Cam Chain Rattle

There's a scientific explanation for every noise that engine makes. This is precision machinery designed and built by people who know the source of every vibration and every sound. And the fact that those people have obsessed with every little detail and nuance over the past 10 years is the very reason we have such an exquisitely refined motorcycle.

Some of us share that same obsession for mechanical perfection. When I get a Busa that has an obnoxious metallic noise that my previous Busa didn't have, it gives me a sense that my new bike is less than perfect. And just because a less-than-perfect bike will run like crazy and last forever doesn't mean I can ignore the fact that there's something inside that's not quite right.

Like it or not, it's gonna bug me until I find out what it is. Yeah ... I'll ride the road with my hair on fire -- and, hopefully, I'll have the same good fortune of never seeing any mechanical failure -- but I'll keep thinking (and asking smarter people than me) about that rattle until I get the scientific, factual explanation for it.
 
stopped by the shop and talked to a tech. has 2 busa's of his own.

it's the timing chain tensioner which is hydraulic. the chain gets sloppy until it automatically adj. normal ops. also if you are running oem pipes then your apt to hear it more. pipes tend to drown it out a lil.
 
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Put some exhaust on it and run some full synthetic oil
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Yes, My 06 LE also has this metallic noise. (1500mi). 2 of my friends own 03, and 05 models which do not make this noise. My original thought was mabey it was possible at idle , do to lower oil pressure, the teeth on the racheting style tensioner, were spaced far enough apart that it allowed enough slack in chain to cause noise. I read somewhere busas had a low oil pressure problem. However, under the post "engine knock", Golden Child wrote that the noise is from the clutch basket drum , and locking mechanism. This so far seems to be the most acurate cause of noise. I know drag racers eliminate factory clutch basket/backlimiter right of the bat. Can any 06 drag racers verify concern? Somebody has diagnosed this correctly.
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I have an 06 and I have heard all the noises, clutch basket, cam chain tensioner, wind screen vibration, etc... Everyone I have talked to who owns a Busa has heard at least one of these noises with no catastrophic damage... so I just keep on twisting....
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Better add another 06 le here. I've had the noise ever since I got it. It's really annnoying. I'm an engineer and my experience is if you are building machinery that is supposed to be that precise then you wouldn't let machines that have a definate flaw in them go out and stay out in the shops for people to buy. After all you don't see Ducati's, Aprilias, MV Agustas (higher dollar bikes) making a noise that appears to be a bad design or definate flaw. Just my 2 cents. I can't think of any other bikes that are "normal" ratteling bike (except maybe a Harley). This is like going to buy a Corvette and the dealer tells you "Oh that knock in the engine...that's normal". Am I wrong?
 
Absolutey not wrong. We know and can live with the common noises associated with bikes.
After logging a few hundred miles on my bike, I was riding one afternoon with a freind who owns a 03 busa. I asked him to witness the noise. He did and said "Man, that dont sound right".Checking it against his machine side by side, my BRAND NEW LE sounds like the bottom end is gonna let loose. I feel "WE" 2006 LE owners need to ban together to try and get SOME explanation, and or fix.
Im an auto tech for the last 15yrs, and have worked the last several at a large import dealer.
As a dealer, over the last 4 months, we have been replacing a faulty component on a 2006
model that was causing a noise. We've done numerous repairs with not a word from the manufacturer. Im sure soon enough, a problem will be reconized, and a bulletin or recall posted.
But our machines were wrong before delivery, why hasnt some dealer taken on this concern?
 
(Schism @ Nov. 01 2006,06:46) i have an 01' with 24,000 miles on her and there is no cam rattle.  i don't understand why you guys are having this problem on the newer models.  suzuki hasn't changed the engine to my knowledge.  somethin' is not right for sure.  
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same here, my '01 is around 23k miles, not 1 issue.
 
