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Timing chain rattle on start up

scattergun4015

New member
Hi gang.
I have a 2013 f800gs. It has roughly 22k miles on it. I purchased it in September for a Colorado BDR trip next summer.
I love the bike but have two abnormal noises.
One is a rattle on startup. Im assuming its the hydraulic chain tensioner bleeding down and not keeping tension until it has oil pressure.
The other noise is rattlish as well between 3500 and 5000 rpm. Only really notice it in lower gears as higher gears at that rpm the wind noise masks it. It is not the same rattle. Almost sounds like a metal clip that isnt tight vibrating.

Is the chain tensioner worth replacing to the aftermarket ones that combat the pressure release?

Anyone else experience a light metalic rattle on acceleration in those rpms?

Thanks for any advice
 
I get quite a clatter with my F800GS upon start up. Not so much if run daily. More so after sitting awhile.
I don't know what it really means on the bike but not concerned.
OM
 
For the rattle upon startup: "They all do that." You are correct, the hydraulic chain tensioner tends to bleed down when the bike has been sitting, even for a little while.

After a lot of research, I've chosen to keep my original OEM chain tensioner for a couple reasons. The rattle, then subsequent quietness after a couple of seconds, tells you that the hydraulic chain tensioner is actually doing its job. There was no/little pressure, then there is now pressure. The aftermarket ones are only at the perfect tension after you adjust them, which is done by feel/noise, whereas the hydraulic tensioners should (in theory) be at the optimal tension once they build pressure. In my amateur mind, that means I should have less worry about improper tension, and possibly less wear on the chain/guides. I enjoy riding longer distances, so I don't want to be spending additional time messing with the chain tensioner in the middle and at end of the day. I'd make sure that you're using the proper oil (SAE 15W-50 API SJ/JASO MA2).

The other rattle could be a number of things. Coming from a K and an R bike, these F's aren't nearly as smooth. I'd take a couple minutes and make sure that all of your frame bolts, bash plate bolts, etc. are at the proper torque, as there have been some reports of vibrations going away after everything is tightened up properly. Big beefy bash plates also reverberate a lot of noise back up to the rider. The valves aren't known to move much during the first ~40k miles, but you should have had a check done at 12k miles and would technically be due for another one soon (24k).
 
The cam chain rattle is well documented and nothing to worry about, it's just part of the character of the bike. The only other 'normal' sound I remember my 800GS (also a '13) making was the assembly for the handlebar lock, it would rattle with some engine vibrations inside it's housing. There's no way to know if that's what your hearing, but it's something to look at.
I bought the bike with 30k miles on it and sold it with almost 50k for $500 more thanks to some suspension work and other random farkles. The bikes hold value well if taken care of and tend to be built like tanks.
 
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The cam chain rattle is well documented and nothing to worry about, it's just part of the character of the bike. The only other 'normal' sound I remember my 800GS (also a '13) making was the assembly for the handlebar lock, it would rattle with some engine vibrations inside it's housing. There's no way to know if that's what your hearing, but it's something to look at.
I bought the bike with 30k miles on it and sold it with almost 50k for $500 more thanks to some suspension work and other random farkles. The bikes hold value well if take care of and tend to be built like tanks.

I think you are on to something with that rattle idea. It sounds like it is coming from that area. Ill check it out when i get home tonight.
I feel i got a pretty amazing deal on this one.
It came with sw-motech crash bars, touratech skid plates, hand guards and luggage racks, did x-chain, and excel wheels with brand new tkc-80 tires. I added some touratech panniers and she is ready for adventure.

Thanks for your help
 
The MotoManufacturing Cam Chain Tensioner eliminates noisy cam chain rattle at start-up and prolongs chain life.

https://motomanufacturing.com/cam-chain-tensioner/

It's sold out.

It seems to me I had a bike one time where I had to release a bolt and the adjustment adjusted itself using a spring? Once the mechanism moved, the bolt was tightened and I was good to go. I can't remember which bike it was.

I'm not sure my old :gerg ears are trained enough to manually adjust one with the engine running :dunno

OM
 
If people are not seeing wear issues ill leave it.
I am a bmw/mini automotive tech and certain engines in both brands have had significant issues due to timing chain tensioners failing. The tensioner on this f800 is the same design, spring loaded hydraulic tensioner.
Ill just run it i guess
 
Caution: Everybody should be attentive to the clatter and most importantly the duration of the clatter upon startup. It is normal for it to make noise for no more than 2 or 3 seconds upon a startup. If the clatter persists much longer than this the tensioner is failing to extend as it is supposed to. The risk is not the noise. The risk is that the noise is caused by cam chain slap and that slap can break cam chain guides. They are neither fun nor cheap to replace.
 
Caution: Everybody should be attentive to the clatter and most importantly the duration of the clatter upon startup. It is normal for it to make noise for no more than 2 or 3 seconds upon a startup. If the clatter persists much longer than this the tensioner is failing to extend as it is supposed to. The risk is not the noise. The risk is that the noise is caused by cam chain slap and that slap can break cam chain guides. They are neither fun nor cheap to replace.

I think that is a good, prudent way of thinking about the noise :thumb
OM
 
Different bike, but I have a K13GT that rattles during startup after sitting for a while. What I do is bump the starter a few times to rotate the chain. It stops the rattle on startup. Might help.
 
Cam chain guides are not expensive (<$50 for all) and anecdotally can be replaced without much more labor than a valve clearance check, meaning you don't need to open up anything else besides the valve cover. Again, anecdotally speaking, but you'll hear valve chain noise when when the engine is hot before you should need to worry about the guides. The chain can be replaced with top end only work and that would be the time to replace guides.
 
It’s a little over 9* and the bike hasn’t run in a while. If I started it now there would be quite a rattle.
OM
 
Cam chain guides are not expensive (<$50 for all) and anecdotally can be replaced without much more labor than a valve clearance check, meaning you don't need to open up anything else besides the valve cover. Again, anecdotally speaking, but you'll hear valve chain noise when when the engine is hot before you should need to worry about the guides. The chain can be replaced with top end only work and that would be the time to replace guides.

That might actually be true for an F800. I am not sure because I never had to do it. But on Voni's R1100, by the book it requires removing the engine and splitting the engine cases which is a bit more than checking the valve clearances. I know because I had to do it, or junk the bike. Some folks have now figured out a workaround breaking off a part of an oil baffle but breaking engine cases is not something I thought of at the time. So I stand by my caution that if you hear prolonged clatter fix it before something else breaks. YMMV.
 
That might actually be true for an F800. I am not sure because I never had to do it. But on Voni's R1100, by the book it requires removing the engine and splitting the engine cases which is a bit more than checking the valve clearances. I know because I had to do it, or junk the bike. Some folks have now figured out a workaround breaking off a part of an oil baffle but breaking engine cases is not something I thought of at the time. So I stand by my caution that if you hear prolonged clatter fix it before something else breaks. YMMV.

Well this post is in the F-twin forum specifically for the model and year I used to own. I never had to do it, but I had looked into it as a possible job for the future. Regardless, the F-twins have cam chain rattle, it's well documented and not worth worrying about until it shows up on a hot engine at idle/running.
 
Well this post is in the F-twin forum specifically for the model and year I used to own. I never had to do it, but I had looked into it as a possible job for the future. Regardless, the F-twins have cam chain rattle, it's well documented and not worth worrying about until it shows up on a hot engine at idle/running.

I am amazed it is as simple as a valve adjustment since I would have assumed that it would require removing the head, which also mean removing the cams and draining the coolant, etc. but I am glad to know how easy it is if I ever need to do it to our F800S.
 
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