Right side engine noise

eman13261

XS650 Enthusiast
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So i'm honestly not sure if this noise is new or maybe I just haven't noticed it before. Cam chain tensioner/valves done correctly about 500 miles ago nothing on the bike has changed. It isn't a distinct metal knocking nor a carb chirp but its something in between the two. I can only hear it when I am giving it throttle @30-55mph/2000-4000rpm and when I let off it seems to go away. It is very faint which leads me to believe its part of the noisy valve train and i'm just going insane thinking my old bike is gonna break down. If anything I think it might be a squeaky exhaust gasket or my noticeably cracked RH intake boot rubber. I'd post a video but don't have the means to record while I am riding, as the noise disappears when the bike is sitting.
 
...I can only hear it when I am giving it throttle @30-55mph/2000-4000rpm...
...when I let off it seems to go away...

That rpm area is what we used to call the "detonation prone zone".
Could try retarding your timing a couple of degrees.

http://www.xs650.com/threads/xs650-ignition-timing-revisited-are-we-too-advanced.45197/

Worst case is rod/wristpin knock, followed by piston slap.

http://www.xs650.com/posts/299941/
http://www.xs650.com/posts/391013/
http://www.xs650.com/posts/440774/
http://www.xs650.com/posts/363986/
http://www.xs650.com/posts/437395/

Broken clutch basket damper springs would be similar, but not restricted to an rpm range.

...i'm just going insane thinking my old bike is gonna break down...

Now, this kind of neurosis is actually normal...
 
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What octane are you running? Our bikes are usually fine with cheap gas, but run 2 tanks of premium thru it and see if it goes away.
 
I wouldn't worry about it since it is faint and most likely nothing is wrong. If my bike isn't making noise it's not running. Wouldn't hurt to check the timing and the fuel as angus67 suggested.
 
What octane are you running? Our bikes are usually fine with cheap gas, but run 2 tanks of premium thru it and see if it goes away.
I generally run 91 non ethanol because I'm lucky enough to have a station that has it 5 minutes from my house. I haven't found a thread with a video that sounds like the noise I'm hearing. Gonna take another look at the simple stuff first I'll let you guys know how it goes .
 
I'm not overly concerned, as I know that I'd have to throw the bike into the fiery pits of mt. Doom to do any real damage and even that might not be enough.
 
Have another look at 2M's post; if your noise is high pitched and sounds like a bunch of tiny little gremlins tapping away with tiny little hammers, you're on the road to Mt. Doom. Detonation produces holes in piston crowns. The XS650 motor is fairly tough, but it isn't immune to ventilated pistons.
 
I managed to get some video, the quality isn't that good due to wind but bear with me. One is of my engine just idling. Its kind of a metallic chirping noise but its hard to hear over the lovely valve train symphony that these bikes makes.
Idle:
Vid 1:
Vid 2:
 
well it doesn't sound like detonation ....which is good .;)
it sounds like top end noise ....the cam chain ? but could possibly be the clutch basket rubbing ? very difficult to tell really.
Try revving it on the stand at different rpms and try to pinpoint the sound by using a stethoscope or a long screwdriver held to your ear
 
I took it through the rpm range/gears on the center stand and nothing....doesn't (noticeably) make the noise just the normal valve-train noise/rattling you'd expect. So now i'm very confused and unless I suddenly become Usain Bolt I don't think a mechanics stethoscope is going to do any good. I had a mechanic friend look over my bike about 3500 miles ago when I got it and I specifically asked him to check the cam chain guide, said it was fine but I'm thinking I may need to revisit that. I'm going to check my valve clearances again, it almost sounds like the right exhaust valve is making more than the others.
 
I know that was a joke :p. I did run it on the center stand but there is no noise and only makes the noise when I'm physically moving; thus I made joke that I could only deduce where the noise is coming from if "I could run next to it".
:umm: I didn't mean you to run alongside the bike :doh: quote 'Try revving it on the stand "
 
I know that was a joke :p. I did run it on the center stand but there is no noise and only makes the noise when I'm physically moving; thus I made joke that I could only deduce where the noise is coming from if "I could run next to it".

don't do what I did ....I got someone to drive the car whilst I hung out the open door to listen to the gearbox and nearly decapitated myself !:laugh2:
 
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