CRF 230 engine question.

[MadMax300]

2004 CRF230 F. Sucker has a peck peck peck sound coming from what sounds like the top end. I've taken the valve cover (cam girdle thingie) off and everything up there is tight. Timing chain and sprockets are fairly new, as are the cylinder and piston. Valves aren't the problem, I started it with the valve stoppers out just to make sure. After looking at the exploded view on Honda's microfiche, I don't really see how it could be a rod knocking but still the peck peck peck persists. Before I tear deeper into the machine, has anyone run across this and found the fix? Oh, the automatic timing chain adjuster seems to be working fine too.

Thanks.

Edited November 6, 2011 by MadMax300

[Countdown]

Any chance there is something on top of the piston?

Use a long screw driver against your ear to try to determine exactly where the noise is cominig from.

[MadMax300]

I took the spark plug out and spun the engine over. I'll try the screw driver stethoscope idea. Thanks.

[motoman354]

Just curious about your "everything was tight" comment. Did you check the valve lash with a feeler gauge? The valves will tick even when properly set. If yours are loose or worse yet tight they can make some pretty good noise. Jeff

[MadMax300]

I didn't check with a feeler gauge but this noise started all of a sudden and I did check if the noise was in fact coming from the valves themselves. I pulled the inspection plugs and cranked the bike. Very small ticks coming from the rockers as they tapped the valve. Totally different from the pecking I described. Thanks for the input!

[The Demolisher]

I didn't check with a feeler gauge but this noise started all of a sudden and I did check if the noise was in fact coming from the valves themselves. I pulled the inspection plugs and cranked the bike. Very small ticks coming from the rockers as they tapped the valve. Totally different from the pecking I described. Thanks for the input!

The valves are a lot louder when the engine is actually running. How loud is the "peck"? Louder than the exhaust note? Noticeable from how for away? Increases with RPM? You need to check the valve lash with a feeler gauge just to be sure.

[MadMax300]

Maybe I wasn't too clear. I removed the valve inspection plugs and started the bike. The pecking I'm worried about isn't coming from the valves.

[paladin 1]

Mine was making that noise at one time but it was intermitent. It needed a new cam chain and tensioner.

[motoman354]

Maybe I wasn't too clear. I removed the valve inspection plugs and started the bike. The pecking I'm worried about isn't coming from the valves.

Maybe We need to be clearer. You are asking for help and you have not even done the most basic checks yourself. Since you choose to do the least possible and get upset when we want some actual useful information not just "it goes peck, peck, peck" I for one will give you all the help you deserve a very hardy Good Luck. Jeff

[MadMax300]

No no no! I wasn't upset. I honestly figured I wasn't very clear. In my attempt to be light hearted in my original post, I used pretty non-standard mechanical language. -- My son was yakking at me during the post you responded to and it came off a lot more curt than I intended, due to being distracted to the extreme. My apologies. But I did do the most basic tests myself. My next move is to take the engine off the bike and do a full tear-down. I was hoping someone would recognize what I have going on and send me in a simpler direction than full scale exploratory surgery.

[motoman354]

Max, Then let me appologize for taking it wrong. Biggest problem with typed discussions is how we all interpet things differently. Only thing you could really check on a 230 without pulling it out of the frame is the chain tensioner. If the sound is coming from the cylinder area and it is not the cam or valves the next suspects are the cam chain (these hyvo chains are very reliable) tensioner or the cam chain guides. Does the sound change with RPM? Cam chain slap would be worse at idle. Jeff

[MadMax300]

I did check the cam chain tension and it's quite tight. I haven't checked the actual guides yet because I didn't remove the cylinder. The thing is, the bike was rebuilt last year and doesn't have a ton of hours on it. New piston, cylinder, cam chain and gears.

The pecking sound doesn't change with RPM other than the speed of the pecking. It's just a constant rythemic hammering that seems to coincide with the engine speed. With that said, I haven't had the nerve to really rev the bike but I may bite the bullet and open it up tomorrow and see what happens. *crosses fingers*

[daled]

can you determine if the noise changes if the engine load changes.

(example nosie lessens when accelerating or pulling or visa / versa )....

ps> it is my opinion that the 230 is not a quiet motor by any means...

when i first got my bike i checked it over quite well as it made more running noise than i though it should, but after being around several more, it seems to me that they are just somewhat noisy units ...

not saying that you don't have an issue, but compared to a watercooler, they are loud...

[MadMax300]

Ok, I just checked. Clanking noise does not go away with higher RPM's. It's a disturbingly loud pecking.

[The Demolisher]

Ok, I just checked. Clanking noise does not go away with higher RPM's. It's a disturbingly loud pecking.

Any chance you can get a good quality video of it? I'm interested in actually hearing this pecking.

[motoman354]

Are you certain it is coming from the cylinder? I would pull the clutch cover and the ignition cover and look for a bolt or screw that has backed out and is making contact with a boss on the cover or something. Since you describe it as a peck peck peck it would not seem to be at crank speed. Maybe one of the four clutch lifter screws. Jeff

Late thought, did you check the cam sproket bolts? One of those hitting the back of the cam cover?

[MadMax300]

Any chance you can get a good quality video of it? I'm interested in actually hearing this pecking.

I don't have anything other than my cell phone to take a video that I could put on here. Sorry.

[MadMax300]

Are you certain it is coming from the cylinder? I would pull the clutch cover and the ignition cover and look for a bolt or screw that has backed out and is making contact with a boss on the cover or something. Since you describe it as a peck peck peck it would not seem to be at crank speed. Maybe one of the four clutch lifter screws. Jeff

Late thought, did you check the cam sproket bolts? One of those hitting the back of the cam cover?

Not sure it's coming from the cylinder at all. But I know the clutch is all there. I took that side cover off because I replaced the clutch plates about a month ago. I thought (hoped) something had backed off, maybe one of the clutch lifter screw or possibly one of the weird nuts I had to borrow the fancy tool for. Nope, all good. The cam bolts are good, I had the valve cover off and looked at all that stuff. I haven't taken the other side off yet. That's my next step, remove the starter and then the flywheel cover. Yes, the knocking is at crank speed and it seems to be getting louder.

Maybe that last part is imagination since the noise is invading my dreams now.

[Countdown]

You never answered question if it could be Something on the piston?

Did you have sparkplug out or carb off before noise started?

Again long screw driver will tell you if it is from head or side cover. At least start with where it is actukally coming from.

[MadMax300]

I answered but not too clearly. It's confirmed that nothing is on the piston, I took the plug out and spun the engine over. I looked in the spark plug hole with a flash light and watched the valves open and close (well the edge of the valves).. The carb hasn't been off the bike since it was rebuilt over a year ago. Long screw driver-stethoscope I forgot to try when I cranked the bike earlier. I'll do that tomorrow.