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Tiger Time => Steamers (1993-1998 Tigers) => Topic started by: Danwarb on June 03, 2015, 11:12:51 PM

Title: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Danwarb on June 03, 2015, 11:12:51 PM
Hi Guys,

I have been LOVING my 1997 Triumph Tiger how ever there's one thing I can't get used to and that's the seeming loud 'rattle' from the engine when I get above 5000 revs. I'm barely one rung above novice but what it seems like is the rattle is in sink with each engine turn.

Does your Stramer sound the same?

What could it be?

Can it be repaired?

Cheers,

Dan

:icon_study:
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: threepot on June 03, 2015, 11:28:46 PM
Owners normally question the 'mechanical' noise, normally at idle..which is normal. But they shouldn't make any unusual noise at that speed? Does it come from a particular part of the engine? Right side..camchain??
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: nickjtc on June 04, 2015, 12:53:24 AM
Quote from: threepot on June 03, 2015, 11:28:46 PM
Does it come from a particular part of the engine? Right side..camchain??

Rattly top end.... valves ticking???
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Danwarb on June 04, 2015, 02:26:17 PM
Quote from: nickjtc on June 04, 2015, 12:53:24 AM
Rattly top end.... valves ticking???

That's sounds like it could be it. I've little idea.

Could it be that one of the pistons just clips the top before returning back down.

Is this possible?

Have any of you encountered anything similar?
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Sparky on June 05, 2015, 02:48:16 AM
Quote from: Danwarb on June 04, 2015, 02:26:17 PM
Could it be that one of the pistons just clips the top before returning back down.



I hope not, pistons hitting valves or anything else never has a good outcome in my experience.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: nickjtc on June 05, 2015, 04:38:43 AM
Quote from: Danwarb on June 04, 2015, 02:26:17 PM
Could it be that one of the pistons just clips the top before returning back down.

Unlikely. You'd hear it at all revs and the engine would not last very long. Having said that, didn't I read somewhere that Steamer engines are 'full clearance' and the pistons would never hit the valves regardless of the timing....??
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Danwarb on June 05, 2015, 09:43:28 AM
Quote from: nickjtc on June 05, 2015, 04:38:43 AM
Unlikely. You'd hear it at all revs and the engine would not last very long. Having said that, didn't I read somewhere that Steamer engines are 'full clearance' and the pistons would never hit the valves regardless of the timing....??

Interesting.

I wonder if it's a vibration thing where once at 5000 revs or more the vibration makes something rattle but this doesn't seem right as its too synchronised with each turn the engine makes.

I'll begin checking the exhaust is well bolted to the bloc.

What else could I investigate please guys?

:notworthy
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Geoff W on June 05, 2015, 10:05:08 PM
If you can , bring the bike to the Wales meet. We can all compare strange Steamer noises. I am sure that they all sound like a tin of spanners having an epileptic fit, just some fits are noisier than others. You can try putting Epilim down the intake, yours or the bike's, not sure that it will help much.
These bikes sound like a down at heel tank sometimes, but they go fine,................. most of the time.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: nickjtc on June 05, 2015, 10:59:36 PM
Quote from: Geoff W on June 05, 2015, 10:05:08 PM
I am sure that they all sound like a tin of spanners having an epileptic fit....These bikes sound like a down at heel tank sometimes

I resemble that remark!! MY Steamer only sounds like a sack of cutlery rattling around... :icon_wink: :icon_wink:
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Mustang on June 05, 2015, 11:33:17 PM
shakin' a can of rocks ............. :nod
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Sin_Tiger on June 05, 2015, 11:47:19 PM
Paranoid people don't ride Steamers :icon_eek:
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Danwarb on June 06, 2015, 09:02:29 AM
Quote from: nickjtc on June 05, 2015, 10:59:36 PM
I resemble that remark!! MY Steamer only sounds like a sack of cutlery rattling around... :icon_wink: :icon_wink:

:ImaPoser

Ha ha! Hilarious posts !!

:ImaPoser

In all honesty it does sound the same as the Steamer I had before. With every turn of the engine there is like a 'tick' made by some component in the engine but it's only noticeable when I get to around 5000 revs.
I was wondering if it was that there's a loose joint between the bottom of a piston and the 'crank shaft' if that's what it's called (?) so there's a gap between the parts meaning that on the turn of the down and the up of the crank shaft that there's a click as the driving force of the piston each time is switched from pulling to pushing the crank.

Just thoughts . . .

:icon_study:
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: GavD on June 06, 2015, 10:00:14 AM
Dan,

over the years I've come to the conclusion that it's best not to think ............ just ride. Think when it stops.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: threepot on June 06, 2015, 12:31:49 PM
Steamers work well under 5k revs mind you :augie 


The t3 and t4 engines are probably the closest thing to a diesel! But after 2.5k revs.......... :icon_biggrin: :icon_biggrin: :love10
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: GavD on June 06, 2015, 04:08:07 PM
 :iagree
I really don't rev mine much above 5500rpm. 2 reasons really,
1. Mechanical sympathy for the bike that has served me well for 13 years.
2. There's enough torque below that to keep me smiling.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Mustang on June 06, 2015, 04:18:48 PM
 :iagree
the torque drops off significantly after 6500 rpm any ways
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: nickjtc on June 06, 2015, 06:26:34 PM
Quote from: GavD on June 06, 2015, 04:08:07 PM
:iagree
I really don't rev mine much above 5500rpm. 2 reasons really,
1. Mechanical sympathy for the bike that has served me well for 13 years.
2. There's enough torque below that to keep me smiling.

