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Intermittent Valve Chatter

1239 Views 18 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  morram
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Started a few weeks back. It's a "Brrrrrrrrrrrrrp" sound. And it's that fast, then it stops. It's on the right side and sounds like it's the #1. Happens infrequently and mostly at lower RPM's. Haven't noticed it when cruising at highway speeds. Took a ride yesterday evening and it seemed to chatter on acceleration while in second or third gear.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
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I would put a can of Sea Foam in the oil. Run that for one tank of gas and change out the oil and filter.

Fixed mine.

Oil is a 'hot topic', but you might change to Delo 10w40 or Rotella 10w40. Make sure it is not the energy conserving stuff though.

I prefer the Delo brand.
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Run an entire can of Seafoam? I can do that for sure before I leave to go back offshore on Tuesday. Right now I am running the Rotella 10W40 in the crankcase.
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Yep, I poured in a full can on mine. Doesn't really add to the overall volume that much.

I think the can recommends about 4 oz, or an oz to a quart.

Just don't rev it up real high.
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Okee Dokee....will be doing that today.
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Extracho, I have hte same thing happening with my 84 Aspy. Thought I fixed it but thought I heard it again yesterday. Usually at low rpms but now seems to happen occassionally at high rpms. Sounds almost like the lifter collapses for a second and then is fine. Really at a loss as to what is happening. Was using castrol 20-50 then went back to shell rotella 10-40. Will try the full can of seafoam and another oil change. I hope nothing is self distructing inside the engine. I would think if that was happening it would have crapped out as I have over 1500 miles on it since it has started happening. It happens so fast and quits so quickly I hardly have time to roll the throttle off before it corrects itself.
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I doubt very seriously that anything inside the engine is about to fall apart.

I suspicion it is just a bit of varnish on the lifters and they are going flat for a little bit. More noisy than harmful.

The Sea Foam will dissolve the varnish deposits and make the lifters work like brand new again.
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I agree with John. Mine started a few weeks ago as I was finishing a 900 mile round trip. About 50 miles from home @ 60 mph was the first time I heard that "brrrrrrrrrrp" sound. Just like hockey, mine happens so fast and ends just as fast that you can't react. Bought the Seafoam and put it right in there in the store parking lot, then took off on a 90 mile ride. Noticed that there was no chatter while riding. But it's so intermittent that I need to really ride a ways to be sure. Tomorrow I'll do another circuit then change out the oil/filter with Rotella. The real test will be Tuesday evening when I leave to go back offshore. It's a 435 mile ride to the office. Unfortunately, I'm without internet access on the boat and gone for 28 days so a final report will have to wait till I get back in a month. BTW....I went to a fight one time and a hockey game broke out! Ba da Boom! :D:D
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That is what I was hoping to hear, new oil with only about 500 miles on it so may wait a bit before I do the canof seafoam. It really gives you a scare the first time it happens but it is over so fast you aren't sure you heard what you thought you heard, then it happens again and you know. hopefully the seafoam will clean things out and I won' have any more issues. Take care and be safe.
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I'll let you know the results of my second ride tomorrow.
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If your oil foams up you will get lifters collapsing from that. I think if your over full with oil, foaming might occour. I agree with an oil flush than new filter & new oil!
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OK..... just came back from a short ride of about 20 miles in stop n go traffic on the beach. Two "brrrrrp's". One in 2nd gear accelerating out of a merge lane and another really short "brrrp" at 60 mph.

Maybe it's foaming oil.... don't know.... or I haven't given the Seafoam time enough to work. I've only covered about 120 miles since putting it in.

Nonetheless, I HAVE to do the oil change today because I leave for offshore tomorrow evening. Gonna make sure it's no more than capacity or a little less and see what happens. Gonna use Rotella 15W40.

Will report back in about a month! LOL.... but at least I get to fish 100 miles offshore and get paid for doing it!

God Bless all and Ride Safe!

:action: :waving:
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Had the same problem: intermittent lifter noise on the right side. I used some gunk engine flush and it helped. The noise went away for a long while but some times returns briefly, but never as pronounced as it use to be. You can read this link: http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/forum1/65387.html. I use Mobile 1 20/50 synthetic and change it once a year. Just about everyone that complains about this problems seems to indicate it is on the right side. My opinion is the bike leans left on the side stand, so the right side drains more thoroughly allowing varnish to build up. The left side hold the oil and stays wet, so varnish does not collect. One person said a mechanic suggested filling the crank case with transmission fluid (high detergent) and let it set for awhile, drain and refill with oil. Either it is foaming oil, which I seem to doubt as most modern oils are pretty good, or it is varnish build up reducing oil pressure to the lifter at moderate speeds. I also assume the oil pressure is lower a lower rpms. If I open the throttle the noise usually ceases. This noise has been present now foe 15 years or so. Present mileage is 83,000. I am not going to worry about it as long as it is intermittent.
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Me and now 2 friends have done this now on 1200. I belive it was varnish build up on tyhe rocker and rod not letting it move freely and quick. Cheap fix. Here it is .
Mine would tick on and off after a hard run. I pulled the valve cover off and used kem-tool carb cleaner ( wall-mart) $3.00 sprayed all kinds off gum amd gunk off the valve train. put back togther got hot changed oil and have not had a tick sence. 40,000 miles and going. Good luck.
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Back from offshore. After a month of sitting on the center stand, the valve chatter was more frequent at first....for about 15 miles. After that, there was none all the way home... a 430+ mile trip. Think I'll go with pulling that valve cover and cleaning with the kem-tool just to make sure.

The concept of the right side draining oil more than the left sounds reasonable.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help!
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I have fixed that problem so many times on so many cars. Poor half bottle of ATF in oil and run engine for several minutes around 2000 RPM. Very often sound disappears after 10-30 seconds.
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Could not figure it out. Tried the Seafoam in the oil.... no improvement. Ran some ATF thru the crankcase, changed oil.... no improvement. The
"brrrrrrrrrppppp" continues.

So today I pulled that valve cover - first time since replacing the head in June. Sprayed the entire assembly really good with carb cleaner - a whole can's worth. While in there figured I would retorque the head bolts and just generally check everything out. Found the bolt for the anti-foaming chamber on the #2 cylinder was loose. I wonder if I forgot to tighten it when I charged the anti-foaming chambers when I replaced the head. Anyway, I charged both chambers with 30W and tightened them down. Went for a short ride and no "brrrrrrpppp". Too early and not enough miles to be sure, but I bet the fact that the anti-foaming chamber not being tightened down was allowing the oil to foam in that cylinder and causing that chatter.

Hope so anyhow.
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My intermittent right side clatter turned out to be the fuel pump running out of fuel. New filter and all was well.
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Ha! I had to drop all the way to the bottom to find this one (Dennis)

"My intermittent right side clatter turned out to be the fuel pump"

Same with my 85a! Darn fuel pump was mocking valve chatter!
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