Ping or rattle ???.

[Nortwestrider]

About 2,000 miles ago my X started to make a rattle,pinging sound between 2,800 rpm's and 3,200 rpm's.I think it might be pinging and I only hear it in 3-6 gear and it's VERY loud in 6th gear.There is no loss of power but that's the rpm range where I get my best MPG's .Anybody else have this happen ??.


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[silverhound]

Can you tell if it's definitely coming from the engine/drivetrain or could it be something rattling on the bike somewhere else? Can you reproduce it while the bike is stationary by running the revs up?

 

[dduelin]

I would change gas stations or try premium just to see if it makes a difference. Pinging sounds like predetonation which shouldn't happen on regular gas with our bikes but if higher octane gas changes the sound if might point to faulty ignition timing or loss of a knock sensor if our bikes have one. (I am too lazy at the moment to check the service manual to see if it has a knock sensor)

 

[Nortwestrider]

I have tried high octane and it made no difference.It only happens while moving and not sitting still. I buy gas at 4-5 different stations.
Because I don 't want to ride in the. " pinging zone. " my MPG's have gone from. 63 to 57.


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[Old Can Ride]

Normally I would say check your valve clearances, but something tells me you already have. Sometimes you just have to keep ridding the unit until you figure it out.

 

[Nortwestrider]

I have not checked my valves yet,I'm waiting for my service manual.


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[Old Can Ride]

I do not believe any manual could explain setting your valves better than Treybrad did in his video tread : Valve Adjustment Video - Step by Step, DIY Guide

This is a great tread video, very well done.

 

[Just Plain Bill]

My NC700X - DCT rattles in the higher gears. At least it does when I ride without ear plugs. So I take care of the problem by always wearing ear plugs.

You might check to see if there are any Honda Service Bulletins pertaining to transmission noises or pinging. Or maybe take it in to the dealer (if it's still under warranty or if you have reason to believe dealer mechanics are competent).

 

[Nortwestrider]

Maybe it is clutch related ??.I had bad clutch chudder on my Vstrom that was one if the reasons I traded it in.


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[Jim Mc]

Here's a way to see if it's "ping", i.e., detonation; accelerate to the rpm zone where it usually happens, feather the throttle for a few secs, then go to Wide-Open Throttle. If the ping goes away when you feather and reappears with WOT, it's might be detonation. Which is an engine destroyer and Not Good.

Detonation is caused by too much spark advance for current combustion variables. It is controlled by the computer (ECU), and if there is a spark advance problem, your ECU is seriously confused.

If you think it is "ping", then ride gently (very small throttle openings) to you dealer ASAP. Or trailer it there.

 

[Nortwestrider]

It 'a not coming from the clutch,the noise is coming from the top end of the engine.Also it gets louder the hotter the engine gets.When the engine is cold there is little or no noise.


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[SergeantChuck]

Isn't preignition caused by excessively high combustion chamber temps? The fact your bike starts pinging after its heated up would line up with that theory. Is it possible the bike is running lean? I'm no mechanic but can you pull a plug and determine that like we used to on cars? I really have no idea. Just talking out loud.

 

[showkey]

I'm no mechanic but can you pull a plug and determine that like we used to on cars? I really have no idea. Just talking out loud.

Reading spark plugs on a modern fuel injected engine with emissions certification has changed from the old days............the NC plugs will look nearly snow white and that would be normal. Back in the day chocolate brown was the ideal. Eroded plug, melted plug materiel, aluminum on the plug, broken porcelain would be a symptoms or proof things were not right as far as plugs go.

Pics of snow white plugs from a normal engine:



We are getting way ahead of ourselves on this "noise" it could be just about anything from a loose shield, bolt, body panel, highway peg or ??????? or maybe a ping maybe not.

 

[Nortwestrider]

It doesn't 't sound like like a " ping " like I have heard before but it seems to act like it is pinging.
I'm going to check the valves in the next week or so and go from there.


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[Jim Mc]

Good post & pics from showkey. The best way to see if detonation is going on is the following procedure:
1. Ride a bit until the engine is warm.
2. Go to Wide Open Throttle in the rpm range that you hear the pinging.
3. When you hear pinging, and still at WOT, hit the kill switch and come to a stop. Obviously you want to do this somewhere that some brain-dead cager won't run over you.
4. Let it cool for a while and pull both plugs (you remembered to bring a spark plug wrench, didn't you?)
5. Examine the plugs with a magnifying glass in bright sunlight (you remembered to bring a magnifying glass, didn't you?). Look at the porcelain, and only the porcelain, for little craters (don't be fooled by little flecks on/above the surface). Compare with showkey's pictures.
6. Inspect the bottom metal part and side electrode for aluminum particles. If you see any, that is a Very Bad Sign.
7. Replace the plugs with the new ones you brought along (you remembered to bring new spark plugs, didn't you?). If you have any concerns at all about what you see on the old plugs, take them to a good mechanic, preferably one with racing experience, to have them checked.

Good luck with this. Let's hope it's just loose sheet metal rattling around.

 

[L.B.S.]

I would check two things first- if both spark plugs are actually correctly torqued down, and the valve clearances.

Hope it turns out to be a simple and swiftly chased down discovery, Nortwest!

 

[Nortwestrider]

Thanks guys,just finished insulating the underside if my house this weekend so now I can start checking the X !!.


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[showkey]

From what's been discribed the noise is occurring in a small RPM range 2800-3200........... I am thinking harmonic vibration of something that is loose..........that gets "going" in this RPM range. Similar to the heat shield vibration on a car that happens only a harmonic rpm range. Just a wild guess.......

Maybe more fall out from the grueling Alaska trip.........like the loose swing arm bolts. ?????????.

 

[Nortwestrider]

From what's been discribed the noise is occurring in a small RPM range 2800-3200........... I am thinking harmonic vibration of something that is loose..........that gets "going" in this RPM range. Similar to the heat shield vibration on a car that happens only a harmonic rpm range. Just a wild guess.......

Maybe more fall out from the grueling Alaska trip.........like the loose swing arm bolts. ?????????.

This is what I'm hoping for !!.


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[Deleted member 1183]

About 2,000 miles ago my X started to make a rattle,pinging sound between 2,800 rpm's and 3,200 rpm's.I think it might be pinging and I only hear it in 3-6 gear and it's VERY loud in 6th gear.There is no loss of power but that's the rpm range where I get my best MPG's .Anybody else have this happen ??.


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What is the throttle setting when this is happening. In other words are you giving it full or near full throttle in gears 3-6 at these revs ?