• NEW USERS: If you haven't received your Confirmation Email: There has been an ongoing issue with the forum's send mail function and many new users haven't received the email to confirm their registration. I've done my best to manually process these, so there's a good chance if you've signed up in the past 30 days that you've already been validated and can proceed with posting on the forum (don't forget to introduce yourself!). If you still can't get in, please use the Contact Us link on the bottom of any page to send me a message and I'll process you manually. Thanks for your patience! ~Jerk

Noisy rattly engine....top end

excollier

Well travelled
Location
Ireland
My Himalayan is getting progressively more noisy at the top end.
Both me and the bike mechanic I use have checked the tappets - well within spec - but it is still very noisy. He said another one came in to him sounding the same, it too runs well
No power loss or anything, just that loud rattly tappet sound.
I have also changed the cam chain tensioner (old one seemed ok, but they aren't expensive).
Only sounds bad when riding, otherwise just a more quiet ticking at tickover, more noticeable if it is revved then let go the throttle.....any ideas, anyone?
Otherwise I am enjoying the bike on the few rough dirt roads I can find here
 

army_eod

Well travelled
Location
Alabama USA
Mine is sounding the same. Only about 65 miles on it. When accellerating it sounds like main bearing is failing and/or valves are rattling.
At idle it sounds ok. No idea if this is normal or not. I will see what happens as I get toward the first 300 miles and then it goes to the dealer for first service.
I will tell them about the sounds and see what they say.
 

Robc76

Well travelled
Location
Uk
Mine sounds awful when on the power above 3,000rpm. The same kind of impending doom sound you both describe. I just assume they're all the same. Only 600 miles on mine.

RobC
 
Mine sounds awful when on the power above 3,000rpm. The same kind of impending doom sound you both describe. I just assume they're all the same. Only 600 miles on mine.

RobC
Mine is nothing like that. Very smooth and normal sounding between 3000 and 5000 rpm. Knock on wood I guess. I do know that when I emptied the garbage conventional mineral oil the dealer put in at 3000 miles and replaced it with the LiquiMoly 15W50 full synthetic, its QUIETER and the clutch action is much smoother and it shifts much better, it also seems to run cooler. When you only have 600 miles on the motor its going to be tight, so its very important not to lug it and in my opinion anyway, not to take it to redline or even close.
 
Did I not read in the handbook that fully synthetic is bad for the clutch?

RobC
I guess it might depend upon the brand. LiquiMoly is German, formulated for wet clutches with additives and very well tested in their labs. For me, I learn through experience and so far its working great for me. it was immediately apparent when I rode the bike home with conventional oil after the 3000 mile service, I could hardly shift, impossible to get it into neutral and the bike was running hotter. As soon as changed back to LiquiMoly, everything got better within 10 miles of riding.
 

Robc76

Well travelled
Location
Uk
Best of luck to you then. 🙂. I've never tried Liquimoly. It'll be nice to have the occasional update.

RobC
 
FYI These are the two oils recommended for the Himalayan. I personally chose the 15W-50 as I don't need the 10W viscosity where I ride. both are JASO MA2. although the viscosity index is a little lower for the street version ( viscosity change over temperature range), I don't feel for the Himalayan engine it would be critical compared to a motocross racer's demands. I'm not selling these, its just my experience to share and I am very happy with the way they work.
 

Attachments

KTM AL

Well travelled
Location
Southwater UK
Mine rattles like hell too , got 2000 miles on it and valves were ok , changed oil from semi to full synthetic , still the same. ok on tick over , rattles if you rev it a bit and rattles most of the time. I will try ear plugs just to see if is any noisier than my 1150GS, as I do normally ride with them, but didn't bother with the Himmi as I only potter around on it.
 

Robc76

Well travelled
Location
Uk
Mine rattles like hell too , got 2000 miles on it and valves were ok , changed oil from semi to full synthetic , still the same. ok on tick over , rattles if you rev it a bit and rattles most of the time. I will try ear plugs just to see if is any noisier than my 1150GS, as I do normally ride with them, but didn't bother with the Himmi as I only potter around on it.

