(Video!) how much top end noise is too much?

[Tombo]

Hey everyone.

My bike is buttoned up running solid, etc., but I realize one of the things that has made this whole process hard is that I don't know anyone locally who has an xs400, nor have I ever seen another one run (I've gone to look at a few to buy that didn't). I have nothing to compare my bike to. I showed a friend of mine who works on bikes the bike to see what he thought, but he didn't know whether what he heard was just normal for the bike.

So Here is A video!:

I know it's tough to tell from videos, but I was mostly just wondering about the sound of the top end, almost like the sound of rolling a jar of loose change or something. Please let me know what you think.

Also! Anyone live in the SF Bay Area? Could be down to have an xs400 meet up/ride with anyone who is game.

Cheers

 

[willem]

True, it's hard to tell just from a video. I have the DOHC model (different engine) but I think it sounds similar when it's cold. In the video is the bike fully warm or not?

And have you adjusted your valve clearances? If you haven't, you should do that anyways. If the valve clatter then stays the same you don't have to worry about it I think.

 

[Tombo]

Valves are in spec. Bike was just warm enough to take off choke. I can do another video tomorrow after it's warm, the sound is a bit different warm, it adds a gentle ticking sound.

 

[xschris]

It don't sound to bad. When you adjusted the valves did you make sure not to rotate the engine backwards the hit the timing marks? If you did that will cause them to be out of spec and be noisy. Also what oil are you using? A good 20w-50 motorcycle oil for wet clutch bikes will make less noise.

 

[Tombo]

Good to hear you don't think it sounds too bad. I did brace the wrench when I turned the crank, preventing the back spin on the motor from fudging my adjustment. I made that mistake the first valve adjustment I attempted.

I am using Castro gtx for motorcycles I believe, 10w40, but I was going to change the oil again pretty soon (as I just used gasket maker on the case when I put the new gaskets in (mostly on the doughnut things around the alternator wires). I had the 10w40 in the garage for a bike I sold earlier this year, just wanted to get use out of it.

Id have to say though, using the same oil in 20w50 (which is what I've ben using based on suggestions here), the sound is identical, maybe slightly lower on volume, but the sounds then self do not change.

If you say I shouldn't worry, I won't.... But you haven't said it yet!

 

[bcware]

Sounds normal to me too, compared to mine anyway. I definitely have the faint change rattle sound too. I also use 20w50, but I don't run the bike below about 50 degrees F. The valves are definitely noisier on this bike compared to all of the more modern 1996 to 2009 bikes I have owned.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Too my ear it sounds similar to my bike as well but I wonder if its making too much top end noise as well.I did a valve adjustment last summer and double checked my specs which everything was right where it supposed to be.It seems to run normal and have plenty of power without issues so I don't worry too much.I may double check later this spring.Im also using Shell rotella T-6 synthetic oil with 10w40.Depending on how hot our summer is I may change to 20w50

 

[Tombo]

All of this is very heartening. I am going to take one more video while it is warm. The California sun shines, hopefully the roads are dry in the shade!

 

[Scorpio1963]

One thing you have to remember our bikes our old their drive lines weren't ever completely quiet like the modern bikes.You will always here a little clatter when they run.

 

[Tombo]

Alright, I got out on a ride yesterday did about a 100 mile loop. I wanted to get a video of the bike warmed up, so I stopped about 20 miles in when I hit some nice scenery to bust the balls of those who are snow locked.

Anyhow, I sorta commentated the video here (embarrassingly!), but basically what you'll notice is that the top end sounds get a little bit louder once warmed up. Please tell me if you think there is an issue with the sound, or that there might be something needing adjustment or fixig etc.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Too me your bike doesn't sound out of the norm,I have sound clip of mine floating around somewhere if I find it I`ll post it for you.

 

[Scorpio1963]

[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Tombo]

Something is funky with the videos. It says the one on the bottom doesn't exist, other one gives me a weird error message.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Ok I fixed the links they should be working now

 

[Tombo]

Scorpio -

I think you may actually need a valve adjustment. Valve train sounds loose. Sometimes this happens if you allow the wrench you are turning the motor with to slip back (xschris mentioned this earlier in the thread). My bike sounded about the same after my first valve adjustment over a year ago, as I didn't know to brace the wrench in place when making the tappet adjustment. The Clacking in the sound of your bike is what makes me think this.

I've been looking at more and more videos of these bikes running, and it seems they do tend to have a fairly loud "tumbling change" sound, looking at drewpy's video recently, gave me a baseline for what this bike should sound like in good running condition.

Aside from his SNARLING intake, Our bikes sounds similar. I'd love to hear the sound of drewpy's top end when it is warmed up to see if it is louder than when it is just started (like mine is).

 

[Tombo]

That's Drewpy's bike's sound (and a neat little tracker porn video)

 

[Scorpio1963]

Not sure if that the valve train making the moise you hear,I had just installed Harley soft tail mufflers and had exhaust leaks at the time.Its much quieter now that I fixed them,



I just didn't get a chance to make another clip afterwards but I will double checvk the adjustment closer to springtime.

 

[Tombo]

Yeah, make sure you use a jack or something to hold your wrench while you adjust it.

I also admittedly adjusted valves 180 degrees off the first time I adjusted - now I use drewpy's thumb over the spark hole trick to make sure I'm on the compression stroke before I brace my wrench.

An exhaust leak could certainly cause a ticking type sound. I had a hell of a time reinstalling my headers early on (one of my pipes was leaking when I bought the bike), and it did make a ticking type noise as a result (fast moving high pressure gasses striking surrounding objects like cooling fins and header lugs).

I wish more people would chime in with videos! It seems like a fair amount of people have concerns about the excessive noise of these motors, so establishing a database of these running videos would be useful to tuners.

Cheers!

 

[Tombo]

Whoops, double post.

Here's a video to make up for it. Sounds like the bike needs a tune (backfires, poor running condition), but Notice the pronounced loose change sound of the motor.

 

[Scorpio1963]

I found that video last night while looking that bike sounds like crap something is definitely wrong with that one lol
Drewpys bike sounds bad ass,Im also hoping for mac 2 N 1 on mine