Buzzyness Observations...

[nikolasvel]

So today I rode my friends 2009 FZ6 with similar miles (9k) for quite some time and was looking to see if his Fazer feels the same as mine. On mine I can feel some "buzzyness" coming through my saddle and the right peg between 5k-6k RPM's. On my buddy's bike i couldn't feel that. On mine I literally have to avoid cruising on the highway on that RPM range, because it's quite irritating on my butt; however, on my buddy's bike It was not a problem. The vibes were minimal in that range. I have researched previous threads on the "buzzy" topic. Any advice or guidance on the topic would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Nick

 

[zixaq]

So today I rode my friends 2009 FZ6 with similar miles (9k) for quite some time and was looking to see if his Fazer feels the same as mine. On mine I can feel some "buzzyness" coming through my saddle and the right peg between 5k-6k RPM's. On my buddy's bike i couldn't feel that. On mine I literally have to avoid cruising on the highway on that RPM range, because it's quite irritating on my butt; however, on my buddy's bike It was not a problem. The vibes were minimal in that range. I have researched previous threads on the "buzzy" topic. Any advice or guidance on the topic would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Nick

You've opened quite a can of worms here, and some other folks will be along shortly with more comprehensive answers, but some easy things to check that might make a difference:

Chain/Sprocket wear, binding, alignment
General tune-up: Valve check due?, oil change, spark plugs, plug wires (trim back if loose on the SP cap, there's a whole topic on that)
Exhaust header tight, not leaking?
Throttle body sync

After that I'm lost. My bike is a bit buzzy in that range as well, so I'm going to try to sync the throttle bodies today and see if that helps.

 

[nikolasvel]

Haha I figured this was going to be quite the topic, as I have seen many other threads about our bikes and vibrations on here. My sprocket and chain seem to be in really good shape and the chain is always kept nicely lubed and clean. My bike has about 8k miles on it. Oil is fresh on it and was the same on both bikes (Rotella Synthetic). I guess I will start by checking the rear tire/ chain alignment, throttle body syncing and perhaps replacing the spark plugs, as I am sure they are the stock ones. I have never messed with the exhaust header. Do the bolts on the header typically loosen them self out from normal use? I might just go ahead and check all engine bolts and ensure they are tightened to spec since I am gonna be at it.

 

[FinalImpact]

JM2C but...
TB sync is out of the picture past 3k.
Chain would be speed related and relentless if present.

On mine 4500 was the RPM range where a buzz came on from the spark plug cap fit to the coils high tension lead.
The cap has coarse pitch screw inside that the wires core threads onto. When the wire is held and cap turned CW the cap should not spin freely on the wire. If it does, cut 10mm of wire, fan the strands 360° and thread the cap on...

See sticky in Tech Section for details.... I'd start there, it doesn't cost anything....

PS remove the two bolts securing the radiator to the chassis and let it rest on the hoses. It will allow room to work.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Also, re-torque the main engine mounts (40 Ft Lbs cold), exhaust nuts ( they can and do loosen up, especially when newish).

Loosen the FOUR rear, sub-frame bolts, jiggle till it sits happy on it's own, re-torque down.

Your mileage is very low but while checking the spark plug caps/wires, I'd replace the spark plugs with OEMs (brand and temp).
Check gap before installation keeping on the tight side of spec's.

 

[zixaq]

Make sure to pick up the spark plugs online or at an auto parts place. O'Reillys and Autozone near me have them for $5, while the moto shops charge $15.

My spark plugs were shot and causing problems after 8k miles.

 

[nikolasvel]

Thank you all for the great tips and suggestions. I purchased 4 NGK Iridium Spark Plugs from Advance Auto Parts for $25. I will check the condition of the caps and attempt to fix them if they are spinning freely. I am a DIY kinda guy, but I have never attempted anything similar in the past. I guess if I fail at it I will just purchase a new Yamaha Ignition Coil Assembly. They seem to sell for about $85 online.

 

[nikolasvel]

JM2C but...
TB sync is out of the picture past 3k.
Chain would be speed related and relentless if present.

On mine 4500 was the RPM range where a buzz came on from the spark plug cap fit to the coils high tension lead.
The cap has coarse pitch screw inside that the wires core threads onto. When the wire is held and cap turned CW the cap should not spin freely on the wire. If it does, cut 10mm of wire, fan the strands 360° and thread the cap on...

See sticky in Tech Section for details.... I'd start there, it doesn't cost anything....