I thought I was the only one who didn't thrash his engine. :icon_wink: Even with my gearing (19/46) the engine has lots of grunt at the bottom end.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Danwarb on June 06, 2015, 09:10:30 PM
Quote from: Mustang on June 06, 2015, 04:18:48 PM
:iagree
the torque drops off significantly after 6500 rpm any ways

I'd beg to differ with my 97 Tiger ! I get a solid pull from 2000 to 9000 revs !!
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: nickjtc on June 07, 2015, 06:33:03 AM
Quote from: Danwarb on June 06, 2015, 09:10:30 PM
I'd beg to differ with my 97 Tiger ! I get a solid pull from 2000 to 9000 revs !!

:wheel woohoo
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: threepot on June 07, 2015, 11:36:33 AM
Quote from: GavD on June 06, 2015, 04:08:07 PM
:iagree
I really don't rev mine much above 5500rpm. 2 reasons really,
1. Mechanical sympathy for the bike that has served me well for 13 years.
2. There's enough torque below that to keep me smiling.

And you don't like going over 80mph !? :augie :bad
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: GavD on June 07, 2015, 04:41:31 PM
Quote from: threepot on June 07, 2015, 11:36:33 AM
And you don't like going over 80mph !? :augie :bad

You've never been to the Isle of Wight have you? They have a policy over here of resurfacing the roads in the villages, and leaving the open roads to fall apart. it's a tactic they use to enforce a 30mph limit everywhere on the island!! :5moped
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Danwarb on June 08, 2015, 12:18:18 AM
Quote from: GavD on June 07, 2015, 04:41:31 PM
You've never been to the Isle of Wight have you? They have a policy over here of resurfacing the roads in the villages, and leaving the open roads to fall apart. it's a tactic they use to enforce a 30mph limit everywhere on the island!! :5moped

Hence why you have Steamer !

I flipping love getting airs of the local speed ramps !! Ha ha !!

:ImaPoser
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: threepot on June 08, 2015, 12:18:55 AM
No,never been. I've heard its nice though?But it seems to be a problem everywhere. But lots of good roads here,so you'll enjoy  :thumbsup
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: GavD on June 08, 2015, 08:16:51 PM
Can't wait TP  :wheel
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Sin_Tiger on June 08, 2015, 11:09:42 PM
Quote from: GavD on June 07, 2015, 04:41:31 PM
You've never been to the Isle of Wight have you? They have a policy over here of resurfacing the roads in the villages, and leaving the open roads to fall apart. it's a tactic they use to enforce a 30mph limit everywhere on the island!! :5moped

That's shocking enough but to be actual written policy  :nono Can you imagine the law suit if someone comes a cropper and they can prove it was due to negligent road maintenance  :pottytrain2 one large pineapple (you'll understand that being ex blue suit) for the man who wrote that.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: GavD on June 09, 2015, 08:19:06 AM
Quote from: Sin_Tiger on June 08, 2015, 11:09:42 PM
That's shocking enough but to be actual written policy  :nono Can you imagine the law suit if someone comes a cropper and they can prove it was due to negligent road maintenance  :pottytrain2 one large pineapple (you'll understand that being ex blue suit) for the man who wrote that.

It's more my thoughts on the matter than actual written policy Niall, but I do have to meet the local Highway Authority every 3 months as part of my job, and they do seem to have some strange ideas sometimes.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: JayDub on June 09, 2015, 11:14:28 AM
Quote from: Sin_Tiger on June 08, 2015, 11:09:42 PM
one large pineapple (you'll understand that being ex blue suit) for the man who wrote that.
............ and for the landlubbers???
..... or is that related to the saying about the 'rough end of a pineapple' I wonder.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: GavD on June 09, 2015, 07:38:32 PM
you got it.
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: Danwarb on June 23, 2015, 12:13:20 AM
Jay,

You said you recognise the same clacking sound with every engine turn on your Steamer.

You mentioned checking the valves. Can you do this on your Steamer and let me know what you find?

Cheers,

Dan
Title: Re: Your Steamers ENGINE SOUND. Any bonus sound effects as mine?
Post by: JayDub on June 23, 2015, 10:23:32 AM
The clacking sound is only heard from the r/h exhaust can on tick-over, and isn't valves (I don't think) it's not really in sync with engine revolutions, its more erratic.
As for the valves, checking them involves removing the cam cover and measuring the gap between cam and shim on each of the valves, then replacing the shim for a thicker or thinner one to adjust the gap to within tolerance:
http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/msg,34259
I re-shimmed mine last week and the noise is still there.
I think you may be still adjusting to steamer ownership, we've all gone through it but begin to realise that these bikes are a different beast, with their own idiosyncrasies which you learn to live with - just check everything is as it should be and maintain it properly and it will be fine...  :thumbsup
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