[Technical] Possible Solutions to your Phantom's Problem

[razali1980]

Ok guys.. Will take note the level frequently now.

[pureice68]

Ok guys.. Will take note the level frequently now.

 

Bro, go check with Dr Chong if the engine treatment oil will help for your case, and at the same time, monitor your EO weekly lor!

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

After starting my engine, there's always like "tick tick" sound coming from the engine without clutching in. It's silent after clutching in. Did told the mechanic about it and he said the clutch plate is loose but said its ok.

 

Does this occur only at neutral and idle throttle?

 

My previous ride developed this tendency at about 6 years old but it did not affect performance or reliability in any way. Kicking it in gear and clutching in eliminated the sound.

 

Wait.. I found a clue!!

 

* Chain Tensioner $55-60 (for tick tick sound at cold start)

 

 

agree.. tubeless tires very easy to repair.. unlike bicycles with tube in the inside.

 

What usually happens to my old bike with tube tyres is this, a few years ago:

 

1) Change tyre and tube at mototiam

2) Ride home at

3) Suddenly PFFFFFFFT sound and tyre goes flat.

 

Why? Mechanic doesn't know how to measure tyre pressure.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Pandora's Kitten :3

[kmjoe]

buy a spare bottle of EO from LAB cheap like $3-$6 a bottle ;]

 

got so cheap? i tot its above $10? those cheap one u gota c carefully, make sure its not 2t

[hamsterwhale]

got so cheap? i tot its above $10? those cheap one u gota c carefully, make sure its not 2t

 

yes this is how cheap it is....carrefour selling total EO for only 3.90 last time, now demand up price also up, the last i saw was 6.90

[shuanneo]

Does this occur only at neutral and idle throttle?

 

My previous ride developed this tendency at about 6 years old but it did not affect performance or reliability in any way. Kicking it in gear and clutching in eliminated the sound.

 

Wait.. I found a clue!!

 

Thanks Kalyan for your reply.

 

Yup, this "tick tick or tok tok" sound occur only at neutral and idle throttle without clutching in.

 

Sorry for sounding noob but what does the Chain tensioner do? Most repair shops have? I send my bike for servicing at Ubi and Autobay in Kaki Bukit.

[aitch52]

As the name suggests it tensions the chain which transmits the drive from the crankshaft to the cams which open and close your inlet and exhaust valves.

 

The Phantom TA 200 is an interference engine. What that means is if your valves are open as the piston approches top dead centre, they will smash into the crown of the piston, causing extensive and expensive damage to the top end of the engine.

 

The weakness of the TA 200 is the cam chain tensioner, it is not as robust as the rest of the engine, if it fails then the timing will slip out of sequence and catastrophe.

 

It is not expensive to replace and having been in conversations with people who have had it happen, it is a wise precaution to replace the tensioner and inspect the chain and sprockets every 25 - 30,000 Kms.

 

It is located beneath a rectangular access plate at the top left hand side of the engine.

 

The tick tick sound if it is indeed the tensioner is a sign that all is not well! You do not have much time, STOP the engine immediately and get it rectified.

 

Happy Trails

 

Aitch

Edited March 21, 2010 by aitch52

[jtzx]

well said.. nice one..

[shuanneo]

As the name suggests it tensions the chain which transmits the drive from the crankshaft to the cams which open and close your inlet and exhaust valves.

 

The Phantom TA 200 is an interference engine. What that means is if your valves are open as the piston approches top dead centre, they will smash into the crown of the piston, causing extensive and expensive damage to the top end of the engine.

 

The weakness of the TA 200 is the cam chain tensioner, it is not as robust as the rest of the engine, if it fails then the timing will slip out of sequence and catastrophe.

 

It is not expensive to replace and having been in conversations with people who have had it happen, it is a wise precaution to replace the tensioner and inspect the chain and sprockets every 25 - 30,000 Kms.

 

It is located beneath a rectangular access plate at the top left hand side of the engine.

 

The tick tick sound if it is indeed the tensioner is a sign that all is not well! You do not have much time, STOP the engine immediately and get it rectified.

 

Happy Trails

 

Aitch

 

Hi Aitch,

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Sorry if you missed my previous post. My bike is a Phantom TA150, not sure if it does have the same weakness as TA200.

 

Guess I have to tell the mechanics to inspect the tensioner, chain and sprocket.

 

Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge about bikes. Appreciate it.

[hamsterwhale]

Hi Aitch,

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Sorry if you missed my previous post. My bike is a Phantom TA150, not sure if it does have the same weakness as TA200.

 

Guess I have to tell the mechanics to inspect the tensioner, chain and sprocket.

 

Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge about bikes. Appreciate it.

 

2 stroke bikes has got no valve. so no cam chain is used....

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

I got a little shock yesterday at Changi when I checked my EO level for the first time.

