Engine Trouble..

[Cabby]

Bike running lovely at the Ace on Sunday.....So later I decide to go and visit my old Mum nr Eastbourne.....

Almost there I start hearing a bit of a tapping sound as I leave roundabouts...

Nursed it back to London today.

Sounds like a loud tappet but I don't think it is....wouldn't that build up gradually?

Bike performing OK but the tapping sound is obvious....Any ideas peeps?

Better it happened now than at Dover on the way to France.....

[StumpyFingers]

Use the screwdriver trick with the engine running and try to pinpoint the location, that may give a clue as to what is wrong.

[apple3]

Hi years back in my Courier days I had a VT500 almost the same engine as your Alp, it made a loud ticking noise and lost power one day, it was the oil return which feeds back into the bottom of the engine. I have got the Manual somewhere, as a Leather Butt you could pop into Chasbikes SE1 if still there and ask. Time you finish tonight I'm sure detailed advice will appear or it could be a project in France for after a few beers???

After a few beers everyone will have some advice- but don't worry to make you feel more at ease we will sit behind you!
B lucky.
A3

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Post '90's Alps don't have the external oil feed pipe that the earlier bikes did.

Check the cheap/daft/simple things first. Its rare for a n engine component to 'just' fail.

Check the spark plugs are tight, plug caps/leads not 'arcing', exhaust clamps are tight inlet rubbers correctly placed & secure (not too tight), vacuum pipe/balance blanking screw is still in place.

Might be none of these but worth checking.

Good luck, Phil

[Cabby]

Thanks Chaps...Tried the screwdriver thing...Nothing much, though it sounds possibly like it's from the front OR from between the cylinders?

No loss of power.

I'll take the tank off tomorrow and have a look...I'll see all the spark plugs then....Better replace them while I'm there...

I can't take it to France like this....Even if an alcohol fuelled does have a certain appeal.......

I'll check that vacuum thingy when I find it in the manual Phil......

I can mimic the sound by tapping on the cylinder head fins with a screwdriver ...if that helps.....

[Lord Vader]

Listen,you guys how little i know about these things but when i had a strange noise coming from my @ which i thought was from the engine"somewhere" it turned out to be a loose chain
Just thought about that when i read the "coming out of round abouts" part

[Cabby]

Thanks Pete...That's when I first heard it...It's there all the time though.










Did you get my pm?

[Lord Vader]

Thanks Pete...That's when I first heard it...It's there all the time though.










Did you get my pm?

yep

[YEN_POWELL]

Definitely check all the sparkplugs are in properly. I mean by trying to undo them, not just wrenching them tighter which could ruin your whole year.

I had one loosen in one of the deep holes and the noise semed to come from everywhere but where the offending plug was.

[Cabby]

Thanks Yen..I've taken them all out..I'll replace them tomorrow with new ones....I'll try to do the valves as I've stripped a lot off....Not confident It'll cure it....

I'm at that stage I always arrive at ....The realisation that I should have taken it to my locals and gone to work myself and give them the money...Didn't work today..distracted by this.......