Sudden crazy whining after cold start?!

[Tekime]

Just started my 2005 GS500F and it's making this crazy whining noise. I quickly got this video then turned it off for fear of destroying something.

Almost sounds like a car in reverse (or maybe something from the Jetsons?!)

A little background: bike is in generally great shape, ride it daily. Battery has been struggling a bit lately, planning to replace this month along with tires. Starts hard in temps < 50F. A few times recently I got a very loud "clunk" while the starter was spinning.

Started up after a few tries tonight (cool night, nothing abnormal), but immediately started making this sound. Was just riding it 3 hours ago and nothing unusual.

Any idea what's happening here?!

[Big Rich]

I can't listen to the video (problem on my end), but could it be a dry tachometer cable? The colder it is outside, the more my tach cable squeaks and whirs. You can test for yourself by disconnecting the cable at the engine side next time you hear it.

[gsJack]

That knocking noise sounds worse than the whining noise to me.  Sounds like a loose starter clutch, I had one last year.  Wait for a few more opinions though before you start tearing it apart, there are many younger ears around here than mine if fact probably all of them.  Does the knock go away above 2-3k or so rpm?

[Tekime]

You mean where it gets knocky near the end of the vid? Yes it sounds like that after starting cold until revs get over 2k, just when it's idling very low.

The clunk while starting I'm pretty sure is a dying battery - it almost starts then CLUNK. Charging the battery it starts immediately every time.

Will keep the tach cable in mind!

Feeling like I might need to pull that stator cover off, I've heard something about goats and it sounds ugly. 

[bmf]

Try a know good battery before pulling the cover, I've heard of goats symptoms that were eventually traced to a bad batteries.

[Jimbob]

Yeah clunk when starting could be the battery mine did that when the battery was out its way out and after i replaced the battery it never happened again.
I would probably check the starter clutch because that knocking at low revs happened to me and the 3 bolts were stripped once i replaced them that fixed the knocking too

[W201028]

Yea Ive heard the clunk many times when starting very cold with a crappy battery. Think its when starter finally overcomes top dead center and the crank shaft suddenly turns faster than the starter is.

If its a loose flywheel, dont worry, you will find out real soon. One day you will try to start it and the starter will just spin and spin, without moving the motor. Then its time to pull the stator cover and tighten it up. Real easy job, and if you lay the bike on its side (I used a jack stand on the handlebar) you wont even lose any oil.

I havnt had goats or any broken stator plate screws, so I cant comment on how that sounds/feels before things go bad.

[Tekime]

Thanks for the tips. Still can't guess at the whining noise, it was sudden and sounds almost like an electric motor or trans in reverse to me.

Does the knock sound that bad? It's always been really "chuggy" when cold.

It seems to run fine just real nervous to run it with the sudden weird noise. The video kind of amplifies the knocking (at night next to a fence kind of echoing it) but in person the whining is wayy louder.

[W201028]

That whine might be a timing chain guide, maybe from an out of adjusment tensioner, but I cant say for sure. I always thought the gs was pretty whiney at high rpms when tucked in, compared to other twins. I wouldnt expect that at low rpms though.

Its not super easy, but if you pull the valve cover off you might be able to shine a flashlight in and inspect the front and rear timing chain guides. If you are mechanically inclined, there are a ton of guides here for checking the valves, which will get you where you need to be.

I agree with you on not wanting to ride it with that sound, better to inspect and fix now while the pistons and valves are still separate pieces.

[Tekime]

Picked up a new battery today and drove it the 50ft into my shop/scary shed dungeon -- definitely sounds like it's coming from the top end but weird alien noises are also coming from near the stator cover. 

Wanted to do the valves soon anyway so looks like now is the time. Will take a close look, also check the starter/etc.. just need to find the time now!

[Janx101]

That whining /chirpy noise..... Not a small exhaust leak at the head? Bad gasket with just a very very small leak? ... Or down the pip somewhere? ... Ipad sound isn't that great but it just has a whistling quality edge to that noise ... For me anyway. 

[Tekime]

That whining /chirpy noise..... Not a small exhaust leak at the head? Bad gasket with just a very very small leak? ... Or down the pip somewhere? ... Ipad sound isn't that great but it just has a whistling quality edge to that noise ... For me anyway. 

Yeah I definitely hear the whistling quality too. First thing I did was inspect the exhaust header to see if it was loose, looked over the pipe. Nothing obvious but it was a quick check. Should be a lot easier to tell with the fairings off.

[Janx101]

Or perhaps that cross pipe.... ?

[Tekime]

Took the fairings off and couldn't pinpoint the noise but on a whim I tightened just one of the exhaust header bolts 1/8 of a turn... started her up and the whining is totally gone. Either a coincidence or there was just a tiny bit of air escaping from the exhaust header. Anyway getting some shims & stuff ordered for a tune up and thorough check but it sounds and runs fine for now 

[Janx101]

... yeah it reminded me of noise after a few days of new exhaust on a 350 Chev motor I used to have.... good result bro!

[Tekime]

... yeah it reminded me of noise after a few days of new exhaust on a 350 Chev motor I used to have.... good result bro!

Yeah man definitely good result! Nice call on that