R1200RT Engine Noise

[Motech]

Hi all.

 

My 2009 RT, 28,000 miles, has developed a ticking noise:

 

• Warm engine, does not occur cold
  
• When revved above 3K, ticking starts, but helmet and wind noise muffles it above 30 MPH
  
• It is pretty loud at idle, and goes away after 5-10 seconds warm idling
  
• It returns when revved again
  
• It seems to have gotten progressively louder the last 3K miles
  
• Appears to be coming from front of engine, timing chain area maybe
  
• Valves were set to specs, but due for inspection/adjustment soon, but noise is not coming from rocker area best I can tell
  
• Oil is also due soon, but it's high-quality synthetic Royal Purple, 15-w-40

I will be doing above service items very soon, and fresh oil may take care of it, but I'm hoping for some insight before I dig in.

 

 

This is my first Boxer, and I'm a good wrench, but new to Boxer maintenance. I am unfamiliar with the maintenance of this machine though, and ignorant to any timing chain periodical maintenance that may need to be performed. I own GS911 Pro, any and every tool this bike will ever need, and do all my own work and maintenance outside warranty stuff.

 

Thank you in advance for your insight.

 

S.A/Motech

[Guest Kakugo]

My bike is same year as yours, only a tad less twice the miles so here's a few things you may want to check.

 

1)How's your oil level? Even if it's still within specs (say 2/3 or 1/2 down the window) it's more than enough to increase the noise coming from the valve train. These bikes make all sorts of worrying and mysterious sounds and it takes a lot to get used to them. I am still adjusting...

If servicing is due soon, I would not even top up the oil... but I am a known cheapskate.

 

2)Your oil is too thin. BMW here runs all Oilhead, Hexhead and Camhead on 15W-50. They must have their good reasons.

 

3)Your valves may be out of adjustment... I know, I know. But I've found a couple of times when it just took 10000km (6000 miles) to throw them off adjustment.

 

4)No regular maintenance is required for the cam chain tensioner: it either works or needs replacement, no way in between.

 

5)When's the last time you synch'ed the throttle bodies? You won't believe the difference it makes in smoothness (including noises) to check them once in a while.

 

 

 

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Motech

 

First off, you have to probe around with a mechanics stethoscope to find WHERE the noise is coming from. (location is everything on the BMW boxer noises)

 

It sounds like you have already done that but I am just verifying that you have DEFINITELY located the place on the engine that the noise is coming from.

 

If farther back than front then it's possible you have a problematic L/H cam chain tensioner (those are the leading cause of tapping from a BMW 1100/1150/1200 boxer engine.

 

Another place farther back is excessive rocker arm side play but that usually isn't a high RPM noise & is more of an idle & just off-idle noise (doesn't hurt to check & re-set that to just over MINIMUM specs just to eliminate that). Don't set to absolute minimum or you risk having one go tight & slow a valve return therefore bending a valve at high RPM's.

 

OK, lets assume your noise is coming from under the front engine cover--

 

That is somewhat bad news as it is very difficult to find the cause of noises up front until it gets real bad & persistent.

 

About all you can do is remove the front chain/gear cover then look for witness marks where the front aux shaft chain is hitting the engine case. Otherwise you are basically in the guessing business on chain stretch or front hydraulic tensioner problems or ???

 

Then on the 1200 hexhead engine you could also have gear rattle & that is again very difficult to isolate as they all rattle when moved within their play by hand.

 

So-- probably the thing to do is give it an oil change just in case your oil has thinned out or it sheared to a lower viscosity.

 

If you still have your noise then try to verify exactly where it is coming from & maybe eliminate rocker arm side play as the issue.

 

If you are CERTAIN the noise is coming from front of engine then either pull the front cover & look for signs of aux chain hitting the case or maybe a bad tensioner.

 

OR, just run it a while longer until you get a very steady & profound noise up front, & with that, just maybe you will find a smoking gun when you pull it apart.

 

 

One other thing & that is the counter weight on the back of the balance shaft-- I worked on a bike last summer that had a dealer installed clutch previously & they (the dealer) either didn't tighten the rear balance shaft weight (inside the trans housing) or didn't tighten it properly. In any case it was loose & the rattle sounded just like it was in front of engine as the noise was telegraphing up the balance shaft.

