Hello Guest User,

Please feel free to have a look around the forum but be aware that as an unregistered guest you can't see all of it and you can't post.

To access these 'Registered Users Only' areas simply register and login.

Tap Tap Tapping noise

Need help restoring, building, or finding then try here.

Moderators: KeithZ1R, chrisu, paul doran, Taffus

Message
Author
Farmer
100Club
100Club
Posts: 380
Joined: 7th Jan 2015
Location: East Sussex

Tap Tap Tapping noise

#1 PostAuthor: Farmer » Sun Dec 18, 2016 4:57 pm

When I last went out on the LTD I noticed a metallic tapping noise coming from the o/s cam cover, it taps faster as you increase the revs upto 3000 then you lose it in the engine noise , well I do with my tinitus, I left it in the shed for a month hoping it would go away but it hasn't, anybody had this before ?. :D
1981 KZ1000 K1 LTD

Farm Boy with an O Level in Metalwork and not much else.

Everything in Sussex is a She, Except Tom Cat and She`s a He.

User avatar
PAULJAC47
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 3266
Joined: 31st Aug 2008
Location: WOLVO WEST MIDS ENGLAND

#2 PostAuthor: PAULJAC47 » Sun Dec 18, 2016 6:11 pm

Would check cam chain for starters,plus tensioners and slippers and shims,get the cover off and have a look see!
PAULJAC47,,,,,"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid."
-Han Solo

You can't polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter

Salad is what real food eats.
Anon

PUM 673

User avatar
Pigford
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 13314
Joined: 2nd Jan 2006
Location: North Dorset

#3 PostAuthor: Pigford » Sun Dec 18, 2016 6:15 pm

Valve clearance or camshaft end-float :?:
And on the 7th day... Zeds were created!

weaver
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 804
Joined: 15th Nov 2011
Location: merseyside

#4 PostAuthor: weaver » Sun Dec 18, 2016 9:18 pm

loose exhaust header?

Coose
100Club
100Club
Posts: 344
Joined: 20th Apr 2015
Location: North Yorks

#5 PostAuthor: Coose » Mon Dec 19, 2016 12:15 am

If it changes with temperature or whether you lean the bike to the left or right it's most likely cam end float. Is it an Ltd based on the J motor? If so it seems to be pretty normal....

Farmer
100Club
100Club
Posts: 380
Joined: 7th Jan 2015
Location: East Sussex

#6 PostAuthor: Farmer » Tue Dec 20, 2016 10:21 pm

Now I did try leaning it over both sides and it did seem to be less when I lent it over to the offside, why has it just started doing it, I mean it has not got progressively worse, one ride it wasn't there next ride it was, oils only been in about 900 miles.
1981 KZ1000 K1 LTD



Farm Boy with an O Level in Metalwork and not much else.



Everything in Sussex is a She, Except Tom Cat and She`s a He.

Farmer
100Club
100Club
Posts: 380
Joined: 7th Jan 2015
Location: East Sussex

#7 PostAuthor: Farmer » Tue Dec 20, 2016 10:22 pm

Oh yeah it is a J motor.
1981 KZ1000 K1 LTD



Farm Boy with an O Level in Metalwork and not much else.



Everything in Sussex is a She, Except Tom Cat and She`s a He.

User avatar
Al
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 2233
Joined: 21st Oct 2007
Location: Farnbronx Sin City N.E. Hants

#8 PostAuthor: Al » Tue Dec 20, 2016 11:38 pm

If its not the exhaust gaskets leaking or spark plug threads passing or blowing at the head gasket it could be that the cam chain tensioner has backed out. Not unusual if you stalled it in gear when last parked up. Mine used to do it pulling away in second gear or when the tick over was badly out.
What oil are you using. 10/40 ? Mine is much quieter with 20/50 mineral but does get progressively noisier as the oil heats and also as it gets a few more miles on it. Red hot engine with older oil sounds like the anvil chorus but half an hour later after cooling down its back to mostly silent!

Have you got the US cam cover with the emission controls and the little flap valves?

AL
1981 J1

Farmer
100Club
100Club
Posts: 380
Joined: 7th Jan 2015
Location: East Sussex

#9 PostAuthor: Farmer » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:14 pm

Al, I use Morris oils sport 4 part synthetic 10/40, tapping noise is straight from cold, if you stand 20 foot away you can distinctly hear it, exhaust gaskets are new and I have got the poxy yank cam cover, if the adjusters backed off won't it automatically adjust back up, I've been putting off taking the head off to do the oil leak, I checked all the torc settings when I had the cam cover off doing the shims, nothing loose.
1981 KZ1000 K1 LTD



Farm Boy with an O Level in Metalwork and not much else.



Everything in Sussex is a She, Except Tom Cat and She`s a He.

User avatar
Al
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 2233
Joined: 21st Oct 2007
Location: Farnbronx Sin City N.E. Hants

#10 PostAuthor: Al » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:48 pm

It should auto tension but sometimes you have to encourage them a bit.
Take the big cap off it, pull the cross slide, spanner on the timing side centre bolt head (17mm one), rotate the engine back against the normal direction just a tad, re-tighten the tensioner cap having replaced the cross slide. Turn the engine forward clockwise by hand a couple or more full revolutions to be safe.

Without hearing the noise its a job to say what it could be. I guess it was silent immediately after doing the shims?

Have you still got the little valve plates in the two extension parts on top of the US cam cover or do you have plain billet blanking plates?

Others;
broken valve guides tend to be more of a clicking sound,
end float tends to be less rythmic and it comes and goes,
compressed damper block at base of barrels,.. like broken cam chain guides is rythmic and cam chain speed,
head gasket; probably metronomic and less than engine speed,
compressed exhaust gasket; metallic ping (dink dink dink).

What have you got???

AL
Last edited by Al on Thu Dec 22, 2016 11:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
1981 J1

Farmer
100Club
100Club
Posts: 380
Joined: 7th Jan 2015
Location: East Sussex

#11 PostAuthor: Farmer » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:53 pm

I've got a tap Tap Tapping noise Al :lol: , I'll have a decco at the cam chain adjuster.
1981 KZ1000 K1 LTD



Farm Boy with an O Level in Metalwork and not much else.



Everything in Sussex is a She, Except Tom Cat and She`s a He.

User avatar
Al
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 2233
Joined: 21st Oct 2007
Location: Farnbronx Sin City N.E. Hants

#12 PostAuthor: Al » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:56 pm

Its the nut behind the wheel. :D Seriously though, if the cam chain is all good, adjusted correctly and all guides intact it makes a faint whirring noise which is intoxicating at speed.
AL
1981 J1

Farmer
100Club
100Club
Posts: 380
Joined: 7th Jan 2015
Location: East Sussex

#13 PostAuthor: Farmer » Thu Dec 22, 2016 10:13 am

I'll hopefully get time over Christmas to have a look, get the cam cover off, thanks for all your pointers. :D
1981 KZ1000 K1 LTD



Farm Boy with an O Level in Metalwork and not much else.



Everything in Sussex is a She, Except Tom Cat and She`s a He.


Return to “Bike Help”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 11 guests