Annoying engine sound
#11
10-11-2011, 03:36 PM
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Location: East Greenwich, RI
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#13
10-11-2011, 07:16 PM
#14
10-11-2011, 09:13 PM
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#15
10-13-2011, 02:43 AM
Hi Bobblyboy,
I can tell you straight, noises like this can be very hard to diagnose and even harder to fix.
You hit the nail on the head though. She rides fine! If that's the case, just keep riding and don't let the sound of your own worrying put you off.
Since I had to rebuild the bottom end of my engine I've had a ticking which started about 2000 miles after she'd been back on the road. I've checked everything I can think of without tearing the thing down again and replacing everything I hadn't already. Come to think of it I actually did renew the big end shells soon afterwards but that wasn't the problem.
I don't think your noise is CCT or chain. It doesn't sound like a bearing noise. It doesn't sound quite like the high pitched tick tick I have either but not too far off.
DRam, did yours really sound like this? If it's alternator bearings I'd be surprised but happy to try changing mine if you'll elaborate a bit. Maybe Bobs could save his heartache too.
Anyway Bobs, she looks and sounds sweet apart from the tick. Just keep riding her man.
I've done 32K miles with that noise and it's never got worse so I don't think it's anything terminal.
Let us know if you sort it. I'll be the first to jump for joy.
I can tell you straight, noises like this can be very hard to diagnose and even harder to fix.
You hit the nail on the head though. She rides fine! If that's the case, just keep riding and don't let the sound of your own worrying put you off.
Since I had to rebuild the bottom end of my engine I've had a ticking which started about 2000 miles after she'd been back on the road. I've checked everything I can think of without tearing the thing down again and replacing everything I hadn't already. Come to think of it I actually did renew the big end shells soon afterwards but that wasn't the problem.
I don't think your noise is CCT or chain. It doesn't sound like a bearing noise. It doesn't sound quite like the high pitched tick tick I have either but not too far off.
DRam, did yours really sound like this? If it's alternator bearings I'd be surprised but happy to try changing mine if you'll elaborate a bit. Maybe Bobs could save his heartache too.
Anyway Bobs, she looks and sounds sweet apart from the tick. Just keep riding her man.
I've done 32K miles with that noise and it's never got worse so I don't think it's anything terminal.
Let us know if you sort it. I'll be the first to jump for joy.
Henry (and everyone else): I ran the sound through my stereo amp tonight and gave it another listen. Doing that I can hear a tick that wasn't noticeable on the laptop speakers. If the tick is what we are to be diagnosing, no, that doesn't sound like alternator bearings.
The whine is more noticeable also, and it does sound like a too-tight balance shaft. At least, when adjusting mine the same whine appeared and then went away when the adjustment was backed off.
There are a couple places where it does sound like a bearing is grinding. However, on re-reading the post there is some doubt. A bad bearing shouldn't come and go as is described there. Someone above suggested a screwdriver be used as a stethoscope. I concur. Use that on the alternator cover and the area around it.
If the tick is what we are to figure out, I don't know. To me it sounds somewhat like a loose valve, but why we'd hear that more at the bottom left of the engine - that doesn't make sense.
Maybe the OP could let us know if we are to listen to a whine, tick, or grinding noise.
Hawkwind makes an excellent suggestion. A thorough tune up with carb balancing at the end has eliminated some really strange noises from my bike as well as giving it a very smoothly idling engine.
#16
10-13-2011, 09:55 AM
Exactly my first impression when I listened to the clip. It does seam to be coming from the front. When the bike is cold vs. warm, things can tighten up or loosen up.
Bobbleboy, what you can do is, go down to your local hardware or auto store and buy a piece of poly tubing that will fit in your ear, about the dia. of your pinky finger. Get an arms length. With the bike running, put one end in your ear and move the other end around listening for the exact area the sound is coming from. If it is the head pipes leaking (tick-tick-tick noise) be careful as the pipes are hot and will melt the poly tubing. You will just about have to touch each pipe as the sound ricochets around and is hard to localize.
If it is not a head pipe leak, move the tubing around until you find the source of the noise.
Last edited by TimBucTwo; 10-13-2011 at 09:57 AM.
#17
10-17-2011, 03:41 PM
Senior Member & tensioner mod inventor ROTM WINNER FEB 2013
OK, so where have we got to in this. Stethoscopes, tubing, bearings and balance shafts?
I have been through all this on mine and none of the above has got me any nearer to identifying the tick. I've done the valve clearances several times (though not for about 12K since I last had the cover off). I found a broken rocker spring once. Replaced it and that didn't cure it. I've checked all the rockers for play and wear and they're all fine.
DOn't even bother with the balance shaft adjustment, unless it's really whining. It isn't that, unless the needle bearing assembly is so worn is flopping about like a ***** in a bucket. I suspected this a while ago but after dropping the assembly out through the sump pan and checking it there was no play, no perceptible wear.
