Top end rattle, if not cam chain, what else could it be?

[Taipan]

Hi All

Had someone come to look at my SV at the weekend. I've advertised it with the cam chain rattle. Anyway I went to collect the bike and it wouldn't start at first, solenoid is clicking hard and you can feel it with your hand on it, but it doesn't fire the starter motor. is this likely to be the solenoid or starter motor?

Anyway, it did fire up after a few tried and I rode it home. Guy turns up (Hi Ian, hopefully you're reading this?) and has a listen. He has had SVs before and has had cam chain tensioner troubles and fixed them. He couldn't be sure but said it sounded more like a top end rattle on the rear cylinder than a cam chain rattle, or at least didn't sound like the rattle he had. Riding up my road with no crash helmet on and you can hear the rattle as you ride it. It does seem more pronounced at 5-6k but its there pretty much all the time.You can hear it on idle and I'd agree it could be the rear cylinder and it does sound like top end rattle?

So if it wasn't the cam chain any ideas on what else could be making this top end rattle? Or is this typical of a cam chain rattle?

Many thanks

[andrewsmith]

Taipan

Age and mileage will help? (i've got a rough idea what it is from a previous thread)
When was it last serviced?
Are the carbs balanced? as they can contribute to rattles

The starting issue sounds like a weak battery to me best get that tested before you jump to expensive fixes

[Taipan]

Hi Mate
Its a 99 with just under 30k miles. Last oil change was about 100 miles ago? New iridium plugs a few thousdand miles ago. I cant actually remember if I balanced the carbs on this. i know I went to do it but I think that was when my twinmax broke and not sure if I did again afterwards? I have a sneaky suspicion its running a bit lumpy or slightly misfiring too? Engine has always been good with minimal oil consumtion, although to be fair I only pootle in and out of London on it.

My SV has developed a rattle, also from the top end of the rear cyclinder. I measured the valve clearances and checked the cam chain tension this weekend, can chains are fine but the left intake valve on the rear cyclider is out of spec. Now I haven't replaced the shim yet, so I dont know if that'll fix the problem, but I'm willing to bet it will.

It sounds like a loud, regular ticking, in time with the engine at idle, not the random typrewriter sound of a lose camchain and my SV has just passed 33K miles.

If yours sounds similar it might be worth taking a peek at the valves. Hope that helps.

Had a similar noise coming from my engine, its a K3 though so not much help. Had the valve clearences checked and all were in spec at 26000 miles. The chap I took it to found it to be a noisy injector. If you hold a screwdriver up to the injector you can hear a distinct ticking sound in time with the idle and when revved engine speed.

[andrewsmith]

Taipan do you know when the shims were last done properly.

Also with it being a older curvy the cam tensioners are not the best in the world, so it may be a case of replacing them with k3 (i think) tensioners as are a straight swap from what I've read.

YC or someone will be able to comfirm or shoot down that fact

[Taipan]

I sold it tonight so I guess I'll never find out what it was, although I still suspect CCT. Sadly just dont have the time to work on bikes like I used to. I was going to chuck it down to spannerman after payday, but not sure when I could have got it there, so in the end I decided to let it go and accepted a bid off ebay. Thanks for all the advice etc.
best,
Dave

[andrewsmith]

Fair enuf Dave
sold as seen etc...

Got plans for a replacement or you on a hiatus?

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by andrewsmith

Fair enuf Dave
sold as seen etc...

Got plans for a replacement or you on a hiatus?

I advertised it with the engine noise and discussed it with the guy too. He knew what he was taking on and as he said hopefully it'll be a cheap fix but if its an expensive one so be it. Very odd feeling selling someone a biek that isn't what it should be even though he knew about it. I felt a bit Arfur Daley!

I suffer from tendinitis badly in my left forearm and using a clutch just aggravates it considerably. So I've been using a 250 scooter some days and my SV/Baghira other days, but I'm still suffering with it. So I've decided to sell all of them and get Yamaha Tmax and stick with that until my arm gets sorted. No problem as I like commuting on scoots anyway.

I'll probably try a pointy next time round. See y'all then and thanks again to all for the advice on various subjects etc.

Best,

Dave