Push rod rattle ?

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Got my new crossover pipes from Walridge and installed them ( after finding the large crack at the weld or braze for the left crossover ) . Fired her up and the rattle was still there , so the saga continues..
 
I have been following this thread with interest , I have run into this with Nortons a couple of times over the years. Turned out to be a loose end cup on a pushrod which I repaired by pulling the end off and cleaning the pushrod and end cup well and using red Loctite to fasten the cup back on. No more rattle, this may not be your problem but it is worth checking out.
 
Torontonian said:
Thanks ,this is what I need and will go to Crappy Tire on Thurs. to buy it. Tomorrow fishing Elora. I live beside Starkman's Surgical Supply and they wanted more for a similar item but it was medical so I passed it up. This looks more mechanical so I'll go Thursday . shows 8 in stock , row 12.
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Remember this rattle intensifies in volume with twisting the throttle. Running at highway speeds with relaxed throttle or steady throttle there is no rattle. Motor runs great. So perhaps it's related to isolastics. I'll pull off the headsteady soon to try a test around the block , perhaps it's hitting something on throttle up.
 
Torontonian said:
Remember this rattle intensifies in volume with twisting the throttle. Running at highway speeds with relaxed throttle or steady throttle there is no rattle. Motor runs great. So perhaps it's related to isolastics. I'll pull off the headsteady soon to try a test around the block , perhaps it's hitting something on throttle up.
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What about other gears? Would you hear it in 3rd, for example, with steady throttle?

Is it loud enough that a passenger would hear it too? Take a 10 year old with good hearing along for a ride - young ears can often help pinpoint the source of noises.
 
Well I moved the Boyer plate retarded with a test and advanced with a test fire up , and only succeeded in turning my brand new r. side crossover pipe blue . I bought the Crappy Tire Stethoscope too and it did not help much. Much better just listening with ears and moving head about the head taking care not to connect the stupid thing with a hot running exhaust pipe. It's an intermittent rattle from the head so tomorrow I will pull the RH 10. Plus it's starting to smoke a little bit. With the crossover pipes I can't tell which side is starting to smoke. Oil is clean but starting to drop in level. Season over for me.
 
maylar said:
Bummer. :(
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Yes , but I realized that the oil level in the tank was too high . Just over full , so i drained off some to get it back to just above low and all light smoking stopped. Unscrewed the rocker feed and let it run for 30 seconds to clarify that there was oil entering the head under pressure and there was. Pulled off all 3 valve covers to observe actions with flashlight and all looked good ,lots of activity. All valve clearances spot on , cold. I'm not going to pull the head until season ends in 3 wks. time . I'm now thinking a cracked valve spring that does it's job yet sounds rattly when warmed up.
 
You know I've always had a noisy train and it only bothers me at low speeds. At least that's when I notice it most, but once on the road cranking out say 3500-4000 there's none of that nonsense to be heard. When I crank up cold I go 'OMG.. She's gonna blow!' Once warm and going about business it sounds like a Commando and I don't worry.
The only thing noisier than a Commando I've ever heard up to is an old panhead. You could have an issue or it could just be anxiety..... I get it every time I rebuild something because the pitch and vibration levels change making me suspicious. It takes a while for my confidence to return.
 
jbruney said:
You know I've always had a noisy train and it only bothers me at low speeds. At least that's when I notice it most, but once on the road cranking out say 3500-4000 there's none of that nonsense to be heard. When I crank up cold I go 'OMG.. She's gonna blow!' Once warm and going about business it sounds like a Commando and I don't worry.
The only thing noisier than a Commando I've ever heard up to is an old panhead. You could have an issue or it could just be anxiety..... I get it every time I rebuild something because the pitch and vibration levels change making me suspicious. It takes a while for my confidence to return.
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Thanks for restoring my confidence and I'll just keep riding on nice days until the snow flies in 3 wks.
 
Went for a great blast today . On the back was the wife and I took her down to Soundscapes on College St. to buy her birthday present of a Black Mountain ticket for Nov. 19 th. Freak heat day of 30 C. before the rain set in. Ignored the rattling on acceleration but all the compression and power are there for sure. I'll be removing the DD headsteady to do a test and resetting the Boyer magnetic rotor and adjuster plate to get more range of movement on timing. Hipsters stop to tell me what a beautiful bike.
 
Okay so mine is a old 650 that has had a death rattle for 40+ years, still going and cleared 1400miles this season. I have given up worrying until it goes twang ! Earplugs when idling, not required when moving it on. Just enjoy while it's warm. Ade.
 
The noise is only proof that it runs. I can stop the noise any time I wish with a twist of the key. Not like it takes any sort of magic to make a Norton quiet. Really quite simple.

I'm getting ready to take a ride and have it in front... Opened the front door and not a peep out of it. Truly a quiet machine.... Now I'm fetching my helmet and gonna go kick it over & take off for a while. It's made to ride not look at or sit and listen to.
 
Thanks for all the encouragements. She's a blaster. Going to Beaverton on Monday and back. Interstate tank should be one initial fillup. With the wife on back. And a new fishing rod and reel. She loves the brutality of the ride and the sound. She wants me to sell off the Beemer. I owe her for 2 years of nursing the shattered ankle injury so I agreed on that , also no more kickings. I'm good with that.
 
My ride was good today.... Nothing but looking at coastal flatland and listening to Norton noise. I find it relaxing. Anyway new speedometer drive will be in Friday and the guesswork is going to be removed old one disintegrated last month.
Hope you folks have a nice ride.... Had a R100RT once upon a time I wish I'd kept. Sure miss it sometimes, except for my foot getting caught shifting.... A dream on the road. Hide the beemer. Just a little fib is all. She'll forgive you eventually.... maybe.
 
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