SuzukiSavage.com - HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise

drums1

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HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise
08/12/08 at 08:19:02

Here's the scenerio: I had a clutch put in the bike 2 weeks ago. Going in, there was no more than normal ticking noise from valve area. Bike ran good. Just was slipping a little in 3-4. Ever since I got it back, there was a loud slapping clunk when I reved engine-in gear but stopped. Sounded like lower end. And the valve ticking noise was a little louder. I took it back and he said the clutch is ok, he adjusted the cable, and he told me he couldn't hear the other noise at all. (B.S.) The oil was like thick black soup after only 30 miles. After work Friday, I went for a short spin. (5 miles at 50 mph) All of a sudden the clicking on top end of motor was very loud. Bike stalled. I barely got it started and limped home. I have adjusted the valves twice now and changed the oil, but both times, as soon as I'm done, within 2 minutes of idling, the loud clicking starts again. A short run up the alley, it stalls and sounds like I never adjusted the valves at all. All the noise is at the top, by the rockers. Is something else up in there that may have broke or come loose that I'm not seeing?? Cam trouble? Bent valve? Hole in piston? Undecided

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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #1 - 08/12/08 at 08:37:43 When you drain the oil are you getting out the same amount as went in? I'd sure pull the clutch side cover and have a look at the cam chain tensioner - if they working in the area and the tensioner was on it's last click of two I can sure image it pop'n apart.
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drums1 Serious Thumper Offline '87 Savage Bashed--Down for the count Posts: 664 Racine, Wisconsin Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #2 - 08/12/08 at 08:40:48 Ya, the oil was right, just dirty. But if the tensioner was going bad or came apart, would that cause loud clacking up top by the valves?
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Max_Morley

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Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise
Reply #3 - 08/12/08 at 12:01:36

First pull the tank and valve adjustment covers and see if you have oil up there and in the pocket under the cam lobs. If not, I'd check in your shop manual for the oil flow to the head, seems to me it goes from the pump up along the clutch cover to a passage that goes up the right rear stud for the cylinder. If that gasket wasn't carefully and correctly installed, it could either plug or lose oil flow to the head area. If so the shop that did the clutch is on the hook. I'd suggest you get the facts diagrams etc., and then be there when they open the cover so they can see if that is the problem and not be able to accuse you of manufacturing it. If saving the oil is an issue, Lean the bike over on something soft on the left side and work on it that way. Once the cam & rocker arm area are run dry and scuff, it is impossible to stop the wear and valves won't hold their adjustment. FWIW, the rattle in mine when the tensioner went sounded like valves. AS advised before check that when the RH cover is off. Max

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Max at Thumper Acres. '96 Savage bagger, '03 Savage w/Cozy sidecar for wifeni.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #4 - 08/12/08 at 13:16:46 Any unexplaned noise I'd certainly take off the covers untill I found the culprit. dam gremlins.
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justin_o_guy2

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Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise
Reply #5 - 08/12/08 at 15:56:37

Unexplained noises can suddenly become self explanatory noises. Big crunching sounds can come outta that thing, at the same time major parts bite into each other. I would park it & start taking stuff off till I eithe knew it wasnt a fatal issue or I found it. Use a stethoscope/screwdriver, something to listen to that thing closely before stripping it down. Take notes, unless you have a better memory than I do.Good luck.

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Ed L. Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline "We All go a Little Crazy Sometimes" Norman Bates Posts: 2808 Sunny Florida Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #6 - 08/12/08 at 18:53:39 Park the bike and pull the right side cover, check the tensioner and take it from there. A bad cam chain can cause major damage to the engine. Don't ride or run the bike till you check it.
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drums1 Serious Thumper Offline '87 Savage Bashed--Down for the count Posts: 664 Racine, Wisconsin Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #7 - 08/14/08 at 06:45:05 Thanks for all the input. Sundays project: pull clutch cover. I'll be walking until then. Dammit. I'll keep you posted as to what I find inside. There is 11,600 original miles on the bike, so I am expecting to find the tensioner in peices, or close to it.
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #8 - 08/14/08 at 07:37:05 Thanks drum, the last guy who asked about this noise is walking too, but we didn't get to him in time. His motor blew.
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skrapiron -FSO

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Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise
Reply #9 - 08/14/08 at 07:46:01

If he lives near an airport, the motor is fine. It is those pesky gremlins...

When the clutch was replaced, you would think that whoever did it might have noted the distance tensioner was out.

I'd take it back to whoever did the work and have them see what is going on. Maybe they left something loose in the clutch basket and it's causing the tapping. Anyway, at least they would have to replace the clutch cover gasket instead of you...

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Everything I say is fully substantiated by my own opinion.

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drums1

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Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise
Reply #10 - 08/24/08 at 09:30:49

Well, to avoid making that mistake again, I had her towed to the dealer. When told where the clutch was done, the 1st thing dealer says is " oh-oh....." They used sealer instead of gasket on the side cover. May have clogged oil galley. May have put oil pump gear on wrong. He said they would check it all out and call me if it needs anything beyond the chain, tensioner, guides and gasket. I haven't heard anything in 6 days, so I'm hoping nothing else went wrong. I would have done the work myself and saved a few bucks, but I've never been inside the motor, and figure the dealer would do a much better repair than I could. $600, including the tow. Oh well, at least I'll be able to ride some more before the snow flies.

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drums1

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Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise
Reply #11 - 09/01/08 at 16:13:39

Well, got a call from the dealer the other day. Turns out, the oil filter was in backwards, some bolt that holds the clutch basket tightly on the shaft was loose, old gasket was re-used with goop sealer, and the kicker--the oil pump drive gear was put on backwards--no oil to top of motor for 50 miles I put on after clutch job. It kept stalling and cranking over real slow--may have seized the cam bearings. But he says the chain, guides and tensioner are ok. I am having them put in a new tensioner adjuster anyway--$44.00, and the folks who did the clutch job are paying for the rest of it, including the tow. The dealer is going to see if she can be saved. If not I will be getting a new motor. Hopefully before riding season is over. ( Wisconsin here ) I'm waiting out the holiday weekend for parts, and hope to have her back by Friday.

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Dj12midnit Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline If you'r here and I'm here isn't this our time? Posts: 1036 Lynden Wa. Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #12 - 09/01/08 at 20:47:29 Man I feel your pain. Looks like it was a good thing you towed it to the dealer.
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #13 - 09/01/08 at 20:59:44 Don't waste $44 on a perfectly good tensioner. This part goes bad only if the chain goes slack and the plunger falls out. Just before it does that, it wiggles like crazy making it home in the housing go oval. Lots of us here are looking for engines to play with, don't let them keep it if you can.
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drums1 Serious Thumper Offline '87 Savage Bashed--Down for the count Posts: 664 Racine, Wisconsin Gender:	Re: HELP!! Valve/Engine Noise Reply #14 - 09/04/08 at 13:57:04 Oops, my bad. It's the tensioner adjuster that is being replaced--with the new updated version. Not the actual tensioner. If it ends up with a new (used) motor, I certainly will retain the old one. Spare parts if nothing else.
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