OK - I know this may have been covered a bizillion times, and that any 'what's this noise' thing is very subjective and almost impossible to diagnose like this but.... I'd like a little advise just to get my head out of this endless loop it's got itself in. I'm taking the bike on a long journey and I'm running out of time to either sort it out or to convince myself that it will all be alright.
The basic problem is that the left head is very very noisy at particular revs. It sounds like there are a hundred little blacksmiths in there some of the time, banging away with their little hammers.
I've done quite a bit with this head/cylinder over the last year so it's probably my fault
I originally changed the tensioner to the new style one - not much difference, though the new tensioner quickly seized open - I took it out to check and it would not compress without putting it in a vice! OK I thought - max tension all the time - can't be bad...
Still noisy - so I changed the cam chains. Did both sides as the bike had done about 100k anyway. A lot better.
Later I had to take the exhaust off - age old problem, the bolts sheared. Took the head off - tried to drill them out. Snapped a drill bit so had them spark eroded but this resulted in a hole appearing effectively into the chamber so I had to chuck it away. I had an R1100S head kicking about so I de-coked it and reground the valves then put the R1150GS valve gear in - I think it's only the cam that different R1150GS/1100S.
So it's all been back together for a while and running - it's done about 107k now - but the left head is SOOOOOO noisy around 3.5 to 4.5. It all sounds very 'tinkly' and loose. I've checked/adjusted the valves and rechecked but still really noisy. I've also replaced the seized tensioner but still not much better.
If anyone has any idea about things that I could check/think about I would appreciate it. It's nice an quite (ie normal) at other revs, just particular ranges seem to set it off. I've got loads of bits at home I could swap - though they're all 1100S so not the cam. Could it be the followers? Could I just tighten the valves a tad (excactly how much is a tad anyway!) or should I just have my ears removed and forget about it.
The basic problem is that the left head is very very noisy at particular revs. It sounds like there are a hundred little blacksmiths in there some of the time, banging away with their little hammers.
I've done quite a bit with this head/cylinder over the last year so it's probably my fault
I originally changed the tensioner to the new style one - not much difference, though the new tensioner quickly seized open - I took it out to check and it would not compress without putting it in a vice! OK I thought - max tension all the time - can't be bad... Still noisy - so I changed the cam chains. Did both sides as the bike had done about 100k anyway. A lot better.
Later I had to take the exhaust off - age old problem, the bolts sheared. Took the head off - tried to drill them out. Snapped a drill bit so had them spark eroded but this resulted in a hole appearing effectively into the chamber so I had to chuck it away. I had an R1100S head kicking about so I de-coked it and reground the valves then put the R1150GS valve gear in - I think it's only the cam that different R1150GS/1100S.
So it's all been back together for a while and running - it's done about 107k now - but the left head is SOOOOOO noisy around 3.5 to 4.5. It all sounds very 'tinkly' and loose. I've checked/adjusted the valves and rechecked but still really noisy. I've also replaced the seized tensioner but still not much better.
If anyone has any idea about things that I could check/think about I would appreciate it. It's nice an quite (ie normal) at other revs, just particular ranges seem to set it off. I've got loads of bits at home I could swap - though they're all 1100S so not the cam. Could it be the followers? Could I just tighten the valves a tad (excactly how much is a tad anyway!) or should I just have my ears removed and forget about it.
