WEIRD Engine Noise

[danath 34]

So I have beed having this weird engine noise lately. It is the worst while the bike has just been started and is warming up. It is a pretty consistent, but rather loud and worrying tick. Then after the bike gets warm, it quiets down to a pretty normal sounding gixxer. I thought it was possibly a valve in desperate need of adjustment. So I took it down to the mechanic (a 2 hour drive away) and left it with him over night to do a diagnostic.

He calls me up the next day and says he started it up, listened to it, even rode it a bit to heat cycle it and listened again, and said there is absolutely nothing wrong with the engine. He said his gixxer makes twice the noise.

So I was confused, went out and started it and we both listened to it. The tick was gone! We could hear a little tiny bit of chattering from the cam chain but he said that its no problem and we wouldnt ever get rid of that...

So heres the thing. The mechanic I went to is a lower elevation and higher temps. I live in a small mountain town, and he is in a big town in a kind of low valley. There is a big temp difference. It is still 50 degrees in the morning when I start 'er up, but down at the mechanics, it was 97 degrees. So this has me thinking maybe it only has to do with temperature? He also mentioned it could be gas, since some gas stations might still be selling off their winter blends. So Im gonna be going to a diff gas station to see if it changes.

But do you guys have any ideas as to what it could be? I swore it sounded like a valve issue, but the sound was gone when it was down there in the 97 degree heat...

 

[badazgtp]

You may be hearing the clutch chatter. Our bikes have it pretty bad. What is your idle set at? If it's below the factory spec, it will be worse. I have mine set at 1200 rpm's and don't hear it any. Most of the time, if it is clutch chatter, If you pull the clutch lever in, it will go away and when you let it out you'll hear it.

 

[mike1180]

Ever had anyone look at the clutch spring bolts?
There was a problem on the Gen II with them coming loose, and rubbing on the housing.

 

[AlanS]

Here's two things, possibly related to one another, and possibly related to your issue. I hear a 'tick' sometimes when I start up after the bike has sat overnight. It sounds 'valvey' to me, too. It goes away when the bike warms up.

Second thing: I raised the rear of the bike 1" with longer 'dogbones'. When the bike sits overnight, if I leave it on the stand, there is a PRONOUNCED tick when I start the bike. It ticks more frequently, and louder, than the first 'tick' I described. Now, if I raise the bike up off the stand before starting it, this louder, more persistent tick will not occur. I don't recall hearing the other tick, either, under these conditions (raising the bike upright, prior to starting it). My explanation for this 'tick' is that with the bike being higher, it sits at a greater angle (on the stand) and thus drains additional oil out of the right side of the engine over time. When I stand the bike upright, the oil runs back to the right, lubing whatever it is that's 'dry' when I start the bike with it on the stand.

As for the 'standard' tick I described first, , it COULD be related to temps. I hadn't really analyzed it that way, except now that I think about it, it only occurs mornings--when temps are lowest for the day. After a couple minutes of warm-up, it goes away.

Sorry, no explanation for the 'ticking'. But it does sound as if my 08 does the same thing as yours in this regard--with the added 'extra ticking' due to having raised the bike and having it sit at a greater lean-angle on the stand. Hopefully, someone who knows what's going on will explain... (I thought it might be clutch-related, too. On mine at least, if it was the clutch bolts, wouldn't it 'tick' all the time? ) - Alan

 

[KS9495]

I get a ticking noise 1min into warming up my 08 Busa, then goes away after about another minute & doesn't come back until the engine is restarted after it cooled down. Ran Castrol fully synthetic & have switched to Silkoline fully snythetic but the ticking persist.

My dealer fixed the clutch bolts issue before I got the bike.

