| Author | Message | ||
     Jhallgren |
Hi guys, I have a weird rattle on slight acceleration that sounds like it's coming from the airbox or throttle body area. I start to hear it when I am just easing on the throttle at 3000 rpm. I can hear it all the way up to 5000 rpm. So If I just cruise at 4500 and then accelerate slightly I can hear it as well. At around 5000 its a constant rattling. It almost sounds like small pinging, that is the best way I can describe it, but it would make more sense under heavy acceleration. If I accelerate harder I do not hear it, probably because of the resonance coming from the throttle body. I have tried to pin point it but can not. Seems to be near the front. Almost sounds like the rattle is coming from the throttle body. I can't duplicate the sound with no load on the engine. So If I rev the engine to 3500 while sitting, I can't really hear it. Any Suggestions on what it might be or where to start looking? I have not tried to take the airbox cover off yet and see if it gets louder, but might try that tonight if I have some free time. I have 15,250 on the clock. I have had the Uly since new. I didn't hear this last year. Any Suggestions would be appreciated. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Check the horn under your flyscreen. when that buzzes up against the flyscreen, it sounds like it could be anywhere. | ||
| Jhallgren |
The horn has already been moved. Any other suggestions. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Does it do it when the bike is stationary? Just wondering if you'd have a better chance of pin-pointing it with the bike stopped and on the side-stand. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
Ride with the airbox cover off. Maybe the exhaust servo is loose. | ||
| Rwcfrank |
It could be pinging if you have an 06 | ||
| Jhallgren |
No I can't duplicate it on the side stand. I have an 09. I am going to take the air box cover off and see if it gets louder. I will report back if I find anything or the noise is louder. | ||
| Nateba |
I had a sort of metallic rattle from right under the airbox recently, but I could hear it on the sidestand as well. One of the cogs in the servo motor was misaligned and was preventing the others from spinning. | ||
| Hughlysses |
That's a good thought- I believe the RPM range he describes would be when the servo would be operating. Just to be sure, I'd suggest doing the servo test- pull the outer airbox cover, twist the throttle grip wide open, turn the ignition on (but don't start the bike). The servo should cycle fully open and fully closed. If it doesn't, or if the motion is jerky/not smooth, the gears are probably bad and you should replace the servo. | ||
| Jhallgren |
I will try the servo test. That didn't even come to mind. Will check that and let you guys know. Thanks for the replies. | ||
| Nobuell |
Did you recently install a K&N air filter? When I installed mine, I could not believe the extra amount of noise. It was so noticeable, I reinstalled the standard filter just to make sure the noise was a result the the new filter | ||
| Jhallgren |
Nobuell, I have had a K&N in since new. | ||
| Jhallgren |
Well I finally got some time tonight to remove the airbox. Exhaust valve actuator is working fine with no noises. Rode with the airbox off and could not hear the metallic rattle get any louder. Crappy thing is I have been riding to work this week and the noise is now starting to make a noise at lower RPM's. It's a new noise that sounds like a vacuum leak but it's not. I checked the intake seals and vacuum ports off the throttle body . No issues there. I removed the lower airbox cover to gain access to the throttle body. The noise that's sounds like the vacuum leak was easier to hear. The best way I can explain the new noise is, like taking a cheap plastic whistle and blowing on it with your mouth two or three inches away from it. Lol sorry for that example, but that was what came to mind when I hear my 5 year old daughter blowing on a whistle with out her putting her lips on the whistle. So I busted out my auto stethoscope and started listening around with the engine at idle. After digging around I found the vacuum noise at idle to be coming from the rear rocker box. I increased the RPM to 3500 - 4000 and hear the metallic rattle coming from the same area. Sounds like both noises are actually the same noise with different harmonics at different RPM's. So what do you guys think I should do? Should I tear it down or should I ride it the rest of the season? My season hear in Illinois ends around November. Would hate to have to have the Uly down for a month or so waiting for parts. Sorry for the long post, but wanted to be in depth with my findings. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Is it possible that the PCV is doing it? | ||
| Jhallgren |
Removed it cuz I thought that may be it too. Still made the noise. | ||
| Desertjeff |
Sounds like pre-ignition to me. I have to mix regular and high octane gas to keep mine from rattling in the heat. | ||
| Hughlysses |
The throttle conditions he describes it happening under aren't consistent with spark knock. If it's coming from the rear rocker box, it would seem to be valve-related. Maybe a collapsed lifter? | ||
| Jhallgren |
Hugh, would a collapsed lifter cause the vacuum leak odd sound though? I looked in my parts manual at the exploded rocker box diagram, and thought it possibly could be a rocker shaft bushing. But I am all ears on suggestions. | ||
| Hughlysses |
No, the lifter wouldn't cause anything like a vacuum leak sound. Did you check the rear spark plug? We've had a couple of cases of spark plugs coming "unscrewed". Just a thought. | ||
