Himalayan excessive tappet noise

[Andy131]

I suspect that the letter is a standard letter that Moto GB have issued to all owners who bought a Himalayan from them within a certain serial number range - ie the DVLA say you WILL send a letter to all owners. Rather than a volutary recall as was happening, this is a compulsory recall. Got my letter today.

 

[grymsr]

I bought my 2020 used. Is there an address for the recall?

 

[HaveACuppaTea]

So if your calipers have already been changed (mine were done in October) do you have to get them done again? Or is this just an overkill letter from MotoGB to make sure everyone has got done?

 

[BobbyF]

One of my Himmas has developed a fairly loud tappet ticking sound at about 5,000 miles. I've double checked the valve clearance and everything is good. Oil level is good and has not changed recently.

Anyone else have this? Normal?

One of my Himmas has developed a fairly loud tappet ticking sound at about 5,000 miles. I've double checked the valve clearance and everything is good. Oil level is good and has not changed recently.

Anyone else have this? Normal?

So I just did the valve clearances on my BS6 himi as the bike was overheating... in Scotland so that's a bit drastic! anyway both the intake and exhaust valves were tight by about 0.05mm or so. Way out of spec but the bike was quiet tappety-wise. Now that I have set them to mid-spec (0.09 in, 0.23 exh) the tappets are LOUD!. I'm starting to think the bikes are just meant to sound like that as so many people say the same story - "tappets were tight so i set them in spec and now its loud" etc etc.

I did however have a very alarming experience. The lock nut on the intake valve wasn't tight enough so it worked itself completely off and it loosened itself! the racket was unbelievable when the intake tappet was super loose (like 0.5cm!!!). Surprisingly the bike still ran fine for the mile back to my house. I was lucky as the bolt landed next to the tappet and i could fish it out but after that I am very happy with my loud adjusted tappet. I suppose you could just go for 0.07 in, 0.2 exh to get rid of the noise if you are brave! I'm not tho...

 

[excollier]

So I just did the valve clearances on my BS6 himi as the bike was overheating... in Scotland so that's a bit drastic! anyway both the intake and exhaust valves were tight by about 0.05mm or so. Way out of spec but the bike was quiet tappety-wise. Now that I have set them to mid-spec (0.09 in, 0.23 exh) the tappets are LOUD!. I'm starting to think the bikes are just meant to sound like that as so many people say the same story - "tappets were tight so i set them in spec and now its loud" etc etc.

I did however have a very alarming experience. The lock nut on the intake valve wasn't tight enough so it worked itself completely off and it loosened itself! the racket was unbelievable when the intake tappet was super loose (like 0.5cm!!!). Surprisingly the bike still ran fine for the mile back to my house. I was lucky as the bolt landed next to the tappet and i could fish it out but after that I am very happy with my loud adjusted tappet. I suppose you could just go for 0.07 in, 0.2 exh to get rid of the noise if you are brave! I'm not tho...

Sounds like mine - runs really well though....I dunno, my tappets are in spec and the exhaust tappet is noisy all the time

 

[excollier]

I cannot silence the tappets on my Himmie, even though they are adjusted to spec. Bike runs and pulls really well though.
Maybe it's not tappet noise....
I helped rebuild the engine of the passing tractor at the end, it sounds more healthy (and the tappets are way more easy to access and set!!)

Rattly Himmie

chatty tappets? Tappets are adjusted to spec so what is this noise? Camchain tensioner is new too

www.bitchute.com

 

[Landsurfer74]

I cannot silence the tappets on my Himmie, even though they are adjusted to spec. Bike runs and pulls really well though.
Maybe it's not tappet noise....
I helped rebuild the engine of the passing tractor at the end, it sounds more healthy (and the tappets are way more easy to access and set!!)

Rattly Himmie

chatty tappets? Tappets are adjusted to spec so what is this noise? Camchain tensioner is new too

www.bitchute.com

By their nature of operation tappets rattle ... if their mechanical like the ones on the Himma .... hydraulic tappets ...... different creature .... quiet ...

 

[excollier]

I'll

By their nature of operation tappets rattle ... if their mechanical like the ones on the Himma .... hydraulic tappets ...... different creature .... quiet ...

Yeah but this sounds awful. I have owned BSA twins and '70s Triumph triples that were quieter than this. Guess I'll have to live with it

 

[Eatmore Mudd]

I'll

Yeah but this sounds awful. I have owned BSA twins and '70s Triumph triples that were quieter than this. Guess I'll have to live with it

Overhead cams with adjustable rocker arms have been around a long long time. Properly adjusted they are quiet. I hate to be a buzz kill, something just ain't right.

 

[Roy Gavin]

If you have clearance you will have noise, it just might be that some motors/ bikes amplify it more.
Phil Irving, who designed the Vincent motors and had a hand in the Velo pushrod singles admitted to being perplexed as to why the AMC pushrod motors were much quieter than the competition - he had examined them closely and couldn't find any reason why it should be so.
So we are in good company!
Some folks have tried a bit sound deadening, Hitchcocks have the gear, and stuck to the underside of the tank, and sometimes every other available spot, claim to notice a difference.
Choice and quality if oil can make a difference too.
And perhaps it was designed in as a safety feature, to alert us that adjustment is needed!
Could be worse, my nearest Lawnmower guy shims up bevel desmo Ducati's when mower work is slow midwinter. He usually has a waiting list and is thinking of putting up the price, $ 3,400- cash up front doesn't seem to deter his customers. Actually a ex race mechanic who does the mowers as a side line on his organic farm, but -----!

