R100GS - top end clatter

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Howdy,

There is a lot of noise from the top end of my R100GS, too loud for tappets and anyhow I have set them, they were not far off.
Suspects are piston slap or rocker end float. Ed float seemed minimal when I checked but I did not set it.

What does the collective think is the cause of the clattering (been like this since I bought it 18 months ago) ?

Ta,

Bin

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Mine does that. mainly on the right hand side. cant tell you the number of times i have set the tappets and rocker end float. nothing seemed to make any difference.
DONt do what I did next.(wasnt going to admit it on this site)
I decided the noise was deeper in the cylinder so I whipped off the head, nothing wrong there, pulled off the barrel and took out the piston. everything seemed to be fine with no obvious signs of wear or play. put it all back together and started her up. fired first kick and ran as ever with a slightly noisey tick. thought " Oh Bugger". went out for a ride and saw smoke bellowing from the exhaust. More "Oh Buggers and stripped the thing down again. another" Oh Bugger when I found that the circlip had come off the gudgeon pin destroyed itself whilst scraping dirty great grooves in the cylinder wall.
New piston and barrel found by that nice Steve Scrimminger( who was gentlemanly enough not to take the piss. Engine now running fine but still has a noisey top end. Final " oh Bugger " but I will learn to live with it
My advice... Dont listen to it ticking over, ride the thing hard and you cant hear the top end at all

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Wear Ear Plugs

They all do that sir !!!!!!

Worse is when they stop clattering !!!
means valve seats are receding..
Specially on pre 84 bikes with leaded heads



Mine does that. mainly on the right hand side. cant tell you the number of times i have set the tappets and rocker end float. nothing seemed to make any difference.
DONt do what I did next.(wasnt going to admit it on this site)
I decided the noise was deeper in the cylinder so I whipped off the head, nothing wrong there, pulled off the barrel and took out the piston. everything seemed to be fine with no obvious signs of wear or play. put it all back together and started her up. fired first kick and ran as ever with a slightly noisey tick. thought " Oh Bugger". went out for a ride and saw smoke bellowing from the exhaust. More "Oh Buggers and stripped the thing down again. another" Oh Bugger when I found that the circlip had come off the gudgeon pin destroyed itself whilst scraping dirty great grooves in the cylinder wall.
New piston and barrel found by that nice Steve Scrimminger( who was gentlemanly enough not to take the piss. Engine now running fine but still has a noisey top end. Final " oh Bugger " but I will learn to live with it
My advice... Dont listen to it ticking over, ride the thing hard and you cant hear the top end at all

MMMMM Kept that quiet, didn't you

 

[Voyager]

I'm tempted to say "They all do that Sir" as mine is a bit clattery as well.

What's the mileage on the bike ? (mine is at least 56,000).

When checking the valve clearance - is the contact point on the rocker arm recessed at all ? I was careful to check that the feeler gauge wasn't just bridging the gap and leaving a wider clearance. Mine has been a bit quieter since I did a very careful check & adjustment recently.

I use 20w/50 mineral oil by the way, the motor is quite quiet when cold.

I'll be interested to hear if anyone has successfully quietened an older motor.

Bob.

 

[Big Jets]

I cant ride without ear plugs ,keep thinking the feckin engines gonna explode.Better not to listen to the old tractor just enjoy the lovely Torque it kicks out.

 

[Voyager]

I cant ride without ear plugs ,keep thinking the feckin engines gonna explode.Better not to listen to the old tractor just enjoy the lovely Torque it kicks out.

+1

Seems we have general agreement - they all clatter

Bob.

 

[bakerlonglegs]

Another fully paid up member of the Clatter Club

"Character"

 

[Rob Farmer]

New piston and barrel found by that nice Steve Scrimminger( who was gentlemanly enough not to take the piss.

He told me ALL about it when I was there. We had quite a laugh at your expense









Just kidding. He did mention you had had a problem with a circlip and had sent you another barrel and piston

 

[B Murr]

They sound a bit like sewing machines, a sound I have grown to like.

 

[Sylvester]

Sure its not the timing chain?

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

Sounds like timing chain to me too.

Try setting the valves to 4 thou / 6 thou and see if the noise goes away.

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Jeez, jar of worms or wha !

I think it is a top end noise, so timing chain it should not be, but I will not dismiss it yet.
One other was pinking, I might take off the front and let the timing back a bit, see what happens.

On the other hand, I might go for a spin into town, visit the Guinness center when the young lad is working for the summer.

It is a very nice bike to ride, I thought the pogo-forks would annoy me after the other yokes (geddit?) but it is not too bad.

Had a nice win yesterday - went to LME to get the tubes taken out of the tyres so I could fix any punctures with plugs - only to find there ain't no toobs! Turns out the threaded valve stem is a bolt-in jobbie.

Bin (off into town in the sun!)

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Hi,
Read on merkin web that the clatter happens when the valves have been ground to seat over a wider contact area than original where the valves seat only on a line of contact.
Could be, could be....
Bin

 

[cookie]

Hi,
Read on merkin web that the clatter happens when the valves have been ground to seat over a wider contact area than original where the valves seat only on a line of contact.
Could be, could be....
Bin

my valve seats were cut on a serdi cnc thingummybob and the right pot still rattled.


many do, some don't IME.

 

[Ogmios]

this is a test

A Stethescopology;

stick a neffing great screwdriver up to the head / rocker cover - pointy end towards noise.
stick yer ear on the other end.
listen.

now do it as near as you can get to the timing chain.
listen.

now wotcha think - tappets, end float, timing chain or wot

this doesn't actually solve anything and is probably not very scientific.
but it made me feel better when i did it.

p.s.
dont burn yer ear on the exhaust.
p.p.s.
the man that said an Airhead sounds like two skeletons having sex in a biscuit tin....
was quite right.

 

[Steptoe]

Try clamp the rocker pillers together before tightening the head bolts down.

 

[cookie]

Try clamp the rocker pillers together before tightening the head bolts down.

did that (with a feeler gauge in there as well)

 

[judge]

p.p.s.
the man that said an Airhead sounds like two skeletons having sex in a biscuit tin....
was quite right.

Is that how you described the characteristics of the engine to your mate

 

[Ogmios]

Gullibles travels?

Is that how you described the characteristics of the engine to your mate

well, he's heard mine....
i said the topbox was full of Guzzi parts and thats what the noise was