First Time Valve Check for me - Question

[DAM650]

Success, took a while. I have never worked on the boxer before. Had her since last July, and been trouble free so far. burns quite a bit of oil, i have added a couple of quarts over the course of a year of ownership.



started back up fine, what i noticed is a really loud ticking that is coming from the left hand throttle body.

i know, i checked. it really is. i stuck my ear on both cylinders and they are purring nicely, the right hand TB sounds as before but the left one is TICK TICK TICKING along with the rpms.

Any clue". the little that i know says that the valve adjustment has nothing to do with that. Am I wrong? If so, is my TB going bad?

I am getting about 37 mpg at best. but i like to twist the go handle. she runs like a dream, but just rolled 40K and i am getting a head start on the maintenance. i do mine every 5K just cos the math is easier than every 6 K

Off to warm her up and come back to sync up the TB's, check all cables and alternator belt.

changed the oil, diff, and trans a few weeks ago, new tires (stinko 009) feel great, i also had a wiggly paralever, re torqued the inside pin with the keeper nut and voila, play is all gone. sure feels nicer going around corners with that back tire planted versus moving back and forth 5/16"

thanks for your input everyone. i am really enjoying reading the posts here, and loving the boxer motor even more. so much to learn, so far to ride.

[EasyBee]

Sounds to me like a cam chain tensioner replacement https://youtu.be/Iyex9tVnQ-0

But just in case it's the valves https://youtu.be/Yu36vhL6j4c

[DAM650]

easy bee.

i just restarted and let it rev off the limiter for a couple seconds and poof the clacking sound is gone.

it was most definitely coming from the left throttle body. you could feel the vibration with your finger, and really hear it, versus listen with ear on the cylinder heads before they got too warm.

mysterious

[kirby]

Throttle shaft is worn and rattling a bit. If you ease a bit of throttle does it stop? or reach down and feel the wheel that the cable is hooked to and open it slightly and see if that makes a difference.
Not uncommon.

[towerworker]

Obviously you're on top of your maintenance and that's great! But don't forget an oft forgotten bit of the R's service and that's changing the coolant in the tankside radiators. I had my tank off today while doing some repair on the starter (had to disconnect the battery). And don't even get me started on BMW's decision to locate the battery under the tank! Thank goodness they finally saw the light of reason and put the battery where it should be and that's under the seat. But I digress........back to the subject at hand. Make sure you get the BMW antifreeze......not Prestone or Peak or whatever. Your local BMW motorcycle dealership can provide you with the right coolant, just go to the parts dept and tell them what you need.

[eburr]

Dude, that be total poo. Really?

[EasyBee]

Throttle shaft is worn and rattling a bit. If you ease a bit of throttle does it stop? or reach down and feel the wheel that the cable is hooked to and open it slightly and see if that makes a difference.
Not uncommon.

Explanation bij Chris H. https://youtu.be/TpNbzyLGva8

[sweatmark]

Here's another potential R1150** oilhead tick-tick-tick noise source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRXeaequvzk

Was not aware of this potential problem when I surfed last week on YouTube.

I'm planning to investigate this possible lifter problem for my Rockster, which has never been as smooth as my previous oilheads.

[peels]

Here's another potential R1150** oilhead tick-tick-tick noise source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRXeaequvzk

Was not aware of this potential problem when I surfed last week on YouTube.

I'm planning to investigate this possible lifter problem for my Rockster, which has never been as smooth as my previous oilheads.

Ive seen that vid.

I bet that tick is pretty loud, and constant.

[kirby]

You know what, I wonder about that explanation (u tube push rod noise).
Those push rods are always under compression. and really never in tension. Unless the ends are damaged?? in some weird?? way they can't move more than the clearance at the rocker arm and that is only at TDC on the compression stroke.

I have never checked tension on the rockers for the full 720 degrees. It begs the question??? Is there a dip somewhere in the cam profile that would allow the pushrod ends to move more than the clearance at TDC compression, and if so what would be the force that does that??? inertia???
Or badly damaged and loose??? Badly damaged from what? Lack of oil would surly seize them so they wouldn't move at all and then what makes the noise. (that was the conclusion they seemed to except)

Would be interesting to hear what happened after re assy.

Rocker are float out of limits will definitely cause a knock but I would not describe it as a tic.

I'm always leery of these U tube explanations, as I have seen some that were horrible. Some shade tree stuff of the highest order. Not that the creative thinking is bad but to put it out as fact is not so pretty good, and it stinks.