PS remove the two bolts securing the radiator to the chassis and let it rest on the hoses. It will allow room to work.

Thank you so much for the excellent write up on the spark plug caps. I ended up replacing the Spark plugs with NGK CR9EIX and redid all spark plug caps as suggested in your write up. I took my time and ensured all wires were fanned out and the caps were nicely snugged in. Everything appeared all nice and tight upon refitment. The bike appears to idle, accelerate and decelerate just fine; however,The bad news is that it is still buzzing at the same RPM range.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Did you re-torque the engine mounts, re-set and re-tighten the sub-frame?

 

[nikolasvel]

Did you re-torque the engine mounts, re-set and re-tighten the sub-frame?

No torque wrench available at the moment in my garage, but I did take a regular wrench and checked all bolts. They all seemed properly tight. I will attempt to re-set and re-tighten the sub-frame once I get a hold of a proper torque wrench and post the results of that.

 

[nikolasvel]

JM2C but...
TB sync is out of the picture past 3k.
Chain would be speed related and relentless if present.

On mine 4500 was the RPM range where a buzz came on from the spark plug cap fit to the coils high tension lead.
The cap has coarse pitch screw inside that the wires core threads onto. When the wire is held and cap turned CW the cap should not spin freely on the wire. If it does, cut 10mm of wire, fan the strands 360° and thread the cap on...

See sticky in Tech Section for details.... I'd start there, it doesn't cost anything....

PS remove the two bolts securing the radiator to the chassis and let it rest on the hoses. It will allow room to work.

Sorry to bother you with this again, just trying to sort this buzzyness out if that is possible as it really bothers the heck out of me to know that it can be better. Could the Frame Sliders installed on the bike be a cause for the vibrations traveled through the seat? Rear Wheel alignment and all engine bolts are at spec.

 

[nikolasvel]

You've opened quite a can of worms here, and some other folks will be along shortly with more comprehensive answers, but some easy things to check that might make a difference:

Chain/Sprocket wear, binding, alignment
General tune-up: Valve check due?, oil change, spark plugs, plug wires (trim back if loose on the SP cap, there's a whole topic on that)
Exhaust header tight, not leaking?
Throttle body sync

After that I'm lost. My bike is a bit buzzy in that range as well, so I'm going to try to sync the throttle bodies today and see if that helps.

Did the throttle body sync help with your vibes?

 

[FinalImpact]

As the throttle plates open past 3k all the air is through the TB vs idle air plumbing so it would be unlikely tb sync helps.

So this buzz is any gear, any speed, engine rpm related at or above about 5k?

I did end up replacing the coils and wires on mine as I could not buy 7.5mm stranded solid core wire without buying a 100ft roll. In this case, the other end failed and it is glued and pressed into the coil.

Anyway, it may not be the leads causing you issue but do not count it out as these bikes cam be smooth. It is not normal to buzz.

Given the situation my next steps would be loosening the exhaust from the header collector on back.
At the collector to frame, slip joints of the mid pipe, the mide pipe hanger, and the muffler section. Loosen all of it except the header flange bolts get it moving freely so it centers itself and does NOT move when the fasteners securing it to the frame are tightened. This can remove a layer of vibes. None of the mounts should be pulled off center or pulled into place by tightening. Basically wiggle everything so the hangers rest on the frame where they belong with Zero tension on them and tighten everything up. The goal is to allow the rubber mounted isolation components to do their job. If they are forced into place this induces exhaust vibes into the chassis. Make sense? To a lesser extent the same is true of the rear subframe, but Id be less suspicious of this unless the bike has been down. Has this bike ever been down?

If no help, dump the oil and try a different brand. 4 of us here noticed increased vibes from Mobil 1 oil. Dumped it at 2000 mi and tried Amsoil. Very happy and no vibes throughout the whole season.

 

[nikolasvel]

As the throttle plates open past 3k all the air is through the TB vs idle air plumbing so it would be unlikely tb sync helps.

So this buzz is any gear, any speed, engine rpm related at or above about 5k?

I did end up replacing the coils and wires on mine as I could not buy 7.5mm stranded solid core wire without buying a 100ft roll. In this case, the other end failed and it is glued and pressed into the coil.

Anyway, it may not be the leads causing you issue but do not count it out as these bikes cam be smooth. It is not normal to buzz.

