'97 R850R - More noise after valve adjust?

Howdy,

I adjusted the valves on my new '97 R850R today, and set them to .015 intake and .030 exhaust. They were quite tight to begin with, and while I was in there I noticed that someone had painted three stripes with different paints on the valve springs. I'm guessing they indicate the number of times the valves had been adjusted by a previous owner. At 52,400 miles, and if those stripes mean what I think they mean, it was 4,400 miles overdue.

After buttoning it back up and starting it, I noticed there is a much more pronounced tapping noise than there was before. When the bike was cold before the valve adjust, it was pretty quiet and got tappy after it was thoroughly warm. Now on a cold start it's much more noisy.

Any thoughts? Is it supposed to ticka ticka? I've had many motorcycles but this is my first BMW, so these boxers are new territory for me.

Thanks!

I realized soon after writing the above post that I had been looking at the inches side of my feeler gauge and not the millimeters side... D'oh!

Anyway I brought out the flood light, cracked open another beer, and did it all again. The second time around went much faster. Sadly it's too late in the evening to fire it up and listen to it. I'll see how it is in the morning for the commute to work.

Paint on springs is factory ID marking.

A little update.

I rode the bike to work 30 miles out and back today, and when it started cold it was quiet and smooth. However after a couple of miles the same old tick returned.

The noise is coming from the right cylinder, and if I hold the butterfly valve on the right throttle body shut there is no difference. The noise gets drowned out at 3500 RPM.

Whaddya think? Rocker end float?

A little update.

 

I rode the bike to work 30 miles out and back today, and when it started cold it was quiet and smooth. However after a couple of miles the same old tick returned.

 

The noise is coming from the right cylinder, and if I hold the butterfly valve on the right throttle body shut there is no difference. The noise gets drowned out at 3500 RPM.

 

Whaddya think? Rocker end float?

Morning P_hil

Possibly rocker arm end float but more likely a loose valve adjustment or rattling cam chain. Sometimes shimming the R/H side cam chain tensioner spring with a small washer will help.

You might re-check the R/H side valve adjustment then also check the rocker arm end float when in there. (don't set the rocker arm end float too tight as you can't measure all the way around or behind the rocker arm, a too tight rocker arm can hinder valve return at high RPM's & cause a valve to hit a piston)

On the real early 1100 engines I have also seen a few telescoped push rods ends. (difficult to check for but can sometimes be guessed at by looking to see if all the valve adjuster elephants foot screws are about the same height above the adjustment nuts)

Another update...

I had to go out and buy a T45 socket to do this job so I also bought new spark plugs while I was in town.

When I got in to the right side cam cover, I could indeed wiggle the arm laterally and make a noise. I adjusted it to specifications and it's now sounding nice and smooth even after riding to work! Also, the new spark plugs helped significantly, and if you saw the old ones I pulled out of there you'd probably have a laugh.

Now about that drive shaft that's probably never been greased...

Now about that drive shaft that's probably never been greased...

What do you mean? Are you getting mixed up with the gearbox input shaft?

Now about that drive shaft that's probably never been greased...

What do you mean? Are you getting mixed up with the gearbox input shaft?

Probably. I haven't looked in to it yet but I understand there's some spliney parts that need lubrication every now and then.