 

[08 icbm]

Mine makes a similar noise it only became noticable after I put about 200 miles on the bike.
When I took the bike in for it's first service last month I told the dealer it sounded like a valve was out of adjustment they claim they didn't hear any noise, but they also made it clear that they thought I didn't know what I was talking about.
The ticking is easily heard between idle and 3500 rpm above 3500 wind and road noise mask it.
I thought at first it might be a header leak at the head but as the noise has become louder I can tell it's not an exhaust leak as the sound would be different when the engine is accellerating and engine braking it isn't. If it gets worse I'll take the fairings off and look for it with a mechanics stethiscope. Then take it back to the dealer and make the service manager look at it.

Doug

 

[danath 34]

hmmm wow. Ok yeah a few of you guys sound like you have the same thing.

I have not checked if it is the clutch bolts, but I have heard of that issue before. Tomorrow morning I will try pulling the clutch lever and see if it affects it.

Also I will try standing the bike upright before starting. Because my mechanic said if anything, it would be piston slap. My non-mechanic logic tells me that piston slap might be worse when the bike is on the stand.

I am 100% sure it has to do with temperatures, though. Like I said, it was 97 degrees when he looked at it. I also had him come listen as well when I went to pick it up because I couldnt believe he didnt hear it. However, just a couple hours ago I started it up at home and it was probably 65 degrees or so and it was there. MAYBE it is piston slap, but is most likely worse when cold because it takes longer for the oil to get there. Also I could imagine it slightly worsening the issue further if it is on the stand. So we will see. I will update tomorrow after I try these two things.

 

[Jza]

Mine does exactly the same... lol

 

[majestic12]

Mine does the same thing. But mine started after about 600 miles or so. The dealer said it was just the injectors clicking. Not sure how much I trust this dealer as they went under. The only thing that makes me think injectors is I hear similar ticking under the hood of all fule injected cards.

As for the Piston or Rod slap it has been my experince the noise is more than a tick, and there is no maybe about it. That nock is like no other noise under the hood or faring as the case may be.

if you find a way to stop the tick let us know. I think you will have a few people here who would like to stop it as well.

 

[Schism]

i just broke the 7k marker and mine definitely does the ticking noise as soon as i fire it up. the sound is very pronounced and it does dissipate after warm up. i haven't had any mechanical problems that i am aware of so i assume the tick is normal. i pulled the clutch lever in and noticed the sound will fade. i am wondering if i should of done the thread lock on the clutch bolts now that i think about it.

 

[chunk1340]

I get the clutch chatter all of the time, in my case its definately not the bolts as I have the clutch in and out all the time. Sounds goes when clutch is in.

 

[danath 34]

hmmm

so this morning I sat on the bike and took it off the kickstand before starting it, and sat there on it while it warmed. The ticking was still there. I also pulled the clutch lever, and it had no effect either.

Though it did go away as the engine got warm, just as usual. So hopefully it isnt a problem...

 

[Hobo]

So I have beed having this weird engine noise lately. It is the worst while the bike has just been started and is warming up. It is a pretty consistent, but rather loud and worrying tick. Then after the bike gets warm, it quiets down to a pretty normal sounding gixxer. I thought it was possibly a valve in desperate need of adjustment. So I took it down to the mechanic (a 2 hour drive away) and left it with him over night to do a diagnostic.

He calls me up the next day and says he started it up, listened to it, even rode it a bit to heat cycle it and listened again, and said there is absolutely nothing wrong with the engine. He said his gixxer makes twice the noise.

So I was confused, went out and started it and we both listened to it. The tick was gone! We could hear a little tiny bit of chattering from the cam chain but he said that its no problem and we wouldnt ever get rid of that...

So heres the thing. The mechanic I went to is a lower elevation and higher temps. I live in a small mountain town, and he is in a big town in a kind of low valley. There is a big temp difference. It is still 50 degrees in the morning when I start 'er up, but down at the mechanics, it was 97 degrees. So this has me thinking maybe it only has to do with temperature? He also mentioned it could be gas, since some gas stations might still be selling off their winter blends. So Im gonna be going to a diff gas station to see if it changes.

