84 1200 Aspy Tapping lifter...

1163 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Wingsconsin, Mar 29, 2013

rafferty10

Discussion Starter · Mar 19, 2013

This started at the end of the 2011 riding season, from the start it only did this once in a while (always on start up) and was kind of brief. Last season it started doing the tap on almost EVERY cold start up toward the end of summer and the tapping lasted longer. I have tried running a little sea foam in the case, I have tried running MMO in the oil, (which I thought was working for a while) but it wont stop. I have taken the valve cover off to see if oil ports were blocked but they looked to be flowing just fine. This tapping is on the left side, does not do it every time on cold start but close to it. It also goes on longer then when it started and is embarising sometimes!

My question is, how much should I expect to pay to have this fixed at a shop? I have no space to do this and with the riding season coming I thought I might ask you guys b4 calling around.

raying:

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Eamonn1200

· #2 · Mar 19, 2013

I had that problem coming and going for a while. I had a friend centre the rockers for me and that fixed it. There are existing threads about this on the forum that you can read up.

rafferty10

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 21, 2013

Eamonn1200 said:
I had that problem coming and going for a while. I had a friend centre the rockers for me and that fixed it. There are existing threads about this on the forum that you can read up.

Thank you for responding Eamonn1200. I had heard of this on another thread about a year ago but for some reason I kind of doubted it would work. I don't know crap about motor cycle engines but when I had the valve cover off last summer to inspect the oil ports, I looked at what I thought were the rockers and it seemed to me they kind of floated. What I mean is they were easy to move side to side with little effort with a screw driver. I did notice that 2 seemed not in the center, so I kind of eye balled them into what I thought looked centered with a flat head screw driver b4 I put things back together. Maybe they were not the rockers at all and I'm a fool but it seemed to me if they slid so easy side to side like that they would end up moving on their own anyway. I will talk to a guy about it that has worked on it b4 and see if he knows about it. Thanks again!

jdvorchak

· #4 · Mar 21, 2013

Some if not most of the 1200's had a valve train rattle that comes and goes. Usually mine does it when it fully warmed up and I idle if for a while. Like at a stop light. Then hit 2nd gear and it rattles for a few seconds. Now I can go a month without the rattle IF I ride it a lot.

What grade oil are you running? I use 10w40 year round. When you say you ran MMO for a while, how long is a while? You can replace up to 25% of your normal 10w40 with MMO and ride until the next oil change.

Just realize that it may never go away but it doesn't seem to hurt anything either. It's just annoying and maybe a little emabarassing.

rafferty10

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 22, 2013

jdvorchak said:
Some if not most of the 1200's had a valve train rattle that comes and goes. Usually mine does it when it fully warmed up and I idle if for a while. Like at a stop light. Then hit 2nd gear and it rattles for a few seconds. Now I can go a month without the rattle IF I ride it a lot.

What grade oil are you running? I use 10w40 year round. When you say you ran MMO for a while, how long is a while? You can replace up to 25% of your normal 10w40 with MMO and ride until the next oil change.

Just realize that it may never go away but it doesn't seem to hurt anything either. It's just annoying and maybe a little emabarassing.[/QUOT

Yes jdvorchak it IS embarrassing! At the end of the riding season last year I would go out and start it at work early b4 leaving because someone would say something about it. "Is that old bike throwing a rod?" was most of what I got. Sounds like we may have different issues because I have a ticking lifter no doubt. I started running Delo 400 LE in it last year and the bike ran so smooth. I ran a quart of MMO in it for several weeks at the end of summer. At 1st it stopped tapping but then started again. Thinking about trying syenthitic oil next year because I have read on a few threads that it stopped the ticking for them.

Thanks for the ideas!

jdvorchak

· #6 · Mar 22, 2013

Yeah... the guys making those statements.. were they riding their 30 year old Harley that drips oil like they own stock in Exxon? LOL... I don't think you gave the MMO engouh time but full Synthic is something I didn't try on my 84. I runn Mobil 1 Full Syn in my 1800 and full syn HD oil in my Harley... If it's that simple I'll start running full syn in my 84. At least it won't hurt anything!

Cornpone

· #7 · Mar 22, 2013

I believe you're experiencing sticking/stuck hydraulic lifters on the left side.

There is probably a discussion here about how to bleed/clean them so they work smoothly. It's not tough, so shouldn't be expensive if done by others.

One thing about Seafoam is that concentration makes a big difference in how well it works. For deep cleaning of carbs or the engine 100 miles before doing an oil change, I use a concentration of 1oz of Seafoam per gallon of gas or quart of motor oil.

If it were my bike, I'd run a stiff dose of Seafoam through the crankcase for 50-100 miles and then change to a full synthetic with a high quality filter. Worked fine on mine.

rafferty10

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 23, 2013

Cornpone said:
I believe you're experiencing sticking/stuck hydraulic lifters on the left side.

There is probably a discussion here about how to bleed/clean them so they work smoothly. It's not tough, so shouldn't be expensive if done by others.

One thing about Seafoam is that concentration makes a big difference in how well it works. For deep cleaning of carbs or the engine 100 miles before doing an oil change, I use a concentration of 1oz of Seafoam per gallon of gas or quart of motor oil.

