Scary Noises!

[Silky]

Hi guys and gals,

My GPZ500 has been making some curious noises lately...

At idle its fine, nothing out of the ordinary, but once on the move there seems to be a random knocking sound. As if there is something flying about inside the engine. Gets a little louder at speed.

Sounds like its near the front low down, maybe in the sump. Surely I should have been launched off the thing by now...?

Happens with the clutch in or out regardless. Have also ridden it without the bellypan on and have checked for external problems.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
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[Ariel Badger]

Is the noise in sync with engine revs or does its frequency alter with a change of gear?
If you rev the bike at a halt in neutral can you hear it?
If you rev the bike in gear at a halt can you hear it?
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[bladerunner]

If you have a mobile then take a vid of it and upload it to you tube and post the link here as it's always a lot easier to diagnose if we can hear it!! Other points ...does it get better/worse when hot and does it do it more under load or is it always the same

HTH

Blade
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[MaybeGuy]

am i the only one who thinks it could be big end bearings??

i dont care if i scare people
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Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[smeg918]

Hi, i don't think it's the big ends at idle you would really hear them, might be a sticky cam chain tensioner or if it's done a lot of miles could be the cam chain itself.

[2006 _p1]

more likely to be the chain hitting the frame.

[Silky]

Ariel, it doesnt make any noise when still even if revved. Seems to be linked to speed/movement of the bike.

Definately isnt the big ends, i know what that sounds like.

Sounds really low down, so i dont think its the cam chain or tensioner.

Cant really take a vid as i'll have to hang off the bike lol! Doubt that would help anyway.

Is a very randomly occuring sound, like a tiny bit of metal shoved in a washing machine.
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Have ya ever drunk Baileys from a shoe? IM OLD GREGG!!!

[Silky]

Ball bags...

Update:

Got really hot this morning. Got off the bike to check for my worst fear, and behold......the oil isnt circulating. Lovely.

So, oil pump?

Got a local bike garage to pick it up soon, so I'll find out.

Shitake mushrooms.

If Im right how big is the job?
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Have ya ever drunk Baileys from a shoe? IM OLD GREGG!!!

[smeg918]

Time to get the manual out, If your lucky the pump might be under a engine side cover so no need to take out engine. If it's in the sump it's engine out. Hope there's not too much damage. Don't want to worry you too much but take the rocker cover of and check the oil was still getting up top. Just a moment has the garage confirmed the oil pump, is your bike water cooled it could be your water pump

[Silky]

BOB SAGET!

False alarm people....as usual!

Its always simpler than you think.

Whacked the bike on its center stand and put it in first. Found out theres either a stone in the rear wheel or the bearing has gone. Thank god.

I was lucky to have called the guy up and canceled just in time, so i didn't lose a penny.

Sorry guys.

It does keep getting really hot after a short ride though. When running is there meant to be any oil visible in the window?
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Have ya ever drunk Baileys from a shoe? IM OLD GREGG!!!

[element]

the bike will run hot on a short ride especially if your not at any pace to keep the engine cool. Im assuming that your bike doesnt have a fan on the rad. If you have a temp gauge (my mate has the same bike but i cant remember) then just keep an eye on it. make sure its not going in the red. Might be worth checking your coolant level. The engine temps will rise when there is not enough coolant in the system!

also on my bike (i have a dt, completely different but still its the same on my dads 4t) you cant see any oil in the window while the engine is running. switch it off and watch level in the window slowly rise
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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[Silky]

Checked my coolant and it was a little low, so I've topped it up.

Hopefully that'll have it sorted.

Thanks for the advice guys!


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Have ya ever drunk Baileys from a shoe? IM OLD GREGG!!!

[element]

[stinkwheel]

What year/reg of GPZ500 is it?

What makes you think it is getting very hot? Does it feel hot or is the temperature guage telling you it's hot? How far up is the guage going? Is the fan coming on? Does the fan ever come on?

For future reference, if it had stopped circulating oil, it would be a dead engine very quickly indeed. The red oil warning light on a GPZ500 is attached to a pressure switch. It should come on when you switch on the ignition and go off the instant you fire up the engine.

If that light goes straight off on startup, there is adequate oil pressure. If it ever comes on when riding pull in the clutch and kill the engine immediately until you've found out what the problem is (usually an electrical malfunction when it comes down to it). If it's come on due to low oil pressure, you are damaging your engine with every second it is running.

With regard to the noise:

Check to see if there is a splitlink in your chain. If there is, get it changed or at a minimum give every single link a thorough inspection (including making sure it moves about as it should). I've had three chains fail at the splitlink on me on GPZ500s and each time it was preceeded by a knocking/clattering noise.

Also check your rear sprocket isn't all worn out and hooked over. If you find nothing, check the front sprocket, it is held on by a thrust washer and two short bolts. The bolts sometimes start to unscrew themselves if they weren't put in tightly enough.
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