HELP!....Sick Engine

[Sea Lion]

Could really do with some help please on this one folks.

Yesterday, came home on a 1000 mile round trip to Ireland ('95 GS1100).
250 miles from home, the pipe into the Remus siencer shears and breaks into two (yes really!) but thats another story.

Pull in 20 miles from home and the engines making an awful racket, sounds sick but manage to limp home. I'll try to describe the noise the best I can:

More of a tapping noise. Like a tappet come loose, but not from the head region.
Reminds me of the LHS camchain rattle you can get but VERY much louder.
Dificult to isolate where it comes from, but seems to main block area, more from left than right side. Seems to most prevailent from the front cover area?
Noise backs off as you increase revs.

Thanks guys

Bike has 25k miles, service 1000 ago, 15w50 oil.

Any help or ideas???? Not sure where to start though have wondered about auxilliary chain tensioner.

 

[Gas'd Off]

Ever heard of the engineers stethoscope?
Get a long screw driver(300mm Longish), hold the handle against your ear and apply the other end to the engine in the area where you think the noise is coming from. You will hear all the engine internals mashing about reasonably clearly and should be able to get a better idea of where the noise is originating from and what the problem might be
From what you have said, I would be taking the front cover off and investigating the alternator pulley & V belt

 

[Steptoe]

Big ends ????????????

i hope not

 

[Le singe]

Sounds like the reverse thrust washer behind the left-hand obligato pipe's come adrift

 

[Sea Lion]

Ever heard of the engineers stethoscope?
Get a long screw driver(300mm Longish), hold the handle against your ear and apply the other end to the engine in the area where you think the noise is coming from. You will hear all the engine internals mashing about reasonably clearly and should be able to get a better idea of where the noise is originating from and what the problem might be
From what you have said, I would be taking the front cover off and investigating the alternator pulley & V belt

Tried the above, seems to be coming from the LHS cam chain tensioner. Can't see why as it's only 4000 miles old (changed to quieten down usual rattle). Will take it out tomorrow to check. However can't understand why engine is quiet as lamb when starts up from cold, knocking builds within a couple of minutes as starts to warm.

 

[Sea Lion]

Big ends ????????????

i hope not

Doesn't seem to change or increase/decrease under load, only eases off slightly with revs.

 

[Steptoe]

Check the tensioner first -

if thats ok,try the cam follower

 

[Timolgra]

Neil, apart from renewing the tensioner to check if it's that, would you also expect to see wear on it?

 

[Sea Lion]

Check the tensioner first -

if thats ok,try the cam follower

Not a bad guess that. Just had it sorted by Motorrad Services in manchester, really excellent job. A cam follower had broken up, took with it the cam carrier, and camshaft. Got it back on friday night. Have never heard the engine so quiet!