How loud should my valves be and should one side be louder than other?

[RichPugh]

So the guy I bought the bike from says he set the valves to the "European" specs and they're characteristically louder than OEM or the World or NA spec but the left side is very loud like KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK and the right side is virtually undetectable. I cant hear the right side at ALL. Should I just check and reset them? I've read a few threads on here about typical and desireable valve tick and settings but I'm just wondering about the side to side difference.

[richard100t]

Check the valves yourself to make sure the previous owner did it right. I would set the valves at world specs, but thats just me. If & when you adjust the valves you'll need to make sure the throttle bodies are in sync as well. I use a TwinMax to do that, you can read other threads for tips on that as well. The last thing you should do, is make sure the TPS setting is right. That is sort of the Guzzi tune up trifecta...valves, tb sync, & tps

[RichPugh]

Check the valves yourself to make sure the previous owner did it right. I would set the valves at world specs, but thats just me. If & when you adjust the valves you'll need to make sure the throttle bodies are in sync as well. I use a TwinMax to do that, you can read other threads for tips on that as well. The last thing you should do, is make sure the TPS setting is right. That is sort of the Guzzi tune up trifecta...valves, tb sync, & tps

 

Will do. Thanks a lot. The previous owner gave me 2 new valve cover gaskets with the bike. I'll get to put them to good use.

[Guest ratchethack]

Rich, I agree with Richard 100%.

 

But this KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK thing's got me a little concerned. Especially if -- relatively speaking, I take it! "I cant hear the right side at ALL." (??!!)

 

Now a knock is a knock. And a KNOCK is definitely not a "clack"!

 

I'd be OK with a clack clack clack clack. Not a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK !!

 

I've gotta ask. Does this KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK go away -- or at least diminish at speed?

[RichPugh]

Now a knock is a knock. And a KNOCK is definitely not a "clack"! I've gotta ask. Does this KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK go away -- or at least diminish at speed?

 

If it's not a knock, it's a distinctive LOUD tick... not so much a clack. If I had to describe the actual noise I hear under the valve cover, it would be more like TOCK TOCK TOCK TOCK... (I'm really good at technical terms LOL).

 

I'll have to tell you tomorrow after my ride to work if it diminishes at all at speed. I can tell you it is a single Tock noise, not so much a Clack. I would consider it louder than a Tick. Right side is 100% quiet unless my ear is not trained to hear what should be there. Side to side, I hear ONLY this TOCK noise on the left side and nothing similar on the right.

[RichPugh]

OK so at start up, its a distinctive TOCK TOCK TOCK TOCK.... then warning up, it's stays a TOCK... then riding is gets quieter marginally but its hard to hear with my helmet on but after I got to work 20 miles later, it has reduced to a comfortable TICK TICK TICK TICK...

 

Left side only still

[Guest ratchethack]

Now my Dr. Hatchracket stethoscope (yes, I have one with a mechanical probe. GREAT diagonstic tool for cams and followers!) won't quite reach from here to there. And I reckon posting a link to a streaming audio sound bite might be a bit of a bother. But from your description, since the sound diminishes with speed and at operating temp (so does mine and every V11 I've ever paid any attention to) my flying spec would be that this is nothing to worry about. If you're concerned, it takes little effort to double check valve clearances.

 

BTW - My LHS valve train also makes more noise than the right, ditto ever other V11 I've noticed.

 

Some of us think of this as Guzzi Music.

[RichPugh]

Good deal. I'll spend some time adjusting the valves as well as throttle sync and tps later this week. Til then, I'll enjoy the tune

[raz]

Good deal. I'll spend some time adjusting the valves as well as throttle sync and tps later this week. Til then, I'll enjoy the tune

Do not ask me how I know this, but setting the valves at the WRONG TDC will produce a very load tapping sound BUT it will work! The engine will run quite happily below 5,000 rpm. I happen to know you can ride the bike, say, 300 kms and then set it right and no harm will be done. What I can't understand is how the engine can 1) run at all, and 2) not break completely with the pushrods missing the rocker arms completely. The only sympthom except for the sound was some hesitation to go past 6,000 rpm

I never thought I would admit this...

[Guest ratchethack]

 

Raz, it's positively cathartic to get such things off y'er chest on a public Forum.

 

I reckon that's the reason so many of us air all our dirty laundry here.

 

300 kms, you say!

 

More evidence that the venerable Guzzi V-2 lump can take just about anything in stride.

 

In The Olden Days -- that is, the days before Roper Plates , how many V-11's d'you s'pose exposed their oil pickups on hard launches hundreds of times without complaint? Er, that is, without a complaint yet . . .

 

It must be kinda like the Claymore ("claidheamh-more" to ye Scots ) of moto motors.

[Ouiji Veck]

i could have adjusted my valves by now........

[pete roper]

Depending on your novice status it is important to realize that when doing the valve clearances you have to realize that you treat each cylinder as a separate *engine*. The Guzzi has a shared crankpin with both connecting rods running on it. This means that when one piston is at TGC compression the other one most definitely isn't! Set each one up as a separate unit!

 

While the *newer* engines still make some tappet noise they are a lot quieter than the old roundfins which are imfamous for their 'Two Cheesegraters Fornicating in an Iron Tank' top end rattle especially once the rocker spindles and bushes have worn a bit. There are numerous things that seem to make 'em ratt;e more or less. Certainly the newer, tighter Euro spec clearances of 4 thou inlet and 6 thou exhaust go a long way to quietening 'em down but they will still tend to rattle a bit. I dunno what they've done with the Griso/Breva?Norge motors but these are wwhisper quiet compared even to the V11's but they still use the same valvetrain. The only thing that springs to mind is that perhaps the accuracy of the settings remains better due to the non-crushable nature of the new head and base gaskets. There again I could simply be indulging in wishful thinking or even more simply talking out of my arse again .

 

Pete

[Guest ratchethack]

Interesting that the Griso/Breva/Norge motors are so much quieter with the same old valve train.

 

Can't recall where I've seen this but I think I might've seen it on several of my own cars over the years, probably other places too. I distinctly remember heavy acoustic insulation pads inside rocker (or was it cam) covers. . .obviously an attempt to keep all the music down to a dull roar. . .

 

I've noticed the Griso/Breva/Norge motors have new and quite different looking rocker covers. Could the need for greater clearance for insulation be part of the difference in appearance of the new castings?

 

Enquiring minds (well, you know).