I frequently keep hearing this clicking sound coming from the engine(i guess :dunno_black: ) and it only occurs when coming down to low revs, under 3k(ex: slowing down/coming to a stop). That sound happens for 2 seconds and then goes back to normal.
Tried filming on the phone but if was revved in neutral but it can still be heard
https://youtu.be/n9MfBxoz6zA
Any advice/suggestion is welcome since i don't have any idea :cheers:
There is some interesting concrete in that vid ;)
That clacking doesn't sound like metal on metal to me, it might be but doesn't sound like it.
The only non-metallic moving part in the engine I can think of is the cam chain guide the tensioner pushes against. If you put the handle of a long screwdriver against your ear and the working end of the screwdriver to different parts of the engine when the noise is happening you can narrow down where the noise is coming from. Easier said than done, especially when the noise is hard to repeat like yours...
Hope that at least gets you started on sorting it out.
Take it off of the centerstand and lean the bike over to the left. If this quiets down the noise somewhat, then this the "walking-cam" noise.
It is most pronounced in the 2004-05 models. It is caused by play, mostly in the exhaust cam, which allows it to walk side-to-side at low RPM. As you indicate:
the noise disappears around 3k rpm.
Good news: this is just a well-know noise problem and not indicative or damage. You don't need to fix anything.
Bad news: to get rid of the noise, you need to replace the cams and their end-washers with the upgraded 2006+ versions
If you search for "cam-walk noise" here, you should find my video where I show the play in the exhaust cam.
Thanks for the help!
I tried what you said with the leaning method and the sound is quieter, barely can hear it(tough my model is 2001). The weird thing is that the sound occurs only from time to time.
Well, i guess for this season i ll leave it as it is till winter when i ll take off the engine for an overall check up.
At least now you put my mind at ease knowing that my engine will not blow :embarassed: :D
Sorry for the late reply. I started a new job etc...
From what I've read, the pre-F engines only suffer mildly from this condition. First-gen F's were the worst
My 2005 clattered pretty badly once the engine heated up, but the noise always disappeared around 2500-3000 rpm.
I learned about the "leaning" trick from a Suzuki service bulletin posted here somewhere.
In your case I wouldn't recommend changing the cams, because you have a mechanical tach, and the updated cams don't
have the drive-gear for it.
A manual cam-chain tensioner might help a bit. Also, Buddha has some recommendations about various available Suzuki
cam-end washers to tighten up the older engines.
Cheers
That's what I did, put a thicker cam end washer in my 03 and noise gone!
Quote from: herennow on August 14, 2022, 12:52:28 AM
That's what I did, put a thicker cam end washer in my 03 and noise gone!
Cool, did you do both cams?
cant remember exactly but Im sure I did. :hithead:
Hello. I have the same sound under same conditions on my 1991 GS500. Hasn't tried the lean trick tho. My guess before reading this thread was balancer shaft bearings going bad. As it is happening to hot engine at relatively low rpm, it means oil is thinner and pressure is lower thus allowing oil to escape from gaps and noise to be produced.
I had it on my 89 especially as it got past 35K around 2004. I measured the cam end clearance. It was ~.35mm. The thinnest shim for the end (washer) was 1mm and they made 1.1 mm and 1.2 mm or some like that. Loud enough at .35 (1/3rd the thinnest).
This is how I fixed it.
I had an aluminum welder who put material on the cam end caps on the side facing the cam. Then I filed and sanded and smoothed and whatever it down till I had ~.1mm clearance. That is enough to take oil and keep it and prevent anything from wearing too fast. It worked as intended for 10K more atleast when I sold it. However I also repeated that process on the bike I currently have a couple years later and it only had 10K then. Its now pushing 20K. I should get a pic when I get into it next. BTW I have posted about this before.
Cool.
Buddha.
Hi dude,
Have you been able to solve this problem? I may have to open my motorcycle's crankcase.
yup, read one post up from yours