Rattly X-Country

[Schtum]

I got back onto the bike recently after a couple of years of it because of ill health. Some folks may have seen on my first trip out a few weeks ago it dumped its coolant because of a broken hose clip.

Having got it back on the road, I've been out on it twice since then. It seems to be running well and whistled up to an indicated 90 per just now with not a lot of provocation. However, it does seem very noisy.

There's a definite rattle which I think is worse from the nearside. Anyone care to offer an opinion on what it might be...?

 

[Micky]

There's a definite rattle which I think is worse from the nearside. Anyone care to offer an opinion on what it might be...?

How many miles has it done Mike?

Would suggest timing chain?

There is a timing chain tensioner at the rear of the block, but the bloody oil tank is too close to allow you to remove and clean

 

[Schtum]

How many miles has it done Mike?

Would suggest timing chain?

There is a timing chain tensioner at the rear of the block, but the bloody oil tank is too close to allow you to remove and clean

Thanks Mick. Only about 14K. Since I posted, I checked the oil and there's no sign of coolant in it. The coolant level in the header tank was down a wee bit but there was no obvious smell of combustion in it.

I think you might well be right. Is there any risk in riding it like that, do you think?

 

[GFJ]

I've only ever managed to damage one of these engines and that resulted in a bent valve. It had been a bit rattly on start up but ran well, then I left it laid up over winter. When I tried to start it in spring it looks like camchain jumped a couple of teeth resulting in engine swap.

I believe their is a later design of hydraulic tensioner avail.

Suggest maybe try with thicker oil (10 50 or 60) and see if that suits it up. If so, it may be the tensioner

 

[nicholsonj2252]

I’d swap the tensioner as if it’s that and it goes as Gareth has said your into bent valves and a major engine rebuild . Cam tensioner is an easy swap but as Micky has said awkward access


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[Micky]

As above .... I ran my G650 Xcountry and my F800GS on the recommended 10-40 (Puteline) but when the BMW recommendation changed to 15-50 it cured a rattly cam chain, on both

 

[Schtum]

Thanks guys. I'm clearly not going to get a cam chain tensioner before Monday, now. I've got guests coming from California for a couple of days. They're renting bikes and are expecting me to show them around. My son's using my GS for one of the days. I'm just off to the Suzuki dealership they're renting from to see if they can also do me a bike for one day. Failing that, a friend has offered to loan me his SV650.

 

[Schtum]

I'm reliably informed by Calum at Central Customs who serviced it that it has 15w-50 in it.

Just reserved a V-Strom 650 for Monday...