Noise

[Hugh Mungus]

Have you tried earplugs?


Glue them all round the inside of the chain 

Or better still, glue them into your ears.

[darrsi]

Poxy noise is getting more irritating, i'm now thinking it could be to do with the chain slider, maybe worn, but can't examine it or be sure without stripping it down which right now is a bit of a no no due to needing the bike at a moments notice.
There's no performance issues, and still no feeling whatsoever through the footpeg, so "i don't think" any harm is being done, but the whirring sound is a bit vexing.

[nick crisp]

You say that the noise stops when you pull the clutch in and that this rules out wheel bearings. But pulling the clutch in removes drive from the rear wheel, which removes a force applied; if the bearings are starting to fail, I think they would be affected by this. Obviously eventually they'd get to a point where it would be detected all the time, clutch or no clutch, but you wouldn't want it to get to that point.


I'd also look at condition of the cush drive rubbers, and I still can't help but feel the chain can't be ruled out yet.
My chain slider is pretty worn, grooved, but doesn't cause any noise, still has plenty of thickness to do its job. I reckon that's a red herring.

[darrsi]

You say that the noise stops when you pull the clutch in and that this rules out wheel bearings. But pulling the clutch in removes drive from the rear wheel, which removes a force applied; if the bearings are starting to fail, I think they would be affected by this. Obviously eventually they'd get to a point where it would be detected all the time, clutch or no clutch, but you wouldn't want it to get to that point.


I'd also look at condition of the cush drive rubbers, and I still can't help but feel the chain can't be ruled out yet.
My chain slider is pretty worn, grooved, but doesn't cause any noise, still has plenty of thickness to do its job. I reckon that's a red herring.

I changed the cush drive rubbers a few years ago just for the sake of it, but the ones i removed looked like fine anyway.
If it was rear wheel bearings would i not hear "something" spinning the wheel on the centre stand?
It spins very freely either way, with no binding or anything going on.

[nick crisp]

I changed the cush drive rubbers a few years ago just for the sake of it, but the ones i removed looked like fine anyway.
If it was rear wheel bearings would i not hear "something" spinning the wheel on the centre stand?
It spins very freely either way, with no binding or anything going on.

I'm quite particular about wheel bearings, as I've had a set fail catastrophically in far less than ideal conditions before. I also checked mine more recently (different bike) just using the "excess movement, spin wheel, check it spins freely, listen for noise" method. Seemed fine. Shortly after, took the bike for a service to have a bearing found to be on the edge of failure. What mileage is on the current bearings?


Remember that when you just spin the wheel by hand to check, the wheel is not under the load it would be from the engine, clutch out.

[darrsi]

[quote author=darrsi link=topic=24345.msg282729#msg282729 date=1533389268]


I changed the cush drive rubbers a few years ago just for the sake of it, but the ones i removed looked like fine anyway.
If it was rear wheel bearings would i not hear "something" spinning the wheel on the centre stand?
It spins very freely either way, with no binding or anything going on.

I'm quite particular about wheel bearings, as I've had a set fail catastrophically in far less than ideal conditions before. I also checked mine more recently (different bike) just using the "excess movement, spin wheel, check it spins freely, listen for noise" method. Seemed fine. Shortly after, took the bike for a service to have a bearing found to be on the edge of failure. What mileage is on the current bearings?


Remember that when you just spin the wheel by hand to check, the wheel is not under the load it would be from the engine, clutch out.
[/quote]


Don't really know, i had seized disc bolts, then one snapped inside the wheel, so i just replaced the wheel.
That was 7 years and 20,000 miles ago though.


I am beginning to suspect the noise is from the middle of the bike, it doesn't really sound like it's behind me.


One thing that has crossed my mind though, if the chain slide gets very worn is it possible that the chain could rub somewhere on the metal of the swingarm?
If this was possible then i'm guessing it will only get louder and louder as time goes on.

[nick crisp]

Don't really know, i had seized disc bolts, then one snapped inside the wheel, so i just replaced the wheel.
That was 7 years and 20,000 miles ago though.


I am beginning to suspect the noise is from the middle of the bike, it doesn't really sound like it's behind me.


One thing that has crossed my mind though, if the chain slide gets very worn is it possible that the chain could rub somewhere on the metal of the swingarm?
If this was possible then i'm guessing it will only get louder and louder as time goes on.

I'd be inclined to change the wheel bearings out anyway in that case. Not like it's a mega expensive thing to do, and then you know where you're at with them. Trust me, you don't want them to fail on you on the approach to the Dartford Tunnel at rush hour  :lol


I have learned from the fairing infill panels on the Fazer thou that what a noise is and where it's coming from can be a real puzzle, and not to trust where I think it's coming from  :lol


If the chain has worn through a slider/guide and is rubbing on metal, that should be easy enough to verify by sight?

[fazersharp]

Don't really know, i had seized disc bolts, then one snapped inside the wheel, so i just replaced the wheel.
That was 7 years and 20,000 miles ago though.

So you have done 20k on it but how many had already been put on it, or possibly it had already had some new bearings put in but of questionable quality ? 

[darrsi]

Don't really know, i had seized disc bolts, then one snapped inside the wheel, so i just replaced the wheel.
That was 7 years and 20,000 miles ago though.

So you have done 20k on it but how many had already been put on it, or possibly it had already had some new bearings put in but of questionable quality ?

