I recently ran my motorcycle out of oil (long story) but after my boyfriend changed the oil and filter everything seemed to be ok. That's been a couple of weeks or so ago and it's been rode a little bit since then but after going on an overnight trip on Friday and getting back on Saturday it has developed what I would describe as a chatter coming from the motor. The last hundred miles or so we were scared that we wouldn't be able to make it home and only drove about fifty miles an hour. The trip was about two hundred miles and it seemed fine all the way there but when we decided to come home it had a little chatter and seemed to get worse on the way back.I would have to say that we rode it pretty hard a few times weaving through the traffic and passing cars but nothing that should have resulted in this.

My boyfriend thinks that it's because of running it out of oil but "could" be because he put the wrong kind of oil in it. He used some that that was already at my house. It was yamaha brand 10-40 for 4 stroke. I'm pretty sure it was for the motorcycle but not positve because my ex is the one that bought it. (another long story)

I am going on vacation later this week to Florida and can't afford to to put it in the shop and get a who knows what kind of bill to fix it right now but I was wondering if you guys had any ideas or thoughts about it.

Donna

On some bikes, the Yamalube oil tends to make them sound like sewing machines, which is a kind of a chatter sound. They've since come out with a full synthetic, but I haven't noticed many comments about it. Did you notice any performance issues on the way home, or did the bike seem to behave all right? I use Mobil 1 20W50 in mine.

Edit: 4 qts only

I called Jeff because he drove and he said that he didn't think that there was a loss of power but couldn't be sure because he was trying to drive it as easy as possible. We did notice that it wasn't smoking out of the tail pipes.

Try putting some good synthetic v-twin 50 weight oil in her...that should make a big difference....Yamaha brand or Mobil 1 or Harley Syn 3 or Amsoil etc

Also be sure you're using a good grade of regular gas. When the oil was changed, were just 4 qts. added along with a new filter? Someone else may have more ideas.

Ok, I'll try some different oil but it will probably have to wait until I get back from Florida because I have to work up until that point. I might ask Jeff to do it while I'm gone but I'm a little hesitant to ask because he just changed it for me a wthin the past couple of weeks and it took him over an hour to do it.

When I called him a little while ago to ask if it had lost any power he told me to ask if running it low on oil could cause the valves to come out of adjustment. He says he doesn't know much about motors but I can say for sure that he knows more than me.

Donna ya said ya ran "out" of oil and then ya said you were running low on oil...a big difference....


but.. no.. running low on oil in the short term should not affect the cams a great deal and the valve lifters are hydraulic...

usually long term wear affects the valve train...naw just put in some good syn oil an I bet the chatter goes away or a least quiets down ..

Yammi dino oil can break down quickly compared to the synthetics...if you were running hard...

Hard to say about the valves, although no oil could create a sticky valve tappet condition, along with overheating the motor.

If you hurt the motor due to no oil there is no sense taking it easy on the bike now. The bearings,cam lifters etc. etc were damaged in the first few seconds after it had no oil pressure. Maybe what you meant is that you ran it low on oil? I'll bet the lifters colapsed or mushed out somewhat as the oil got really hot and thin. I've always ridden my roadie with earplugs on a I rode it today for the first time in a year or so without and that dang motor makes a lot of noise when its running right. Hope yours is ok Donna.

I'm guessing that it's because you have the wrong weight oil in it. since it started after you put the 10/40 oil in it and ran for some miles with no problems. Have it changed to 20/50 syn. and the "chatter" may quiet down or go away totally. My 2¢ anyhow. Good luck. as for taking an hour to change the oil the last time....This time it should only take 45 minutes.