Engine noise - Does this sound OK?

Guys,

Any chance someone could lend an experienced ear and let me know if she sounds OK?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssFrHSCIg04&feature=player_profilepage[/video]

another

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=wqee6tTZLcc[/video]

and this morning:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vv0ocfUbDk&feature=player_profilepage[/video]

Any reassurance/pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Carl.

It sounds bad. Without a stethoscope to pin point the knock it could be anything from a problem in the head to a rod knock.
Bottom line,,, it's tear down time.
I wouldn't be riding it lest you blow it up.

Sounds like it is worn out , Plenty of valve train rattle for starters :!: But difficult to tell over the internet.

Just picked a mechanics stethoscope and it seems that, to my untrained ear, most of the noise is coming from the exhaust rocker area. So i guess it's time to take the head off and have a peek....

It could easily be just a valve adjuster that worked loose and has backed out.

No need to tear the engine down as a first step, simply pull the INSPECTION caps, that's what they're there for. Pull the spark plugs also.

Kick the engine through until one of the rockers starts to move downward, then check the opposite rocker for looseness. Go through all 4 that way.

As a minimum effort trace take off the valve covers ,maybe a valve adjuster nut backed off and that might be easily fixed.

Beat me to that post by one second Grandpaul,was wondering why the postboard seemed schitzophrenic for a sec.

Carl

They all sound a little clattery, especially when they're cold.

By all means check valve clearances--and you might consider taking a look at the timing chain slack--strange things happen when the chain loosens up.

If power and performance seem to be close to normal after checking these out there's something to be said for just running it--sometimes we over-analyze these inanimate mechanisms which are, after all, merely between overhauls


Tim Kraakevik
kraakevik@voyager.net
'72 Combat, '74 RH10 850

Yeah, mine sounds a bit clacky when cold, but after a ride it sounds lots better. It seems to take about a mile or 2 to smooth out. If you're really worried, check the tappet clearance and then the timing chain and primary is not too tight. That's about all you can do without breaking things down, which may prove nothing. It's really hard to analyze things from a video and crapy computer audio. I've always heard the tappets on my bike, especially when pushing it around corners with higher revs. It's not like the engine is under a cover with sound insulation.

Dave
69S

Gee, I think it sounds great. Of course you should check the valve clearances if you don't know when it was done last. I think it would sound even better on the road. Jim

Difficult to tell from here, but I had a similar problem a few years back, after adjusting the timing chain the probem disappeared.

That slight knock and hesitation at tick-over tells me it's a little too advanced, other wise as previously said tappets and timing chain. Have you got a sporty cam in it with 0.016" clearance and what grade of oil ?

Cash

Put some SAE50 in it, like Valvoline VR-1. They love it.

Dave
69S

Lifter to rocker may be a little lose. You could take away thou to the specs say instead of 8 and 10, go 7 and 9. I do not think it sound too bad. I myself would rather hear it a little than not at all.

Tappets were good - clearances are still correct. Doesn't seem to be too much play. However it doesn't seem to take much force to close the gap. Should it?

I have no power issues - she pulls like a train. It seems to me that she gets noisier as she warms up (might have heard that somewhere before). Primary is a belt drive and that's fine. I shall check the timing chain...

Here is a little video of the pure tappet noise:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-cs-Jqbdco&feature=player_profilepage[/video]

cash said:

That slight knock and hesitation at tick-over tells me it's a little too advanced, other wise as previously said tappets and timing chain. Have you got a sporty cam in it with 0.016" clearance and what grade of oil ?

Cash

Click to expand...

vis-a-vis the cam - not to the best of my knowledge. The oil is Mobil V-Twin 20W 50. And the timing is spot on with a strobe.

That's the exact same noise I'm getting on my 68 TR6P (650). It drove me nuts for years but I've decided it's just a noisy bike. I actually replaced the lifiters but no change. Valve clearances is okay. And the bike pulls really well. So I'm just going to live with it.
BC

Might be worth lifting of seat and checking oil tank that oil is returning to tank if you havechecked the valve clearances are correct recommended tolerances using feeler gauges may be lack of oil if oil not returning to tank

You Know , when you have a smoke . . . . and youre driveing along . . . . and you think you can hear this nouise . . . .

Well . . . Its There ! . :cry: . Narrow tank tends to let the driver hear it more , BUT , I dont think its entirely
clearance related .( haveing run a Combat Cam quite @ .o16 and std noisey at the correct settings .Ka Tang Ka Tang .)

Tecnically , a timing chan not still tight , ( streched ? check how many teeth lift off while youre there ) could get
' timing chain snach ' .Rockers , ID wind in till they touch ( 0 clearance ) then a turn past , back to zero , & wiggle.

AH , now weve got it ?? slight possibility , maybe . the THACKERY washers ( as if we all didnt know ) CLACK .
so they say . . . .Which is why they replace the silly Spring Washers with thicknessed spacers on the Rocker Shafts .

WHICH is wear the wiggle ( ooops ) comes in . Then set clearances where feeler guage has ' draw ' as in lightly pinched.
IF the rocker / shaft was clearancey or dryish , forseably the rock / clearance issue would be apparent . Stripped .

THACKEREY Washers , acorrding to ' Olde pharts ' , the ends ' dig in ' wear a ridge .So Ea. osscilation , theres a Thwack .
Hence the name ' Thwackerey ' washers . . . . :roll: :lol: :mrgreen:


Right . . . Pre Unit TRIUMPH oil pressure relief valve / indicator , fits over the Norton Inner , so pressure vaugely observable
IF the oil seal / washer on the spigot to the timing cover is suss , youd loose pressure through there .
Rockers being most distant , would be least satisfied , lubricationally .
Pulling a top end oil line and squirting oil everywhere will reasure you on this . :shock: :?

Also , points gap closeing , pushes the ignition point fwd . If yr running 31 Dg .

OIL , 40 Wt Monograde , high spec . or 50 if its ' warm ' there ( the Sahara ). 30 in Alaska in winter .

MOREYS heavey duty oil stabilizor is a Wear PREVENTITIVE , cushion , and anti break down under severe use .

Obviously , if youre in the timing cover , you can inspect the internals of the weeny oil pump . :mrgreen:

It does sound a little rattley, but then so do most old Brit bikes. As BC mentioned in his earlier post his Triumph TR6 sounds similar, my 71 Bonnie rattles too but less than your bike (I think).
It sounds to me like the rocker gear. How have you been checking the valve clearances?
You may find that the tops of the valve stems are indented so checking the clearances with a feeler gauge will give you a false (larger) reading. This could be a source of your top end noise.

Good Luck

Webby