R1150RS: Sporadic ticking from right cylinder

[stubble!]

Particularly when the motor's cold, but not exclusively, I sometimes hear a pretty good tick from the right cylinder. It's infrequent and sporadic, a few ticks and it's gone for a minute, then back and gone, and so on. It's rare once the bike is hot.

 

Sure sounds like a valve train noise, but I thought I'd ask the group. 10k on the bike, the last valve adjustment was at 6k according to the records. Oil level is fine, if a touch low in the sight glass.

[DEF]

The rocker arms have an end clearance that should be optimized during the first 600 mile inspection by the dealer to minimize the clearance and therefore the noise. It is not dangerous. The noise can be minimized by careful valve lash adjustment using two feeler gauges. If it becomes objectionable, loosen the head fasteners and optimize the rocker shaft clearance.

[Haynes]

As Dennis said, you may want to check the end play of the rocker arms before adjusting the valve clearances. This was posted some time ago on r1150r.net. I apologise for not including the author's details.

[stubble!]

Bringing this back from the dead, as I just finished a tuneup. The rockers were (fortunately, or unfortunately), all in good adjustment. All between .07mm and .10mm. The spec says beteen .05 and .40 is acceptable, lesser is better.

 

So I figure it's got to be something else. The noise is still there. I'm not so sure now that it's from the right side. I'm wondering if I need to do the cam chain tensioner update?

[matanuska]

Heard only at idle?

 

Could be the right side throttle body butterfly valve is fluttering slightly and bouncing off the adjustment screw. Press on the throttle cable cam to see if it goes away. Doesn't cause any harm but indicates the throttles are slightly out of adustment. Do a throttle body sysnc/adjustment if it really bothers you. Otherwise, ignore it.

 

DR

[stubble!]

Primarily I hear it at idle, when it's cold, but not exlusively. TAP TAP TAP TAP a few seconds.... then nothing .... then TAP TAP TAP for a while... repeat. It's loud. It does go away as I rev the engine. I also hear a similar tapping, not sure if it's the same, when I pull the clutch before a stop and the motor's dropping to idle. Primarily when the engine's cold.

 

I just did a TB sync, valve adjust, and checked the rocker clearances, all is great, and the bike's much smoother, but the tick remains

[270]

I've got the same thing. Here is what it MIGHT be:

 

1) Rocker end play

 

2) Cam chain tensioner

 

Scares the hell out of me as I'm super sensitive to motor noises, but at the same time it goes away at higher RPM's and isn't always there. I'll screw with later I guess...

[photojournalyst]

My 95 r110r with 45k makes the same noise, and I only really notice it when I'm at a light. There is sometimes also a light noise when I'm around 3k, goes away when I rev up. Dealership says that boxters make this noise, and it doesn't seem to effect the behavior of the bike at all, so I'm not going to worry.

[DEF]

Ride the bike...disregard the noise.....boxers produce a cacophony of sounds......yours are harmless. Valve lash MUST be performed with two equal feeler gauges in order to eliminate valve ticking.

 

Also, throttle butterflies will clack if missadjusted just slightly or the throttle shafts are worn.

 

Ride without worry.