QuestionI have an '86 Honda Shadow 500 with about 20k miles. Over the past year or so I began noticing a slight ticking/chatter noice coming from the motor. This noise is most noticeable when it at idle, and appears to go away at higher RPMS (or maybe its the increase noise drowning it out). To the best of my knowledge, the bike has never been tore down for any reason.
I have gotten three different estimates from three different dealers/repair shops. The first said he thought it was a rist pin baring $700-800 (I didn't think 4 strokes had rist pin barings?). Another said the noise was deeper in the motor, probably a rod baring $1,500-1,700. Another said he thought it was the timing chain adjusters, or the chain itself, less than $500.
Any thoughts? Also, I have a Haynes shop manual, is there any better manuals available?
Jeff
AnswerJeff... stay away from the guys with the wrist pin bearing diagnosis... they don't have bearings for the wrist pins!
Without hearing it myself, at 20k miles, it could be a number of things, depending on how well it was treated in the past. I would check the valve clearances and the camchain tensioner action in the process. Loose wrist pins and big end rod bearings get worse with engine loads, especially at part throttle, so that doesn't sound like the source to me. Maybe you are getting some arcing at the coil towers or plug wires. High voltage arcing sounds mechanical sometimes.
I did a search on GOOGLE and found this interesting piece..
http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/speedway/5284/5284p10.html
then this...
http://www.geocities.com/ta_deti/ta/knownproblems.html#engnois
Go to Ebay auctions, www.motorcyclememories.com or www.helminc.com for factory manuals.
Bill Silver
