clack,clack sound in 6th gen VFR, what is it?

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by whitedove, Dec 15, 2012.

  1. whitedove

    whitedove New Member

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    there is a clack-clack-clack-clack sound that is intermittent - only is there sometimes, doesn't last long and it isn't when cold ,just starts sometimes at a light or while going, doesn't last very long but comes and goes and it doesn't matter if it is in gear or not, clutch or not. Sounds like a worn lifter in a car v8. i can ride 6 hours and nothing one day or it would come and go 3 times in a few hours. Any ideas? could something be worn and will break at some point, my gas mileage is good, performance fine, no trouble with gear changes, engine temp, its got me buffaloed..help
     
  2. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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    What is the mileage on the bike and do you have all the maintenance records?
     
  3. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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    The reason I ask is we need to know more details on the bike before giving you a better answer.
     
  4. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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    It can be ur chain to loose......clutch or valves. Etc
     
  5. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    yeppers, ridaz wif problems should always state mileage or kilometric data but don't !
     
  6. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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  7. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    starter clutch mechanism is known to make such intermittent clack noise. maybe next time it happens you can attempt to isolate what side of the motor it's coming from? Not always very easy to tell but if the sound appears to come from right side engine case cover then it may be another clue.

    Obviously a timing chain with a bad chain tensioner mechanism would do the same. Not sure if I've ever heard of that on a 6th gen though.
     
  8. whitedove

    whitedove New Member

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    yep, its got 28830 miles on it, i got it from original owner with 5700. no records with it but i have done all necessary maintenance perfectly since. the former owner did put smaller sprocket on it and may have tried racing but it didn't seem abused when i bought it. the sound only started about 4000 miles ago - i put about 1200+ miles a month on it. my chain is always lubed and is properly adjusted. thanks
     
  9. CharlesW

    CharlesW New Member

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    A similar(?) sound on my 2004 at about 35,000 miles turned out to be a cam chain tensioner.
     
  10. CandyRedRC46

    CandyRedRC46 Member

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    plus one. ive got 36000 on my 07 and the clacking was getting to be too much. i just replaced my cam chain tensioners. not a terribly hard job and now its smooth as butter again.
     
  11. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    Anyone have pics if a 6gen cam chain tensioner and what the wear looks like?
     
  12. RC30guy

    RC30guy New Member

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    My first guess would be drive chain slap,
     
  13. taylor65

    taylor65 New Member

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    If it does it at a standstill that would rule out a loose chain. Sounds like a cam chain to me as well. But very hard to tell without actually hearing it for ones self.
     
  14. RC30guy

    RC30guy New Member

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    I missed that part where he said it does it at stop light ,
    if it does it standing still its definately not the drive chain,
    About once every 3 months My 94 has an occasional lifter "tap tap tap tap" idling at a trafifc light, but dissappears as soon as give it gas ,
    If it was constant would investigate but its extremely occasional so Im not worried and only occurs at idle,
    Question is how constant it is and where its coming from,
    If you can get the bike to tap idling use the broomstick trick where you touch the end of a long stick to a part of the bike or motor where it sounds like its coming from then listen to the end of the stick by placing it against your ear, this transmits the sound directly and allows you to pinpoint where its coming from.
     
  15. whitedove

    whitedove New Member

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    thanks guys for the input. i think you all are onto it. the noise really doesn't seem to come from the right even put a screwdriver to it and up to my ear and it didn't seem like it came from there. the timing bad chain tensioner seems to be the best hypothesis. don't those get maintenance at 60,000 miles? if i still run it would it break at some point and hurt the bike more expensively or what happens.? i went for a couple hundred miles today and it only did it twice and only for 15-30 seconds each time. bike ran like a top and mileage was well over 40mpg..any more thoughts?
     
  16. CharlesW

    CharlesW New Member

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    Keep in mind that I am no mechanic and very possibly could get my explanation screwed up.
    Mine did it for several thousand miles before I had it fixed and my mechanic wasn't terribly worried about it.
    He seemed to feel breaking a cam chain was very unlikely and the one thing he was concerned was the constant slap against the plastic guides in the motor. If you were to wear on them to the point of them coming apart and putting some plastic pieces throughout the motor, it might be more of a mess to clean up. He did say, he had never seen that happen so he didn't really know if should be a concern or not.
    He suggested that since we knew what it was and I was probably going to have to have it done sometime, why not do it before it does any real damage. That's what we did.
     
  17. taylor65

    taylor65 New Member

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    If it were me I would try to pinpoint what condition will make it happen. For the most part it would not happenwwhile into the upper revs. The times I have noticed it on other bikes would be while lugging the motor. But either way it will be a lot easier to figure out what it really is if you can remember when it most likely happens
     
  18. whitedove

    whitedove New Member

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    thanks. i'm going to check the manual and see what's involved in replacing the cam chain tensioners myself. if too much for me maybe a shop. is there a youtube showing how its done if you know of one?
     
  19. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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  20. CandyRedRC46

    CandyRedRC46 Member

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    [​IMG]

    you are not going to see any real physical wear on the outside. they operate by ratcheting action. and when defective they will still seem to function correctly, but for one reason or another, when they're inside the engine they clack.

    this picture is from when i replaced mine a couple weeks ago. its not a big deal, with the manual and a decent understanding of how it and their key works.
    you do not need to pull the throttle bodies, you just need steady hands and common sense.
     
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