Knocking Sound... Need Help

[Reb]

Scratching my head in the shop. Driving the valk home started hearing a knocking noise. It sounded as if it was the U-joint beginning to fail. Got to the shop with It and removed the rear end. U joint looks and feels brand new still. No skid marks inside the swing arm tube to indicate contact. Shaft and pumpkin working as they should. Started the bike with the rear end off and shifted through all gears, knock persist to get louder at higher gear. CLutch is smooth with nothing out of the ordinary. Sounds doesnt seem to be coming from the front of the bike to indicate timing belts. Engine runs fine as well.

Any ideas?

[Patrick]

Just so I understand, the u-joint and drive shaft are sitting on the bench and the knock persists ?
Or, is the drive shaft still installed with the rear off ?
Have you had any clutch problems or repairs ?

[Reb]

U joint and drive shaft are off sitting on the bench

I havent had any problems with the clutch or repairs made to it.

[Highbinder]

Reb...do you have a stethoscope, if you do put on the back of the clutch area and listen, then on the transmission area, you can probably pin point where the noise is coming from with that and then decide what it could be...

[Reb]

I cannot pin point the sound. Took off the timing belt cover to check the tensioners and they are fine. You cant hear the knocking until shifted to third gear. I took a video of it with my phone and you can clearly hear the sound. Trying to upload it to photobucket to post.

[Jess from VA]

My IS with a 4* wheel used to knock pretty bad on regular, under hard acceleration.

Just a WAG, but could it be bad fuel... ignition?

Did you happen to get gas shortly before the knock?

[YoungPUP]

Go backwards.  can you pinpoint when it started?

[eric in md]

my gf wasnt on there when it started making noise was she...  bump to top

[Reb]

My IS with a 4* wheel used to knock pretty bad on regular, under hard acceleration.

Just a WAG, but could it be bad fuel... ignition?

Did you happen to get gas shortly before the knock?

It only knocks when a gear is engaged, its more prominent the higher the gear. Sounds normal when in neutral.

[Reb]

Turn your speakers up and listen


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203134827025996&l=3841188959266294120

[trout dude]

Reb talk to Grumpy he told me once  he had a noise in his motor and it was some kind of chain inside the motor slapping something that the chain guide was gone or something like that. It's been a while sense then but that's what i remember. Hope this helps.
  Dennis

[Chrisj CMA]

maybe its just the sound quality on that recording, but it doesnt sound to me like that engine is running great at all. Are you sure you dont have a timing wheel and maybe the wrong gas?  what RPM was that idle, it seemed VERY low to me.  If youre not sure about a wheel, I would change the gas out for some high test, make sure that idle is at 1,000 and see if that improves things

[Reb]

maybe its just the sound quality on that recording, but it doesnt sound to me like that engine is running great at all. Are you sure you dont have a timing wheel and maybe the wrong gas?  what RPM was that idle, it seemed VERY low to me.  If youre not sure about a wheel, I would change the gas out for some high test, make sure that idle is at 1,000 and see if that improves things

I filled up at the same gas station I have for several years. Its probably the video the quality, I do have cobra pipes with midget baffles. The motor runs fine, as that knocking noise is not there when the bike is in neutral

[Skinhead]

Get a 2 ft. section of garden hose, stick one end in your ear and use the other to located where the knock is coming from.  You might want to pull the valve covers and make sure a valve adjustment hasn't loosened up.  Also, does the frequency of the knock follow engine speed?

[98pacecar]

How many miles,,,, on the bike?   

[alph]

maybe its just the sound quality on that recording, but it doesnt sound to me like that engine is running great at all. Are you sure you dont have a timing wheel and maybe the wrong gas?  what RPM was that idle, it seemed VERY low to me.  If youre not sure about a wheel, I would change the gas out for some high test, make sure that idle is at 1,000 and see if that improves things

I'm thinking it's the low idle myself.  but that doesn't explain the comment of  "more prominent in a higher gear" that you made.  when it's in a higher gear, are you riding down the road?  or is it on the center stand (or jacked up) in that high gear?  if it is sitting stationary in high gear and it knocks like that, then I'd have you check your idle. 

someone posted a while ago on how to use Techron carb cleaner to clear out the slow speed jets.  something like; ride for 200 miles with the engine below 2000 rpm or something like that.....  you might need to be looking at your carbs.  just to let you know, my cycle makes the same noise, I know it's my idle, just have too many other things to do than to worry about my cycle......

out of curiosity, what's your fuel mileage around?  mines about 28-29.  you might also have a vacuum hose leak.  I'd look at your carbs.....

