'79 Engine Sound

[Brasco18]

How should the engine sound? I can hear a lot of noise from the engine; kinda like a bag of nails. Is that normal? What is a normal sound of the engine?

[egleaves]

My engine also makes a lot of noise in the valve train area. I never thought of it that way, but it does sorta sound like a bag of nails. Valve clatter perhaps?

[Brasco18]

A friend of mine says that is just how they sounded back then. The risers and the lifters making contact. There are also two chains inside the engine that would contribute to the noise. My bike runs runs perfectly, but I sometimes worry something isn't right

[blue giant]

They are noisy but it shouldn't sound like a bag of nails. Have you adjusted the cam chain as described in the manual? Hows the oil level and are you using the right grade for the outside temperature?

I just removed the fairing I had on mine and I can't get over how much quieter it is with out it. Do you have a fairing? They seem to echo every little noise back at you.

Cheers,

Paul

[egleaves]

At first I thought I had exhaust leaks at the head making all that noise. I replaced all of the exhaust donuts and things quieted down just a bit. I think I had a few small leaks, but nothing serious. I agree, though, it seems to run fine, but that noise just doesn't sound right.

[Brasco18]

The oil level is good. I did do a camchain adjustment at one point but I don't think I did it right. I will do it again. I am running 20w-50 as I couldn't find 20w-40 but that shouldn't affect the sound. If anything, it should make it better as there should be a thicker coat of oil on things. I do know that I set some of the valve clearances to the upper end of the accepted levels due to my feeler gauge having too few of feelers. I know having too large of valve clearance can cause noise.

[thewiz]

.... "How should the engine sound?"....

Vroom, Vroom, .... clickety, clickety, clickety, clickety, clickety ... Vroom, Vroom ....,clickety, clickety, clickety, clickety, clickety ...

[blue giant]

That's what I'm running 20W50. Re adjust the cam chain and see how that goes. Check to make sure there is still room for adjustment as well. If the bolt is at the end of it's travel on the spring rod it could be time for a new chain!

What rpm does you bike idle at? Does it sound better out on the road?

One last idea, check to make sure the oil line from the bottom end to the head (runs up between the carbs) is partially obstructed too. A friend just found that on his.

Cheers,

Paul

[Brasco18]

how do I know if the camchain polt is at the end of its travel?

[blue giant]

When you get the crank lined up with the c mark on the timing pointer, remove the adjuster assembly. you will see how on one side of the spring bolt it is machined out allowing it only to travel so far. If it is extended out to its limit, then it time for a new chain.

[XSPastor]

make sure the oil line from the bottom end to the head (runs up between the carbs) is partially obstructed

I think he meant to say to make sure it's NOT obstructed.

I think you'll find that if you adjust the cam chain correctly, the noise will be greatly reduced. (that is provided that there is some adjustment left in the cam chain tensioner) If you have adjusted it incorrectly, you're very lucky that you haven't broken something already and that would certainly explain the noise.

[blue giant]

Thanks Tim!

[Brasco18]

I adjusted my camchain last night and it made a world of difference. The bike sounds way better now. Sexy almost. I do still hear a slight tapping sound but I think that is just my cams tapping the valve shims (My valve clearance is near the larger end of the scale). Once thing to note, I wanted to check to see if my camchain tensioner is at its max or not so I looked in the Clymer's guide to see about doing that. All it said was about removing the camchain tensioner so I thought, 'yea, I will just remove the housing and see where it is at.' I was expecting the housing to come off, leaving the tensioner in the engine in a way I could inspect it. Not the case. I removed the housing and the spring shot out, the tensioner fell on the ground and oil spat out! I wasn't expecting that at all as all the clymer guide said was to just 'remove' it, not mentioning that the parts not held together at all. What is the max for the tensioner? at which end? I reinstalled the tensioner and housing and did the adustment according to the book and it sounds way better now.

[blue giant]

Did you remove the tensioner before you tried to adjust it? Sounds like it may have been loose to begin with. With the spring and rod compressed against the tensioner it would be loose and as the spring and rod move out from the tensioner body it tightens the cam chain.

I hope I'm explaining that right. Glad to hear your noise is much less now!

Cheers,
Paul

[trbig]

If the spring shot out, the set screw that holds tensioner rod inside the tensioner housing was backed all the way out for some reason. If you would have run the motor like that, you would have slipped the cam chain on the gears and done untold damage... bent valves at the LEAST. You may want to take off your valve cover to be sure this didn't happen already... unless you happened to just remove the set screw completely before removing the adjuster body.

There are two allen screws holding the tensioner body to the motor. Those are all that are required for removal of the tensioner. The way to check it is to have it on the motor and do a proper adjustment per spec and lock in the set screw and nut. THEN remove the two allen screws and the adjuster without messing with the set screw. In the next step, the plunger moves quick, so it's best to measure the plunger where it sits compared to the gasket mating surface. After measuring, loosen the jam nut and set screw that holds the plunger. A loosened (Not removed) set screw will still let the plunger and spring be retained in the body. After you release the set screw and the plubger extends to it's full range, measure it again. If it is close to the end of it's travel, a new cam chain is in your future.

Tod