K7GLE
New member
All -
Not oilhead specific, but I'm not sure how to cross-post.
I posted some time ago about a strange noise coming from my fuel tank after a filter change...a gurgle that lasted as long as the fuel pump spin-up. That seemed to go away when the tank was full so I quit worrying about it (well, actively worrying about it, anyway...).
A few weeks ago, about 1500 miles into what turned out to be a 7700 mile Seattle/Fairbanks round trip, I started hearing a whining, pump-like noise any time the key was on. Varied in pitch and volume...seemed worse when the bike was cold, at which time it was loud enough to hear through helmet and earplugs if the bike wasn't running. It was pretty obviously not coming from inside the tank.
Got home a few days ago, stripped off the Tupperware and did some serious poking around. It drove me nuts...I only have one good ear, and even using a paper towel tube to try to isolate the source I couldn't find the it. Obviously from the front of the bike, but at the top of the engine? Nearer the tranny (fuel pressure regulator)?
As you can see from the title of this post, it turned out to be the frickin' headlamp!!
I had replaced the stock halogen H4 a couple of weeks before leaving with a (supposedly) brighter direct replacement LED...which has a little cooling fan built into its nose. Evidently three weeks was long enough for the fan bearing to start to complain. It's much louder when installed than when just hanging loose on the cable, so the headlight shell is apparently amplifying it.
The Mrs. cleaned up the basement while I was gone so I no longer have the packaging, and there are no brand markings on the bulb, but I'm reasonably sure it was manufactured by one of our large trading partners across the Pacific. I bought it at O'Reilly's for about $20.
Thought you'd like to know.
Not oilhead specific, but I'm not sure how to cross-post.
I posted some time ago about a strange noise coming from my fuel tank after a filter change...a gurgle that lasted as long as the fuel pump spin-up. That seemed to go away when the tank was full so I quit worrying about it (well, actively worrying about it, anyway...).
A few weeks ago, about 1500 miles into what turned out to be a 7700 mile Seattle/Fairbanks round trip, I started hearing a whining, pump-like noise any time the key was on. Varied in pitch and volume...seemed worse when the bike was cold, at which time it was loud enough to hear through helmet and earplugs if the bike wasn't running. It was pretty obviously not coming from inside the tank.
Got home a few days ago, stripped off the Tupperware and did some serious poking around. It drove me nuts...I only have one good ear, and even using a paper towel tube to try to isolate the source I couldn't find the it. Obviously from the front of the bike, but at the top of the engine? Nearer the tranny (fuel pressure regulator)?
As you can see from the title of this post, it turned out to be the frickin' headlamp!!
I had replaced the stock halogen H4 a couple of weeks before leaving with a (supposedly) brighter direct replacement LED...which has a little cooling fan built into its nose. Evidently three weeks was long enough for the fan bearing to start to complain. It's much louder when installed than when just hanging loose on the cable, so the headlight shell is apparently amplifying it.
The Mrs. cleaned up the basement while I was gone so I no longer have the packaging, and there are no brand markings on the bulb, but I'm reasonably sure it was manufactured by one of our large trading partners across the Pacific. I bought it at O'Reilly's for about $20.
Thought you'd like to know.
