Ever had the valves adjusted?
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
Joined
·
11,524 Posts
Not me. 50K miles so far.
Joined
·
972 Posts
Nope. I checked mine at 35k miles and they were in spec. I'm at 75k now and don't plan to check them again
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Joined
·
31 Posts
What was the issue that required an engine rebuild?
Joined
·
506 Posts
pezoz. I've owned my GT since new (2015, 57k). Except for the first service at local dealer (wouldn't throw water on them if they were on fire), have done all my own. I'm of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" brigade. The concensus of opinion on this forum is that the valves rarely need shimming. So as the bike runs well, idles well and fuel consumption is normal, I feel that removing all the body work and disturbing gaskets etc not worth doing. Yeah, I know preventative maintenance is a good idea and definitely things like oil, brake fluid and perhaps drive belt shloud be changed on a service schedule, and I do. My advice is, unless there is an obvious reason to do so, leave 'em be.
Joined
·
11,412 Posts
Mine was an early model and I did quite high mileage so my engine was already making piston slap noises when reports of this issue started floating around in motorbike mags.
BMW weren't interested at first but eventually agreed to strip my engine to examine it on the understanding I paid all the costs if the engine was within spec.
Luckily when they opened it it was shot with scored pistons and barrels. So BMW replaced the pistons (with the new longer skirts) and new barrels.
It wasn't a perfect fix as the later bikes that had the longer skirted pistons had a modified balance weight for the crank to compensate for the extra piston mass.
My bike still had its stock balance weight so the bike ended up with more vibration. Which of course was impossible to "prove" to BMW.
Joined
·
31 Posts
On the 2007 F800 ST I just bought - silver engine - it sounds as though the valve clearances are far too loose, but I gather the top end always rattles on the early ones. That could be why one of the previous owners fitted a Scorpion end can...
Joined
·
11,412 Posts
The cam chain is normally the noisy part. I've replaced the cam chain tensioner with the newer version and added a washer under the spring as my engine aged to take up the slack. But the best fix was the blueflame can!
Joined
·
31 Posts
I took the 2007 F800St (silver engine) for a short run today - first time I've ridden it. It's certainly rattly, and there's a bit of clutch chatter as well, but there's one regular rattle I don't like. Starting from cold there's a sharp rattle for a second or two, which I guess is the camchain tensioner until the oil pressure builds up, but the one I'm not liking is what sounds for all the world like one valve clearance much too loose. It's there hot or cold, varying with the revs. I find it hard to believe that BMW would have sold a new bike that rattled like that.
Am I worrying too much, and it's normal, or should I be concerned?
Am I worrying too much, and it's normal, or should I be concerned?
Joined
·
972 Posts
That's normal. The cam chain tensioner is "powered" by oil pressure. It takes a second or two for oil pressure to build so that the tensioner can provide any tension. There is also a backup spring to make sure it doesn't get too loose, and Bmw did make an updated longer version of it, but I swapped mine to the newer version and it didn't really make any difference. Just wear earplugs
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Joined
·
31 Posts
Yes, I know that's how the camchain tensioner works, and that explains the sharp rattle on startup, but in my experience (on Japanese and Italian bikes) a loose camchain rattle isn't there all the time, and doesn't sound at all like the regular tapping of a loose valve clearance, which is why I asked.
Joined
·
5,404 Posts
Mine has had that couple seconds of rattle for the last 95,000 miles. The bike still runs like new. It's nice when I stop for gas and then restart it because the rattle isn't there and the engine starts in just a second. But if the bike has been sitting overnight, I can count on the ratte.
Just don't rev the bike till the rattle goes away. There's no legitimate purpose to do that, so it shouldn't be a problem.
Chris
Just don't rev the bike till the rattle goes away. There's no legitimate purpose to do that, so it shouldn't be a problem.
Chris
Joined
·
31 Posts
It's not the couple of seconds rattle... It's the one that doesn't go away...Ever...
Joined
·
31 Posts
It looks like one, or one pair, of valves needs adjusting. 280 (plus a few I will have missed) individual taps occurred in 25 seconds cold engine, 28 seconds warm engine, rpm around 1250. Each pair of valves opens once every four revolutions of the engine. 4 x 280 = 1120. Add in the few I will have missed, and that's close enough for me; rattle at engine speed, not camchain.
Drat! The bike is just a cheap hack to zip down the motorway at 85 mph, 20 miles to the office and 20 back, a couple of days a week at most, and I'd hoped not to need to do anything to it straight after buying it. Double Drat!!
The question now is, how long can I ignore it before it gets so loud I can't ignore it any longer...
Drat! The bike is just a cheap hack to zip down the motorway at 85 mph, 20 miles to the office and 20 back, a couple of days a week at most, and I'd hoped not to need to do anything to it straight after buying it. Double Drat!!
The question now is, how long can I ignore it before it gets so loud I can't ignore it any longer...
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