[sweatmark]

You know what, I wonder about that explanation (u tube push rod noise).
Those push rods are always under compression. and really never in tension. Unless the ends are damaged?? in some weird?? way they can't move more than the clearance at the rocker arm and that is only at TDC on the compression stroke...

Agreed, there would have to be alot of play in the cam-rod-rocker-spring-valve assembly to allow that early type rod to "click". I'm planning to examine the push rods anyway, since I was not aware a poetntial problem or design change.

But not until the damp dark of winter.

[kirby]

Amen!
Going to the eclipse?
Its up your way.

[sweatmark]

Amen!
Going to the eclipse?
Its up your way.

Center of eclipse zone of totality passes 1 mile from my house. I'm either (a) staying home, fridge stocked, beers cold; or (b) staying far, far away because a million people are expected to visit Oregon that weekend + Monday + Tuesday. I know a few folks who are renting their houses for $2000-3000 per night because all regular accomodations have been fully booked for 2 years. Who knew the eclispse stuff was so crazy?!

[kirby]

Its a big deal for sure. I'm going to a spot near Casper WY on the rock!

Crossing your house.... might be an omen!

cheers.

[DAM650]

Obviously you're on top of your maintenance and that's great! But don't forget an oft forgotten bit of the R's service and that's changing the coolant in the tankside radiators. I had my tank off today while doing some repair on the starter (had to disconnect the battery). And don't even get me started on BMW's decision to locate the battery under the tank! Thank goodness they finally saw the light of reason and put the battery where it should be and that's under the seat. But I digress........back to the subject at hand. Make sure you get the BMW antifreeze......not Prestone or Peak or whatever. Your local BMW motorcycle dealership can provide you with the right coolant, just go to the parts dept and tell them what you need.

They only use unicorn urine with rainbow sparkles at a la mo de bmw in satx.

Only $395 per quart

[DAM650]

Throttle shaft is worn and rattling a bit. If you ease a bit of throttle does it stop? or reach down and feel the wheel that the cable is hooked to and open it slightly and see if that makes a difference.
Not uncommon.

It was clacking loud, from making zero extra sound after I started the motor upon completion of the valve check.

Turned off, restarted a couple times, same. Started again and revved full throttle for a couple seconds and poof. Back to normal. Rode 1400 plus miles to west Texas and back and she ran flawlessly, albeit avg about 35 mpg.

[CycleRob]

I just restarted and let it rev off the limiter for a couple seconds and poof the clacking sound is gone.

Yeow!
Not only does bouncing off the rev limiter NOT do any good to any engine part, it can do some harm to piston ring lands and many moving valve train parts.
The clacking went away after the closed throttle redline RPM huge vacuum randomly repositioned the left side throttle shaft.
We can agree that the throttle shafts and bushings are worn and need to be replaced . . . by a real OilHead (BMW?) mechanic, as the R&R procedure requires patience, accuracy, knowledge and high quality tools -IF- you want to get ALL the benefits of replacing those worn parts.

[DAM650]

I just restarted and let it rev off the limiter for a couple seconds and poof the clacking sound is gone.

Yeow!
Not only does bouncing off the rev limiter NOT do any good to any engine part, it can do some harm to piston ring lands and many moving valve train parts.
The clacking went away after the closed throttle redline RPM huge vacuum randomly repositioned the left side throttle shaft.
We can agree that the throttle shafts and bushings are worn and need to be replaced . . . by a real OilHead (BMW?) mechanic, as the R&R procedure requires patience, accuracy, knowledge and high quality tools -IF- you want to get ALL the benefits of replacing those worn parts.

i appreciate your advice on the high rpm.

perhaps they are worn. over a recent 1200 mile trip to the davis mtns i have never heard the noise again, nor can i find any type of play indicating worn bushing or shaft.

when it comes time to do repairs and maintenance, i work on my own stuff because nobody loves your kids like you do. the dealership not only rapes your wallet, but mostly really don't offer quality and care in the service dept. last and only time i took my F bike into stealership for a tire was in 2004, i wound up having to feed the valve stem through the rim after three guys tried for half an hour. finally my patience ran out and i finished the entire job myself, asking them all not to touch my bike any more.

i have been doing all the maintenance, repairs, and installing and building custom parts on my F bike since 2004 so i suppose that qualifies me as a "real" mechanic. i also worked for the local ISD as a diesel mechanic, making sure the kids get to and from school safely. so i can tackle most anything that does not require welding or machining here at home.

there is a how to video on the cata dan kit, and there is a step by step with photos on adv. looks fairly straightforward

i really love this forum, and my other club "the chaingang" at www.f650.com. such fantastic communities, i look forward to becoming a lifer here and hopefully meeting you on the road some day

thank you

DAM