Ticking from left cylinder head

[Brodie13]

My high mileage GS LC has a louder than normal ticking from the left hand cylinder head. This was pointed out during the recent 12,000 mile dealer service, but no indication as to what was likely to be be the cause. It also ticks from the rhs but not as loudly. The bike runs perfectly and pulls like a train so it could be one of those instances when people simply suggest using a thicker oil next time?! I would still like to know if someone has had the same issue and especially if it’s been sorted (cheaply!) My buddy has a 2018 Rallye and that ticks too, but not as noticeably……thanks

 

[PhilBoy]

My high mileage GS LC has a louder than normal ticking from the left hand cylinder head. This was pointed out during the recent 12,000 mile dealer service, but no indication as to what was likely to be be the cause. It also ticks from the rhs but not as loudly. The bike runs perfectly and pulls like a train so it could be one of those instances when people simply suggest using a thicker oil next time?! I would still like to know if someone has had the same issue and especially if it’s been sorted (cheaply!) My buddy has a 2018 Rallye and that ticks too, but not as noticeably……thanks

Will probably be the camchain tensioner. My 20 plate had an updated one fitted at the last service as well as the shaft drive drain mod.

 

[MrC99]

What age LC, and how many miles? Has it been ticking for a while or has it come on recently? Some model years suffered from poor cam hardening and subsequent cam and follower wear. This was a LHS cam on my 2015 bike at just over 50K miles and was fixed under extended warranty (thankfully as it's ££££s to replace all cams and followers). Apparently it's usually the LHS that shows the noises first.

Fingers crossed that it's not the case on yours.

 

[Brodie13]

The bike has just had a valve clearance check so that sort of wear would have no doubt been pointed out? It’s got 94k miles on the clock now but little in the way of corrosion due to the miles being covered touring around the world! I’ll try the cam chain tensioner mod 1st I think

 

[Brodie13]

Hi all. I took the LHS valve cover off today to check the valve clearances and to look for anything untoward….nothing obvious I must say, and cams looking in great condition too

 

[MrC99]

Good news! Looks nice and clean for the mileage

 

[Brodie13]

Good news! Looks nice and clean for the mileage

Yes, a great relief!

 

[Morety]

It sounds perfectly normal to me. The left will sound louder with the tensioner there, or at least has in the LC's I've owned. My own was bought with little over running in miles and at approaching 9K miles now it sounds like a blacksmith's forge on overtime when warm. Much noisier than my older air heads. Some have reported a lessening of the ticking noise with the change of camchain idler wheel as bmw offered a slightly large diameter one to take some of the slack out of the chain. Not sure if this was to fit just the shiftcam engines or the 1200's though.