clicking sound

[tprowan]

When my bike (1983 GL1100 Intersate) is cold, it sounds great. When it warms up I hear a clicking sound from the engine. Is this a valve lash problem. The bike runs great, starts well and pulls like a freight train, but the clicking is worrisome. Any ideas?

 

[Omega Man]

Moved to tech section.

Welcome to the forums.

~O~

 

[joedrum]

hmmm hard to say at this point id find dowl rod or some kind of listening device on motor and try and locate the sound where its coming from

 

[mcgovern61]

Can you be more definitive to what the condition is like, when it starts, what it sounds like and where do you think it is coming from?

 

[tprowan]

the bike is in pretty good shape. It has over 100,000 KM's on it, but it starts well, idles smoothly, doesn't stumble or shake when accelerating, and doesn't surge or bog when driving at highway speeds. I hear the sound when the motor warms up and it is under light load. My sense is that it's coming from the left side of the motor near the front. It just a soft metal clicking or ticking sound, not a hard rapping sound. I don't know what else to say. It may be nothing at all, but I bought the bike with no history. I don't know what has been done in the way of periodic maintenance or even whether the timing belts have been changed recently. Being new and in the dark has me nervous.

 

[slabghost]

Light clicking could just be a loose valve. Which is a good thing by the way. Up until 84 valves are all mechanical lift. 84 and up had hydraulic lifters I think.

 

[mcgovern61]

Listen to this video and see if it has any resemblance to you sound:

 

[tprowan]

The motor sounds very similar, except I don't hear the clicking sound in the video. Also, the bike in the video is accelerating, and I hear the noise most noticeably when at steady cruise speed, not under acceleration.

 

[dan filipi]

Mine makes the same sound while steady cruising.
I think it's normal valve lash tapping.

 

[tprowan]

thanks. That makes me feel a lot better. I think I'll try to figure out how to set valve lash anyway, because I plan to keep this bike for a long time, and as I understand it, setting the valves is pretty easy and a necessary maintenance procedure anyway. Thanks for the help.

 

[AApple]

I hear the sound when the motor warms up and it is under light load.

Could it a "pinging" noise? Engine warmed, under light load....could definitely be a ping, from either too low octane fuel, or a timing issue. You might try a higher octane fuel, and add 6oz. of ATF(automatic transmission fluid) to the fuel, and see if that makes any difference. Mine will do that every now and then, and it sounds like it comes from the left side, too, but it ain't. If it doesn't solve the noise, you haven't really lost anything but a little time, and the ATF will help, anyway. :wave:

 

[scdmarx]

I hear the sound when the motor warms up and it is under light load.

Could it a "pinging" noise? Engine warmed, under light load....could definitely be a ping, from either too low octane fuel, or a timing issue. You might try a higher octane fuel, and add 6oz. of ATF(automatic transmission fluid) to the fuel, and see if that makes any difference. Mine will do that every now and then, and it sounds like it comes from the left side, too, but it ain't. If it doesn't solve the noise, you haven't really lost anything but a little time, and the ATF will help, anyway. :wave:

Good thing I read all the replies before posting.

In warm weather, or hot desert weather, my bikes like premium. I agree with the ATF. I kinda wonder if it could be a vacuum advance issue, but fear has more to do with alcohol blend than anything else.