| Wesman |
If the fuel was low and the day was hot, the almost boiling fuel will make the bike ping. If it doesn't do it in the morning while cool and the air is cool it could be the prob......your are going to hear all kinds of noises from the bike while it's reved and stationary and using a stethoscope. Ride it early in the morning with the tank full and see it the noise is still there. (Message edited by wesman on June 22, 2013) (Message edited by wesman on June 22, 2013) | ||
| Jhallgren |
Wesman, It does it anytime. When the bike is cold or hot. Doesn't matter on the ambient temp outside or how much fuel is in the tank. I am leaning towards a rocker shaft bushing that maybe wearing funny and causing the rattle at higher RPM's and the odd whirring vacuum leak sound at lower RPM's and at idle. I may just ride it the rest of the season and hope it doesn't get to bad and wait till winter to tear into it and see what is wrong in the back rocker box. | ||
| Jhallgren |
Hi guys, well the noise is starting to get louder. I'm kinda bummed about it. I am at a loss as if it's the rocker box now or something else like a piston pin making the noise. I have an appointment next Tuesday with the local dealer in my area to ride in and have a tech take it for a ride and listen to it. Will let you guys know what they say. | ||
| Marksm |
Just put mine in the shop for that. Turned out one of the valve guides is shot and the head is slightly warped. They relate it to a leaky rocker box gasket that I've lived with for the last 15K. | ||
| Jhallgren |
@Marksm, Was it the rear head? How many miles on the engine? I used a stethoscope last night at idle and I can hear it slightly coming from the rear head. It's has gotten louder in the last 150 miles and can hear it fluttering a lot more now. Currently neither Rocker Box is leaking. (Message edited by jhallgren on July 12, 2013) | ||
| Tootal |
I wonder if your head gasket is leaking? It will make a fluttering sound that will obviously change with rpm. This happened on an old Harley and I was able to nurse it to the dealer since I was on the road. As I pulled into the dealer the gasket completely blew making a much louder sound! A mechanic poked his head out of the door and says, "Sounds expensive!".  | ||
| Jhallgren |
I guess that's a possibility but I checked both heads and don't see any signs of leakage. It's definitely a metalic Pinging rattle that stays through out the whole RPM range and is engine speed dependent. I was thinking it maybe a rocker shaft bushing going bad and fluttering but what Marksm said, also gave me a thought that it could possibly even be the valve guide. Will let you guys know what the tech says when I ride it in on Tuesday for them to hear it. | ||
| Etennuly |
What oil you running? Your profile says Mobil 1. My engine and several others I have been around have all been noisy with full syn oils in them during the summer heat. Look at the oil chart in the SM or your owners manual, it will tell you to have 60W oil in it. This works. It will make your engine quieter than ever. It is my thought that you are hearing piston skirt slap with thin oil. I have not been riding much the past couple of years so when I went for a ride today in the summer heat with my last winter's oil, a 15-40W oil, I heard a metallic clattering noise under light throttle at what ever RPM. A little throttle or up hill load and the noise goes away. I have had this happen before when I ran the thinner full syn oils in the summer simply because I thought a full syn oil would be better than what the books says about a straight 60W. I was proven wrong by the results of a quieter engine. Oh yeah.....I will be changing my oil to 60W before I go out again this summer. | ||
| Marksm |
Yes, the rear head. It has a little over 34K on it and I have used Castrol dino oil and most recently Mobil1. | ||
| Jhallgren |
Etennuly, I am running Mobil 1 Vtwin oil 20W50. Have been running it since the first oil change. The noise is not worse in hotter temps. It was 59 degrees Friday evening when I went out for a ride and the noise is louder when the temp is cooler. The noise gets quieter with the air temp higher but is still noticeable. Marksm, did you have the dealer replace the head, or did you do it yourself? If the dealer did it, how much did they charge? | ||
| Slowride |
Vern, Good call out on the 60wt oil. I took the Uly out about 3 weeks ago on a 500 miler and did about 100+ miles of that on gravel roads following 2 KTM 990's. Needless to say the Uly was getting hot. On the way back in 90+ degree temps the Uly started to get that metallic noise when I was under moderate to heavy throttle as well as being really noisy at idle. Flash forward to yesterday evening, I pulled the Uly out to clean her up from that trip and put a new set of tires on her. After I got the tires on I took it to the car wash for a dust off. On the way there the bike was still real noisy (89 last night) at idle, but still ran like a scalded dog after the dust off and during the drying cycle on the freeway. I tested the full throttle roll on last night and had no metal slapping noise (i.e. ping), so I will give in that the frame and fuel was hot a couple weeks back. Mark said he runs Amsoil in both holes on this Uly and I was wondering if the noise was due to the syn oil. Back when I had my other 06 Uly, I ran the 60wt dino oil in the summers (100+ days) in Texas and Syn in the winters. I never heard the noise back then on the Uly, but my old Uly didn't have over 60k on the engine either. I am going to do an oil swap today and see how she sounds. Still getting crazy 58 - 60 mpg on this girl. |
