• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Quick Question - Valve Shims & Noise

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Guest
Last fall, when I started my project bike for the first time, there was a clacking noise coming from the top end somewhere, and after running it a few times, the noise quieted slightly but never disappeared. I torn down he top end this winter and everything looked good, well within spec, but when I started it this spring the noise is still there?

My initial thoughts were cam tensioner, but it seems to be functioning fine? So now I'm wondering if the valve shims clearance isn't sufficient? I know they are close to being too tight, but before I order new shims, would that explain the clacking noise?
 
KillerGriller said:
Last fall, when I started my project bike for the first time, there was a clacking noise coming from the top end somewhere, and after running it a few times, the noise quieted slightly but never disappeared. I torn down he top end this winter and everything looked good, well within spec, but when I started it this spring the noise is still there?

My initial thoughts were cam tensioner, but it seems to be functioning fine? So now I'm wondering if the valve shims clearance isn't sufficient? I know they are close to being too tight, but before I order new shims, would that explain the clacking noise?
Click to expand...

By all means take the time to get the right shims in place. The common reason why you'll still get noise is from a condition known as "Cam Walk" and is a well known issue caused by plain old ordinary wear. If you do a search you'll find plenty of info on this site on the subject, it's considered to be "normal"
 
LAB3 said:
By all means take the time to get the right shims in place. The common reason why you'll still get noise is from a condition known as "Cam Walk" and is a well known issue caused by plain old ordinary wear. If you do a search you'll find plenty of info on this site on the subject, it's considered to be "normal"
Click to expand...

Cheers, I'll look into it
 
KillerGriller said:
My initial thoughts were cam tensioner, but it seems to be functioning fine? So now I'm wondering if the valve shims clearance isn't sufficient? I know they are close to being too tight, but before I order new shims, would that explain the clacking noise?
Click to expand...
If the valve clearance is not sufficient, there would be LESS noise, not more.

Well, at least until the valves burnt, then there would be a LOT of noise, if the engine even ran at all.

What makes you think the tensioner "seems to be functioning fine"?
You can't see it in operation, you can only see the results if it's NOT functioning fine.
 
Who Dat? said:
If the valve clearance is not sufficient, there would be LESS noise, not more.

Well, at least until the valves burnt, then there would be a LOT of noise, if the engine even ran at all.

What makes you think the tensioner "seems to be functioning fine"?
You can't see it in operation, you can only see the results if it's NOT functioning fine.
Click to expand...

I would expect that too -> less valve clearance = less noise until catastrophe, but it's worth an ask. What about "No" clearance between the shims and cam lobes? I will be pulling the cylinder cover tonight to take a look at them and measure, but out of curiosity?


"Cam Tensioner seems to be functioning fine" is based on it's behavior during reassembly and when I had to adjust the cams to line them up for timing. It may be misbehaving, if a clacking sound is typical of a malfunctioning tensioner it'd make sense. I'll check it again tonight when I have the cover off.

Also, this isn't the typical ticking of an older engine, it's a separate/distinct "clack-clack-clack" sound at the same time, the bike sounds like a tractor.
 
Last edited:
If the cam chain was too loose, it could slap against the cam cover. Best way to ensure that tensioner is working properly is to remove it and fiddle with it in your hands- you?ll quickly figure it out as how the lock screw and lock nut are designed to work. The tensioner plunger shaft must be able to slide out,but not push back .
 
Burque73 said:
I haven't noticed it on my 850 which has 52K miles on it. I wonder if it only becomes an issue on some engines and not others.
Click to expand...

My 80 engine only does it when warm and only sometimes at that.
Today, it started doing it as soon as it ran.
Ach, who knows why - it's one of those things.
Just thought of something - the previous slack time it was on the sidestand for a fortnight. Normally, it's on the centre stand.
 
Grimly said:
My 80 engine only does it when warm and only sometimes at that.
Today, it started doing it as soon as it ran.
Ach, who knows why - it's one of those things.
Just thought of something - the previous slack time it was on the sidestand for a fortnight. Normally, it's on the centre stand.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. While at rest 99% of the time mine is on the center stand. FWIW
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
GS550 Bottom End Rattle/Knock
Replies
15
Views
305
dgates1
dgates1
F
Engine Knock
Replies
19
Views
267
DimitriT
DimitriT
I
GS400 clutch rod seal and cam chain noise.
Replies
1
Views
74
LAB3
LAB3
crazyramen
Question on Points Ignition - maxxed out?
Replies
7
Views
184
crazyramen
crazyramen
ChickenStorm
Valve shimming and tuning (GS450E)
2
Replies
21
Views
391
Rijko
Rijko
Back
Top