I'm gonna be bold and say it's not the bearings that are the problem.
It's from around the middle of the bike, ie: the chain area, where the noise is coming from, and although the noise quietens down when the clutch is pulled in i can't understand why wheel bearings would go silent.
I've had knackered bearings on previous bikes before and they've never made a rubbing sound, they tend to either make a high pitched squeak or grinding noise when they're on their way out.
There's no movement in the rear wheel whatsoever, and when i spin it forwards or backwards it rotates totally freely with no noises at all and no binding with the pads. Same as the front wheel as well.

[NorthWestern]

What about the sprocket carrier or swingarm bearing?

[Grayo]

If it goes away when the clutch lever is pulled in then it sounds like normal thrust bearing rumble to me which is common on four cylinder bikes and nothing to worry about. I had it years ago on a Thundercat and was told that this is common by a Yamaha main dealer. I never worried about it again and put another 30k on the bike before I part-ex'd it.

[darrsi]

Might be getting somewhere with this now at last.
Popped round my mates house for a second opinion, and with a tiny bit of load on the throttle to stop the chain jumping about we both had a listen with the bike on the centre stand.


I noticed that there were a few drips of coolant coming out from the water pump area.
So now as well as a dodgy O ring i’m wondering if there’s an issue with the impeller, which could well be the cause of the noise i’m hearing?
I had one go on me before on my old bike, although i don’t know if they are metal fins or plastic on these bikes?
That could explain the noise from around the front sprocket area as well as it’s right next to it.
Plus the fan came on yesterday, and today as well, when trying to listen for the noise so that’s another sign something’s wrong. Bloody thing made me jump, i can’t remember the last time i heard how loud it was.  :lol


I took tomorrow off to do an oil change and carb balance as i’m working this weekend, but now i can’t do that as the bike will overheat.
I’ve ordered another pump and seal though.


But not to worry, my day won’t be wasted as i now have a leak somwhere in my new rear tyre as well :'(
It’s not a puncture, it’s either the valve again or the rims leaking, but i put 40psi in this morning and it was 30psi this evening, so it has to be sorted asap.

[darrsi]

"...On the fzs600, the oil pump is gear driven on the right hand side of the engine behind the clutch.. It has a shaft only that goes through the engine and drives the water pump on the other side. 2 separate components although sharing a shaft..."

Just read this on another page on here (courtesy of Bretty), would this mean the oil and water pumps both disengage when the clutch is pulled in?
If they do then that would further enhance the chance that it's a water pump problem, as the noise goes away when i use the clutch, plus it's not an instant shut off, it sounds like a very quick winding down which could be the impeller blades slowing down as they are not being driven for a split second.

[darrsi]

Spoke to a mechanic earlier when getting my tyre sorted, and apparently the oil/water pumps don't disengage when the clutch is pulled in.
But then it got me thinking, when i pull the clutch in i shut the throttle off as well so that would slow the water pump impeller, albeit for a split second, but enough to lessen the noise.

[fazersharp]

I remember when I was changing my coolant that I waited over 10 mins on tick over and got bored waiting for the fan to come on and so gave up. Fazers are renowned for people not ever remembering the fans to come on, not even hot weather in traffic --- are they not ? And yet yours came on seemingly so readily. You may be on to something.

[darrsi]

Don't even know what made me do it, but i was reversing the bike down the alley between my house and next door and decided to give the throttle a bit of constant high revving as the sound between the houses becomes louder, and the whirring noise appeared at steady revs.
So it's seeming like the water pump is the favourite to be the culprit, as the non moving chain can now be ruled out completely.


As much as i want to go and get on with it all now, as i have all the parts and liquids i need, i'm on standby for work for today and tomorrow so i've booked Wednesday off to hopefully get everything fixed. Plus it "shouldn't" rain that day either.

[darrsi]

Watch this space, i spent 5.5hrs working on the bike today!
I ain't no mechanic, but i like to do things right.
Whether i got rid of "the noise", i don't know yet, but i will tomorrow?

[darrsi]

So yesterday gave the bike a bit of TLC at a leisurely pace on my day off.


Changed the leaking water pump, did a Radflush, then new coolant, oil change, carb balance, and gave the bike a good clean up.


Bike felt lovely to ride this morning on the way to work, the carbs were quite out of balance but are all level now and it really does make a noticeable difference, especially at low speeds.


Shame the bloody noise is still there though  :'(


I checked over the chain again and the sprocket whilst cleaning all the shite out of the clutch cover and it does all look good to me, plus it’s aligned properly with no tight links whatsoever with the correct slack.
Which now does point back to chain noise again, but i’m wondering now if my over sensitive hearing is just picking up the whirring sound and i’m gonna have to try and ignore it.
I’m cerainly not gonna change the chain and sprockets for the sake of it, ‘cos they all look perfectly fine, so unless the noise takes a turn for the worse then i’m gonna leave it alone now.

[darrsi]

Put the bike on the centre stand again and shoved it 2nd gear with a pinch of throttle, the noise is like a vibrating buzzing but sounded like it was coming from the top end of the engine.


Any ideas people, it's starting to worry me a bit now?


Bike is running lovely, apart from the noise, but this is becoming bothersome.

[nick crisp]

Could it be something as simple as some piece of bodywork or something buzzing? The thou's fairing liner panels are notorious for it, and it's hard to pinpoint when you don't know what it is. Sounds like impending doom too, and all it needs is a bit of extra foam to damp it.