Levo Gen 2 Levo 2020 motor grinding noise

[urastus]

I would say with the experience I have had up to now, few months with the Levo I don't know if I would buy again. Don't get me wrong I have truly enjoyed riding the bike and more so after the fork 35 Gold was replaced (Warranty) and changed to a Lyrik and new SLX 4 piston brakes, transformed the bike performance. Now I have the motor problem, which will need replacing. in my thoughts now, will I need to replace the new motor in the future, who knows. Everything is under warranty but is all the annoying process that you have to go through and most important you are missing out on riding. I would probably have had the same or more satisfaction with any other emtb without all the problems. I would also advice to buy the a bike from LBS or very near from one lives as in my case all problems become more difficult as the bike shop I bought the bike is 4 hours away. After the motor is replaced I will check if the warranty can be transferred to a specialized dealer in Scotland.

You're right - it would bug me to have to deal with warranty issues like that. You have the bike now. The good news is, "apparently", specialized are very good warranty support. "Apparently" they will warranty the new motor for a further two years! I have never heard of a warranty like that before - but at least one member here has said that. If that is true it would be amazing. The other thing I read somewhere here, is that if you have to replace a motor out of warranty, that specialized do some sort of subsidizing on the new motor. I wouldn't buy into specialized until I knew exactly what the warranty deal is, but it is looking like the best of a bad deal for you.

 

[Gyro]

I had exactly the same issue twice.
First time resolved after checking everything I could think of and removing the cassette and greasing the splines on the free hub and the surfaces where the cogs mate against each other where it's metal to metal, plastic spacers are not such a problem.
Second time was a broken axle, I'm on my 3rd one now.
Another thing to check is any hooking in the chainring, I ground the trailing edges off mine, then replaced with a SRAM Eagle, all good since.
The sound transmits down the chain to the motor housing covers which acts as a boom box.

Hope this helps.
Gyro

 

[Blebo19]

I had exactly the same issue twice.
First time resolved after checking everything I could think of and removing the cassette and greasing the splines on the free hub and the surfaces where the cogs mate against each other where it's metal to metal, plastic spacers are not such a problem.
Second time was a broken axle, I'm on my 3rd one now.
Another thing to check is any hooking in the chainring, I ground the trailing edges off mine, then replaced with a SRAM Eagle, all good since.
The sound transmits down the chain to the motor housing covers which acts as a boom box.

Hope this helps.
Gyro

What axle did you broken?


I use these caps to prevent wather filling

 

[Viper9559]

What axle did you broken?


I use these caps to prevent wather filling

How can I get a pair of those covers? Thanks

 

[Blebo19]

How can I get a pair of those covers? Thanks

Contact [email protected]

 

[Choc3]

Today got my new motor installed working well. Hope this one last longer. I had no issues with the warranty and response was very quick.

 

[Rob555]

I’ve had grinding occasionally exactly as choc describes but usually ride with earphones in so not entirely sure it’s constant. Choc was yours grinding in dry weather too?
went out in the wettest/muddiest ride ever and going up hill the grinding was horrendous. I’ve just gone on it today as was planning on taking cranks off etc and it’s as quiet as a mouse again. I’ve booked it in with Specialized but not sure they’re going to see the motor at its worst.
Fingers crossed for a new motor

 

[Choc3]

I’ve had grinding occasionally exactly as choc describes but usually ride with earphones in so not entirely sure it’s constant. Choc was yours grinding in dry weather too?
went out in the wettest/muddiest ride ever and going up hill the grinding was horrendous. I’ve just gone on it today as was planning on taking cranks off etc and it’s as quiet as a mouse again. I’ve booked it in with Specialized but not sure they’re going to see the motor at its worst.
Fingers crossed for a new motor

After changing the motor I still have the grinding sound more so when the chain has less lubrication or more mud but also in the dry. The chain is sticking to the chainring making the sound, probably chainring is worn as from others that have posted
I'm not finding it easy to find a steel chainring at all and for a reasonable price. I bought a cheap alloy chainring and will try but do not have much hope it will last.

 

[salko]

Yesterday I rode without any problems, also some very technical & steep climbs, but today I went to a local trail and as soon as I started pedalling uphill I was noticing some repetitive grinding/creaking noise coming from chainring area. I even felt this noise/vibrations through the cranks like it was something grinding metal on metal. I assumed it was a chain which has suddenly unevenly stretched so I turned around, went home and I put a new chain on, but the problem was still there. When I put some load on the motor I get this repetitive noise, no noise when pedalling on a flat or mild uphill terrain. I then reproduced it on a bike stand by pulling the rear brake (for simulating load) and pedalling by hand in Trail or Turbo mode, I marked a white dot on a chainring and a chain so I can see that noise is not repeating on the same chainring or chain position so this is quite clear marker that source is not the drivetrain:



Maybe not realted to this issue but during the testing on a stand I even reproduced infinite pedal spin after releasing any pressure to the pedals. This also happend to me several times on a trail but it was difficult to reproduce and even more difficut to record it on video when being out in the woods not having something to hold my bike with rear wheel up, but now I finally have it on tape:



So is my motor dying?

