Oh Noes...got a knocking!

Ok, so Sunday I take the girl out for a ride on our local hotspot.  About 70 miles later I'm on my way back home going down the highway, and I hear something almost pop, and it started knocking, but only from 6-8K RPMS.  I dont know how to describe the sound, but it sounded similar to when kids put playing cards in the spokes of the their bike.  When I almost get home it stalls, then starts right back up, only to stall at the next stop sign...then she wont start. :(  So I push her about 1/4 mile home, not bad right?  wrong, 100* outside and Im wearing pants, boots, and luckily my RR tail has a helmet hook.  So I realize she stalled from being out of gas, no reserve, tank has leaks, and carbs are unsynced...so I am averaging 80miles a tank now....so okay, I assume the knocking was the fuel pump sucking for fuel and not getting any, which when I put gas back in her I thought was correct since it was not knocking anymore.  I gear up and get ready to ride, pull her out of the garage and around the apt complex, and shes knocking again.  DAMNIT! Okay, parked her and waited to go for a ride later.  My dad came over and said it sounds like valve clatter and he was thinking pre-ignition.  I was worried it was engine noise, but he said it would do it at idle and the entire time the engine was running.  He suggested putting in 89 octane and riding it a bit, so I did.  During that ride, the knocking was present at 5-8K, but as I rode it, it sounded like I could not hear my exhaust anymore and the knocking was more and more through all RPMs now.  Now I can hear it at idle and it's causing my bike to die.  It died a few times, I got it started and high-revved it until I got home, but I had to push it from my gate to my garage, then it started again and idled but I can still hear it making noise.  To me, it sounds like there is an exhaust leak, I had an old ford that the exhaust manifold broke and it sounds kinda like that now, gets louder with higher RPMs, kind of a puttering coming out of where the headers are, but I didnt think an exhaust leak could kill the bike.  My dad now thinks maybe rust or gunk got in the carbs and now its acting sporatic.  However, what about the noise?

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to provide details...any ideas anyone?  I will try to get a video, but I dont have a camera anymore, damn ex took it.

Do you have any squealing anywhere, even very faint?
Could be a cam gear bolt that came out or something else bad. Worst case scenario, clogged intake cam oil journal and you will need a new head, check the easy stuff first though. Just cause it happened to me doesn't mean it will happen to everybody.

did it sound anything like mine???   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htQBJ-ESNnc
if so, check the plugs, mine had nearly fallen out of the damn bike!  worth a check, quick and easy and you can rule it out.........

quote:

ORIGINAL: cbreric

did it sound anything like mine???   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htQBJ-ESNnc
if so, check the plugs, mine had nearly fallen out of the damn bike!  worth a check, quick and easy and you can rule it out.........

yeah it does kind of sound like that, did it get louder when you revved the engine?  im planning on pulling off the plastics and taking a closer look and listen this weekend.

yes, got louder as it revved. check the plugs for sure, could be an easy fix

im hoping it is something simple, and not something expensive.

any update? hope it goes well for you!

about to go pull the plastics off right now...will let you guys know.

Nothing good, but it could be worse.  We determined the noise is coming from the top end of the motor, and we think it is in the valve train.  Pulled the tensioner to check it, but it appears to be good.  The sound seems to be more of a ping, like someone had a screw driver or small hammer and was tapping sheet metal.  Very constant and gets louder with higher RPMs.  So sometime in the next week or two Im gonna have to pull the head and check it out....we are hoping for something simple so we don't have to drop the engine out, but I think we are going to be doing a valve adjustment either way.  Any ideas or suggestions are extremely welcome.

A ping? Is it bad preignition? Have you tried upping your octane? Do you have a stethoscope or a borescope?

quote:

ORIGINAL: drakito

A ping? Is it bad preignition? Have you tried upping your octane? Do you have a stethoscope or a borescope?

its not preignition, we initially thought so, so i bumped up to 89 which didnt help.  we used a screwdriver instead of a stethoscope which is how we know its in the valve train.

plugs looked ok then I take it? if so, sorry it wasnt that. it was a real easy fix for me and I got lucky!

yeah, i was not so lucky. we pulled and looked at them, it has no problem firing, just makes a nasty ping when it runs.

any way to get a vid perhaps? griends with a camera or anything?