top end clatter - exhaust valve

[keith222]

on a 87 vh I get top end clatter on the exhaust valve,
only on one cyclinder.
I have adjusted the tappets & the exh valve was out, & it reduced the noise, + an oil change.
However the noise is back.
Get some white smoke on start up.
Any ideas?

[LazyRider]

It may be worth having the compression tested.

In what way was the exhaust valve tappet out? By how much?

[fatowl]

sounds like the hardening on the camshaft has gone - so it's wearing away , giving a larger clearance. If so it's not good.
(hope i'm wrong)

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Could be many things, noises can be hard to trace......

Camchain/tensioner, worn cam or cam journals, slack cam cap bolts, worn valve/guides, on one previous bike the pilot screw was incorrectly set, giving a tappy sound, which was worse when the carbs were out of balance - worth a check.

I believe a couple of guy's with A/T's thought something was seriously wrong as there was noise coming from the top end, turned out to be a slack spark plug!

Start with the simple/cheap things first, good luck.

Phil