If it were my bike, I'd run a stiff dose of Seafoam through the crankcase for 50-100 miles and then change to a full synthetic with a high quality filter. Worked fine on mine.

I was really worried about running sea foam in the crank case when I first read that others had tried it to clean lifters because of the stator wiring. I did end up doing it tho, I ran 4 oz's in it for 100 miles and dumped it out. It didn't seem to work so I then tried the MMO. Ended up changing oil and filter 4 times :ROFL:. Maybe I will give the sea foam another shot b4 switching to full synthetic once it stops snowing here! Lol. Was 4 oz's a stiff enough dose?

Bike...and Dennis

· #9 · Mar 23, 2013

There is a pretty good chance that Eamonn's suggestion was correct.
If you indeed could move the rocker arm shaft with a screwdriver, then I'd say it was too lose, and would be centered and therefore quiet, intermittently. Conversely, noisy intermittently.
Anyway, the off center shaft is common enough to have the repair outlined in the Honda Repair Manual.

jon jay

· #10 · Mar 23, 2013

I thougt I read on here somewhere that synthetic oil wasn't recomended in these older bikes because they tend to cause the bike to leak oil,someone correct me if I'm mistaken

rafferty10

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 25, 2013

Bike...and Dennis said:
There is a pretty good chance that Eamonn's suggestion was correct.
If you indeed could move the rocker arm shaft with a screwdriver, then I'd say it was too lose, and would be centered and therefore quiet, intermittently. Conversely, noisy intermittently.
Anyway, the off center shaft is common enough to have the repair outlined in the Honda Repair Manual.

Thanks Dennis. This is what I will do next. I am lucky enough to have a very good bike mechanic not far from me that has never done me wrong. Soon as I get the chance I will let him have a go at it and see if these rockers are indeed the issue.

raying: I have just had it with this tapping!

Bike...and Dennis

· #12 · Mar 27, 2013

From the Honda Manual:

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seabee

· #13 · Mar 28, 2013

rafferty10 said:
I was really worried about running sea foam in the crank case when I first read that others had tried it to clean lifters because of the stator wiring. I did end up doing it tho, I ran 4 oz's in it for 100 miles and dumped it out. It didn't seem to work so I then tried the MMO. Ended up changing oil and filter 4 times :ROFL:. Maybe I will give the sea foam another shot b4 switching to full synthetic once it stops snowing here! Lol. Was 4 oz's a stiff enough dose?

4ozs is fine. You may need to do it about 3 or 4 times if it is a oil flow problem to the lifters. A couple summers ago I had the same problem with the annoying lifter tapping. After 3 seafoam treatments in the oil the lifters stopped making noise and I have never heard it since. Just make sure you keep the rpms under 3500 and drain the oil while still warm and don't forget a new filter. I also found it works better riding about 50 miles, let it sit overnight, ride another 50 miles then change oil. With the seafoam sitting overnight it allows it to dissolve the gunk. The seafoam also helps clean the starter sprag and clutch plates. But remember, the seafoam is not always the cure-all for everything. You might still need to adjust those rocker arms. Good luck.

rafferty10

Discussion Starter · #14 · Mar 28, 2013

Thanks guys, your the best. :bow:

walkabout

· #15 · Mar 29, 2013

lifter noise

i had a 84 1200. at a 100 thousand miles it had a slight raddle. i tracked it down to the cam where it rides on the head. the head was worn and allowed it to move. i bought two good heads for $75.00 and that took care of lt. regards walkabout

Wingsconsin

· #16 · Mar 29, 2013

A couple of thoughts to share...

jon jay said:
I thougt I read on here somewhere that synthetic oil wasn't recomended in these older bikes because they tend to cause the bike to leak oil,someone correct me if I'm mistaken

Jon Jay -- In my experience that would seem to be accurate. Here is my hypothesis (opinion) based on my '85 GL1200. I had the clacking problem on the old 1200 and found a block oil passage on the right side. It cause the oil to not "spurt" out of the oil cup and the clacking came & went...It sounded terrible...

I tried the MMO in the oil trick for 300 miles at a fairly heavy dose to no success...So I had to R & R the oil passage. There is a rubber fitting that the oil enter the cup from behind the rocker assmbly and that haad a clog..A simple clean out of that passsage aand all was well again.

I coupled that proces with the center collar adjustment (see you manual) and the bike was quiet once again...

Then I took this opportunity to switch to full synthetic oil. A mistake in my opinion....One of synthetic oils strengths is better "flow". It moves around more easily. So it will coat all the parts evenly.

Here is my opinion (!) on what transpired from that choice...

I think the MMO treatment cleaned the inside really well. All the sludge from 65,000 miles of regular dino oil (that which caused the clog) was cleaned out. I thne added Synthetic with advanced flow properties and soon after found a few leaks...

I think the old oil was keeping things sealed up, even if it was sealed with sludge, deposits or whatever. The synthetic and the cleaning conspired to reveal these old seals and leaks..So I spent the rest of the summer replacing old seals, rubber bits, etc.

Around the same time (before the clog) my stator went south as well. I also beleive the deteriorated stator also added to the oil clog problem, but I have no proof...

Just my experience....

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