1980 XS650 Special Engine Whining

It almost sounds like the starter didn't disengage.... but I've never heard of the problem on an XS. Quiet the opposite actually.
 
Sound like the described "whining" is engine rpm correspondent and not just either side of the engine. To me its sounds like a bearing but the cam chain is very suspect.
Check cam chain tensioner and condition.
Have you drained the engine oil to look for metal glitters or rubber chunks ?
Its really great to have this video to watch and hear !!
 
Sound like the described "whining" is engine rpm correspondent and not just either side of the engine. To me its sounds like a bearing but the cam chain is very suspect.
Check cam chain tensioner and condition.
Have you drained the engine oil to look for metal glitters or rubber chunks ?
Its really great to have this video to watch and hear !!

I recently changed the oil before putting it away for the winter and there were no signs of metal/damage in the oil or filter. I also checked the tensioner and it was perfectly lined up. I’m pretty new to all of this, haha..but from everything I’ve read, it sounds like it might be a cam bearing. I just want to be certain so I know where to start in the Spring.
 
Hello XS gurus , here is an actual video/audio of a running XS with an audible symptom .
Surely somebody can hear this and recognize or guess ? Perhaps by the rpm its possibly clutch ? He!! it sounds kinda like a throw out bearing in my old chev truck.
This is a fun one
 
... break out the feeler gauge.. give the valves a check..... leave the cam chain adjuster cover off and run it for a few moments... watch the cam chain adjuster... if everything is normal.. maybe the chain guide ?
we have a thin wood'd rod that helps isolate " ugly ".... I had a needle bearing wrist pin go south on my XS... (yrs ago) had a similar " ugly ".
 
Hope for something simple...

Ditto.

I recently changed the oil before putting it away for the winter...

Maybe that's a clue.

A mis-inserted and/or bent dipstick could be rubbing on a tranny gear. It passes very close to the 3rd countershaft gear (middle gear in this pic), which would be spinning with the engine running in neutral...

cut-away-engine_02b.jpg
 
Hello XS gurus , here is an actual video/audio of a running XS with an audible symptom .
Surely somebody can hear this and recognize or guess ? Perhaps by the rpm its possibly clutch ? He!! it sounds kinda like a throw out bearing in my old chev truck.
This is a fun one

MikesXS viewed the video and mentioned that it could be loose brushes. So there’s another possibility. I’m hoping that it’s something simple like the dipstick theory or the brushes, haha. I’m taking it out of storage next week..so we shall see!
 
It sounds like it is actually running pretty well....so I don’t suppose it could be a vacuum leak...:shrug:
 
Interesting comment from TwoMany! Just this afternoon I checked my oil level and when I reinserted the dipstick I thought "That feels strange". I am sure I could have screwed it in with a bit more effort than usual and it would have been in contact with the gears. So it can be done! The dipstick can be positioned in another spot closer to the gears with a bit extra force.
 
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Open the LH round alternator cover, watch the end of the crank with it running or spinning over with the e-start. You can remove the sparkplugs for the electric start spin test. I'm pretty sure I know what that noise means.
 
Open the LH round alternator cover, watch the end of the crank with it running or spinning over with the e-start. You can remove the sparkplugs for the electric start spin test. I'm pretty sure I know what that noise means.

Are you saying that it’s probably a bad bearing?
 
Here’s another video of the noise from a different perspective. My brother in law was messing around on my bike and you can really hear the “whine” or “whir.”

 
Open the LH round alternator cover, watch the end of the crank with it running or spinning over with the e-start. You can remove the sparkplugs for the electric start spin test. I'm pretty sure I know what that noise means.

good idea to crank it on the starter without the noise of the engine running.
I think a stethoscope or even a long piece of wood dowel to the ear would soon pinpoint the location and component/s

I'm pretty sure that you could turn the engine over with a drill and socket adaptor on the rotor nut with the spark plugs removed but I've not tried it on my xs650 just on my 200cc Lambretta . Its a useful way to dynamically time the scoot with a timing gun without having to run the engine
 
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You need to do what 4g said and visually check the crank for wobble, but both ends. Sounds exactly like that problem (separating crank). Making a new video where it doesn't sound as bad doesn't fix it.
 
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You need to do what 4g said and visually check the crank for wobble, but both ends. Sounds exactly like that problem. Making a new video where it doesn't sound as bad doesn't fix it.

I posted an additional video to give a different perspective of the noise my bike is making. That’s all.
 
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