Engine ticking noise - 1986 Honda VFR750

Hi all
Had a good look around the forum to see if this has been covered before - not had any luck. If I have missed a thread on this some where than I apologise!!!
There is a ticking noise on my 33,000 mile 1986 VFR750 when the engine is idling. Valves clearances are spot on. Carbs have been balanced. Oil/filter changed. 170 PSI compression on all cylinders. My local garage mechanics said they have heard this engine ticking noise at idle on a fair few 1st gen VFR750's and 400's. They reckon it is normal and most common on the VFR400s.
Does anyone know what causes this noise? Is it common and is it a problem? Fingers crossed it is nothing to worry about!!!
The bike runs really well and shows 145mph on the clock with more to come if cars didn't keep getting in the way!
Many thanks to anyone who can help

 

Whats that clicking noise?

well, I think you got a lemon there boss...those 86's after they get about 30,000 miles on them the clicking noises start. Once that starts it's all over but the crying...... I make you a deal I'll take the whole basket case off your hands for say......three hundred dollars and save you the headache, and the tears of it exploding while your riding it.












Just kidding bro....my 700 does the same thing...I think its the split gear(?) that drives the cams...its split I guess to avoid backlash. these sometimes have issues TOECUTTER would know better. you have to say his name three times though..


TOECUTTER!!!!!!......TOECUTTER!!!!!!!..............TOECUTTER!!!!!!

 

The split gear concept was first introduced by Honda on the primary drive and was very successful to reduce noise.
I believe it was the CB450 can't remember.

Clicking noise could be cam chain or camchain guides.
It could be nothing. Many times a bike with a fairing will amplify all the engine sounds and a "naked" bike with the same miles sounds quiet without the fairing.

When you change oil check the pan for metal . Get a magnetic drain plug.

 

What? I hate it when you do that.

 

cam chain noise

 

okay hear me out. i'm not crazy. mine was clicking...my 87 700...and...a spark plug was loose. seriously! check them?

 

split gear cam drive thingy right?

oh yeah Don.....this is an 86 .............post crappy cam chain drive.....

I may have to check my spark plugs.......... too....

 

Hey guys! I bought my second VFR, an 86 F1 model, red white and blue. The man I bought it from told me about the clicking noise that is has when I bought it. He gave me an invoice where he had the valves adjusted at the Honda shop not long before I got it. He told me it had made the same noise for years without any incident, so he kept riding it. It runs great, but I want it to sound like my F2, which is quiet. My F1 is quiet at idle hot or cold, but after warming up, has a distinct clicking from about 2000 to 5000 or so RPM. If I take the valve covers off this bike, what kind of cam gear play might I see, or how do you identify if the "scissors gear" is actually my problem? Thanks for any help making my otherwise perfect VFR into a masterpiece!

 

The split spring-loaded gear is NOT likely the problem unless you see broken springs, and that part has never been reported to fail.....at least on this site.

Ticking is usually a result of larger valve clearances or damaged cam lobes on gen 1 bikes.

Recheck the valves yourself; sometimes resetting to the minimum recommended end of the range will quiet them down, but you'd need to check them more often after that to verify they hadn't gotten too tight.

 

Thanks, squirrelman, for the reply. It won't cost me nothin but time to recheck the valve clearance. Someone remarked to me that most Honda techs nowadays are not familiar with the old bikes and they sometimes just don't understand the nuances of bikes they might see one of every every several years. I hope that's the case here, that it is correctable without anything major. I'll repost how it turns out. Also, with time does the clearance tend to close up or open up? Does the valve sink into the valve bowl and lengthen the stem, reducing the clearance?

 

new to site...need some help...not sure if this has been asked but i have the same issue with my 86 750 sabre...but only noise in the top half...it sounds like loud valves...and it increases with idle speed..i was told i need a valve kit for it but was told by other sources to adjust the valves...i had to do this with my 86 500 interceptor and it seemed like a cake walk...my question is in the field of needing maybe some more ideas of this problems cause..and if anyone could tell me what theyre supposed to be gauged at on the 86 vfr750 sabre? this is only my 2nd honda but both were 86's just different models..not sure exactly if ill need new gaskets the ones one there are pretty clean...ive yet to rip it apart due to lack of indoor work area...so when i do it i have to rip it down and back up in same day..just want to make sure i have all the right info...so if any help is to be had i really appreciate the consideration...again im looking to see what the valves are supposed to be set at..and if a valve kit is even required..also never dealt with shaft drive so not too sure how to change my rear tire and brakes without Fn things up back there...it still starts and runs like a champ...just the loud clackn in the upper valve head...and anyone tell me the type of oil im supposed to use in the rear end drive? the ppl at the honda dealer couldnt tell me anything without wanting to charge me out the ash to look at it...and couldnt find a valve or gasket kit for this bike...guess im in need of a bit of help here...traded my pickup for this bike even up...got it and rode it home...lasted me 2 months before i was stupid to let a 'FRIEND' ride it and here i sit...had to of been redlining every gear with it...didnt evn tick a lil when it left....so again i appologize if this has been covered...my job doesnt allow alot of time for me to do much...and id like to get my bike back on the road when i do have the time b4 the white stuff comes back...thank you to any of those looking into this for me

 

AS long as it is not crazy loud ticking I have noticed that both of my 750's have somewhat of a tacka-tacka-tacka noise that I have just attributed to the sweet sound of geared cams. Definitely sounds different than my K3 750, the K3 sounds more like a sewing machine. The valves have been adjusted recently on both bikes and I did not notice excessive wear, they are a little noisier than my K3. Just the way they sound.

If it is really noticable like Squirrel said something maybe wrong. Like said above check the sparkplugs too.