tapping when hot

My R1100RT has a tapping sound from the right side chain tensioner at times. The niose will come and go but more often that not is present. It usually starts after the temp hits 5 bars. I have replaced both tensioners, and shimmed the spring in the right tensioner. (this quieted the noise over all but it's still there just not as loud). I use Mobil 15-50 oil with a factory filter. No other noises in the engine. Any ideas????
Thanks,
Bob

Bob1100RTC said:

My R1100RT has a tapping sound from the right side chain tensioner at times. The niose will come and go but more often that not is present. It usually starts after the temp hits 5 bars. I have replaced both tensioners, and shimmed the spring in the right tensioner. (this quieted the noise over all but it's still there just not as loud). I use Mobil 15-50 oil with a factory filter. No other noises in the engine. Any ideas????
Thanks,
Bob

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Definitely the engine...not the throttle body?

Definately the tensioner. I used a stethascope to isolate the noise.

Hi Bob. I've been dealing with the same problem for months. I have 44k miles on my engine and change oil at 3k miles. I became aware of it when I hear the local police bikes and they are extremely quiet and abused beyond belief.

This is what I have learned:

1. I also use the Mobil 1 15w50 also. It has the lowest viscosity of any of the synthetics out there(17.1cP). I have not heard your bike but, my chain tap comes and goes at 5 bars. When my engine warms to 6 bars it gets quieter. My chain noise is virtually non-existant. I can send you links on the different oils I have looked at but, the Mobil 1 Vtwin(20w50) has a viscosity I think of 20.1cP and would deliver a bit more pressure at the tensioner.

2. The work that seems to have helped my bike the most is closing the rocker arm clearances. My dealer at the 600 mile service left the clearances at .006in on the left and .025in on the right. BMW spec.s say they are to be set at the min. .002in and the allowable range is .002in to .016in. If you don't set the clearances to .002 you cannot get a good valve adjustment. If the clearance is too great you can push up on the rocker arm and the feeler gauge will literally fall out of the valve. You may know all of this and I apologize if you do.

These are my guesses:

1. You and I have loose main bearings which would reduce the amount of oil pressure at the tensioner.

OR

2. The rocker arms were not set up at the dealer correctly and the overhead cams were not as stable in the head as they should be. If the rocker clearances are right and the valves are correct the cam should be closer and more stable to where the oil enters the cam bearing. This would reflected in a higher oil pressure at the tensioner. AGAIN this is just a guess. But, I have seen some improvement since I closed my rocker arm clearance to .002in. and noise continues to get better. Since the tap is getting better SUGGESTS that the rocker arm surfaces need to "wear to mate" with the bearing cap. I have checked the rocker arm clearances after 6k miles and they increased. I'm thinking and hoping I have only to adjust the rocker arm clearnce one more time to get the quiet engine I want.

What I have read and been told:

1. Normal oil pressure on an r1150 engine warm and idling is around 20psi at the oil pressure sensor. I will be checking this next if things don't continue to improve.

2. The oil pressure light on my bike is set to come on at 3.5psi.

The reason I'm playing with this is I'm retired, bored, and anal to boot. It's a bad combo to have.

Let me know if you are successful at fixing your problem. These are just my guesses. The rocker arm help and info came from BMWmick - thanks
Mick.

Dave Faria
Austin, Tx

Dave_Faria said:

2. The work that seems to have helped my bike the most is closing the rocker arm clearances.

2. The rocker arms were not set up at the dealer correctly Let me know if you are successful at fixing your problem. These are just my guesses. The rocker arm help and info came from BMWmick - thanks
Mick.

Dave Faria
Austin, Tx

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Sounds like you guys need to get some K bikes.

Sounds like you guys need to get some K bikes.
__________________
Bouncin Bob Malehorn
Treasurer - BMWMOA
Bowling Green & Mentor OH
K12RS

Just curious, does this mean you've had a lot of problems or no problems with your K bike???

Dave Faria
Austin, Tx

Dave_Faria said:

Sounds like you guys need to get some K bikes.
__________________
Bouncin Bob Malehorn
Treasurer - BMWMOA
Bowling Green & Mentor OH
K12RS

Just curious, does this mean you've had a lot of problems or no problems with your K bike???

Dave Faria
Austin, Tx

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I'm kind of into the new K transverse four K bikes. I haven't seen any issues to speak of, but they look easy to work on.

Dave_Faria said:

Just curious, does this mean you've had a lot of problems or no problems with your K bike???

Dave Faria
Austin, Tx

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It means I don't have rocker arms to mess around with adjusting. check the clearance on the bucket shims once every 60,000 miles, might find one or two just out of spec.

The R bike doesn't get many miles, I tune it once a year in the sping.

It only takes one.

Is there a how to link on setting the rocker arm clearences on an 1150?

Thanks for the info dave. I checked my records and it has been 4000 miles since my last oil change. I will change my oil this weekend and let you know the results. I previously has Royal purple in there and had no problems . But my local dealer stopped carrying it so I switched to the more readily accessable mobil. I'll post the results and we can compare notes.

Bob I still like the Mobil1 15w50 but, here is some info from my file that may help you. The Royal Purple 20w50 you use to use had a viscosity of 19.79. Other oils in my list that might be available are Mobil 1 Vtwin 20w50(20.9), Amsoil MCV 20w50(20.04), and BMW 15w50(18.15). I listed the BMW oil even though it has a lower viscosity that your Royal Purple. The least expensive oil in my area was the Mobil1 Vtwin at Autozone.

Good Luck
Dave Faria
Austin, Tx

Have you tried better earplugs? That technique has solved numerous oilhead problems.

JimMoore said:

Have you tried better earplugs? That technique has solved numerous oilhead problems.

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I think it's kinda cool to have a bike that's ALMOST as quiet as a Goldwing but, can run off and hide to throw rocks at most rice rockets don't you??

Take Care
Dave Faria
Austin, Tx

Dave_Faria said:

I think it's kinda cool to have a bike that's ALMOST as quiet as a Goldwing but, can run off and hide to throw rocks at most rice rockets don't you??

Click to expand...

Yep. Every time I ride one of my oilheads without earplugs I think the thing is coming apart underneath me. Put the earplugs back in and ahhh, silence.

I don't know Dave but you may be bordering on genius. I changed the oil and the noise is gone. I got a BMW filter ($17.50 plus tax OUCH), And 5 quarts of Lucas 20-50 synthetic (I always get an extra quart). Drained the hot oil for 20 minutes,changed the filter and filled her up. Fired her up and let it run for 20 minutes. No noise. Rode again today and still good. Talk about happy!Thanks for the advice.
Bob
PS I put some computer fans in front of my oil cooler and I stay at 5 bars no matter how long I'm in traffic.

Wait and see Bob. I have no information on the Lucas oil and the properties of some oils change after so many use cycles - the viscosity MAY change. In other words your TAP may return. I've never heard of Lucas oil so I guess your not in the USA. One of the good things I liked about the Mobil 1 Vtwin is it maintained a fairly stable viscosity thru out its life.

Good Luck
Dave Faria
Austin, Tx

I found the Lucas High Performance and it has a viscosity of 18.54. The Royal Purple Max Cycle is 19.79. The report I saw, an Amsoil document, showed both oils out of range for a 50wt oil after 120 cycles - around 15.5. The lower end of the 50wt oil range was a little over 17. I'm not a lubrication engineer so I don't know if being out of range is that bad. But, if you were happy with the Royal Purple the two oils seem to perform in a similar fashion.

After the previous posting I saw you were in Pa. and not out of country. We don't have Lucas oil in Texas as far as I know.

Hope it works for you
Dave Faria