Qlink (QuinQi) XF200 Timing Chain

Hey guys, I'm new here and I'm having some trouble with my bike. I like the knowledge and friendliness displayed by the members of this board so I signed up here. Hope you all can shed some light on this.

So my bike is brand new, 2 weeks old and less that 380 km on the odo. Last week at around 200 km is started making a slight grinding noise. At first I thought it was the drive chain, so I adjusted it and lubed it and the noise was still there. At 300 km on the odo I adjusted my valve lash as per the service manual (.06 intake and .10 exhaust). The engine runs smoother (the valve lash was way off spec so I'm not sure what I paid my dealer a "set-up" fee for) and the valves tick away happily, but the grinding noise is still there.

As the noise became louder and louder over the last few km, I was able to observe its only really present at speed, and mostly when holding a constant speed or decelerating. This led me to think the problem is my timing chain. I tested this theory by removing the automatic tensioner and manually adjusting it a few clicks in. I put it back in, fired up the bike and went for a short ride. The valve chain being tighter bogged down the idle and slowed down the bike, but it did drastically reduce the noise so my conclusion is that the cam chain is at fault. I did pull the tensioner back out and install it correctly (backed all the way out and letting the spring tension set the tensioner) and the bike runs fine, smooth and pulls strong but the noise is ever present.

I would like to know if any of you have had this problem? It doesn't seem right that a new motor needs a timing chain so soon. While I do ride my bike hard, I do not consider I "beat" on it. I always allow it to fully warm up before I show it revs north of 5-6k, and when I do go full throttle it is only for short acceleration spurts, I have never continuously run it wide open for a significant amount of time. That being said I do weigh 300 lbs (which also means I do need suspension work but that will be another thread) and I do love to downshift and engine brake (meaning I do it at every stop sign and light). Could this possibly stretch a chain that quickly? Once I replace it should I expect I will not be able to engine brake and ride my bike how I like in order to keep the chain in good shape? Or do you guys think I just got unlucky and got a bad chain? If it's the former then sadly this bike is not for me and I just wasted 3k on it (yes it was an impulse buy and no I did not do my research on pricing when buying so my cousin and I got a little screwed, yes we bought 2 of them at that price).

I will change my oil again this afternoon and report if I find any shavings in there, but seeing as how the bike runs well and pulls strong I do not expect it. I would like to change my chain asap so that I do not have it snap on me and make a mess. Without taking the motor apart and having a look, other than the chain and tensioner plate, what do you all recommend I change?

Looking forward to your responses, thank you for your time.

So just did the oil change, doesn't seem to be any metal in the oil so the engine shouldn't be too screwed, still runs well but still the terrible noise.

Somebody here chime in? Maybe just to tell me that you beat on your Qlink and it still runs fine?!

Thanks

Dear Mongo,

Welcome to MCM. I don't have a Qingqi/Qlink, but I'm suspicious of those valve settings. I think 0.10 on the exhaust is way too loose, and that could account for some of the clatter. You said the bike is new. Aren't you getting any dealer support? Have you got a user or shop manual?

Spent some time in the MCM advanced search and dig up some earlier discussions about your engine. You've misspelled Qingqi in your headline, so that could be your problem if your searches are coming up empty. It's Qingqi not QuinQi! One problem with these Chinabikes is that they often retail around the world under many different brands and model names. Qlink, for example, is the badge used for the US market by what I think is a third-party exporter (perhaps from Ta*wan) that buys them from Qingqi. So by searching for Qlink, you'd only find a subset of the universe of postings on your bike.

Edit: Here's a post from MJH that shows you what I'm talking about. The Qingqi can be called Sinnis Apache or Pulse Adrenaline, among many other names.

Be patient; I think you'll find the help you need here in MCM.

Cheers!

try 20w-50 oil and stop beating on the new engine.

I never would have done what you did, the cam chain tension on that bike is automatic, if you took it apart and forced it a few notches then subsequently put so much tension on the glide that it bogged down the engine that is kind of disturbing. . That glide is plastic and you forced it against the chain. The tension is spring loaded and offers a constant amount of pressure as the chain stretches it shift the tension up a notch. To check the cam chain you would pull the device out and check to see if it was fully extended and then if it was then that would mean the chain has stretched to its limits and should be replaced.

http://images.cmsnl.com/img/partslis...32856_ea7f.jpg

It is a notoriously noisy cam chains set up, mine gave me grief at first but I also wore in the engine to the manufactures recommendations and after 1500km switched to Yahmalube 20W-50 general purpose oil and it seemed to get better, I really do not notice it any more, I now have over 5000km and its all good.

The correct way is to reset the tension bar is to zero or fully pressed in and then reinstall it, the spring then get installed as put back in and then should push the bar forward to the correct tension that is calibrated into the spring. The only way it fails is if the spring is bad or the device is not allowing the spring to push the bar forward, you check that when it is all out, the spring should push the bar fully extended when there is no resistance from the glide.

Oh by the way the service manual has the previous manual adjuster in its diagram, its an error in the service manual all the bikes sold in the USA have the revised automatic tension device, it does not ever need adjusting.