knocking/rattle noise from cold/cool engine

[Bubba in TX]

Sounds like your "old-school" technician needs to go back to school for some refresher courses

Actually the "old school" tech is right. Synthetic oil is not the do all, save all, fix all oil for everything..... and not everything likes it. I run both, just depends on what in.... I do not run synthetic in all my scoots. I have semi syn Castroil 20-50 in my Voyager, and will probably go back to regular Castroil 20-50 next time.

I ran regular Castroil in a Venture with over 240k miles on it when I traded it in and the valves were checked every 75k miles and I never had to adjust them. They never go to the point it was needed. On plain old 20-50 oil. It never had a engine rattle either.

[JJ Cobb]

I love these stories with high mileage. A buddy of mine has a 1500 goldwing (and an 1800 gw). He bought the 1500 with 12k miles on it. Last I checked, it was over 260k. That mileage was in about 8 years. It did two Ironbutt competitions as well as many other rides.

As for the knock, mine Vaquero did it at the dealership when I bought, and does it everyday. Am I concerned? A little, yes. I thought mine was the only one doing it. Sounds like several others are having it. The dealer said it was just the way these bikes run. No, I didn't believe that, but not a lot I could do about it.

[MAESTRO-SPRF]

I also had this knocking issue with my Vaq. After installing the BIG 3 and re-mapping with advance in idle timing the bike no longer knocks.The Vaq has a 0 degree advance at idle (which will cause this knock) so they can run it a little leaner than normal.

[Vulcan Hammer]

My 2004 Roadstar had the "Mother of All KNOCKS", but only when warm. It rattled like a Cummins Diesel when starting off in first. I had to put straight drag pipes on it to partially mask the KNOCK so that I was able to sell the bike. The Roadstar KNOCK, which affected upwards of 10% of production was not Piston Slap, but was supposed to be the result of excessive play in the generator shaft, which hammered and reverberated against the engine casing.

Compared to that, the minor knocking (lower case intended!) that I get occasionally with my VN1700 is acceptable as a minor irritation

[SF Bay Rider]

My VN1700 motor makes the same sounds when it's under 50F and cold at start up. I just let it run for about 3-5 minutes. After which time, sufficient oil pressure and head temperature has occurred. Ever since allowing for the additional warm up time after a cold start. I no longer hear the valve train rattle. Using Amsoil 10w40 MCF. There have been zero lubrication issues with either the VN1700 with 16K or ZG1400 with 17k miles.

[Bubba in TX]

I have an 05 Vstar 1100 Silverado with 85k miles on it. It does have a little bit of journal knock I think or piston slap or whatever knock. It's not ricky ticky enough to be valve lifters, and it only does it at certain RPM too.

But it runs fine. Unless it gets a lot worse I won't worry about it.... its the bike that visiting family drives....

[JJ Cobb]

Originally Posted by Bubba in TX

its the bike that visiting family drives....

I obviously need a new family. LOL

[Bubba in TX]

Everyone in my family drives scoots. Wife, daughters, son in law, sister, sisters husband (ex motor cop too), brother (retired USAF), wife's sister and brother in law, nephew, and friends, when they were alive my dad and mother. For 42 years of marriage, most everyone in our circles ride motorcycles.

I have two 1100 silverados, a majesty, and two 650 yamaha customs, and two mopeds for company to ride. BUT right now they are all in Texas. Don't ask how I ended up with it, but I also have my oldest daughters 1100 silverado ( I love those scoots) here in NV as she moved to Texas too and did not have room for it in the truck. (because she did not listen to daddy. But she is 35 and does not have to I guess) Only thing wrong with it is no windshield. It is is Texas... she forgot to leave it. I do not like riding without a windshield.

Even when I was working, I could go a couple months and never get in a car. Still that way. But it is getting winter time here in NV quickly. Supposed to get first snow tomorrow.

My oldest daughter takes my Voyager to work most days in Corsicana as she is staying in the house until we "finally" move there in March. She and her friend ride all the others there to keep them charged up and gassed. I have already registered most of them in Texas. LOT CHEAPER than Nevada. The Voyager last July here in Nevada one year old would have been $328 in Texas when I registered it, $45.

I will be there the end of next week for 3 weeks, (taking the next to last load of stuff down, the third 26 foot uhaul and 12 ft trailer load) and hopefully the weather will be good enough to ride the three places I want to go while there.

[TX1677095]

Originally Posted by Bubba in TX

Actually the "old school" tech is right. Synthetic oil is not the do all, save all, fix all oil for everything..... and not everything likes it. I run both, just depends on what in.... I do not run synthetic in all my scoots. I have semi syn Castroil 20-50 in my Voyager, and will probably go back to regular Castroil 20-50 next time.

I ran regular Castroil in a Venture with over 240k miles on it when I traded it in and the valves were checked every 75k miles and I never had to adjust them. They never go to the point it was needed. On plain old 20-50 oil. It never had a engine rattle either.

Sounds like you may need to go back to school, too.

Weight for weight, certification for certification, grade for grade, synthetics are superior to conventional oils in all applications---period. To maintain differently is a matter of opinion or ignorance, but far removed from fact.

[Romans5.8]

Is the idle set correctly? My 900 does that if the idle gets too low. It was ultra low one day (must have bumped the knob or something). The 'high idle' when cold masked it, but once I got it warmed up and came to a stop I realized it was idling really low. Knocked like crazy and knocked when I pulled out of the light. Resetting the idle to 1000 +/- 50 RPM's, where it's supposed to be, fixed that.

On gadgets page he talks about that (as linked earlier), and also claims that to be a likely cause of cold engine knock. He blames extra vibration and jarring from the low RPM's on the clutch basket.