Given the situation my next steps would be loosening the exhaust from the header collector on back.
At the collector to frame, slip joints of the mid pipe, the mide pipe hanger, and the muffler section. Loosen all of it except the header flange bolts get it moving freely so it centers itself and does NOT move when the fasteners securing it to the frame are tightened. This can remove a layer of vibes. None of the mounts should be pulled off center or pulled into place buy tightening. Wiggle everything so the hangers rest with Zero tension on them and tighten everything up.

If no help, dump the oil and try a different brand. 4 of us here noticed increased vibes from Mobil 1 oil. Dumped it at 2000 mi and tried Amsoil. Very happy and no vibes throughout the whole season.

The buzz starts at 5k and goes away at 5,5k no matter speed or gear. It seems to be running at its smoothest on anything less than 4k and anywhere between 6k and 8k. The heavy buzz under the seat and pegs seems to pick back up again after the 10k mark all the way to redline. I noticed yesterday that the mirrors shake a lot at the high buzz ranges mentioned above. Further, I can feel the same buzz when in neutral and just revving it at the same points while on the center stand. I will have to go in the garage, recheck all my work on the spark plug caps and re do the rear sub frame reset and retightening. If that dont work I will try messing with the exhaust. I will post results as soon as i accomplish these tasks.

Thank you for the quick response and support through this endeavor.

 

[FinalImpact]

Tackle the sub-frame and exhaust as one. One holds the other so moving the sub moves the exhaust.

Has this bike been down to your knowledge?
How old is the oil and what brand?

Although a valve adjust and TB sync will help with the overall smoothness, they seem unlikely to resolve this issue with your narrow performance issues.

I wouldn't hesitate to run some injector cleaner through it, even this seems like a stretch as an imbalance would not offer moments of wellness from 6k to 9k... this seems like harmonics vs an actual fault.

 

[nikolasvel]

Tackle the sub-frame and exhaust as one. One holds the other so moving the sub moves the exhaust.

Has this bike been down to your knowledge?
How old is the oil and what brand?

Although a valve adjust and TB sync will help with the overall smoothness, they seem unlikely to resolve this issue with your narrow performance issues.

I wouldn't hesitate to run some injector cleaner through it, even this seems like a stretch as an imbalance would not offer moments of wellness from 6k to 9k... this seems like harmonics vs an actual fault.

I am happy to report that after re-setting and re-tightening the sub frame and after a short ride the vibes under the seat appear to have been greatly reduced if not all gone. It almost feels that now I have to hunt the vibes down in order to get the same feeling I was getting before even when just passing through the 5k rev range. Definite Improvement. They were minimal in 6th gear and nothing compared to before and I could only feel them now more pronounced when in 2nd or 3rd gear.

According to the previous owner, a barn roof had collapsed on the bike while in storage a few years back, but supposedly it was all fixed under an insurance claim as he provided me with some work receipts from his local Yamaha Dealer.

It started raining on me so I had to cut my test drive short. I will post an updated review of the repairs after a longer test ride.

I am running Rotella T6 full synthetic currently and the oil is fresh on the bike. I intend of replacing it with 15W50 soon. I will work on the exhaust and see if that makes a difference next.

In the meantime i feel that I owe some :iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer: to you guys..Thank you

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I am happy to report that after re-setting and re-tightening the sub frame and after a short ride the vibes under the seat appear to have been greatly reduced if not all gone.

In the meantime i feel that I owe some :iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer: to you guys..Thank you

Excellent and your welcome!

I posted that earlier as I had the same issue after a 0 MPH tip over (engine not running-but a very hard hit to concrete)

Enjoy!

 

[Ital]

Sorry for the stupid question but I am a noob. Which bolts are considered sub frame? After I got my exhaust install I was getting some vibrations which seem to have settled now but just in case they come back would like to know what to do. Thanks

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Sorry for the stupid question but I am a noob. Which bolts are considered sub frame? After I got my exhaust install I was getting some vibrations which seem to have settled now but just in case they come back would like to know what to do. Thanks

The lower bolts, for the RIGHT SIDE, just above the rear BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER (left side-same location),

The top bolts, pull the seat. At / under the very front of where the seat would be (hidden with the seat ON) is another set of the SAME TORX bolts.


Parts (bolts) # 3 & 4 : Yamaha Motorcycle Parts 2006 FZ-6 - FZS6V FRAME Diagram

.

 

[Ital]

Thanks Scott, for the detailed reply. So, I just loosen them up and then re torque them down to 40ft lbs?