Does this sound normal to you?

norsk

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GS1250 2023 Model

My girlfriend bought her bike ex demonstrator from a dealership,its now done from memory 15,000km. Recently on a trip it began to tick,now its pretty much a knock.

The dealer sayes they all do that? Today they claim not one but two mechanics have ridden it and compared to the other 1250s in the shop this one is quiet?

The noise follows the engine revs and has gotten worse the last 1000 or so km.

When I first heard the noise it sounded central but in the video its the left hand cylinder head.

Bike has full service history etc.

 
Has the timing chain tensioner been replaced for the uprated one on the left hand side cylinder. My bike sounded very similar until I replaced it. Now it is so much quieter.
 
Robbieben said:
Has the timing chain tensioner been replaced for the uprated one on the left hand side cylinder. My bike sounded very similar until I replaced it. Now it is so much quieter.
Click to expand...
Not as far as I know. From what I read its a simple fix,but why would the dealership say this noise is normal?
 
norsk said:
Not as far as I know. From what I read its a simple fix,but why would the dealership say this noise is normal?
Click to expand...
Deny everything seems to be the default policy
It may well be dictat from thrush central in bavaria to minimise warranty costs
Assuming you have warranty as otherwise dealer could charge you for diagnostics and repair!
 
russ996duke said:
Deny everything seems to be the default policy
It may well be dictat from thrush central in bavaria to minimise warranty costs
Assuming you have warranty as otherwise dealer could charge you for diagnostics and repair!
Click to expand...
Its still under warranty but only a couple of months to go.
 
This might help.

To determine if the left cam chain tensioner has been replaced on a BMW R1250GS, you can visually inspect the bolt head on the left cylinder's cam chain tensioner. If it takes a 19mm socket, it's likely the updated, longer tensioner. If it takes a 17mm socket, it's likely the original, shorter tensioner.This is because the updated tensioner uses a larger bolt head.

Detailed Explanation:
  1. 1. Locate the Tensioner:
    The left cam chain tensioner is located on the left cylinder head, underneath the valve cover.
    • Examine the bolt head of the cam chain tensioner.

    • If the bolt head has a 19mm socket size, it indicates the updated tensioner has been installed.

    • If the bolt head has a 17mm socket size, it indicates the original, shorter tensioner is still in place.
Why this matters:
  • The original, shorter cam chain tensioner can lead to a ticking noise due to insufficient chain tension.
  • The updated, longer tensioner is designed to address this issue by providing more consistent and reliable chain tension.
  • Replacing the original tensioner with the updated one can improve engine performance and reduce noise.
 
@no01bignige

Thank you.

There is no way that her bike left the factory sounding like a concrete mixer full of spanners.

"Normal sound?"

Bolaks
 
This is how my 2021gsa sounded when the cams and followers were worn at 6000 miles. At this time, it was also on the older cam chain adjuster on the left side. All replaced under warranty.
 
Robbieben said:
Has the timing chain tensioner been replaced for the uprated one on the left hand side cylinder. My bike sounded very similar until I replaced it. Now it is so much quieter.
Click to expand...
Is this the same tensioner for the 1200 LC please and do you know a part number?
 
Can someone please,take a video of their 1250 at idle for a few seconds? I would love to hear one without that rattle.

Buy you a beer if your in western Norway sometime.
 
norsk said:
Can someone please,take a video of their 1250 at idle for a few seconds? I would love to hear one without that rattle.

Buy you a beer if your in western Norway sometime.
Click to expand...
I can do one in the morning if no one does one sooner.
 
mike wright said:
do you know a part number?
Click to expand...

The upgrade part number is 11317108586 - that's what I had fitted to my 2019 R1250GS which had a noisy LH tensioner about 4 years ago and it made it so much quieter! However, I note you mention the 1250 model in question is a 2023 model - from memory by then I think BMW were already fitting the updated tensioner at the factory - so I'd suggest do the check on which you may have as suggested earlier in this thread.

Also fyi, price of the replacement tensioner (from memory) was around £67 for the part itself. I did try to get BMW to replace it under warranty but despite a number of discussions I had no luck as in BMW's view, a noise is not (necessarily) a fault, and had I chosen not to replace the tensioner it would not have caused a problem it would just have been a noisy LH cylinder.
 
That's pretty shocking of BMW to not consider a noise to be a fault.

I can't imaging " Jurgen Jagerschnitzel" starting up a GS, fresh from the assembly line and sending it back because it didn't rattle enough.

When you get a sound from an engine,that gets progressively worse,the normal course of action is to stop and investigate the cause.
 
Thank you very much!

Stop by if your ever over here.

There is clearly something wrong with my gf's bike. I can't understand why the dealer would want to blagg someone over what might be a £50 tensioner?

At the least they should have pulled the valve cover off for a look. The bike cost the thick end of £25k in Sweden.
 
My ’21 1250GS has the 17mm tensioner. I’ve not noticed it being particularly load, but I would like to upgrade to the 19mm.

I have a Haynes manual which details locking the engine at TDC and removing the valve cover before removing the tensioner.

There are a couple of videos on U-tube which show just a simple: one out, one in 5 minute job.

Is it OK to do it this way?

I presume that if you do use this method then it is critical that the engine does not turn in any way.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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