R1100GS rattling engine

[awats77]

I have a rattling sound coming from the left hand cylinder head on my '94 1100GS.

It only occurs when the engine is warm!

I have adjusted the tapets with a mate. And the sound still persists.

I spoke to the old owner who said that it has always done it and he was unable to work out the problem. He bought the bike with 40,000km on the clock.

Looking for any one who may have had similar problems? I bought the bike with 91,500km and It now has 97,500KM.

I am hoping to solve the promlem when i do the 100,000km service after the next ride.

 

[MotorradMike]

Have you done anything with the left side cam chain tensioner?

 

[bmwmick]

I have a rattling sound coming from the left hand cylinder head on my '94 1100GS.

It only occurs when the engine is warm!

I have adjusted the tapets with a mate. And the sound still persists.

I spoke to the old owner who said that it has always done it and he was unable to work out the problem. He bought the bike with 40,000km on the clock.

Looking for any one who may have had similar problems? I bought the bike with 91,500km and It now has 97,500KM.

I am hoping to solve the promlem when i do the 100,000km service after the next ride.

Check the rocker arm end play. Set it to 0.002" and I'll bet your noise is gone.

 

[MotorradMike]

I thought excessive rocker end play caused noise only when cold.

 

[bikerfish1100]

I thought excessive rocker end play caused noise only when cold.

no, it's the left side cam chain tensioner that only makes noises when cold. a valve adjust issue, including end play adjustment, can show up any time at all.
incredibly unlikely to be the left cam chain adjuster, tho it wouldn't hurt to replace it anyway.

 

[MotorradMike]

Hmmmm, I guess I got it EXACTLY backwards.

I don't suppose there's a prize for that.

awats77 seems to have disappeared anyway so no harm done.

 

[PGlaves]

How long since an oil change? My chain tensioner (chain noise) gets noisy when hot once the viscosity of the oil drops a bit after 4K or 5K miles. It does it with dino or synthetic. I consider it my low-tech oil change interval indicator.

 

[PGlaves]

no, it's the left side cam chain tensioner that only makes noises when cold. a valve adjust issue, including end play adjustment, can show up any time at all.
incredibly unlikely to be the left cam chain adjuster, tho it wouldn't hurt to replace it anyway.

Au' contraire! It does it mostly on startup - but may be more pronounced on startup after a 30 minute sit with hot or warm oil.

 

[GSFORNOW]

I did the left side cam chain tensioner change. My engine made more noise when warm at idle mostly and seemed to "run on" when I closed the throttle. My bike became much more enjoyable after the change, $100 well spent. The engine is much more quiet.
That said I don't know if that is the problem with your bike or not but if you have not done the tensioner update I would do it just because.

 

[bikerfish1100]

interesting. my left side cct ONLY rattled at cold startup, for maybe 5 secs (if that), never any other time. with new cct, she never rattles.

$100? the parts were only $25 or so (don't recall exactly, and don't have my paperwork in front of me. but i know it was well south of $100).

 

[awats77]

back again.

the last owner said the same thing change the oil when the noise starts. it starts as soon as it gets new oil or old.

will have a look at all this when i do the next service.

thanks for the input guys.