

[Flyingw]

If the cam journals are galled then ride it like you stole it. The head is more than likely trashed anyway. As for the kicker, I'll guess when you pulled the cover, you accidently pulled the kicker shaft out of the bearing releasing the hook end of the spring. They are NOT easy to get back in. You have to hook the spring then turn the kicker shaft until the punch mark is about 1 oclock then seat the kicker shaft back in to the bearing hole without letting the spring come loose. Its easier to put a pair of channel locks on the splines of the shaft to turn it or use the kicker itsself. Any way you do it, it sucks.

[Big OL Red]

So as for the kick starter will it hurt anything if I just keep manually lifting it back with my hand instead of dealing with that problem? Other things I have looked that have suggested the problem may be piston slack as well what do you think the problem could be? You think it's probably the cam timing chain journals?

[kb0nly]

If its doing it under load i would think its more the timing chain making the noise than anything, i have dealt with five 250's now doing that, at idle they were quiet, give it some throttle to start to take off and she would tick and rattle, get cruising and it was quiet again until you started going up a hill and putting some load on it again. Usually chain and guides took care of that along with a valve adjustment.

Its a good point to take a look at the cam too, but your going to have to pull off the whole top end to replace the timing chain guides so i would ride it for a while and save up for a chain, guides, top end gasket kit, and bottom end cover gaskets to do the chain and inspect the top end. Is it smoking at all? If not then you can probably just get by with a new set of rings and hone the cylinder while you got the top end apart, then your good to go for years to come.

[Big OL Red]

Thank you for the reply yeah that is exactly what it's doing it's quiet at an Idol and when I'm up to speed and let off the gas cruising it's good but when the motor is under a load like going up a hill or accelerating it ticks. I don't know how long the guy before me was riding it with the ticking so should I be alright for a little while while I save up or should I just not ride it for now until I get the cash together to get it fixed? Since you've done five I sure wish you lived near Orlando Florida I would pay you to do mine Lol.

[Howdy]

Thank you for the reply yeah that is exactly what it's doing it's quiet at an Idol and when I'm up to speed and let off the gas cruising it's good but when the motor is under a load like going up a hill or accelerating it ticks. I don't know how long the guy before me was riding it with the ticking so should I be alright for a little while while I save up or should I just not ride it for now until I get the cash together to get it fixed? Since you've done five I sure wish you lived near Orlando Florida I would pay you to do mine Lol.

Bring it to TF13 and we should be able to fix it there. LOL
Howdy

[Big OL Red]

What and where is that?

[Howdy]

It's at Haspin Acres in laurel indiana ( www.haspinacres.com ) and TF is held every year the weekend after Fathers day weekend. 2013 it June 20-23rd and some people will show up a week early and stay all week. You will see people from all over ( Canada, USA, and Germany ). Normally there is 250-300 people and probably 3-500 machines. It's something you will never forget.
Howdy

[kb0nly]

If i was closer i would do it for beer cost... LOL

I need to get to TF one of these years, i have been hearing about it for years. I'm a trike magnet here, i just ran across another stash of trikes, guy has a shed full of them. Here we go again... Not sure if i will buy any of them, or just make a deal with him to get them running and sell them and share the profit, i have done that many times before.