engine whining when revving up? Help

[XSLeo]

101204, The front drain plug is in the sump plate. It is held in place by 6 bolts. The sump filter is on the inside of this plate.
Up on the right side engine cover is a round cover held in place by 2 bolts. Behind this cover is a small kidney shaped filter.
The sump filter is a some what coarse filter. It filters out the big stuff before the oil goes to the oil pump.
The smaller filter in the right side cover is a bit finer and filters the oil after the oil pump.
You need to remove and clean these filters. Most do them with every oil change. I do the side cover filter every oil change, the sump filter every other oil change.
As others have mentioned check the oil and the filters for debris. This can tell you much about your engine.
Oh, on the small right side filter there is a small scew in the end of the mount bolt. This screw controls the bypass pressure. It should be flush with the end of the bolt. Too loos and oil bypasses the filter. To tight and it won't bypass if the filter plugs.
Leo

 

[1001204]

thanks, ive been reading places about the noise and mikes xs said that the cam guide breaks and the chain will cut through an aluminum shaft and thats what causes the noise..

 

[XSLeo]

Could very well be. Lots of things can cause extra noises. If you have never experenced the XS650 you might not realize just what noises are normal.
You will hear all the parts moving and opening and closing. No water jacket to hide them. No body work either.
If you do a bit of research you will find pics showing how the front cam chain guide looks and several of the ways it can fail.
Leo

 

[1001204]

yeah it runs fine just has a noise, im gonna ride it till i cant anymore and in the winter im gonna try and break it all down, thanks for all the help

 

[Q Tip]

My chain saw makes the exact same noise if i have the chain on too tight.

 

[A-man]

Any update on the noise? I hope you have figured it out. its been a while since the last post. I fear my 78 is becoming the same way. I just changed the oil and tightened the drive chain. Went for a ride with my wife and heard a whining noise. Not quite as bad as the video but not the same as it was running before. The sump filter was torn so I patched it with stainless mesh. magnets just had mud. Some metal in the pleats of the Rh filter not sure if it was aluminum or not? I'll find out on the next oil change I suppose. Any update at all would be appreciated.

 

[Tallen45]

Bump for a possible update? Why doesn't anyone with this engine whine ever finish the thread?!? I don't want to get blazed for posting a redundant thread but it looks like I will have no choice... Did you ever figure it out, or did you just burn it out of frustration?

 

[Wildwillyjohn]

That whirring noise on my bike was the center main brgs....STB yr ago last fall tore it down and then broke my wrist last june. got a different bottom end and going to try again
Willy

 

[gggGary]

This one is just sitting now.

I made it home but probably should have shut it off immediately. It went from starting to whine to hideous howling in a few minutes of gentle riding.

If she starts whining and it's the crank you are in for a bottom end rebuild. If you are lucky a pin/flywheel joint just spread but that stresses the bearings........

 

[mattg666]

bump! because mine is doing the same. been riding fine the past couple weeks but about halfway through my ride to work and back on the interstate it starts to whine, it shuts off when i slow down and shift down to second and then first. it picks back up again as soon as i hit third and when i engage the clutch you can hear it start to whine down. my ride is only about 10-15 minutes at about 70mph so i feel like halfway through its at operating temp. but a) it doesn't do it all the time b) it isn't as loud as that video posted prior and c) it wasn't doing this until yesterday. still very curious.