Timing Mark Help

Damn. I'm doing it right then. Yes, lines on cam sprocket line up with the head. It's running great. Valves are adjusted right. What's weird is one of my motors was quiet until I replaced the rings, valve seals, lapped the valves, and cleaned up the head. Afterwards, it sounded just like my other motor both before and after I did the same work. The timing chain needed to be replaced but it made no difference in the noise. I may tear the top end off the spare to see if I can spot anything obvious going on that might explain the noise on my good motor.

LOL at the oil. That motor came with one of my parts bikes and had the oil drained and the head in a box with a broken jug bolt stuck inside. I've robbed a few items from it now, including the clutches. Sadly, it's the only one of the three motors I got that didn't have a stripped oil drain bolt.

Rocker arms and cam lobes look good. Not too worn and no scratches.

I'd like to think I have that procedure down but clearly somethings not exactly right. At least I'm consistent, because both my motors sound the same. That's why I wanted to clarify the timing mark. I first suspected valves/adjustment and spent a ton of time checking and rechecking them. Then, I assumed it was the chain, but now that I've replaced that I'm back to scratching my head.

If it were someone elses motor I might not think it's too loud, but it's mine and it is

I'll see if I can get a video of it tonight to post.

Checked the tensioner and reinstalled. I have two others but this one seems solid, so I didn't swap it out. Made a quick video of the running motor. Maybe someone's got an ear for what's going on with it.

D.I.D chain #SCA0412ASDHA114.

I don't believe the decompression lever is making contact with the rocker arm. I can't feel it through the lever, but I can manually rotate it a bit and make it bounce off the rocker arms though

I had thought of an exhaust leak when my top end refresh seemed to cause the noise in a previously quiet motor, retro. I'll take a closer look tomorrow evening. I've had the header pipe off this motor a couple times now. The crush gaskets were compressed evenly, the last time, so I felt that might indicate it sealed. Used new exhaust gaskets and even took time to straighten out the header pipe flange mounts the last time I bolted it on.

I've got a couple hour run time since I set the valve clearance. I was planning to check them about now, anyhow. I don't expect to find them out of whack though. I set them with the motor on my workbench and I've never had an easier time making sure they were right.

I checked out the tensioner last night. I cant force it to retract by pushing on it against the bench, only by turning the screw. Before I replaced the chain I had a little less than a half inch before it made contact with the chain guide, now I've got about an inch. I may swap it anyhow, since it only takes a few minutes.

TRX2fiveO said:

If you can retract that tensioner without turning the screw then it's no good...... also set the lash with a tight drag on the feeler

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Tensioner is solid. I'll give that adjustment suggestion a shot. I know I'm currently set on a light drag.

Torqued down the header mounting nuts a little last night. I don't believe I'm leaking. Pretty sure the noise is rocker arm/valve related. I could feel the rocker vibration through the brass caps on the side of the cover. The pulsing matches the ticking noise. Maybe I've just been setting the valves too loose. I'll feel dumb if that's all it is, but I can live with that easier than the ticking noise

Went from a slight drag on the feeler to a tight drag. Doesn't seem to have made a difference. Maybe a little?

I'll pull the cover off and check those rocker arms again. I put new 0-rings on them but didn't inspect the shafts too closely. I have a spare cover set that I haven't pulled the arms out of because I couldn't easily get the dowel pins out. I'll work them over some more and stick the best one back on. Thanks guys.

shadetree said:

speaking of you tinkering with the rockers..i just gotta ask !..lol, any slight chance you put the rockers back in backwards ???..as in..intake on exhaust side, and exhaust on intake back on the shafts ??..lol.

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Is that even possible without them being upside down. I vaguely remember thinking they only worked one way. I hope to have time to pull the rocker cover tonight.

Apparently, I didn't have the valve adjustment procedure down as well as I thought! Before I pulled the cover off I thought I'd check and retry the adjustment again. I want to ride, not work!
Anyhow, I must have finally figured it out because it sounds great! Thanks, Shadetree ( YOU WERE RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING!) and TRX2FiveO for the technique.

Duck0fDeath said:

Valves are adjusted right.

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This experience reminds me of what a wise man once told me. "It's often not what you don't know that'll get you. It's what you think you know that just ain't so."