Engine noise

[YogHall]

Hey everyone,
I'm having some issues with some engine noise, I'm thinking it's the cam chain but I would really like another's input before I Start tearing into it..


Any suggestions would be MUCH appreciated, also I'm a super newbie to all of this so bare with me!

You can hear the noise from the YouTube link above

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Yeah, that's pretty noisy. My vote goes to camchain and front guide...

 

[nj1639]

It is a bit fluttery as opposed to a tap.
Any bits of metal in your side screen filter?
Have you adjusted the cam?

 

[YogHall]

@twomany
Yeah it's pretty bad, I know I'm riding something old but when I start it up I shouldn't get the complex that I just hopped in my baby blue rusted out chevette lol

And I've tried messing with the tensioner and got no response and I haven't seen any metal in the filter, but I will triple check on that buddy!

 

[EvenmoreXS]

Yea, I agree….Its pretty loud and sharp. It could be a triple threat…….Loose/worn cam chain, worn front cam chain guide, and the missing dampening washer on the tensioner. Id check to make sure you have the damping washer on the tensioner first though.

If the sound is new and recent, Id think possibly the front guide finally wore out… look for black bits in the oil…check the sump filter too.

If its been developing for a while, Id say maybe cam chain stretched and maybe front guide worn together over time….should have been seeing black bits in the oil by now…maybe some of the metal bits depending on how bad its worn

If its always been there and just got bad, Id say you were always missing the washer and the chain is stretched but recently the front guide material finally wore off and now your metal to metal sort of…..metal shavings in the filter area.

Im leaning towards the triple threat…..

Although…………………………………….

I didn't hear that tick in you other vid…..which just leads me back to the triple threat….Its a small tick without that dampener washer,,,not too bad….but that AND the worn front guide would be loud…….A loose chain too……yep…..sounds like that Id think.

 

[itsatoy]

Wow, you either have really good mufflers or that the loudest tick I've heard.

 

[weekendrider]

Where is the end of the plunger?

 

[ippytattoo]

WOW!! That is really loud. You could use an old timers trick of using a long screw driver as a stethoscope to try and determine what area it is the loudest for instance if it is up high around the valves or if it is down lower say around the oil feed tube that goes up to the head. I would defeintiely go through what has already beeen suggested and add to that to go through the normal procedure of setting cam chain tension and then the valves.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi YogHall,
apocryphal story from the 1930s
Bugatti owner:-
my engine sounds like a bucketful of ball bearings being poured onto an iron plate
Ettoire Bugatti:-
from what you describe, your engine is running perfectly
But that tick of yours is pretty bad if an old deaf guy can hear it.
What's the valve lash set at?

 

[Kathos]

I just had a noise that was similar, but it was less fluttery. Turned out to be my exhaust valve gap was way off. Same sound, different pattern.

 

[YogHall]

Thanks @Evenmore for the advice, it's made the tick a little since I got it started but now it's just real bad.

@ippy I've been trying to find some tutorials on it since I'm so new to this to try and do the old timey trick

@fred I'm not to sure buddy i haven't been able to dig that much into it, if I'm even thinking of the right thing lol


But seriously thank you everyone for your advice, atleast now I have some ideas and don't feel so overwhelmed!

 

[weekendrider]

Adjusting the cam chain tension and not hearing/seeing any difference isn't the reaction I would expect.
Too loose and the chain slaps and knocks loudly enough to make you think the top end isn't getting any oil. Too tight and the tap/knock/slap goes away but a soft "whir" develops.
Besides the noise factor you can see/observe a difference with the way the plunger reacts.
Too loose and plunger travel is excessive (6-8 mm? how do you measure when running?) too tight and there isn't any travel. Wherever the end of plunger is you want to see/feel a slight bobble in the end of the rod.

All can do the same adjustments to familiarize the reaction and sound. And I would encourage it.