16valve adjusters coming loose

[Rob S.]

i've got a GS1100E that i ride a lot...
C

Apparently it makes no difference, just curious: '81, '82 or '83?

[CincinnatiKid]

Apparently it makes no difference, just curious: '81, '82 or '83?

1981... but the site says i need at least ten characters per post

[Rob S.]

1981... but the site says i need at least ten characters per post

Take good care of that historic bike...1981's World's Quickest Production motorcycle. Beating the Kaw GPz11 by a hair in the 1/4 mile, but the next year (my bike), it was just the opposite. Grr...

[GregT]

The cover leaking out of nowhere had me second guessing the o-ring seal, and I figured a very modest bead of RTV, cured for an hour or so before an o-ring is installed, will help give me some assurance. I love RTV when used sparingly and judiciously.

I have replaced the o-rings on those head bolts already once, greased and reinstalled (one at a time), and still have sealing issues. Tempted to reinstall with the tiniest bit of...... Hi temp RTV just damn tired of having a *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$ty looking front of my engine.

My exhaust has flanges that bolt onto the head, and the headers slip onto those and are secured with hook springs. I’ll check my bolts holding the flanges. Those were installed in like June with new gaskets and anti-seize.

RTV on the cover O ring can get into the oiling system. Don't use it there.
If you've replaced the O rings on the head bolts and it still leaks, the O rings may have been too small a section. There are multiple thicknesses available.
Measure what you've got and check out what's available from a specialist supplier. I don't have the data on what's required.

[CincinnatiKid]

checked my exhaust bolts today. all were tight. retorqued them for good measure.

checked my plugs. they look fine. cylinders 1 and 4 look a little lean but nothing drastic.

compression measurements were taken on a cold engine
cyl - measurement
1- 120 psi
2- 110 psi
3- 125 psi
4- 110 psi

so this kinda seems to me that we don't have a warped exhaust valve in cylinder 1, or anything like that, which would require me to pull the head. i'll hold off on pulling the head for now, and focus on what i can get with the valve cover off.




an aside question: i had this plug (doesn't look factory) in a gallery behind my oil filter cover. it was in the engine, on the bottom (cyl 3/4 side) of the oil filter housing area. doesn't show up in the parts fiche. any idea what it could be? seems like it has something to do with the oil cooler.

[dorkburger]

That plug looks sketchy, but was put there to force oil up thru the added cooler. 1150 oil filter covers have that space restricted, but not completely.

[Rob S.]

When I put the oil cooler on my bike, I was told I could either modify the 1100 filter cover or get an 1150 cover. I got a NOS 1150 cover; looks like your original cover was modified.

[CincinnatiKid]

Great info. Just went looking for a 1150 cover and found this site that puts it all into pretty good context.
https://www.theflyingbanana.com/oil-

For $125, I’ll keep my 1100 filter cover. I was thinking that I’d put a piece of hard plastic sheet over the front of the cooler while the winter is around this year in Chicago, but maybe a thermostat could be good also. I think riding/commuting in the Chicago winter last year with the cooler helped bring my top end to its knees. I wonder if the engine oil ever got up to temperature in those 4 coldest months....

[dorkburger]

I think RapidRay had several 1150 covers for sale on a FB page recently.

[Rob S.]

I was thinking that I’d put a piece of hard plastic sheet over the front of the cooler while the winter is around

I use a piece of corrugated cardboard painted black and two extra-long, heavy-duty twist ties.

[CincinnatiKid]

One of my oil filter studs looks like it’s set back outside from the engine a 1/4” or so. Didn’t feel loose at all, even when trying to snug it with a double jam nut. Is this typical? Pic available if needed.

[CincinnatiKid]

so i got 2 new o-rings for the inside of the head bolts. the old ones were brittle and no surprise the one wasn't sealing. replaced with OEM. new oil filter installed, new o-ring there. leaks seem to be taken care of, initially. we'll see how it holds up with heat and use.

confirmed the valve adjustment <again>, did some nit-picky adjustments, but everything was between .003 and .005" already.

i didn't want to remove camshafts in order to remove the follower pivot shaft, but i did back out the adjusters all the way to be able to peek at the followers on cylinder 1, and they seemed unremarkable as far as abnormal wear.

the tapping persists. i made a pair of videos to demonstrate the sound.

1) this video shows the engine idling, and i move the camera around the engine to show how the sound is localized to the cylinder one top end, near the valve train.

2) the second video is showing how the tapping responds to throttle. some throttle blips, and some slow roll-ons.

i know it's a vague assumption, but it sounds like maybe a spring is "lazy" somewhere in the valve train???? not even sure what i mean by that.

[Gorminrider]

i know it's a vague assumption, but it sounds like maybe a spring is "lazy" somewhere in the valve train???? not even sure what i mean by that.

maybe a sticky valve might give that sound? ie: delayed release so it taps the cam instead of "following" it perfectly
a link

https://itstillruns.com/sticking-valve-noise-engine-7754322.html

[storm 64]

Sounds like a exhaust leak. Or maybe a spark plug backed out...

[mrbill5491]

That just doesn't sound like a tappet, to loud. Anytime I had a loose one (usually from when I adjust the valves, I always get a ticker) it was very faint. I've never had one ever come loose in 35 years, though I have had to replace a screw adjuster and the jam nut now and then. They become tight in the threads and won't adjust, just pop in a new one and go on.