What is that damn sound?????

[Buck]

Ok, so my buddy helped me replace my timing belts and made sure that the timing was on (which took forever) and checked out my tensioner barrings which were good when we checked them, no play in them and such. took us 8 hours from start to finish to do this, the old timing belts were pretty stretched, but the new ones are in there pretty tight with just a little play (like they should be).

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5jlSXHbWyw[/video]

Now I have this damn noise that to both of us sounds like a whirling noise, and from time to time when I'm riding today, i can hear a chirping sound. This noise is coming from the front. Bear only makes this whirling sound when he is nice and warm up. We put on the new timing belts yesterday, I road Bear for about 20 miles before we pulled the belt covers back off to check and see if everything was still like it should be.

This whirling sound only happens when he is warmed up, and at first it was just when the RPM's were around 1500, but in this video, you can hear it constantly but more so when i reved him up to that point and held it there to get the video.

we moved around the camera to both sides so you could hear it a little better.

Is there an adjustment period for new timing belts?
WHAT IS THIS SOUND? (going a little crazy thinking i'm out of transportation)
how do I fix this?

 

[joedrum]

belts are a tic to tight...when it warms up it gets get just a bit tighter from expansion

 

[Buck]

joedrum » Thu Jun 26, 2014 5:36 pm[/url]":35zcnvqx]
belts are a tic to tight

There is a little bit of play in them though. how loose should they be if this is really the case?

 

[joedrum]

my rule of thumb is 1/4" deflection ...better put just loose enough till the rubber dont sqeal i like them tight as i can get them to be quiet

 

[joedrum]

there is a sweet spot on each side where there is no pressure on the belt ... try the 1/4" deflection method there ... then rotate motor till its in the sweet spot for the other side and do the same thing ...i sould have posted this all in one post sorry... im not posting well today i guess

 

[BigBro]

I have to concur with Joe on too tight. Mine sounded worse than that.

I took a couple of times on mine turning to T1 and then T2 setting the appropriate side tensioner. Let it loose to the spring tension then a little more. Tightened and then checked the slack.

After I set both restarted it Then let it warm up. First time was still too tight but as Joe mentioned it does change a touch when warm.

 

[joedrum]

gee weez me today ..the sweet spot is where there is no valve spring pressure on the belt ...gee i think i just might have it all spit out now

 

[dan filipi]

I'm not really hearing it.
I do hear the typical 'whine' these engines have.

I just got done with a bad bearing, sounded bad and very obvious.
Loud whine and can hear the bearings 'clicking'.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxDNIcxg1OY[/video]

 

[BigBro]

Yea it was either right on or really close to the T marks for either cam on mine. I have a 1200 but I believe that part is very similar.

 

[Buck]

Thanks, we will give this a try on an other day. Is it going to hurt anything if i was to ride bear with the belts to tight? and i do mean anything at all?

 

[BigBro]

That is definitely bad bearing sound Dan.

Don't know on running with too tight belts. Seems to me it might stress a 30 yr old tensioner bearing so it sounds like Dan's video clip.

 

[Buck]

That is what I do NOT want to happen. Local honda shop wants to charge me $100 a piece for new tensioner barrings. I knew something was wrong because i know what Bear sounds like normally, but this whirling sound is killing me with high anxiety. I just hope that my buddy will be willing to help me again very VERY soon.

 

[dan filipi]

Well 'the book' says to use the tensioner springs to set it.
I replaced the pulley with one that was quiet on my 1100, tensioned it with the springs, and to me it still sounds a tad too tight. I plan to bump the tensioner just a tiny bit looser.
To me that is the best way to set them anyway, instead of relying on a silly spring. Set to spring then test and tweak.

 

[Ansimp]

Buck if you have the tools you should be able to do this yourself. You are only resetting the tensioners, this is a common mistake as the spring tension is all that is required providing the springs are good.

 

[Buck]

dan filipi » Thu Jun 26, 2014 6:25 pm[/url]":a7pk11ny]
Well 'the book' says to use the tensioner springs to set it.
I replaced the pulley with one that was quiet on my 1100, tensioned it with the springs, and to me it still sounds a tad too tight. I plan to bump the tensioner just a tiny bit looser.
To me that is the best way to set them anyway, instead of relying on a silly spring. Set to spring then test and tweak.

thanks. My buddy is the one who was doing the adjusting since I am lost when it comes to this stuff. I just hope to get him to help me again next week. my work depends on Bear being functional (since I work off of him)

 

[Buck]

Ansimp » Thu Jun 26, 2014 6:27 pm[/url]":2jwqwxj3]
Buck if you have the tools you should be able to do this yourself. You are only resetting the tensioners, this is a common mistake as the spring tension is all that is required providing the springs are good.

Except that I am lost when it comes to some of this stuff. more so because I'm freaked out of screwing something up. Can we adjust them without fully taking out the radiator and just loosening it to work behind it?

 

[Ansimp]

Not really
You should be alright for the week with them over tight, if not the bearings were on the way out anyway!!

 

[Steve83]

There is a thread in the Gallery detailing the replacement of the idler bearings. It should be much cheaper than what the shop charges.

When I install mine, I use the spring tension plus a light push with a finger.

 

[zman]

Buck » Thu Jun 26, 2014 5:31 pm[/url]":2hqdjw3w]

Ansimp » Thu Jun 26, 2014 6:27 pm[/url]":2hqdjw3w]
Buck if you have the tools you should be able to do this yourself. You are only resetting the tensioners, this is a common mistake as the spring tension is all that is required providing the springs are good.

Except that I am lost when it comes to some of this stuff. more so because I'm freaked out of screwing something up. Can we adjust them without fully taking out the radiator and just loosening it to work behind it?

I replaced mine this way, I took out all the bolts but the top of the radiator hit a bracket that did not allow me to fully remove it, still had enough room to pull the bolts and do the belts.
I did use a piece of cardboard cut to fit the radiator on the backside to keep from hitting the fins with my hands and tools.

 

[AApple]

Dan's vid has two distinct noises. The typical cogged belt whine, AND a bearing whine/growl. Buck's video, to me, sounds like typical cogged belt whine. Wouldn't hert to loosen the tension on them and see if the noise lessens. My new belts were way louder than the old ones, but I also set my tension with the spring, and a little finger pressure. Springs loose tension over time, so the original springs may not be sufficient to give the proper tension. If the belts are a little too tight, it won't really hurt anything....the belts will stretch anyway. IF the belts a way too tight, then it makes them run hotter(and louder), and puts more load on the tensioner bearings, as well as the cam, and crank bearings.

A basic rule of thumb for flat/cogged belts is when properly tensioned, you can just twist it 90 degrees with your fingers, testing it in the longest span between pulleys. :mrgreen: