check your Crankshaft/Trans Cart bolts!!
I know that no one has posted on this for some time now, but when these bolts come loose, do they start making a "clatter" sound in the lower end? I was just setting the idle stop on my '02 Speed when an irregular light clanking seemed to start from the bottom end. When I pulled in on the clutch lever, it seemed to deaden the noise a bit.
QUOTE (sdhow @ Jan 27 2012, 08:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I know that no one has posted on this for some time now, but when these bolts come loose, do they start making a "clatter" sound in the lower end? I was just setting the idle stop on my '02 Speed when an irregular light clanking seemed to start from the bottom end. When I pulled in on the clutch lever, it seemed to deaden the noise a bit.
This is EXACTLY what happened!!! One of the crankcase cover bolts (#5 in parts manual) and three of the trans cover bolts came loose. The crankcase cover bolt got completely out and I'm still trying to fish it out of the bottom of the trans sump. The other ones came out to varying degrees; worst damage was the free bolt; it got wedged behind the clutch basket and bent it up a bit and the face of the trans cover plate is scarred up a bit. I ran a tap down all of the holes to clean up the debris and make for good threads to torque the new bolts into.
Think I can patch her together for Pismo in a couple of weeks though. If you're gonna open up the case for other reasons, call Brad @ Blackwidow...he has some improved fasteners you can loctite in place and keep this from happening to you.