SuzukiSavage.com - Tapping noise

texassavage95

Ex Member

Tapping noise
08/11/08 at 18:22:45

My name is Anthony I am new to the forum and have learned a lot from these post, so thanks ahead of time. Here's the problem, I bought a 95 Savage with a blown motor. I rebuilt the engine, new piston, cyclinder bored ect... I have been riding for a few days and have put about 100 miles on fresh top end. I have a clicking sound coming from the valve cover. I have this sound even with the tank removed, and it is not the headlight. I re-adjusted the valves and the decomp and still ticking. The bike runs too good for something to be way out of whack. My concern is that I my damage something if I keep riding it this way. Is the noise common? If not, any suggestions to what it could be. Timing chain is good, and adjuster has plenty of adjustment left.

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Serowbot

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OK.... so what's the
speed of dark?

Posts: 28637
Tucson Az
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Re: Tapping noise
Reply #1 - 08/11/08 at 18:37:41

Light ticking from the valves is normal on an air cooled engine, especially a big thumper, and especially when it is hot. If you don't hear them a little, you're probably too tight.
You can use a long screwdriver as a stethiscope, metel to engine/handle up to your ear, to hear where the ticking is comming from. Valves will be o.k., if it's around the cam chain, you need to check it. You will hear the chain running thru the gears, it should have a slightly slushy metallic whirly sound, that should be normal too. If the chain has a clickity, tick, it may be too worn.

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Ludicrous Speed !... ... Huh

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Online Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Tapping noise Reply #2 - 08/11/08 at 18:46:38 congrats on setting a blown savage right. Where do you think the tapping coming from? Does it sound like it's on the case? When you adjusted the decomp, is it super loose? There were some tips on loose wrist pin and piston slap, but I can't recall what they were.
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Jay

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SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

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Fort Worth, Texas
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Re: Tapping noise
Reply #3 - 08/11/08 at 19:54:18

Your handle says "TexasSavage", it could be the heat. I know the guys here will correct me if I'm mistaken, but I've had a tad bit more valve noise since the temps have gone up. So much so that I inspected the valves again, just to be sure. Everything was in spec. I just attributed it to the fact that we've had a heat index of 105 or better for the last several weeks. Oh, and I am using a heavier wieght oil (20w50).

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You're invisible and naked.
Ride safe,
Jay

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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28637 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Tapping noise Reply #4 - 08/11/08 at 22:22:37 Yep, always louder when it's hot...been a rash of posts about ticking lately....as long as it's just ticking, and not clacking, you're still o.k. It's a good, old fashioned, tough motor, don't worry...
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justin_o_guy2

Serious Thumper

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What happened?

Posts: 55279
East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.

Re: Tapping noise
Reply #5 - 08/11/08 at 22:37:48

You have lots of time & some $$ in it. Might as well spend an hour & check the valves. While you are in there, wiggle a rocker as hard as you can & listen, imagine it with a cam doing the slapping. Is that the sound?
Have you used a screwdriver handle on the ear/bone in front of the ear? You can hunt the source of lots of little noises that way. Or, a real life, no kidding, stethoscope, with the diaphragm removed & a metal probe stuffed in the tubeing will do a great job.

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The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

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texassavage95

Ex Member

Re: Tapping noise
Reply #6 - 08/12/08 at 13:17:00

Thanks for all of the input. I adjusted the valves, if anything I was on the tight side. I went from . 003 to .005, that was not the sound. I tried the stethiscope method, and the best I can figure, the sound is coming from the very top. Do the rockers usually make noise? The bike does not tick at idle, and I used a lighter to make sure no exhaust or gasket leaks. I am running 5w-50 Castro Syntech, no mileage addatives. The cylinder was bore with piston slap in mind. I got the specs from a Suzuki dealer and gave to my machinist, and I know the wrist pin is good, I had to use my puller to snug it in to place. I am starting to think this is just nature of the beast.

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T Mack 1 - FSO

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sold 2001 LS650 for
a 1986 XLH1100

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Emmaus,Pa
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Re: Tapping noise
Reply #7 - 08/12/08 at 13:23:03

When you rebuilt the top end. How were the cam journals? My '01 had a dead engine when I got it too. Piston had metaled and the cam journal was worn.

The piston was an issue of a cylinder bore that was at factory min, and probable missed oil change. The journal is mainly due to too low an idle and the head starving for oil. (bike is low oil press, 7-10 PSIG at 3K rpm, but only 2-4 at idle (1K to 1200 rpm).

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Engineers design things, Technicians make them work.
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30% of being mechanical is confidence/30% is knowing to go slow when needed/30% is looking repeatedly at what you have/10% is dumb luck Wink

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Flemming from Denmark YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 31	Re: Tapping noise Reply #8 - 08/12/08 at 14:38:48 Is a 5w-50 Castro Syntech the right oil to use riding in high temperatures? I would hink it could be very thin when it's hot and result in som noise. Just know it is so in an old VW-Diesel engine, and this is in Denmark with no summer at all
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Online Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Tapping noise Reply #9 - 08/12/08 at 15:10:12 I don't know the temperature range for the viscosity of 5w-50. But, when it's cold the oil will be 5w so it's easy to start. Once warmed up to regular engine temp's, it will be 50 wt. 50 wt. good
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texassavage95 Ex Member	Re: Tapping noise Reply #10 - 08/12/08 at 18:00:29 Hey guys, thanks for all of your help. I just intro'd myself in the Cafe. I really think the noise I am hearing is not something to be too concerned about. I did just put a new muffler I got off Ebay, and it drowns out most of the noise. Problem solved.. HA HA. Here's a pic of my beast.
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88pagan Full Member Offline God is just an imaginary friend for adults.. Posts: 237 Norco, California Gender:	Re: Tapping noise Reply #11 - 08/12/08 at 18:32:45 Makes me wonder if there was a louder than normal tapping I could have noticed before my top end said goodbye to me..maybe I wouldn't be stuck w a bike in a hundred pieces...good luck man hopefully it's normal noise
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