SuzukiSavage.com - Engine Rattle

eclectricdude

Ex Member

Engine Rattle
05/26/05 at 09:46:58

Greetings Everyone,

I need to your advise here. My Savage has just developed a rattling noise that sounds like it's coming from the top end of the engine (best description of the sound is a large, big metal bolt rattled hard in a metal bucket, very loud). This suddenly happened as the bike was warming up on it's stand this morning. I ran it down the street and back to see if the noise altered and it did not. Also a couple of restarts and the noise persists (does not fade in and out). The rattle does not seem to effect engine performance in anyway either.

I was wondering if Savages have a problem with engine rattle over time and, if so, what causes this? Annoying thing is that I was just about to sell it in order to get a new S40. Guess it is in protest!

Anyway, any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Roy

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Savage_Rob Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Mechanically Inclined Amateur Posts: 6972 Texas (Dallas area) Gender:	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #1 - 05/26/05 at 10:46:53 Maybe the rocker arms/tappets need adjusting. Have you ever adjusted the valves?
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eclectricdude Ex Member	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #2 - 05/26/05 at 11:05:56 I did a valve adjustment and check last summer. Worth checking again but the rattle is so extreme they would have to be totally loose.
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #3 - 05/26/05 at 12:58:41 Check your decompression lever at the exhaust valves too.
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freerider23 Ex Member	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #4 - 05/26/05 at 13:10:46 i know this is a duh answer but how is the oil--same thing happened to me and cost me a whole top end!
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eclectricdude Ex Member	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #5 - 05/26/05 at 15:00:11 Will do, I'll check the Decomp level as well. Yep, Oil level was fine too.
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #6 - 05/26/05 at 15:39:35 eclectricdude wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05: Will do, I'll check the Decomp level as well. Yep, Oil level was fine too. Just a guess. There is a spring on the lever that is intended to keep it off of the exhaust valve unless you push the start button...maybe. Does the noise follow the RPMs of the motor?
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eclectricdude

Ex Member

Re: Engine Rattle
Reply #7 - 05/27/05 at 14:29:28

Haven't taken it out to check if the noise follows RPMs as I'm worried it might overstress whatever is damaged and cause more problems. I'm thinking it may be a damaged chain tensioner and the chain is vibrating and striking the engine casing. I'll see if I can remove the rocker cover with the engine still in and check the tension from the top end as well as the valve/rocker assembly.

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Savage_Rob

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Re: Engine Rattle
Reply #8 - 05/27/05 at 16:01:07

You can. It's necessary for the head seal/plug replacement. Print this out to a full page size, tape it to a cardboard box and push the bolts into it as you remove them. Greg suggested this and it works great. The Technical Corner has a nice write-up for that procedure (Thanks Greg!). Get some gray high-temp permatex/RTV sealant for reassembly.

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Savage_Greg

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Re: Engine Rattle
Reply #9 - 05/27/05 at 16:12:11

Savage_Rob wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

You can. It's necessary for the head seal/plug replacement. Print this out to a full page size, tape it to a cardboard box and push the bolts into it as you remove them. Greg suggested this and it works great. The Technical Corner has a nice write-up for that procedure (Thanks Greg!). Get some gray high-temp permatex/RTV sealant for reassembly.

Thanks Rob, and if I may add caution here....

Electrodude called this a "rocker cover". Wrong idea. Don't think of this as a cover on an old V-8. It is, in fact, an integral part of your overhead camshaft. It retains your camshaft and the rockers mounted in it. Therefore the operation of and forces of the rocker arms and valves are supported by this "head cover".

Therefore it is important to follow any steps that are needed when working with the camshaft and valves....such as setting the engine at Top Dead Center on the Compression stroke.

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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #10 - 05/27/05 at 21:36:54 Head cover...actual term is rocker box... Head covers are those cheesy little chrome bits that get in the way of changing the sparkplug. Valve covers are the little ovals between the chrome covers. -WD
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Savage_Greg

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Re: Engine Rattle
Reply #11 - 05/28/05 at 06:16:52

WD wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

Head cover...actual term is rocker box... Head covers are those cheesy little chrome bits that get in the way of changing the sparkplug. Valve covers are the little ovals between the chrome covers.
-WD

Wrong.

The cover for the top end is actaully called a cylinder head cover. Maybe I shortened it, but It is not a rocker box.

Check the Suzuki Service Manual below....

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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #12 - 05/28/05 at 07:13:23 I know Suzuki calls it a head cover. It's a multi-function piece: rocker housing, upper cam "bearings", top section of the timing cover, valve cover, and a couple other parts all rolled into one. At least they were smart enough to add additionalvalve covers instead ofmaking us pull the whole unit to run the valve adjustments. -WD
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Savage_Greg

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Re: Engine Rattle
Reply #13 - 05/28/05 at 10:16:54

WD wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

I know Suzuki calls it a head cover. It's a multi-function piece: rocker housing, upper cam "bearings", top section of the timing cover, valve cover, and a couple other parts all rolled into one. At least they were smart enough to add additionalvalve covers instead ofmaking us pull the whole unit to run the valve adjustments.
-WD

I said all that. I am not the one calling it something that it isn't.

Now, didn't you say that you needed to adjust your valves? Roll Eyes

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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Engine Rattle Reply #14 - 05/28/05 at 20:53:19 Probably. Everything decided to fall apart at once. I need to do just about everything other than bore and re-slug the cylinder. 12,600 and something miles. Sitting up is definitely not good for the Savage. And on the terrible roads around here, neither is riding it. -WD
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