885 tiger with high pitch noise, motor

[Joe Geddes]

I need some tech advice on a noise coming from top end of motor. This occured on my way home after an aggressive ride.
The noise is hard to tell between a high pitch whistle or something elese. What I have done is removed tank and airbox, when I cycle the motor over with all of the plugs out no noise. All plugs back in that high pitch noise that I describe comes back. I removed one plug at a time and determined that it is from #1 cylinder. I don't know what to try next?
The valves where done just the first of the year.
Any thoughts on next steps, concidering my skill is aprox 7 out of 10

[pletdj]

I checked this bike out at lunch today and have been researching online.  It looks as if it could be a head gasket leak to make the chirping sound??
I am thinking we could compression test the cylinder to see if it will hold compression?  Do heads warp when a gasket goes?  
I could be totaly off base here, help is greatly appreciated!!!! :icon_salut

[The Kurgan]

First off... hello from Hamilton. I didn't know there were Tiger riders in my neck of the woods! I was born and raised in Brantford, and relocated there in 2005-2007 (west Brant) I see a black spoked Tiger from time to time in Hamilton, but that's it.

I had a defective head gasket on my 2005 Tiger which caused a very minor coolant weep on the outside of the water jacket. However, I didn't experience any chirping sounds.

I would check everything under the tank and fairing. Maybe something loosened up (especially after an aggressive ride) and is now rubbing on something else? My KLR650 had an annoying chirping sound at speed and I tracked it down to a hose rubbing on an inside part of the upper fairing near the headstock.

[Mustang]

I am thinking we could compression test the cylinder to see if it will hold compression?  Do heads warp when a gasket goes?  

by all means a cylinder head that is made of aluminum casting can warp .
If you suspect a blown head gasket (which BTW was a common fault on 885 injected tigers , especially the early ones ) you can run a test on compression and if the gasket is bad you should not be able to produce or hold as much PSI as the other two cyl.
#1 should getup to at least 100 psi after just a few spins of the starter motor . AND it should be able to hold it there over 100 for a little bit also .

When your compression test fails , pulling the head is not too difficult .
Jetdocx did a how to on a steamer head which is very very similar to what you have to do to any model tiger to replace the gasket . While you have the head off get it checked for flatness .

My bet is on a blown gasket , but you should maybe see some tell tale coolant trails or it is possible it's blowing out the exhaust ,
Check the oil and see if there is coolant contamination in the oil .

[pletdj]

We purchased a compression tester at lunch today and checked each cylinder.  Compression was 180, 180, 185.  All 3 build up the same and held with no problem.  We did notice the chirp or wistle still as you turn the motor over, but if you open the butterfly's, it goes away instantly.
I am thinking that the valves are OK, and that the head gasket is OK as well.  It really sounds like a suction whistle.  
Next steps might be to check gaskets on teh throttle body rack??
Thanks for any and all help !!!

[Stretch]

Also make sure the vacuum port caps are all in place and not broken or split.

[The Kurgan]

Also make sure the vacuum port caps are all in place and not broken or split.

I think you're on to something here. Not an uncommon issue.

pletdj; I test mine, by literally removing the hoses and plugging one end with a finger and blowing into them  :D

If it turns out Joe has a cracked/split vacuum hose, I have 3 spares in the 3 different sizes I can give you (one might fit). They came off a low mileage 2005 Speed Four:



In the off chance Joe has a defective IACV (idle air control valve), I have a spare as well.

On that point, Joe's IACV could be clogged and as the air blows through it (at idle) it makes a whistling noise? Sometimes all they need is a good cleaning.

Worth checking.

[Stretch]

Yes, I meant hoses, not caps.  I read '885' and mistakenly thought of carburetors.

[pletdj]

It does look like the ends of the hoses that come from the top of the throttle bodies to a black device (not sure of name) has splits on the ends.  It sounds like the chirp / whistle might be coming from the back of one of the throttle bodies?  More work tonight for Joe !!!

Thanks again everyone, we will post what is found !

Kurgan,  I have an 05 Lucy orange tiger, and Joes is a 99 yeller.  We will have to get out for a ride one day soon.

Darrell

[Joe Geddes]

First I have to say thanks to all for your support. What a great place to learn things about the tigers.

I think I have found the noise, its coming from the hose that leads to the throttle. When I removed the hose and blow through it (love that taste of gas) it creates a high pitch whistle this would account for when spark plug is in it whistles from cyclinder and remove the plug it stops and second when you open the throttle the butterfly opens stopping the vacuum.

Can't figure out why the hose want to whistle but I'm sure we can figure something out.

Again thanks for all of your help and glad it was a simple as a hose. Luck was with me today.

Kurgan, it would be great to get together some day as we are so close

[pletdj]

Hi everyone,
If you look up at the picture that Kurgan posted with the black hoses, we found that the noise was a high pitched whistle coming through the hose.  When you take it off and blow through it, the noise is sharp!  We installed different hoses and the noise instantly goes away.

[coachgeo]

ok..... so put your old hoses back on and you got a theft location device.

If it's stolen just tell the cops to look for a bike with a heard of dogs are running after it. :lol:

[The Kurgan]

Hi everyone,
If you look up at the picture that Kurgan posted with the black hoses, we found that the noise was a high pitched whistle coming through the hose.  When you take it off and blow through it, the noise is sharp!  We installed different hoses and the noise instantly goes away.

Did you manage to find a spare IACV hose? If you still need a hose, let me know. I will give you one of my spares. Make sure Joe gives his 885's IACV a good cleaning (if its gunked up and black) while the tank is off.

Glad to know the problem has been identified.

[pletdj]

Thanks everyone for all the help.
Joe ended up getting new vac hose from Canadian Tire!!
The old hose was the culprit of the high pitch whistle noise.  He installed the new hoses and first test ride proved that the noise was gone.

[Stretch]

The simplest thing it could have been.  Bitchin'.