So heres the story i ran out of battery on my F4i and i charged the battery and tried to start it. It didn't start and i rolled the trottle a bit and suddenly it started but it flooded the engine bringing the engine to 9k and i notice a small amount of white smoke. Now i notice when there is a clicking noise going at all RPMs and it goes faster as RPM goes up. I don't know how to progress at this point. Werid thing is it rides normal and still got all its power just an annoying clicking noise. How should i progress from here? The bike is a 01 with 7700 miles on it.

 

Do you have any oil in the bike? Sounds like shes dry. Or maybe even the valves are just completely out of wack.

 

I have the same clicking noise in mine and I think I tracked it down to the oil cooler where the oil filter sits. It doesnīt do it all the time and I really donīt know what could cause it or if itīs serious.
Iīll have to check too.

Have you changed your filter recently?

 

If it is something that is constant no matter hot or cold and stays even with the revs its more then likely the valves. If it was a loud pinging noise when you tried giving it gas then you may want to check your oil level.

 

Thin white smoke is water, which is normal. Thick white smoke is oil. Which was it?

Clicking is generally a valve or valves that are worn, and that can be caused by poor lubrication, or a few other things. Check your oil first and foremost.

I know it's hard to describe noise, but how loud is it?

 

it was thin white smoke and its constant tapping i will record a mp3 of it tomorrow. i don't know what to do, but there is not reliability issues like stalling so far, and all the power is there.

 

if its the valves then what is my options?

 

My 05' F4i with 9000 miles always has a slight ticking... You can only hear it at idle and it is very quiet. I've always just assumed it was my fuel injectors or something.

 

Well as said check your oil, simply by filling the oil back up if it is dry would eliminate the noise. As if its past this point, they will need to be readjusted you really don't want your valves smacking off one of your pistons.

 

Slight ticking?..... sounds like the OEM CCT is going... get an APE manual CCT(cam chain tensioner).