Strange engine noises VTR1000F 1997

[krzychu_1981]

Hi,
I bought my VTR 3 weeks ago, and previous owner told me that this sound appeared about one year ago but he didn't concern. Sound can be heard only on idle speed, when engine is cold. On hot engine it appears some times but not so often like when engine is cold. Do you have any ideas what it might be. I probably saw all movies on YouTube with bad CCT'c or slack cam chain and they don't sound like this. By the way, my VTR mileage is 62k.
Thank you in advance,


Chris

[krzychu_1981]

Sorry, I forgot about link to the movie.

[Wicky]

Use a screwdriver to your ear and place to where you suspect the noise to be coming from.

When was it last serviced i.e valve clearances. and has it got the original CCTs (cam chain tensioners) or is it fitted with after- market manual CCTs?

[954luca]

As above have you changed cct yet to manuals.

Sound a little like an air leak, maybe from exhaust headers? Or somewhere else?

[vtrjames]

from the camera position etc it looks rear cyl head noise? is that where the noise is loudest? i would time up the rear head , take off the rocker cover and check the valve clearances/valves/cct and chain. for all the time that will take and will rule it out if its not! but it kind of sounds like it.

[krzychu_1981]

OK, I checked with srewdriver and I think the noise comes from rear CCT, or clutch. Moreover I noticed that when I start the engine on side stand the noise starts always but when I start the engine in vertical position noise doesn't start so often. As I wrote above my vtr has 62k miles and I have all service history and I have never found there that CCT's or cam chains were replaced. I have regular Honda CCT's.

[AMCQ46]

Cam chains don't need replacing, they strech and the tensioner compensates. The CCT should be treated as a service item but Honda don't tell you to do it.


I would normally tell you to do the stopper mod on the existing CCTs but as you are trying to locate the source of your noise, you need to be sure the rear CCT is tensioning the chain fully, and doing the stopper won't change that of the CCT is already weak. (but mostly it is the front that fails, as the rear spring sits in oil due to its orientation ).
In this case either get a new pair CCT and fit that ( with stopper mod) or try manuals, then you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
A) tell if the noise was a slack cam chain
B) protect your bike from bent valves.

Good luck with the investigation

[Wicky]

+1 on wot AMCQ46 wrote

Plus while you're at it check valve clearances front & rear and if necessary replace shims.

[Stratman]

Does the noise change/go away when you pull in the clutch lever?

[oldbikeman]

You have a slack cam chain slapping about try the rear cylinder first.Check for a broken or worn guide blade and the CCT condition.Both chains should be renewed.

[tony.mon]

You have a slack cam chain slapping about try the rear cylinder first.Check for a broken or worn guide blade and the CCT condition.Both chains should be renewed.

I can't agree.
A cam chain failing is rare, very rare.
They stretch, but then within a few miles so will a new one, so no advantage at all. And a stretched chain will make no more noise than a brand new one, so that isn't the cause of the noise. Unless there's damage on inspection the cam chains won't need replacing.

Guide blades wear slightly, but once the rollers start to ride on the blade surface (the chain side plates wear small grooves into the blade in the first few thousand miles) then no further wear of any importance takes place.
I've never know or heard of a broken blade.
Unless there's damage on inspection the blades won't need replacing.

CCT condition is the only answer, unless this is a valve clearance, clutch, clutch bearing, other engine bearing, or general engine wear issue.
I'd suggest investigating in the following order:
CLUTCH: does the noise go away when the clutch lever is pulled in?
CCT's- check if original; if so check for whether they have had the stopper mod done. Checking spring tension with a small screwdriver down the end of both should tell you.
VALVE CLEARANCES: measure and reshim if necessary.

If it's not those, there are deeper problems and the engine needs inspection.

However- these engines make a few noises all of their own, try to compare yours to others, get to a meetup or find a local forum member to give you an opinion.

[StormingHonda]

With regards to the noise, I would be very worried about it, if I didnt have manual CCTS on mine I wouldnt ride it again until fitting manuals and check valve clearance kill two birds with one stone, after that if the noise is still there, then its time to think about opening up the engine.

Try listening to the video without watching the video, know it sounds wierd but the sound does become more prenounced.

[krzychu_1981]

You have a slack cam chain slapping about try the rear cylinder first.Check for a broken or worn guide blade and the CCT condition.Both chains should be renewed.

I can't agree.
A cam chain failing is rare, very rare.
They stretch, but then within a few miles so will a new one, so no advantage at all. And a stretched chain will make no more noise than a brand new one, so that isn't the cause of the noise. Unless there's damage on inspection the cam chains won't need replacing.

Guide blades wear slightly, but once the rollers start to ride on the blade surface (the chain side plates wear small grooves into the blade in the first few thousand miles) then no further wear of any importance takes place.
I've never know or heard of a broken blade.
Unless there's damage on inspection the blades won't need replacing.

CCT condition is the only answer, unless this is a valve clearance, clutch, clutch bearing, other engine bearing, or general engine wear issue.
I'd suggest investigating in the following order:
CLUTCH: does the noise go away when the clutch lever is pulled in?
CCT's- check if original; if so check for whether they have had the stopper mod done. Checking spring tension with a small screwdriver down the end of both should tell you.
VALVE CLEARANCES: measure and reshim if necessary.

If it's not those, there are deeper problems and the engine needs inspection.

However- these engines make a few noises all of their own, try to compare yours to others, get to a meetup or find a local forum member to give you an opinion.

I checked clutch, pulling clutch lever doesn't resolve the problem. But I think that clutch is ok.
Next week I will check valves clearence, cam chains and inspect CCT's. One of my friend rides VFR and he told me that for 90% it's caused by clapping valve. If finally I figure out what's the problem I will let you know
In only I will figure out what causes this sound I will let you know.

[oldbikeman]

Last I'll say on it but I've taken cam chains off bikes (thousands)so stretched you can lift the chain straight off the sprockets without letting off the tensioner and how they have not slipped is amazing but that's what they do.One thing for sure is don't run the motor as it is as you have been lucky so far.