What are the Lack of Valve Clearance Symptoms?

[Danwarb]

Hi guys,

(Phil I know your reading my every letter in every post I write here as I'm referring to you hot X).

When I start my steamer from cold I can hear a ticking sound thats in rhythm with the sound from the exhausts. Then after 15 or 20 seconds it fades and disappears.

My previous steamer also gave this ticking sound but it never went how ever warmed up she got.

Is this a possible sign that one or more of the pistons is tapping the valve at the top of each stroke before coming back down?

Cheers guys.

[London_Phil]

Its done that since I bought it.
The only thing I never did was change the cam chain, but it never caused me any issues.
I seriously doubt its pistons valves interference.

[John Stenhouse]

No way it would be piston valve contact, it's timing would have to be miles out to do that, so far I doubt it would run.

[Danwarb]

Phil relax man! Your attention to care and details is incredible, the whole bike sounds and feels so solid and quiet (like no steamer I've owned before).

So what could be the cause of this familiar ticking sound I get from steamers?

[London_Phil]

If it helps, I did do the shims because that was what I thought it was, and it made no difference to how it sounded.
I wonder if it could be a slight blow from the exhaust pipe / head seal ring, as it seemed to come and go, and never seemed to get worse.
As that required removal of exhausts, and the risk of  problems with the exhaust port studs, I decided I could live with it, as it had no effect on running, ( unlike carbs, coils, fuel, etc, etc..), but is a little irritating.

[bemusedinsojo]

Whenever I start mine it makes a sound like money sucking out of my wallet. Faint at first but getting louder.

[Danwarb]

Whenever I start mine it makes a sound like money sucking out of my wallet. Faint at first but getting louder.

The first Steamer I had sounded SO agricultural, truly like a tractor. People used to turn around and say. "I thought that was a diesel van."



Seriously though, what is this ticking sound I've had with all three steamers, its in time with each engine 'blow' from the exhaust. It only sounds when the engine is cool or at higher ravs around 6 and 7 thousand?

[Mustang]

No way it would be piston valve contact, it's timing would have to be miles out to do that, so far I doubt it would run.

steamers are not an interference type engine . even in a catastrophic failure the big end of the rod will hit the cylinder liner long before the piston top even comes near the valves .

[John Stenhouse]

I bet that took a bit of polishing out

[GavD]

The first Steamer I had sounded SO agricultural, truly like a tractor. People used to turn around and say. "I thought that was a diesel van."



Seriously though, what is this ticking sound I've had with all three steamers, its in time with each engine 'blow' from the exhaust. It only sounds when the engine is cool or at higher ravs around 6 and 7 thousand?

I've always found that pushing your earplugs in a bit further cures these worries!

[John Stenhouse]

Or turning up the tunes! 

[Danwarb]

 

Ok I get it, just go with it, it's how these bikes sound and all your steamer machines seem to sound the same!

[bemusedinsojo]

When I first got mine I thought people would wonder why I was riding with a thrown rod.

[JayDub]

Mine does it, so did my last one 

[Danwarb]

Mine does it, so did my last one 

Ok that definitely clears it up that it seems it's a general sound these engines make, I'd love for us to work out what causes it but even if we did, we'd be looking at some serious engineering to solve it I'm sure.