What the heck is this clicking noise?

Not that I'm aware of, but I'll investigate tomorrow!

I don't have a car though anyway, the girlfriend borrowed it... I was supposed to have a bike by now!

Just my luck!

 

Always have a plan B dawg in case things go bad. I would suggest having a second bike but a buddy with a car will work in a pinch.

 

Full synth is the worst, semi synth is next for developing the milky apperance from moisture. It is usually from products of combustion that haven't had evaporated yet. Getting the bike to temp and riding for 20-30 miles will usually clear it up. (My Ducati sight glass always looked scary if I was commuting on it. A trip to the canyons would clear it right up.)

(BTW, set your valves to middle of spec limits. And feeler guage tension is so subjective I don't know how to explain it in print. If you ever get a chance, have an experianced mechanic set a valve and then run your gauge through it to get an idea for the 'feel'. I set mine so that the weight of the guage set will just allow them to pull out. If there is friction, they are too tight. If the guage just moves around like it was sitting on top of a screwdriver tip, it's too lose.)

 

ALRIGHT! I got my parts, so now I'm back at it. I will keep you informed...

 

Measure twice, cut once.

 

Measure five or six times, put the valve covers back on once (hopefully)

 

Ok well now the spark plug cap for cylinder #4 is broken. So I have to wait for a new frickin spark plug wire and cap....

 

I hear you there. I hope you can provide a detailed account of your experience. As I am hearing my bike tick a little and I think that I will have to do my here pretty soon too. I hope that you can provide some tips and tricks.

 

Be sure and post up an after audio as well. I'd like to know what the 500s are supposed to sound like.

 

I'll write up a nice article when I'm done, if I can figure this thing out. Right now I'm not gonna go and tear anything else open until I get my new spark plug cap. It would be dumb to make a big mess and probably screw something up, if it was just a bad connection making the noise!

 

Here's an update:

A week after I ordered that new spark plug wire, they called me back and said "Sorry, it's been discontinued by Honda." Does anyone know an aftermarket source for spark plug wires and caps?

Anyway, I took my bike to the dealer last Friday. The tech that was working was only about my age though, and he wasn't too familiar with my old bike. So I left it there so the older guy could look at it on Monday. Anyway, they called me on Monday and said it sounds like valves or a cam chain thing.

BUT, personally I'm starting to think it could be an odd sounding exhaust leak or something like that, because A) the exhaust was the only thing I messed with to cause this noise in the first place, and B) as I rode the 20 or so miles from my apartment to the dealer, the noise started to sound less like clicking and a little more like a sharp "whooshing" sound, like I figured an exhaust leak would. At least to my ears... Maybe I was starting to hear things after listening to it for a half hour straight. AND when I started it, condensation dripped out where one of the headers went into the collector, and where one of the mufflers came out of the collector. So I'm thinking all is not sealing right.

Anyway, I'm going to go back up there and get it this weekend, and then I'm going to take all the exhaust pieces back off and put them back on very carefully, making sure everything seals right.

 

Sort of makes sense that it would sound different after riding for a while, If it was exhaust. The leak would expand and cause the change in sound.

 

That's what I'm thinking (aka hoping)! I will investigate this weekend

 

Didn't you have a broken valve thing? That would cause ticking. But if after you replaced it and its still ticking you could run a hose around the header with the other end to your ear and you might be able to hear a leak. Also if you pull the header look at the mating areas an you should see evidence of gas leaking by it could be burnt or even broken.

 

Well I don't know if I had a BROKEN valve, I just adjusted the valve clearances

 

What did you end up adjusting the valves too? Honda revised the adjustment spec. during the 80's production run of the VF's - but I don't remember if it was for 500's also.

A good rule of thumb (Example: if you are using a .004 feeler guage, adjust so that a .005 will not fit, but a .004 just fits)

Also, after adjusting the screw, rotate the engine until the cam pushes up on the valve. Now you can tighten the nut and the adjustment screw will not turn. Rotate the engine back to adjustment position to "set" the valves and measure again. You may have to adjust several times to keep the valve at the proper spec.

The valves will wear tight. With properly adjusted valves, you should hear some valve clatter when cold that will reduce or completely disappear when warm. No valve clatter when cold is "bad". Of course, if you have some cam chain noise, it will probably mask the valve clatter.

When you hear the ticking, swing your bike from side to side. If you don't hear the ticking when you lean the bike to the left, check your starter bolts, they can back out and hit the clutch cover.

 

I would like to know if you have listened for a gas leak in the headers.

 

That's pretty much how I did it... I had to adjust everything a few times.

I'll try that leaning the bike trick though.

 

I would run a wrench over every bolt on the bike to see if its tight. I have found a lot on my bike that are loose. Don't over tighten though you may break the bolt. Just tight enough works.