 

[David13]

Mysterious noises these bikes do make.

I was coming south in Utah last year, and I kept hearing a ticking or thumping noise off the front of my engine. I wondered, and listened, and theorized, then noticed a noisy truck one mile up.

After about 20 miles he turned off and the noise disappeared.

The stethoscope idea is necessary, I suppose you had done that.

Loud at idle? Ok, I think that may mean timing chain.

But who knows? I'll wait to see the outcome here.

I know my bike has twice as many things wrong with it when I don't have my earplugs on.

dc

[Motech]

For clarity: The ticking develops off-idle, at higher RPMs, and is only present at idle for about 5 seconds after coming down from speeds.

 

And yes, I have poked around with a stethoscope, which is why I am fairly confident is is not coming from outer valvetrain area. But I have tricked myself before with noises like this...

 

If noise is still present after service, I shall dig a lot further. Meanwhile, thanks for swift and insightful replies, and I look forward to more of the same.

[dirtrider]

For clarity: The ticking develops off-idle, at higher RPMs, and is only present at idle for about 5 seconds after coming down from speeds.

 

 

Afternoon Motech

 

The noise going away after a 5 second idle down sort of points to a (possible) hydraulic chain tensioner going soft due to aerated engine oil, maybe the oil's anti foam additives are depleted. Hopefully your oil change will make a difference. You might try a different oil than you are using now.

[David R]

Did you check throttle shafts?

 

David

[racer7]

You're the original owner? What is known of previous maintenance/repair work?

 

As you know, there are plenty of unqualified folks cheap enough to their own work- sometimes their results are laughable. And of course, even the best can make a mistake or overlook something.

 

There are plenty of admissions of common errors on the web and DR has touched on some in his response.

 

If you think boxers make weird noises, never buy a wedge K bike. The cam drive noise especially on the early ones will scare you to death. It isn't cured by in spec parts or updates.

 

 

[Motech]

Afternoon Motech

 

The noise going away after a 5 second idle down sort of points to a (possible) hydraulic chain tensioner going soft due to aerated engine oil, maybe the oil's anti foam additives are depleted. Hopefully your oil change will make a difference. You might try a different oil than you are using now.

 

Thanks DR. That would be an enigma for me because A) It would be simple and free, but B) I have been using RP Syn in all my motos and cages for too many years to count, in customers' too, and would be seriously disappointed to learn it has failed me.

[Motech]

You're the original owner? What is known of previous maintenance/repair work?

 

As you know, there are plenty of unqualified folks cheap enough to their own work- sometimes their results are laughable. And of course, even the best can make a mistake or overlook something.

 

There are plenty of admissions of common errors on the web and DR has touched on some in his response.

 

If you think boxers make weird noises, never buy a wedge K bike. The cam drive noise especially on the early ones will scare you to death. It isn't cured by in spec parts or updates.

 

 

I am second owner, but know the original. I bought it summer of 2010 with 3600 miles, and PO is meticulous with break-in, and has all his bikes serviced strictly by BMW schedule by BMW dealer.

 

I have performed all service outside warranty since, and I am a well-established professional in the field.

 

I also am in tune with odd moto noises. Even with this irregular noise on the RT, it still is much tamer than other bikes I've owned, especially the very clattery Rotax 990 mills I love so much. No, I do not think this is normal. A few other Boxer owners who have heard my noise agree, including David13 above.

[Motech]

Long time since posting, life interrupted and all...

 

Finally got around to the 30K maintenance and found the valves a little loose, but not excessive. Noise was rocker shaft end-play.

 

A note to anyone attempting this:

 

The end-play I set initially was reduced once torqued to specs. I chose to set mine at about .07 mm, and to get that, I had to set the exhaust shaft at .10 and intake at .08, then once torqued, both shafts came in at .07.

 

Note the positioning of the feeler gauges under each shaft in the attachment below. Yes, it is WAY easier with two sets, and if you leave them in place while torquing to specs, they will get stuck and likely damaged. So as instructions say, once your tolerance is achieved, snug the bolts lightly, THEN REMOVE FEELERS, retorque to specs and recheck clearance.

 

Here's the BMW shop manual procedure for all Hexheads: