Pronounced rattle at some rpm

[BucksTherapy]

Folks,

 

I normally wear a full face Schuberth and can't hear much at all. Today I used my half helmet and there is a loud rattle under the following conditions:

Under 4000 rpm, accelerating and engine lugging. When motor is decelerating under 4000 rpm.

 

I am thinking I have a bad cam chain tensioner but I also just changed the oil to 5W50 as I can no longer find Mobil1 15W50.

 

Bike is running great. I know, I should put the Scuberth back on and forget about it.

 

What do you think? Cam chaim Tensioner or different oil?

 

If cam chain tensioner what is involved in changing it and what should I order for parts? I have searched for a link and found a great step by step on the 1100 but not on the 1150 and they don't look exactly alike.

[flat_twin]

Can the rattle be reproduced in the garage? If so, remove body panels and find the source. Is it left or right? I recently diagnosed a rattle sound at certain rpms and loads as a worn throttlebody shaft. With the bike running, I could feel the rattle in the throttlebody housing. Then I found I could make it stop if I put a little pressure on the throttle cable pully.

It's not causing any harm right now. It sounds like hell when it's tapping good but I'll live with it for a while.

The chain tensioner rattle is usually only heard on start up and for just a couple seconds. Does yours continue to rattle or go quiet?

[bmwbrian]

I too have this rattle which comes from the timing chain and not the cam chains. I've noticed that on cooling days the noise is not present so I'm thinking its time to replace the timing chain tensioner. My 2000 RT has about 48K miles on it and otherwise runs like a dream.

[BucksTherapy]

You are right. It's the timimg chain not the cam chain.

 

How do you know the noise is coming from the timing chain?

[bmwbrian]

Noise seems to originate from the front of the engine not the rear of the cylinders like the cam chains. I've update the left side tensioner so I know longer have the tensioner noise from the left cam chain.

[DEF]

Folks,

 

I normally wear a full face Schuberth and can't hear much at all. Today I used my half helmet and there is a loud rattle under the following conditions:

Under 4000 rpm, accelerating and engine lugging. When motor is decelerating under 4000 rpm.

 

I am thinking I have a bad cam chain tensioner but I also just changed the oil to 5W50 as I can no longer find Mobil1 15W50.

 

Bike is running great. I know, I should put the Scuberth back on and forget about it.

 

What do you think? Cam chaim Tensioner or different oil?

 

If cam chain tensioner what is involved in changing it and what should I order for parts? I have searched for a link and found a great step by step on the 1100 but not on the 1150 and they don't look exactly alike.

 

The cam chain tensioners can be removed and cleaned. The little cylinders sometimes accumulate some sludge, not much but enough to cause sluggish tensioning.

 

Be careful of the tensioner that is at the top……don’t let parts fall into the chain tunnel (Heh-heh)…not fun.

 

But once you have them removed, clean with carb cleaner, blow dry and lube with fresh motor oil. Then reassemble. Do not swap parts from one to the other.

[BucksTherapy]

Be careful of the tensioner that is at the top……don’t let parts fall into the chain tunnel (Heh-heh)…not fun.

 

 

What is the danger of losing parts into the motor and how do you prevent this? I have ordered the new upgraded tensioner but now I am nervous about causing a major self inflicted job. I have read other posts where it says to not worry about this as the parts can't fall down the hole.

[DEF]

Use care and a magnet to hold the tensioner piston in the cylinder. If you are careful, you'll be fine. It is the unaware who must be warned.

[leikam]

I think you probably have the culprit in your timing chain, but I'd also not run so light an engine oil as 5/50. I know that when I ran down my oil level, I'd get more noise from the engine. Hopefully this won't turn into another oil thread, but that's my 0.02USD.

[BMT]

I have ordered the new upgraded tensioner but now I am nervous about causing a major self inflicted job.

Don't listen to the nasty man.

 

Changing the tensioner cylinder assembly for the newer version, parts cannot fall into the engine.