Push rod rattle ?

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maylar said:
Maybe not a long shot - since 3000 rpm he says is the "sweet spot". Seems more plausible than valve train noise, which wouldn't come and go.
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I'm pretty sure this is it. Great 4 days of riding up North , no rain , just got back into town. The rattle would shift from leftside to rightside occasionally. I forgot to readjust the front isolastic after the engine rebuild. I left clearances very open and I will peel back the gaitors , grease up the shims and tighten up clearances tomorrow. Tonight rest.
 
Every Norton rattles differently some louder than others, if its running ok then I wouldn't be to concern about it mostly be valve train noise, if next oil change you do and fine metal in your oil then you have a problem, but I think you be right.
Mine has been rattling for 43 years, it hasn't gone bang yet.

Ashley
 
I cannot condone it,but I put 100ml of liqui moly in mine and it eased off the valve train noise. Snake oil or not, it seems to have helped.
 
Pushed it n rode it said:
I cannot condone it,but I put 100ml of liqui moly in mine and it eased off the valve train noise. Snake oil or not, it seems to have helped.
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Marvel Mystery Oil, top cylinder lubrication. Really good for valve train noise. Will free up sticky valves too.
 
Before I sorted it my drive side exhaust valve would occasionally stick and unseat the pushrod with a real clatter. It would find it's own way back in almost straightaway though luckily.
 
Fast Eddie said:
Beware if you’ve never done this before... the noises you’ll hear can be quite frightening...
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Full agree with you there, some times is so frightening that you got to move your ear away from it and decide to never do that again lol. But like I say each Norton has its own rattles, some more than others and as you say the noise moves from one side to the other and at different RPMs and you haven't had any problems riding around on it.

Ashley
 
ashman said:
Every Norton rattles differently some louder than others, if its running ok then I wouldn't be to concern about it mostly be valve train noise, if next oil change you do and fine metal in your oil then you have a problem, but I think you be right.
Mine has been rattling for 43 years, it hasn't gone bang yet.

Ashley
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Oil change as soon as I got home. 500 or so Kms.
 
ashman said:
Full agree with you there, some times is so frightening that you got to move your ear away from it and decide to never do that again lol. But like I say each Norton has its own rattles, some more than others and as you say the noise moves from one side to the other and at different RPMs and you haven't had any problems riding around on it.

Ashley
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Running like a Swiss watch. I know it's isolastics vernier front mount now but it's getting dark now... so tomorrow inspect , grease and adjust front and back iso's. Used no oil after dipstick check after more than 500 Kms. up to Georgian bay and back. Changed oil hot on return and only a tiny bit of tiny metal flecks stuck to magnetic drain plug. As expected after a rebuild so all good.
 
Torontonian said:
Running like a Swiss watch. I know it's isolastics vernier front mount now but it's getting dark now... so tomorrow inspect , grease and adjust front and back iso's. Used no oil after dipstick check after more than 500 Kms. up to Georgian bay and back. Changed oil hot on return and only a tiny bit of tiny metal flecks stuck to magnetic drain plug. As expected after a rebuild so all good.
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Having the isolastics out would also have a effect on the bikes handling.
 
ashman said:
Having the isolastics out would also have a effect on the bikes handling.
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The Dave Taylor headsteady makes it travel so straight and true . But I'll pull the tank and lube the Heim Joints with a few drops of thick 140 Weight tomorrow. Both front and rear Iso's will get grease , likely dielectric or synthetic as well and of course re-gapped with a feeler gauge , tightened down to spec. with the support bolts and checked for gaps/ play again. Vernier MK 111 stuff.
 
I don't have that problem converting my Commando to the Featherbed frame way back in the early 80s, balanced motor and hard mounts not having to worry about shims, feeler gauges and adjusting, rubber mounts for the exhaust system and everything else for rubber mounted motor.

Ashley
 
ashman said:
I don't have that problem converting my Commando to the Featherbed frame way back in the early 80s, balanced motor and hard mounts not having to worry about shims, feeler gauges and adjusting, rubber mounts for the exhaust system and everything else for rubber mounted motor.

Ashley
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and.........how is your bike, then, not a custom Atlas with all of the attendant vibrations which resulted in Norton developing isolastics?
 
lazyeye6 said:
and.........how is your bike, then, not a custom Atlas with all of the attendant vibrations which resulted in Norton developing isolastics?
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Hot 850 in a 1957 Wideline frame motor balanced for the Featherbed frame no vibrations, very torque motor and handles like its on rails. Its a pleasure to ride and is very light underfoot, I get a buzz every time I ride it, so no its not like a Atlas and it was a every day rider for most of its life.
 
Loosen the rocker covers and pull them off one at a time for a few seconds while its running. Its a little messy but you should hear the noise if its coming from the pushrods.
 
jseng1 said:
Loosen the rocker covers and pull them off one at a time for a few seconds while its running. Its a little messy but you should hear the noise if its coming from the pushrods.
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Yes I will do this next step. Spent the last hour checking isolastics and they seemed fine , .008 total clearance and greased up with dielectric . So it's something else such as head casting flash touching pushrods or..protruding head gasket in tunnels .. I'll use a flashlight to see in and hearing too. The danger is getting my face too close to the hot pipes to hear.
 
Pulled outer primary to listen but all was quiet , I had installed new chain hydraulic tensioners so was concerned. New 20-50 in there and buttoned up.
Pulled the heavy MK 111 exhaust system to check for potential rattles near head and found a cracked open left side header pipe at the weld for the crossover pipe. Bike runs great despite it so now will replace the system with an earlier model one I have just to keep riding and figure out what to do next. Tomorrow will be my last ride for 3 weeks , flying out to B.C. for the Pinks run. Enjoy.
 
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