To me this sounds like either a really worn out piston ring or a worn small end. Neither of these possibilities are very likely but that's what I'm next going to be checking when I have time. There is still a small chance that the noise is from minor wear in the cam shafts, something very hard to check for but think about it, camshafts to have a pretty hard time of it and if a small amount of wear starts on the bearing surfaces it could conceivably cause the shafts to rattle.
I dunno. It's all very annoying and time consuming to diagnose and then repair.
I can't hear the noise above 60 MPH and given up worrying about it.
Bobbleboy, if you work out a plausible cause and effect, make sure you let me know and visa versa. You can bet your life I'm going to shout about it when I eventually get to the bottom of it.
I have been through all this on mine and none of the above has got me any nearer to identifying the tick. I've done the valve clearances several times (though not for about 12K since I last had the cover off). I found a broken rocker spring once. Replaced it and that didn't cure it. I've checked all the rockers for play and wear and they're all fine.
DOn't even bother with the balance shaft adjustment, unless it's really whining. It isn't that, unless the needle bearing assembly is so worn is flopping about like a ***** in a bucket. I suspected this a while ago but after dropping the assembly out through the sump pan and checking it there was no play, no perceptible wear.
To me this sounds like either a really worn out piston ring or a worn small end. Neither of these possibilities are very likely but that's what I'm next going to be checking when I have time. There is still a small chance that the noise is from minor wear in the cam shafts, something very hard to check for but think about it, camshafts to have a pretty hard time of it and if a small amount of wear starts on the bearing surfaces it could conceivably cause the shafts to rattle.
I dunno. It's all very annoying and time consuming to diagnose and then repair.
I can't hear the noise above 60 MPH and given up worrying about it.
Bobbleboy, if you work out a plausible cause and effect, make sure you let me know and visa versa. You can bet your life I'm going to shout about it when I eventually get to the bottom of it.
#18
10-21-2011, 04:07 AM
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Posts: n/a
OK, so where have we got to in this. Stethoscopes, tubing, bearings and balance shafts?
I have been through all this on mine and none of the above has got me any nearer to identifying the tick. I've done the valve clearances several times (though not for about 12K since I last had the cover off). I found a broken rocker spring once. Replaced it and that didn't cure it. I've checked all the rockers for play and wear and they're all fine.
DOn't even bother with the balance shaft adjustment, unless it's really whining. It isn't that, unless the needle bearing assembly is so worn is flopping about like a ***** in a bucket. I suspected this a while ago but after dropping the assembly out through the sump pan and checking it there was no play, no perceptible wear.
To me this sounds like either a really worn out piston ring or a worn small end. Neither of these possibilities are very likely but that's what I'm next going to be checking when I have time. There is still a small chance that the noise is from minor wear in the cam shafts, something very hard to check for but think about it, camshafts to have a pretty hard time of it and if a small amount of wear starts on the bearing surfaces it could conceivably cause the shafts to rattle.
I dunno. It's all very annoying and time consuming to diagnose and then repair.
I can't hear the noise above 60 MPH and given up worrying about it.
Bobbleboy, if you work out a plausible cause and effect, make sure you let me know and visa versa. You can bet your life I'm going to shout about it when I eventually get to the bottom of it.
I have been through all this on mine and none of the above has got me any nearer to identifying the tick. I've done the valve clearances several times (though not for about 12K since I last had the cover off). I found a broken rocker spring once. Replaced it and that didn't cure it. I've checked all the rockers for play and wear and they're all fine.
DOn't even bother with the balance shaft adjustment, unless it's really whining. It isn't that, unless the needle bearing assembly is so worn is flopping about like a ***** in a bucket. I suspected this a while ago but after dropping the assembly out through the sump pan and checking it there was no play, no perceptible wear.
To me this sounds like either a really worn out piston ring or a worn small end. Neither of these possibilities are very likely but that's what I'm next going to be checking when I have time. There is still a small chance that the noise is from minor wear in the cam shafts, something very hard to check for but think about it, camshafts to have a pretty hard time of it and if a small amount of wear starts on the bearing surfaces it could conceivably cause the shafts to rattle.
I dunno. It's all very annoying and time consuming to diagnose and then repair.
I can't hear the noise above 60 MPH and given up worrying about it.
Bobbleboy, if you work out a plausible cause and effect, make sure you let me know and visa versa. You can bet your life I'm going to shout about it when I eventually get to the bottom of it.
a friggin tic mate ??
.... 
.... I would be parked on the side of the road all day every day if I listened to my old engine !!! lolololololol
cheers mate .........
#19
10-21-2011, 02:50 PM
Senior Member
Last edited by robbiebgraham; 10-21-2011 at 02:52 PM.