But do you guys have any ideas as to what it could be? I swore it sounded like a valve issue, but the sound was gone when it was down there in the 97 degree heat...

I had the exact same situation bout 12 mnths ago ! I went to 2 dealers & neither of them could even hear it, let alone know what it was. Even though they couldn't hear it, they started making ridiculous suggestions that I was hearing things/exhaust leak ha ha/ clutch rattle .... I'm saying its coming from the top right hand side of the motor >>> cant you hear that ??? how could it be those things ahhh frustrating !
Finally after alot of research it turns out that the Gen II busa has an automatic cam chain adjuster that doesn't always do what it is supposed to. A lot of guys that cant stand it any more get manual cam chain adjusters. I was told it is no danger and it will tighten itself up if it gets too loose. Fair enuf I thought, POWER ON !

 

[danath 34]

I had the exact same situation bout 12 mnths ago ! I went to 2 dealers & neither of them could even hear it, let alone know what it was. Even though they couldn't hear it, they started making ridiculous suggestions that I was hearing things/exhaust leak ha ha/ clutch rattle .... I'm saying its coming from the top right hand side of the motor >>> cant you hear that ??? how could it be those things ahhh frustrating !
Finally after alot of research it turns out that the Gen II busa has an automatic cam chain adjuster that doesn't always do what it is supposed to. A lot of guys that cant stand it any more get manual cam chain adjusters. I was told it is no danger and it will tighten itself up if it gets too loose. Fair enuf I thought, POWER ON !

thats very helpful, thanks.

I have a zook DRZ-400S and they have issues with the ACCT. One of the biggest mods is to switch to an MCCT. However on the DR-Z's the ACCT noise was not "no danger" and it wouldnt "tighten itself up"... it was causing a lot of problems for a couple years of the bike. Supposedly they fixed it back in '06 on those bikes, but who knows?

I certainly hope the 'busa ACCT really does tighten itself up, and really is no danger... lease:

 

[r1d3on3]

lifter noise on cold start?

 

[danath 34]

lifter noise on cold start?

could be. not sure what exactly lifter noise would sound like, though. That cant be anything to worry about, right?

 

[NickSully]

I had the exact same situation bout 12 mnths ago ! I went to 2 dealers & neither of them could even hear it, let alone know what it was. Even though they couldn't hear it, they started making ridiculous suggestions that I was hearing things/exhaust leak ha ha/ clutch rattle .... I'm saying its coming from the top right hand side of the motor >>> cant you hear that ??? how could it be those things ahhh frustrating !
Finally after alot of research it turns out that the Gen II busa has an automatic cam chain adjuster that doesn't always do what it is supposed to. A lot of guys that cant stand it any more get manual cam chain adjusters. I was told it is no danger and it will tighten itself up if it gets too loose. Fair enuf I thought, POWER ON !

Thanks for that info! I have the same exact noise in the same exact location that you mentioned and I also took my bike to two different dealers and neither one of them could hear it and started naming off the same things you mentioned. They all wanted a small fortune just to start looking into the problem so I'll keep my eye on the ACCT and if it gets more annoying then I'm going with a MCCT.

 

[StromBusa]

Mine ticks during warmup , quiet, ticks, quits, go. I think I first noticed it about 500 miles when I went to Mobile Synthetic, 14,500 now and she runs like a top.

 

[danath 34]

OK, so again I'd like to thank everyone for all the info. Been helpful. Thats what the Org is all about...

so here is my reasoning, and my mechanic agrees as well. I figure since it is only making the ticking on warmup, and then goes away, it shouldnt be anything serious, correct? Because if it were something major like cam chain or horrible valves or something, then it would make the sound regardless of temp, right? So I dont think it is worthy of pulling my hair out and dropping loads of cash to fix.... What do you guys think?

 

[ResidentEvil]

+ 1 in the ticking warm up club