Top end noise that won't go away

[Meista007]

The good news was I got my bike back together enough to get her started.
The bad news was the noise I was trying to fix was still there.

I will post a video of the noise when I get home tonight.

It sounded to me like a cam chain tension issue so I swapped out the old cct for an acct. I also shimmed my valves since to my knowledge it had never been done but when I started her back up the tick was still there. The acct clicked as it went in so I would assume that tension was applied...Has anyone ever had trouble with the acct not applying tension the first time?

I'm at a loss and at this point I don't know what to do...open her back up and stare, buy a new motor, wheel her back into the corner and work on my car.
I've invested a lot of time and I"m just not sure what else I can do, I would pay to have it fixed but nobody will work on it. If I have to open her up past the cams then I may need to bring in help since I'm not confident in my ability to get the timing right when it goes back together.

What should I be looking at and what should my plan be moving forward?

[BA80]

The video will be helpful.

There was a member here not long ago that that had a similar sounding issue, turned out the cam chain had jumped the slipper. JAT

[Meista007]

Higher and Lower RPM videos

http://youtu.be/7mVGCtcBPME

http://youtu.be/IYsZzb02qfI

[BA80]

That sounds like valve train noise. Have you adjusted the valves? Checked to see if the cam bearing caps are torqued properly?

A loose cam chain can make a similar noise too. Have you adjusted that?

[Meista007]

I just installed a acct and shimmer the valves.
It was making this noise before I did the work and everything looked fine but I'm opening it back up now.

[BA80]

Yeah, it sounds like your clearances are a little wide. The 79 engine is pretty loud on the top end with the valves properly adjusted but that seems a little XSive.

Be sure and check them with the engine COMPLETELY COLD and with the tip of the lobes 180 degrees from the contact point.

[Meista007]

I have her opened up but she's still a little warm so I'll need her to cool before checking again.

I'm looking now and everything looks good, chain is tight, timing is still right, there is oil...it makes a lot of noise though.

Anything else I should be looking at or for?

[BA80]

Yeah, it sounds like your clearances are a little wide. The 79 engine is pretty loud on the top end with the valves properly adjusted but that seems a little XSive.

Be sure and check them with the engine COMPLETELY COLD and with the tip of the lobes 180 degrees from the contact point.

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[Meista007]

Exhausts all is spec and didn't have any shims swapped
Intakes are all. 07 with the exception of #3 at. 08

Thoughts?

[BA80]

Look down into the cam chain tunnel, front and rear, and check that the chain is running where it should. Check all the bolts and nuts in there, cam caps, chain gear bolts ect., and be sure they're torqued properly.

[Meista007]

Everything looks good...any other ideas?

[Bonz]

Noises travel in strange ways and strange places on bikes, I would not rule out a noisy (but not harmful) timing advance mechanism that clacks a bit. Some of them were/are noisier than others. Could be interpreted as a top end noise similar or like what you are talking about, since the obvious things haven't solved it.

[ViperRon]

Just asking because you said you were not confident in ability. You said you checked the clearance on the valves and shimmed them still it sounds like valve noise so I will ask a few questions. When you put the valve springs in you did put the shim washers in under the springs ? You did put the springs in orientated correctly there is a top and bottom for the springs? The caps that go on the cams have to be in the correct position each cap can only go in that specific location. Were all the buckets that go over the springs nice and round? If the buckets got bent they can stick and cause noise and also rub on the head cutting out aluminum chips. You can look at the head with the valve cover off plugs removed and hand rotate it watching for valves sticking any movement of the cams up and down binding or any issues like that. Valves should move straight up and down no sideward movement that would indicate bend. Any bind while rotating may indicate the chain is not tracking right.

[Meista007]

I used the tool to remove the shims, so I never touched anything besides the shims.
All of the buckets are in good shape and rotate freely (when not under pressure).

I keep going back to the chain. How tight should it be and how would I know if it wasn't tracking correctly? It does seem like it is a little harder to rotate the engine now but not much.

The timing is the same as before I installed the acct but how dead on should the markings on the cam be? The marking on the intake is ever so slightly to the right. I'll try to grab some pictures before I leave for work.

[BA80]

If you set those valves to the loose side and the feeler guage slid in real easy it's loud but maybe OK.

I have a 3H3 79 engine in my SG and I just readjusted the valves Sunday. I had to change every shim because all were closed up. I only had 2 exhaust vales that were still just in spec at .008.

My engine is much louder on the top now, particularly after it gets to running temperature. I had an SF before that I adjusted the valves on and it too was quite noisy at running temperature.

If everything looks good go ahead and ride it like you stole it. If the noise really bothers you, you can go back in and reshim to close up the clearances a little.