Lyme Disease?

[robertbarr]

TICKS!

That's what's bugging me! The GS1000G I bought from DDaniels exhibits a fairly loud ticking, especially upon initial loading of the engine from a dead stop. It sounds like one single really loose valve, up to about 3k, and then it shuts up and goes away, until the r.p.m. drops back below 3k.

It actually sounds like it could be harmful, but the GS engine is so full of such noises that can be generally and safely ignored -- added to the fact that it's made such noise for the whole time DD owned it, which was about 4500 miles, give or take. If it were going to digest itself, I'd guess it would have happened by now.

That doesn't mean it's OK; it drove DD nuts, and now it's working on me. I suspected the starter clutch, so I removed it today and everything looks fine. I'm going to give it new springs just for luck, but there's no indication of any problems. I don't consider that bad news, exactly, but it didn't answer the question of WTF.

It's had new cams, the valve clearances were checked less than 400 miles ago, it's had a new (different, anyway) clutch basket and the cam chain tensioner was checked & worked over.

For now, two questions:

1) Are there subtle problems with a starter clutch that require close examination, or would noisy problems be obvious?

2) Any more ideas?

I'm running low on engine components that can make noise without self-destructing!

[tom203]

About year and half ago, there was a guy on here who had installed the clutch with some tapered washer facing wrong direction-resulted in looseness and made unpleasant noises until the primary gear was loaded.

[hjfisk]

My gs1000 has a ticking noise also do low in the RPM's . It has had it since I got the bike and I've chased all over to find it. I haven't found it yet and have put about 20,000 miles on the bike with no problems . just irritating to listen to.

[sedelen]

I believe I remember a post from DDaniels talking about that very ticking on that bike, and I remember him saying it was driving him nuts. I remember because my '82 GS1100E has a ticking noise. I heard it today and it was rather loud, upon start up after riding it earlier, then after about a minute it went away, wierd. I chaulk it up to oil getting to the cams or whatever, or a loose valve tappet. Anyway, I just try not to let it bother me, and I feel like if the engine were going to disintegrate, it would have done it by now, as I've been riding it hard, and that noise seems to make me drive it harder.
Someday I hope to find it, until then, tick, tick, tick, tick..........

[bbjumper]

I had that happen to me recently. Quiet at idle, started a ticking sound just off idle up to about 2500 and then quiet again. It went away after a few miles, turned out I had a loose exhaust bolt. Tightened to proper torque and it went away.

[bonanzadave]

Got my valve adj a little loose . Don't sound all that bad with a helmet on.

[hikermikem]

It sounds like one single really loose valve, up to about 3k, and then it shuts up and goes away, until the r.p.m. drops back below 3k.

I have the same noise in my '81 1100E at just about the same RPM range... sounds like a very loose tappet, but I know it's not (I checked). Over 5K on the engine since I freshened it up with no issues. Gave up worrying about it.

[dr_fosg8]

It may not be the engine at all. I had a noise on my 1100gl that would appear and disappear depending on rpm range. As I was inspecting the bike for possible offenders I found that one of the mounting points for my case savers had cracked and the harmonics of the engine at a certain rpm would cause it to vibrate and make an un-nerving racket.

Does it happen in neutral? If so grab your mechanics stethoscope (long screwdriver pressed against ear) and listen to various parts of the engine, should be able to locate if quickly if it is an internal issue.

[duaneage]

Check the exhaust flanges for tightness. And also see if you have an exhaust leak at the head where the pipes go in. There is about 80 PSI of pressure when the valve opens even at low speeds, and that can cause a tick if there is a leak.
Don't get your hand near, use a piece of paper to see if there is a leak. Smoke works too.

[salty_monk]

The 550 I rebuilt for a friend does that intermittently too... haven't been able to find it either.

Wonder if it's perhaps a broken valve spring?

[DanTheMan]

My 1100G clatters at idle, up to about 1500 rpm. I haven't pulled the covers yet, but I'm suspecting either clutch basket or starter clutch. Hopefully I'll find time to do that before something self destructs. The cure of course, is to keep it above the noisy rpm, don't stop.....

[robertbarr]

It may not be the engine at all. I had a noise on my 1100gl

Check the exhaust flanges for tightness. And also see if you have an exhaust leak at the head where the pipes go in. There is about 80 PSI of pressure when the valve opens even at low speeds, and that can cause a tick if there is a leak.
Don't get your hand near, use a piece of paper to see if there is a leak. Smoke works too.

The guy I bought my Bandit from had a ticking noise when the bike was still under warranty. The dealership wound up replacing the header. The cause was a loose inner pipe within the header that was free to be moved around by the exhaust. Worth looking into.

Of course, new springs in the starter clutch did not cure the ailment; per suggestions, I've ordered a mechanic's stethoscope. I'm wondering how dopey I'm going to look using them...


Thanks for the suggestions.

[DanTheMan]

The clatter in my 1100G is in the clutch. I could feel it in the clutch shaft when it was running. I'll have to open it up before it self destructs I imagine.

[Eli69]

this probably doesn't help but here's another one - my 1000 had a tick at lower rpms. i had to split the cases because i wrecked the tranny. at the bottom of the crank case was the head of a broken starter clutch bolt that had disappeared and been forgotten when i worked on it a year or two before. it didn't hurt anything but did make that noise the entire time.

[Dogma]

I have the same tick in my 1000GT. It doesn't appear until the engine is warm. If the engine gets hot (Sept. twisites climbing a mountain in NC without an oil cooler, for example), the ticking climbs as high as 5000rpm.

One theory is carbon buildup acting like a glow plug and causing early ignition. I cleaned the carbon out of my combustion chambers by water injection (visually confirmed through the plug hole) with no change. The water did cool the running engine enough to temporarily stop the tick. I haven't checked ignition timing yet.