Engine Knock Bulletin #139

[Libido]

FYI, I have a copy of the Service Bulletin re: GS500F Engine Knock at Idle that has generated lots of discussion here.  It is No. 139 revised 3/21/06 and references engine numbers M504-125865 and earlier, and I can send it to somone via Word document to place in the FAQ's (I don't know how).

Quoting from the Bulletin - "This knocking noise may be caused by the camshafts walking side to side during operation due to excessive end play.  The "walking" movement will not cause damage."

However, my dealer said the extensive fix is covered under warranty if desired (i.e., camshafts, tappets, etc.).

Shouldn't I be eligible for an avatar for finding this?

~ JP

[TragicImage]

anyone can have an avatar there buddy, just edit your profile... they'll have a spot for you to enter one.

[Libido]

I also have the earlier Bulletin No. 139  from 5/2/2005 for engine numbers M504-1258966 and later that calls only for "a wave washer and two thrust washers."

[annguyen1981]

Where did you find this precious information?

Can you email me the two word documents?

annguyen1981@yahoo.com

[rangerbrown]

what if this comes out after the 1 year goes out? 2004 here

[annguyen1981]

That would suck.  Luckily, I've got the additional 3-yr protection

[Egaeus]

So would the fix be the same for the E engines?  If I could get away with the washers, I'd love to get rid of the noise.  I'm almost positive that it's the camshaft, but I'd like to know for sure.  It goes tink a tink a tink mainly when I let off the throttle and sometimes at idle. 

[annguyen1981]

I'm assuming it's the same for all the GS500 engines, no matter what year.  But the dealer probably won't fix anything unless it's still got the warranty.

[Egaeus]

Heck, I'd just want the washers.  I've taken the cams out before....

[blue05twin]

Now that we have An's email address we should sign him up for some dating services websites 

[annguyen1981]

They don't send duplicate emails to one account.  I've already signed up for 'em.

[The Buddha]

The 96 I am working on has a pair of them washers ... one on intake and one on the exhaust. never before have I seen one with it. I have actually had to weld and grind out my 89 to take up the slack cos in 15K miles the damn thing wore from .35 to like .5 all the while rattling like it was chewing up a bunch of boulders. PITA or ... Pain In The Ear ... PITE. The thinnest one is 1mm. Would ahve taken 100,000 miles.
Cool.
Srinath.

[WildBlue]

Actually this really surprises me that F models would have the camshaft end play problem.  My 2002 has a washer on the left end of each camshaft to prevent just that, and it's never done the knocking that I've heard so many people here describe.  Why would they have stopped putting the washers on later models if it was a known problem?   

I'm assuming it's the same for all the GS500 engines, no matter what year.  But the dealer probably won't fix anything unless it's still got the warranty.

I think it depends on the kind of bulletin.  They'll fix it no matter what if it's safety-critical, which I know this is not, but might as well try asking them.  If not, like Egaeus said, they could just sell you the washers.  I mean, how expensive can they be, they're just... washers.

[wever411]

So has anyone here actually had this fix done under warranty? Does this affect the 06 model? I don't know what my engine number is and I'm not sure what the engine knock sounds like.

[The Buddha]

Actually this really surprises me that F models would have the camshaft end play problem.  My 2002 has a washer on the left end of each camshaft to prevent just that, and it's never done the knocking that I've heard so many people here describe.  Why would they have stopped putting the washers on later models if it was a known problem?   

I'm assuming it's the same for all the GS500 engines, no matter what year.  But the dealer probably won't fix anything unless it's still got the warranty.

I think it depends on the kind of bulletin.  They'll fix it no matter what if it's safety-critical, which I know this is not, but might as well try asking them.  If not, like Egaeus said, they could just sell you the washers.  I mean, how expensive can they be, they're just... washers.

The damn washers are $10 each ... BTW the parts number is somethign else and its called a cam shaft end play shim. the freaking bag they come in say washer ... the parts guys were laughing their asses off when they saw me pay that much for washers. BTW its not a question of "they were putting it and it was working and they stopped". The damn thing is 1mm thick minimum and you will hear a racket at 1/4th of that. At .5mm mine were insane. I ended up putting material on the inside of the cam caps and machining it down. So I have seen several bikes without, and recently I saw one with. my 10th GS in fact.
Cool.
Srinath.

[natedawg120]

Mine has the wavy washer fix, came like that from the dealer.  You can still hear it but its not nearly as noticable. 

[foxx]

i had the same problem it is a factory problem and is a recall bring it to the dealer and they will fix it it may take about a month that is how long it took them to do mine

[annguyen1981]

I'm waiting until the end of the riding season before I take mine in.

Although I'm scared to "fix" this.  What if they screw something up