 

Waited for bike to cool off, sit on bike to level it, extracted dipstick and... WTF no oil?

 

Poke again and brought it up again. Oil level is fine but oil is totally clean like new! Not even a single speck of darkness on the cloth. I raised a brow seeing how I spent about 6-8 hours each day on the bike for the past 3 days.

 

Sure this is a 4-day old "resurrected" and rebuilt machine but for other bikes I've seen and the Yamaha I've owned.. no matter how they're overhauled, cleaned, and put back together, the EO looks like crude oil.

[aitch52]

Hi Shuanneo

 

Sorry I did not pick up the fact that you have a TA 150.

 

Hamsterwhale is perfectly correct, your fuel/oilair mixture is delivered through a port which is uncovered by the piston, and the exhaust gas is removed by another port on the opposite side. This reduces the number of moving parts considerably. So you have no worries about a camchain tensioner as it is not fitted to your bike.

 

AS the TA 150 has 2 power strokes to the TA 200's one it also means your bike is the equivalent of a 300cc 4 stroke, the downside is you have no engine braking.

 

I re-discovered this fact on the island of Koh Chang several years ago, I was riding down a steep muddy track on a side of a mountain in a rainstorm. The bike kept accelerating (100cc Honda Wave) and I daren't apply the brakes too heavily. No problem I said to my wife, I'll change down, clunk 3rd, no difference apart from the engine increasing revs.

 

Hmm ok a bit fast but I'll try 2nd, clunk, now the engine is screaming accompanied by my wife, the bike is still accelerating.

 

I have no idea what speed we achieved going down this slope but somehow managed to keep the bike uprightish, slaloming through a couple of tight bends and luckily up the opposite slope as the 3 three of us were screaming like banshees in unison. Now that my friends was a Heineken moment.

 

Happy and safe trails

 

Aitch

 

Hi Aitch,

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Sorry if you missed my previous post. My bike is a Phantom TA150, not sure if it does have the same weakness as TA200.

 

Guess I have to tell the mechanics to inspect the tensioner, chain and sprocket.

 

Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge about bikes. Appreciate it.

[aguillon]

Ah good point about 2-stroke engine about the fact it has no engine brake, hardly ever mentioned when ppl talk about the differences between 2 stroke and 4 stroke.

 

Ppl always talk about how 2-stroke is more powerful, does not wear out as fast (since it is burning 2T and has no valves), pollutes more (since it burns engine oil) and consumes more (since it ignites on every stroke).

 

Must have been a scary moment for you indeed. Moral of the story: make sure your 2-stroke bike has good brakes!

[kmjoe]

frm wad i kno 2 stroke bike have engine brake... but it is harmful to the engine

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

2S engine braking? I did that more to keep engine momentum high for the next corner exit, than to actually slow down the bike. Friction from gearbox and wind resistance slows you down... a little.

 

Believe me it was big fun to switch to a 4S after so many years, partly because of engine braking. Reminds me of what freight trains do downhill

[weian]

if i can change my gear freely without engaging the clutch, does it mean that my clutch plate has worn out?

[VidaK]

if i can change my gear freely without engaging the clutch, does it mean that my clutch plate has worn out?

 

although I don't really wish to test it, but I think phantoms can quick-shift upwards at least...

[Ch3nYang]

Hi all, I having problem with my rear brake pump. When I step on the brake, it do not clam on the disc at all. how how ? change new one ?

[VidaK]

Hi all, I having problem with my rear brake pump. When I step on the brake, it do not clam on the disc at all. how how ? change new one ?

 

have you checked if your brake pads are worn...? or is there any brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir? have you bleed your brakes recently...?

[weian]

although I don't really wish to test it, but I think phantoms can quick-shift upwards at least...

 

i dun think so, or not so for my bike. the problem im stating is for my bro's bike. nvm, shall ask dr chong tmr. thanks anyway! (:

[Ch3nYang]

have you checked if your brake pads are worn...? or is there any brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir? have you bleed your brakes recently...?

 

Brake pads just change still very new, I also top up the brake fluid liao

[VidaK]

Brake pads just change still very new, I also top up the brake fluid liao

 

hmmm... maybe you can let ah chong have a look at your brake...?

[Ch3nYang]

hmmm... maybe you can let ah chong have a look at your brake...?

 

oh ok thanks, erm btw where is ah Chong ? sorry for this noob question

[VidaK]

oh ok thanks, erm btw where is ah Chong ? sorry for this noob question

 

ah chong is inside a shop called planet, the shop is at ubi

 

here is a map for your reference:

 

http://photos.friendster.com/photos/78/20/5760287/2_991007228l.jpg

 

[weian]

in the end, he adjusted the clutch sensitivity. then "ta-da!" like magic ok liao. so weird...