valve adjustment fixed some noise caused others

[Guest]

I just adjusted my valves for the first time in about 8000 miles (after adjusting the valves on my girlfriends xs650 I realized what a pain in the ass it really is to do on these gs's.) I was getting a weird tapping noise in either the 3 or 4 cylinder in between cold and fully warmed up before the adjustment. The bike was running fine I just knew it was about time and the tapping noise was annoying. So after I adjust the valves the 3-4 side sounds like a sewing machine, but the 1-2 side has a slight ticking noise. There is also a metallic whirring noise that I never noticed before. It kind of reminds me of a dry clutch hidden behind the stator cover. I replaced the stator a few months ago, but didn't notice the sound until the valve adjustment. Anyway, the bike is riding much smoother to the point the vibration is almost gone. Not that it was bad by any means to begin with. Also the idle went from an ever so slight lope to running the most steady it's ever been. It's still strong enough to engage the clutch and slowly cruise without touching the gas, and wheelies slightly easier then before so I'm not loosing power (just pulling the tire up about a foot to test the power, nothing crazy.) Also, there is some light rust on some of the tappets. I don't understand how this is happening, everything was coated with oil.

My questions are
1. Is there a chance syncing the carbs fix the new valve ticking?
2. What could the whirring noise be?
3. all I have are the feeler gauges that look like thin sheet metal and they are a pain in the ass because of the angle to get in to measure. I have never tried the oem tool. Is it the same style or is there something easier to use.

[gsrick]

You didn't state it, but I'm guessing your working on the 1100? You didn't mention shims. Did you use two feeler gauges when adjusting the valves?
If not, you could have give yourself a false reading. The whirling sound may be your cam chain. You might try checking to see if it is stuck. Turn it in and release it a couple of times.

[Wheelbreak]

Yes the 1100 sorry. It doesn't use shims. It's 16valve. The shims on the 850 were easy to feel. On the 1100 it's hard to tell what is friction from the bend in the gauge and what is the actual tappet clearance. I'll readjust the cam chain tensioner before I ride again, but it's weird that it just started making that noise. You don't mess with the cam chain at all when adjusting
the valves.

[tkent02]

Learn how to do it first.

[Phred]

Had a whirring noise in my bike a few months ago, couldn't figure it out. Then the cable to the speedometer came off while riding. Pulled over and put it back on and no more whirring noise.

[Brendan W]

Yes the 1100 sorry. It doesn't use shims. It's 16valve. The shims on the 850 were easy to feel. On the 1100 it's hard to tell what is friction from the bend in the gauge and what is the actual tappet clearance. I'll readjust the cam chain tensioner before I ride again, but it's weird that it just started making that noise. You don't mess with the cam chain at all when adjusting
the valves.

One way of doing that is to pick the blade that you want and put a permanent fold in it. Takes the guesswork out of the bend drag.

[Katarat]

You're supposed to adjust the cam chain tensioner first before adjusting the valves. I just use a bent feeler gauge and a short screw driver that I notched to fit the top of the adjuster. Just feel for a slight drag or use a go and a no go pair of feeler gauges. I set them on the loose side of specs because they tighten up, not loosen