 

[Choc3]

Yesterday I rode without any problems, also some very technical & steep climbs, but today I went to a local trail and as soon as I started pedalling uphill I was noticing some repetitive grinding/creaking noise coming from chainring area. I even felt this noise through the cranks like it was something grinding metal on metal. I assumed it was a chain which has suddenly unevenly stretched so I turned around, went home and I put a new chain on, but unfortunately the problem is still here. With medium or high load I get this repetitive noise. I then reproduced it on a bike stand by holding rear brake and pedaling, I marked a white dot on a chainring and a chain so I can see that noise is not repeating on the same chainring or chain position:



Maybe not connected to this issue but during the testing on a stand I even reproduced infinite pedal spin without touching the pedals. This also happend to me several times on a trail but it was difficult to reproduce and even more difficut to record it on video when being out in the woods not having something to hold my bike with rear wheel up, but now I finally have it on tape:



So is my motor dying?

A few days before my motor died I now remember it felt that the motor did more often "infinite pedal spin" for longer period of time , where I had to apply the brakes to control the bike. The grinding that I experienced I could not really reproduced in the stand and only when applying force on the cranks on the easiest gear.

Definitely the motor does not sound right

 

[Bigtuna00]

So is my motor dying?

Not your motor, your belt. The sound at the very end of the video is your belt slipping. Time for a warranty.

If you go ride it some more (and I'm not saying you should) the belt will eventually strip completely and sound like this (skip to 7:23):

 

[salko]

Not your motor, your belt. The sound at the very end of the video is your belt slipping. Time for a warranty.

If you go ride it some more (and I'm not saying you should) the belt will eventually strip completely and sound like this (skip to 7:23):

At the end of the video I have released the brake so this was causing revolutions go up and maybe this sounds like belt slipping but did not felt that way. This morning I did some more testing, while it's very easy to reproduce this creaking sound with motor on (when in trail or turbo, not so easily in eco) I cannot reproduce it with motor off no matter how much I push on the pedals. So I'm now 99,9% convinced it's coming from the motor/belt. Will go to my LBS today to check it out.

 

[salko]

Yesterday I rode without any problems, also some very technical & steep climbs, but today I went to a local trail and as soon as I started pedalling uphill I was noticing some repetitive grinding/creaking noise coming from chainring area. I even felt this noise/vibrations through the cranks like it was something grinding metal on metal. I assumed it was a chain which has suddenly unevenly stretched so I turned around, went home and I put a new chain on, but the problem was still there. When I put some load on the motor I get this repetitive noise, no noise when pedalling on a flat or mild uphill terrain. I then reproduced it on a bike stand by pulling the rear brake (for simulating load) and pedalling by hand in Trail or Turbo mode, I marked a white dot on a chainring and a chain so I can see that noise is not repeating on the same chainring or chain position so this is quite clear marker that source is not the drivetrain:



Maybe not realted to this issue but during the testing on a stand I even reproduced infinite pedal spin after releasing any pressure to the pedals. This also happend to me several times on a trail but it was difficult to reproduce and even more difficut to record it on video when being out in the woods not having something to hold my bike with rear wheel up, but now I finally have it on tape:



So is my motor dying?

It's confirmed now, I'm officially waiting for a new motor.

 

[salko]

It's confirmed now, I'm officially waiting for a new motor.

Today I got my bike back with brand new motor installed, bike was 9 days in the shop, not good, not terrible.

 

[Mcharza]

Today I got my bike back with brand new motor installed, bike was 9 days in the shop, not good, not terrible.

Glad you got it back, but nine days!!

 

[Blebo19]

do you think is it possible to customize some kind of air intake to refresh our motors?

 

[Huckleberry]

It is not from chainring , trust me

Have you by chance check the chain guard for clearance. My 2020 Levo was marking a similar noise and I couldn’t find it I checked everything and no luck till I saw pulled the the guard off and looked at the inside and noticed wearing. I filed it down a bit and the noise went away.

 

[Dmurphy48]

I know this an older post but I just started dealing with this same type of noise. I brought into LBS and got the motor changed out. Still making the noise after. It seems to happen more under heavier loads then flat pedaling. I checked all torque on bolts including the casette. Imoved the chain guide out of the way as well and noise is still there. I happen to be flipping my rear wheel between two bikes and the noise doesn't happen on my normal bike with this rear wheel. New chain and new casette as well. I have not replaced the chainring but will try that next. I would be surprised that a new motor would make this noise. I am using a gx eagle derailleur and casette and xo chain if that all matters.