89 with 17k miles, motor was started and idling when it started making the noise.   Any help of what to look for would be greatly appreciated.


Video of motor running

http://youtu.be/cay3G1RkAKU

Early engines are known for noise due to camshaft end play. Annoying but not harmful. Video listed as private, no access for me.

regards
Mech

sorry about the video, it is now fixed and viewable

I can't access that vid either. If it's a light 'rustling' sound - cams endfloat or clearances. If it's more of a rattling, clattering sound it could be the starter clutch is loose and is rattling against the Alternator rotor (the starter clutch is bolted to the back of the rotor). I've just fixed mine ('89 model), -as well as the clattering noise it had affected charging system too.

Kinda sounds like this to me

That's my bike before I fixed the starter clutch. To verify that it was a starter clutch I checked the CCT was working correctly, verified no play in the cams, and placed a long screw driver on the left hand side cover and put it up to my ear while running. The noise was worse on the left hand side rather than the right.

Check out my thread on it here: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=65904.msg791298#msg791298

Also

Honestly, that motor sounds really good.

Is the motor supposed to be that noisy?

I don't hear anything too untoward. Definitely not cam float, that tends to come and go with a random tapping sound and once you have heard it its instantly recognisable.. :dunno_black

Valves sound a little bit noisy though, at 17k they have probably never been done. I wouldn't be put off but I would be thinking about checking the clearances, synching the carbs and giving it some fresh oil.

Point out your concerns to the seller and try and get get something knocked off to cover the cost 

This is the noise a floating cam makes, not difficult to identify or recognise.

Not sure if its the same with paralell twins but I had a similar 'tap' on my 125, sent it in and they said the 'tappets' needed re-aligning. As I said I don't know much about the engines in the GS500s yet though. As Im getting mine on saturday!

QuoteNot sure if its the same with paralell twins but I had a similar 'tap' on my 125, sent it in and they said the 'tappets' needed re-aligning. As I said I don't know much about the engines in the GS500s yet though. As Im getting mine on saturday!

You shouldn't need to re-align any thing the cams hit the shims, the shims sit in the buckets and should not move out of place at all. Some older bikes had tappets that would need adjusted, I never head of aligning them though.

Quote from: robfriedenberger on January 28, 2014, 11:19:40 PM

QuoteNot sure if its the same with paralell twins but I had a similar 'tap' on my 125, sent it in and they said the 'tappets' needed re-aligning. As I said I don't know much about the engines in the GS500s yet though. As Im getting mine on saturday!

You shouldn't need to re-align any thing the cams hit the shims, the shims sit in the buckets and should not move out of place at all. Some older bikes had tappets that would need adjusted, I never head of aligning them though.

Not 100% sure, I'm not a mechanic - it wasn't an old bike really, 2010 and the bike shop had it in to re-align them apparently, fixed the tapping noise!

Quote from: sledge on January 28, 2014, 12:48:59 AM
This is the noise a floating cam makes, not difficult to identify or recognise.

eyewww my '90 makes that noise. 

As for cam shaft float noise.....

There is a washer at the end of the can shafts. If that is missing you get float and noise. However, most people probably do not know there are 4 different thicknesses of that washer. Yep - check the parts list. Put one in of the correct thickness and they won't float. Take your cams off and accidentally swap washers (thinking they are the same) and one cam could start knocking because the washers are different thicknesses.

I had a mechanic look at the bike and the only thing he could find was play in the clutch basket