Just do as thousands of other busa owners have done and put the manual tensioner in it so the noise goes away. That chain noise is not doing the chain any good. If it breaks from wear because it has not been aligning with the sprockets correctly, it will be very expensive.
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Jay
 
(markfes @ Dec. 12 2006,19:flamethrowing:) Absolutey not wrong.  We know and can live with the common noises associated with bikes.
After logging a few hundred miles on my bike, I was riding one afternoon with a freind who owns a 03 busa. I asked him to witness the noise. He did  and said "Man, that dont sound right".Checking it against his machine side by side, my BRAND NEW LE sounds like the bottom end is gonna let loose. I feel "WE" 2006 LE owners need to ban together to try and get SOME explanation, and or fix.
Im an auto tech for the last 15yrs, and have worked the last several at a large import dealer.
As a dealer, over the last 4 months, we have been replacing a faulty component on  a 2006
model that was causing a noise. We've done numerous repairs with not a word from the manufacturer. Im sure soon enough, a problem will be reconized, and a bulletin or recall posted.
But our machines were wrong before delivery, why hasnt some dealer taken on this concern?
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Were are the official recall notices posted?
 
Put some cans on that allow some sound! Ride like you stole her and around 3k she will be quiet! Mine did! And to each his own but i don't use but good Dino oil changed every 1500 miles. My 06 isn't an LE but had the sounds which i say sure isn't zuki IMO.
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(Jay @ Dec. 31 2006,22:15) Just do as thousands of other busa owners have done and put the manual tensioner in it so the noise goes away. That chain noise is not doing the chain any good. If it breaks from wear because it has not been aligning with the sprockets correctly, it will be very expensive.
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Jay
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Now I was told that they started out with manual and went to self adj because people were still break'n the chains.
 
BTW i did 2 oil analysis during break in! One on the zuki oil @ 300 miles that I changed B4 riding to Asheville area. And the second time @ 1800 + -  when I got back. First change the zuki OEM oil was in spec 10x30 wt, had a trace of chromium and a bit of fuel. Normal stuff for 200 miles on a new engine. No metal visible to the eye held in sunlight like a H.D. owner was saying I'd see in it @ the first change
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 no sh!t and he was serious. The zuk oil looked like it just got poured in. I did baby her! The Shell 15w40 I use was in a bit worse shape but at a 30 vis after close to 2k on it works 4 me. So no heavy metals or any out of the ordinary stuff! But a spectra analysis is the ticket to see into the engine and find what is causing your noise! If its making a noise its striking something and has to be leaving scars which will show in the oil. Na! wish I could offer this to all Busa Bro's but had to sneak mine past the boss which wasn't hard cause they don't seem to use it too its capacity anyway. OK TOO MUCH INFO I KNOW
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(BA BUSA @ Jan. 01 2007,10:36) They don't put a different engine in the LE's  
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that's what's crazy about this. everyone says it's normal, but everyone isn't getting it. I know the LE's are just paint and a limited edition tag. People are saying after they changed the oil it went away. I'm on 6K with 3 oil changes and it's still there. I don't believe the dealership, but I can't make them fix it either.
 
02 and older had chain tensioner recalls...but they probably put in the 03 and
newer designed part...so unless you go after market they all end up with the same parts.
Everyone I know has a noisy (rattly) engine...they are quieter when they warm up.
 
my brother rode my bike over the holiday and he couldn't believe the noise LOL He rides a gixxer 1000

I've been to the dealer and they give me the it's normal song and dance. It only happens to me after we've been out for a few minutes. I can live with it as long as it doesn't bite me in the butt after the warranty ends
 
(rockadaous @ Jan. 01 2007,08:32) my brother rode my bike over the holiday and he couldn't believe the noise LOL  He rides a gixxer 1000

I've been to the dealer and they give me the it's normal song and dance.  It only happens to me after we've been out for a few minutes.  I can live with it as long as it doesn't bite me in the  butt after the warranty ends
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Have you tried Full synthetic oil yet
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I have a 2002 and I don't have any noises besides the windscreen that I had already addressed. Oh, mine has 10K miles on it.
 
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