[Jess from VA]

The exhaust overpowers the ability to hear the knock (esp indoors).... I think I can hear something thou.  A (one) valve adjustment?  How long since an oil change?

One of my ISs probably has some clutch rivet shearing (or something), and it knocks/rattles/chatters once in awhile only in gear, and the other one never does.

 

[scoobydoo]

I think I would drain the oil into a clean pan and look for metal or a tooth. Cut the filter open and look there also.
From what I know about transmissions in general, you alway have two gears meshed in any gear: a direction & speed. Does the noise follow a certian gear when shifting?
Scooby

[Gavin_Sons]

I bet money on the clutch plates. Rivets maybe

[Punisher]

See Reb, the real problem is that your Phat Gurl heard you talking about replacing her with a 2014 Valkyrie and now her feeling's are hurt and she is pissed off.

Give her some luvin' and tell her that you are her's forever and she'll straighten right up. 

The Blues Brothers - Gimme Some Lovin'	powered by Aeva

[Reb]

See Reb, the real problem is that your Phat Gurl heard you talking about replacing her with a 2014 Valkyrie and now her feeling's are hurt and she is pissed off.

Give her some luvin' and tell her that you are her's forever and she'll straighten right up. 

The Blues Brothers - Gimme Some Lovin'

I believe you are right Allen 

[Attic Rat]

Sounds like a bad bearing in the trans to me. This could cause a miss alignment of the gears in the trans. causing this noise. That would be my best guess. Since the engine runs good and the sound doesn't appear to be coming from the engine. There has been a few trans bearing failures on the Valkyrie.

[rainman]

See Reb, the real problem is that your Phat Gurl heard you talking about replacing her with a 2014 Valkyrie and now her feeling's are hurt and she is pissed off.

Give her some luvin' and tell her that you are her's forever and she'll straighten right up. 

The Blues Brothers - Gimme Some Lovin'

I believe you are right Allen 

 

[Grumpy]

I have to agree, sounds like a transmission bearing is gone. I had a intermittent noise in mine, was a guard on the chain that drives the oil pump and water pump, never made that kind of noise. Still think it could be found with a stethoscope, also drain the oil and run a strong magnet through it and see what kind of metal is there.  And as stated cut the filter apart and look for metal there, if there is brass in the oil, probably indicates some thing in the clutch. rivets etc.

[Hoser]

I couldn't hear anything but the exhaust.  In fact I couldn't anything for five minutes after I turned it down.     Hoser    

[scoobydoo]

So Reb, did you come up with anything?

[Reb]

I haven't had the time since I've been more focused on getting ready to move to Iowa tomorrow. I'm leaving the valk at home. Hopefully I can work on it over Memorial Day weekend. I put the rear end all back on it. With the full load of the rear end, it's making more of a terrible squeaking noise. The noise follows the rotation of the wheel speed, I'm hoping it is the clutch. Worse case, it's the transmission.

[R J]

I haven't had the time since I've been more focused on getting ready to move to Iowa tomorrow. I'm leaving the valk at home. Hopefully I can work on it over Memorial Day weekend. I put the rear end all back on it. With the full load of the rear end, it's making more of a terrible squeaking noise. The noise follows the rotation of the wheel speed, I'm hoping it is the clutch. Worse case, it's the transmission.

I think I would look into the rear wheel bearings.

If the sound gets louder on rotation, like i said, I'd guess wheel bearing somewhere.

I'll also say I've been wrong a few times.

[Gavin_Sons]

Pretty sure he said it made the same noise withe the rear tire off and driveshaft out.

[Reb]

After pondering everything that has come to light. I believe it is either the bearing in the clutch, or counter shaft bearing in the tranny.

All those Harley's I spanked taking them trips to the drag strip may have came back to haunt me. I'll start stripping it next weekend, may involve a motor drop if discovered internal. Either way, it will ride again.

[eric in md]

After pondering everything that has come to light. I believe it is either the bearing in the clutch, or counter shaft bearing in the tranny.

All those Harley's I spanked taking them trips to the drag strip may have came back to haunt me. I'll start stripping it next weekend, may involve a motor drop if discovered internal. Either way, it will ride again.

    "TEAM GOLDWING "    :2funny:lol you know the drill heated seats mmm  love ya reb

[hal47]

Reb put a long screwdriver to your ear and place the end on the motor, different places, should be able to locate where sound is coming from.That sounded pretty bad at the end,would not run it anymore than I had to.