whenever i'm engine braking around the 3k-5k rpm range it sounds like a chain rubbing/smacking some metal. it seems like its coming from engine area. I already checked and disqaulified the chain. anything i should be aware of that is an issue in the engine? I'm thinking cams.
Bike is 01 F4i

 

Have you checked the drive chain to the rear wheel? I know you said it sounds like engine noise but worth checking anyway.

 

The only other place that has any slack that might makes noise under engine braking
is the cam chain. If it is excessively loose, it may be slappping the inside of the
engine. That might make the noise you are describing. So check the cam chain tensioner as the likely culprit.

On a side note, engine braking is not the best way to decelerate. You should blip the
throttle slightly, as you down-shift, to match engine speed to the bike. The brakes are
for deceleration. The drive-train is not designed to take stress from the reverse
loading and will be damaged over time.

Ern

 

drive chain is checked, all good there. haven't checked the cam chain. i don't fell thats it though.
an added symtom.....occasionally under deceleration(engine braking) there is a significant slapping feeling happening on my left foot peg. left peg is attached to shifter which leads me to think maybe something in the clutch or gears?

 

oh really? I almost always engine brake. :S

 

The CCT is pretty notorious for making rattling noises on the earlier F4s after it wears to a certain point.Typically sounds like BBs rattling around in there at certain static RPMs but the noises can vary.

After you've ruled out the more obvious possibilities, I'd probably rule that out next.

 

id bet on your cam chain tensioner. there's a few threads talking about it as its a problem on the f4i's. the stock tensioner wears out and starts to make noise. mine makes it as well. (01 f4i) if you can deal with it, all it is is a noise and I havent heard of it failing. but if it upsets you enough look into the ape manual cam chain tensioner. It should fix your problem. or you can try this. (courtesy of nestreetriders.com)



Honda Cam Chain Tensioners, yes they suck big time but there is a $1.50 fix for the later Hondas, F3 and up. If the CCT has a plug (bolt) at the outer end remove it. Buy a 6X1.25X30mm bolt and nut. Thread the nut on the bolt and install the bolt into the hole that the plug was in. Gently (fingertip pressure only) rotate bolt until it makes contact with the piston. Hold bolt with wrench and tighten nut against the CCT case. Your CCT will now be silent. Why does this fix work? The CCT in the Hondas does not have a ratcheting mechanism. It depends on a left handed threaded shaft that is spring loaded. Due to the locking pitch thread design this shaft cannot back up. Sounds good so far. Unfortunatly the shaft stays in one place so long that the constant vibration wears out the shaft or the nut that the shaft rides in. The shaft gets sloppy and does not exert enough pressure on the chain pad so the chain starts to rattle at high rpm. The bolt fix exerts just enough pressure on the threaded shaft that it prevents the shaft from vibrating and backing up thus eliminating the chain noise. Yes you will have to adjust the bolt but so far I have no historical data as to how long the time intervals are in between adjustments. Maybe some of you big milege people can provide the data. Any way, hope it prevents you from buying a new CCT. Latest data, the cheap fix has been working for at least 60K miles in a Honda F4.



Hope this helps

 

well it is NOT the cam chain tensioner. Today, slowed down using light engine braking and started making that noise, then alot of vibration coming from the left foot peg, like metal on metal banging. I pulled in the clutch and it continued until I shifted the gears then it stopped. this is very clearly the transmission. worth getting fixed or sell it off?

 

Any chance the front sprocket is loose? Did you check that, when you say you've checked the drive chain?

Ern

 

I really sounds to me like a binding chain link. Does your bike have the rubber slider covering the swing arm (like my 929)? When they wear out, the chain will grind up the swing arm, making all kinds of strange noises. Just a thought.