 

[Eatmore Mudd]

Willys L 134's, Wisconsin V4, Cologne 2.8 Liter V6's, Mopar 225's & a 426, LS 410 all quiet when adjusted right. That said after 3,500 miles I did go to the loose side of spec with my Himalayan because not having it on a long stroke singe was bugging my subconscious ! The soft tick-tick-tick-tick is sooooo peaceful and familiar.

 

[RotorWrench]

Willys L 134's, Wisconsin V4, Cologne 2.8 Liter V6's, Mopar 225's & a 426, LS 410 all quiet when adjusted right. That said after 3,500 miles I did go to the loose side of spec with my Himalayan because not having it on a long stroke singe was bugging my subconscious ! The soft tick-tick-tick-tick is sooooo peaceful and familiar.

True. I originally adjusted mine on the tight side of the clearances at the 300 mile service and while having definite clearances, was still quiet. I went back 100 miles later and opened them up a little more, specifically the exhaust due to expected and normal elongation of that valve. While barely audible, the tappet noise is definitely more noticeable.

 

[excollier]

I'll

Yeah but this sounds awful. I have owned BSA twins and '70s Triumph triples that were quieter than this. Guess I'll have to live with it

Here is a video with better sound

Tattly Rappets 2

updated video on a rattly engine

www.bitchute.com

 

[RotorWrench]

To verify it's actually the tappets/rocker arms making the sound you hear just adjust your tappets to zero clearance and run the engine a few minutes to see if the sound you hear is still there. It won't hurt the engine and will take the tappet adjustment out of the equation.

If the sound is still there obviously you're hearing something else. Cam chain, counterbalance etc...

If the sound is gone, adjust and verify the tappet clearance to spec. If the clearances are correct then you'll just have to live with it. Try minimum clearances if it bothers you.

What is more common, especially when the tappet adjustment is in a confined area, is feeler gauges are are being used incorrectly and that usually results in gap clearances well in excess of maximum recommended, which will definitely be louder and more noticeable.

 

[tom_d]

Haven’t heard it as a cause, but roller tip play or wear? Never taken mine apart so have never researched its new or wear states.

 

[tom_d]

Might as well throw in checking the rocker shaft if I’m spit balling for possible areas of wear in the area.

 

[RotorWrench]

Haven’t heard it as a cause, but roller tip play or wear? Never taken mine apart so have never researched its new or wear states.

Definitely a possibility if they were roller rocker arms but these are solid fixed tips.

Might as well throw in checking the rocker shaft if I’m spit balling for possible areas of wear in the area.

Another possibility as well and totally plausible but it would be very unusual to have that much rockershaft/rocker arm wear at only 5000 miles. Very easily checked though.

 

[Roy Gavin]

The rollers are at the cam end of the rocker on the Hima
But the adjuster on the other end of the rocker can cause spot wear on whatever it pushes down on, so feeler gauges wont necessarily give the correct reading.
Which is why some folks like to set the clearance by measuring the amount you turn the adjuster - I still have pops auto adjuster which had 1 thou clicks on the knob, but not enough room for it on the Hima.
But a 1/4 ex and 1/8 in of a turn out from touching is not going to make a noticeable difference to the noise.

 

[RotorWrench]

The rollers are at the cam end of the rocker on the Hima
But the adjuster on the other end of the rocker can cause spot wear on whatever it pushes down on, so feeler gauges wont necessarily give the correct reading.
Which is why some folks like to set the clearance by measuring the amount you turn the adjuster - I still have pops auto adjuster which had 1 thou clicks on the knob, but not enough room for it on the Hima.
But a 1/4 ex and 1/8 in of a turn out from touching is not going to make a noticeable difference to the noise.

Thank you, I must have misunderstood. When someone references a roller rocker arm to me that is a roller at the valve stem end.

We normally use wire gauges at work which prevents incorrect gap readings associated with valve stem wear and that's what I use on my engines that require adjusters after they have enough mileage on them for wear to be a factor, but that usually take quite a bit of mileage with modern engine and valve metallurgy. If an engine is low time/mileage regular gauges are fine.

The most accurate measurement method and one which one of our engine manufacturers requires, is to use a dial gage on the rocker arm to measure travel. Wear does not affect that method and is the most precise, when required.

 

[tom_d]

The rollers are at the cam end of the rocker on the Hima
But the adjuster on the other end of the rocker can cause spot wear on whatever it pushes down on, so feeler gauges wont necessarily give the correct reading.
Which is why some folks like to set the clearance by measuring the amount you turn the adjuster - I still have pops auto adjuster which had 1 thou clicks on the knob, but not enough room for it on the Hima.
But a 1/4 ex and 1/8 in of a turn out from touching is not going to make a noticeable difference to the noise.

I stand corrected about it being a roller tip, I probably was in need of a nap. I do like the alternative using a certain number of turns as a gauge as well, seems the nicer tappet adjusters have some marking on their sides which could support that technique.