CX500 GL500 650 Global

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl0HZML_fz8

I know you listened to this already Shep, but today, after changine the oil, setting valves and chain tension, and checking spark plugs, I took a listen with the screwdriver to try to isolate the noise. Using the Rob Davis site as a guide, I put it in all the suggested places, and all the cam tensioner places just sounded like a whir. I did this all over, and in the rear casing anywhere i put it I could only hear a whir type sound, definitely no knocking or rattles at all. When I put it on the front of the case, especially just behind the clutch cover at the bottom of the block, I can hear a distinct knock type sound. What could be causing this, and should I take the bike off the road and take the front cover off to try to get this fixed? You can't tell in the vid, but the sound does change some when I pull the clutch in. Any ideas would be appreciated. The oil looked fine, no obvious metal flakes in it.

Usually caused by worn clutch plates or small burrs on the Clutch basket.These disallow the plates to move freely and engage.This then causes them to rattle/knock.Easy to fix.Just take the clutch off and check that the plates drop in and out of the basket freely and emery cloth all the edges of the basket where the tangs slide in.Only hard part is making sure you get the plates in the correct order and we cannot assume that POs did so use the manual and Rob's page and take you time and get the order right as an incorrect order can cause this as well.

Note:You are supposed to make a special tool to take the clutch locking nut off.I made one but usually can't find it so use a blunt chisel and hammer( I know I shouldn't but it's done no harm on either of my bikes) and don't forget the big thrust washer that goes under the Big lock nut which has it's correct orientation punched into it

PS

Never over tighten the four spring locking bolts!!/

I was just reading the "how to" on the Davis site, and just want to make sure I have some of these steps right. I don't need to drain the oil or remove the whole front cover to service the clutch? It'd be nice not having to drain brand new oil and also not have to deal with taking the radiator off.

You don't need to drain the oil.You can just remove the 5 bolts.You may get a little drip of oil but nothing a bit of rag on the floor cannot cope with.It can be a little awkward getting the clutch out using this method but again nothing too untoward.You can release the Clutch cover by pressing the activator arm once the cable and bolts are removed.

In deburring the outer basket, is it just making the edges smooth? Also, is there any reason why taking a known good clutch out of my 79 deluxe original motor and putting it into my 80C motor wouldn't work? Or should I just take the 80C clutch out, clean it up, and put it back in? I took the clutch out of the original one just so I'd know what I was doing, if I mess up on a motor down in the basement no big deal but messing up my running motor would make me mad.

Yes to smoothing the basket and no reason at all to not swap the clutches AFAIK.All standard 500s are the same.The Turbos and 650s are different.

Yep, 500s are the same. Get an assistant to stick her in gear and with the clutch in and the rear wheel stationary listen again and if the noise has gone, it's either the clutch basket or the needle roller.

Thanks for the replies. I took my old motor's clutch out and need to smoot the outer basket up, but otherwise it looks to be on good shape. I wanted to get the 80 motor's clutch out today and I would have if it weren't for having a pesky job and wife and 2 dogs. Guess I'll have to hope for some time tomorrow. In looking at diagrams and looking inside my 79 engine, do yall think there's any way the oil chain could be so loose that it actually contacts the clutch basket? I'll know once I get the 80 motor apart, I'll see some kind of ring or something if that had happened, wouldn't I?

You would see some scuff marks on the clutch outer if the oil pump chain had got that slack.The good news is that in all the engines I've stripped including the basket case ones I've had off Ebay for spares I've never had one yet with any outer clutch damage.I've found the clutches to be very robust.I did have one where one of the spacer plates was bent but that must have been bad maintenance/spannermanship in a previous life

I finally had enough daylight today to try to get my clutch out and look at it, but I was just out hitting the lock nut for a good 30 minutes and it won't budge. I just rode it home from work about an hour ago, so its not fully cold, should I not try to remove the locknut until tomorrow when it's stone cold? 2nd question - the inner clutch basket (not sure if i'm using the correct term, I'm talking about the piece with the 4 arms that the springs go over) is very loose, it moves back and forth about 1/4 inch or so (front to back, not side to side) Should it have that much movement? Until I get the damn lock nut off, I won't know for sure, but I know the PO for some reason had removed the front cover and clutch cover at one point, and since this is the same person who put them both back on without using a gasket, I wouldn't doubt they managed some bone headed move like leaving out a clutch plate or something similar. I'll let you know what I find, if/when I get the locknut removed...