I have an old R1150GS too. Another rattling old tractor 😁

RobC
 

army_eod

Well travelled
Location
Alabama USA
LOL. I think the manual calls for synthetic blend oil.
I will just have the 300 mile service done and will note my concern.
I do not lug or red line this bike. I know how to do break in.
 

OldGuy

Well travelled
Location
Seattle,WA
Someone here on the forum once likened the Himmi engine to .... "shaking a sardine can with some random spanners thrown in...", or something to that effect. I still chuckle about it, because its so true. Although, as I put more miles on it, things seem to be quieting down a bit. I think we just have to bear with it until something bad happens - i.e. a rod comes poking out the cylinder......:whistle:
OG
 

Roy Gavin

Well travelled
I use Motul 7100 full synth in my 2017 bike, the 10/60. But it not a lot thicker than the 10/50 Liqui M at 100C/ 212F!
My bike has the early, weak clutch, later bike have a more robust unit , but mine is still OK at 46,000 km.
FWIW it is usually the spragg clutch that fails first with the wrong oil-DAHIK!
Valves were checked by the dealer at 5000 km, didn't need touching until the inlet tightened up a couple of thou at 40,000 km.
I keep the revs below 5000 , not too hard as we have a 100 km/hr max speed in this sate, except freeways/interstate.
Doesn't need toped up much between services so a 4L does two, just as well as it costs me$110-!
Hitchcocks sell a self adhesive sound deadener.
If you stick it everywhere you can it does make a difference, underside of tank, top of bash plate side covers, airbox and back panel, heat shield on muffler, etc , etc.
Having the exhaust hanging stress free helps too , you dont want it pulling on the studs.
On cars the trick was to get it up on the hoist and spot heat the pipe to a straw red so it settled in a stress free position.
On the bike probably better to fit it starting from the front and pulling it in square to the head with a new gasket, factory torque is surprisingly low.
Then cut/ pack/ extend/ whatever the other brackets so the system is hanging stress free-- no forceing it in to position!
FWIW if you look under a new Mercedes car you can see where the exhaust has been heated at three or four places, so I am not the only one who uses the system!
 
I use Motul 7100 full synth in my 2017 bike, the 10/60. But it not a lot thicker than the 10/50 Liqui M at 100C/ 212F!
My bike has the early, weak clutch, later bike have a more robust unit , but mine is still OK at 46,000 km.
FWIW it is usually the spragg clutch that fails first with the wrong oil-DAHIK!
Valves were checked by the dealer at 5000 km, didn't need touching until the inlet tightened up a couple of thou at 40,000 km.
I keep the revs below 5000 , not too hard as we have a 100 km/hr max speed in this sate, except freeways/interstate.
Doesn't need toped up much between services so a 4L does two, just as well as it costs me$110-!
Hitchcocks sell a self adhesive sound deadener.
If you stick it everywhere you can it does make a difference, underside of tank, top of bash plate side covers, airbox and back panel, heat shield on muffler, etc , etc.
Having the exhaust hanging stress free helps too , you dont want it pulling on the studs.
On cars the trick was to get it up on the hoist and spot heat the pipe to a straw red so it settled in a stress free position.
On the bike probably better to fit it starting from the front and pulling it in square to the head with a new gasket, factory torque is surprisingly low.
Then cut/ pack/ extend/ whatever the other brackets so the system is hanging stress free-- no forceing it in to position!
FWIW if you look under a new Mercedes car you can see where the exhaust has been heated at three or four places, so I am not the only one who uses the system!
Haven't exceeded 5000 rpm on my bike either and haven't found anything lacking after over 3000 miles. I've been all over the place backroads, forest service dirt tracks, up to 7000 feet, in some SoCal traffic etc. But I do not ride Calif freeways. Probably the reason your clutch lasts is you use it properly as well as using a good oil. Also probably part of the reason your valves require less adjustment, most valve lash and cam chain tensioner stress/stretch occur at the highest revs near redline.
 
Top Bottom