Mystery Sound on a 84' 1200A

[kajunmisfitt]

HELLO Everyone,

I have been asking around about what I am going through with my 84. To make this story real short I will say this went to Salt Lake City VA Hospital on the 11th of this month after getting to Tremonton, Utah,When I started hearing a click sound, stopped found everything seem to be ok. Went another 50 miles sound was getting louder, still nothing broken or out of whack. When I got to the hospital the sound was very loud but the bike was not over heating or any thing else, So when we got out the bike was cooled down, So I checked the oil, it was ok, no burnt scents. Since I had put antifreeze in the radiator a few weeks earlier, I thought It would be ok, since there was no fluid on the ground. So we went looking for a dealer, the sound had almost went away(so I thought). Every dealer or bike shop are "closed" on Monday's. So I found a Walmart in Layton and tore the bike apart to see what the radiator was doing and found the level was low, so we found a Auto Zone and put some antifreeze in. Seems eve,ry time we stopped and the bike cooled down the noise almost went away. So we decide to go through Logan taking it easy. The noise came bac, but did not get real loud like it had before. Got home and their is a clicking sound that will not go away. The bottom of the front scowl was broken, so I took a tie tie and tied it to the bottom of the radiator. Thinking it was that that was making the clicking, not. I checked the wheel bearing and the wheel are sound, no wobbling or looseness on either wheel. It only has 63K miles on her and the former owner took care of her, changing the timing belts and water pump and other major maintenance. The only thing I can think of is to check the level of antifreeze AGAIN. I am wondering what else could make this bike run like this, I am about too shelve this bike because I don't know when it will break down, Does anyone have any ideal what might be going on here. Thanks for any help or ideals.

[dingdong]

Where is the click coming from? The 1200 electric fuel pumps are known to click occasionally.

[kajunmisfitt]

After riding today I went too the dealer and he said that maybe the compression is off. And it maybe causing the pulley that is at the bottom of the alternator that was put in a few years ago. After leaving the dealer the noise went away. I am going to replace the spark plugs hoping this will help the issue I am having. But I was looking at the engine around the pulley and I realized that the timing belt gasket under the pulley is starting to come out. Not sure if this has anything to do with what is going on.

[kajunmisfitt]

Where is the click coming from? The 1200 electric fuel pumps are known to click occasionally.

I do not know where this miserable sound is coming from. Not being disrespectful just getting irritable since I can't figure this out. Monday, I took the alternator off went and had it checked it is working great, Belt is almost brand new. This sound does not come out every time I ride it. It starts up and it is on the left side of the bike sometimes it seems to be coming fro the rear of the bike, but when riding it it sounds like it is from the front. Then after riding it for a while and it is HOT then it starts sometimes and it get LOUDER too the point that it is imbarressing to be riding. I am wondering if the vales are losing u and when I shift the valves starts getting loose and then it get louder I don't know just guessing. I am getting to the point I am scared it is going to break !!! I don't want that.... Thanks

[DenverWinger]

More info would help. Does the click only happen when riding the bike? Does the speed of the clicking increase when you go faster? If you shift gears does the clicking change speed with engine speed?

If the clicking is heard from the engine with the bike stopped, in neutral, you could try to trace it down with a Harbor Freight stethoscope....

[ekvh]

A long shot, but a loose exhaust header can create a ticking noise. Try tightening them. Above each exhaust there are small exhaust gaskets. They used to be soft copper, but newer ones are a different soft metal. Same size as many smaller Honda cars and about $2-3 apiece.

This often happens after lifting the bike by the exhaust.

[kajunmisfitt]

A long shot, but a loose exhaust header can create a ticking noise. Try tightening them. Above each exhaust there are small exhaust gaskets. They used to be soft copper, but newer ones are a different soft metal. Same size as many smaller Honda cars and about $2-3 apiece.

This often happens after lifting the bike by the exhaust.

I did check the exhaust their all nice and tight. I went and looked on U-Tube and I found out what my noise was, "VALVES" are making the noise. Thanks

[Wingsconsin]

Is it a clacking sound ?
There is an oil port inside the head that feeds the rockers with a squirt of oil-
When that clogs up from old dirty oil it can be a real problem -
intermittent clacking is the signal -

[kajunmisfitt]

Thanks I found out what was causing the tapping, I put Seafoam in the oil and drive it for 70 miles and changed my gas from the low end of the gas being sold today to a 97 octane , within 5 miles the tapping went away. thanks everyone

[Wingsconsin]

Thanks I found out what was causing the tapping, I put Seafoam in the oil and drive it for 70 miles and changed my gas from the low end of the gas being sold today to a 97 octane , within 5 miles the tapping went away. thanks everyone

My bet is the Seafoam in the oil cleared the clogged oil port -
I had this problem with my old '85 back in the day -
I had to manually clear the clog - the Seafoam didn't do it
Good for you !