Tale of Woe

[BigTedSalad]

Two weeks ago I bought a used but tidy Traveller and started to ride it the 90 miles home. I had already been around the block a few times on it and was confident that it would get me back until, out of the blue, my new ride died on me.
I pulled over to the side of the road and tried to start it again but I heard a tremendous clanging somewhere below the tank. I eventually got it back to the garage courtesy of the Automobile Association and locked up for the night to find a forum, read the manual and drink too much beer.
My first reaction had been that I had dropped a valve but reading the horror stories about balance shafts etc. I began to wonder. Next day I turned the engine over by hand out of curiosity and found it didn't feel too bad. I set the valve clearances, put the plug back in and, for want of any idea, started it up.
Sounded great, revved freely and for one split second I thought I'd got away with something until the engine got warm. There is a serious clack once per revolution and the whole thing feels unbalanced.
Back to the drawing board. I took the clutch cover off and the clutch gubbings out. I don't have any of the special tools yet and, being a single dad on a low wage, I really don't want to buy any just yet.
I had expected to see a collection of metal shavings or worse but all looks well. The balance gear and primary gear mesh nicely and the two dots line up. There is no end float that I can feel so, reluctant to spend the equivalent of a new pair of shoes for my monster, I felt reluctant to take the clutch basket off.
Rather than sit there and look it I went round the other side and took the cover off. All seems well apart from a slightly gritty feel in the rollers in the starter idle gear. Again, the cost of a rotor removal tool would feed my breadsnatcher for a week so I won't succumb to that just yet. The cam chain is intact and the tensioner seems to be working so I'll leave that particular expense until I've sold one of the brat's kidneys to raise some cash.
Incantation, tribal wisdom and the casting of chicken bones on the garage floor hasn't helped so I am now in the process of removing the engine in the hope? that it might be a broken ring, a little end bearing or something cheap. Currently there is one bolt at the top and the swinging arm pivot is ready for one more whack before the engine falls into a laundry basket stuffed full of old rags, my patented fall-arrest system.
Anyhow, thanks for reading. This isn't supposed to be a sob story, just a journal of how it's going. And in case anyone asks, I didn't take it back and demand a refund because it's mine, it's the bike I've wanted for a long time and it's going to be fun. One day.

[therealche]

Bugger. Unfortunately I only know 2-strokes but hopefully someone will be able to provide you some help.

[iceman]

Bad luck but written in a way that made me laugh!

feed my breadsnatcher for a week

[jimc]

some things to throw up on the wall to see if they stick -- - -
Did it make noises when it died?
How long do you run before the excitement starts?
how does oil look from the drain & oil filter?
If you turn the crank by hand frontwards/backwards can you hear anything?
Does the cam chain appear to be tensioned? (no slop etc?)
can you try rocking crank with the plug in to feel any sloppage..
or possibly the balance gear drive key is partly sheared. the gear timing wouln't be off, but
shaft positions would be.
You may have already found source of the XTZ engine manual on this site that is helpful.
Good luck,
Jim

[mincehead]

I`m going to guess the camchain static tensioner blade, especially as it`s reported as being a single clack per revolution or at least sounds like it ayway.
Be interesting to find out what it is.

[BigTedSalad]

I`m going to guess the camchain static tensioner blade, especially as it`s reported as being a single clack per revolution or at least sounds like it ayway.
Be interesting to find out what it is.

Thanks for all the advice and tips. Interesting thought, the tensioner blade; I stuck my finger in the hole expecting to feel the guide move, as if the tensioner were pushing it. I can't feel any movement at all but would this explain why it starts clacking after 2 minutes running and especially at higher revs?
I have rocked the engine back and forth and I can feel a little backlash but I'm not experienced enough to know what is normal and what might be just the valve springs pushing back through the cam.
I've decided that the next stage is to dismantle the top end of the engine.
A quick question for all you gurus: Can I change the cam chain without removing the rotor and is it riveted, if so is it like a cycle chain that uses a little riveting tool or is it a hammer and whack it type of rivet?
Any advice (and small change) gratefully received.