Whineing to no end!

[gustovh]

I have posted a couple times about a whine in my GS 1100 LT's engine, so I thought I would try live. The videos are taken on a 70 deg. day with the engine warmed up for about 2 min. I would appreciate any thoughts as to the cause of the whine. The bike performs exelent at this time, I just don't want to do any damage.
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http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/?action=view&current=noise001.flv

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/?action=view&current=noise002.flv

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/?action=view&current=noise003.flv

 

[Cyg]

is it the camera that is making that high pitched or is it really that loud. I have a slight whine in mine, but I attribute it to the stator coil, at least that is where I narrowed down mine from. Did you take a big screw driver and shove it against ur ear to diagnose it? Thats how I traced mine down. But mine is not where near that loud. Does it disappear on the higher rpms?

 

[Guest]

Sounds like your starter is spinning. Or it could be cam chain noise from a bad guide. Have you checked the cam chain tensioner?
I only heard it on #3. But I did hear two sounds. The motor and ??? Starter?

 

[earlfor]

That sound is definitely not right. I would be afraid to run the engine if mine sounded like that. With the high frequency, my inclination is its coming from the stator side (left) It sounds like the hold down bracket for the wire leads on the stator, inside the case cover are aligned wrong and in contact with the rotor. I once did a stator installation and did not get the wire lead hold downs seated properly and had a slight whine like you do. It was not nearly that loud. I wouldnt ride it another inch until I found out what was causing the noise and got it fixed.

Earl

I have posted a couple times about a whine in my GS 1100 LT's engine, so I thought I would try live. The videos are taken on a 70 deg. day with the engine warmed up for about 2 min. I would appreciate any thoughts as to the cause of the whine. The bike performs exelent at this time, I just don't want to do any damage.
V
http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/?action=view&current=noise001.flv

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/?action=view&current=noise002.flv

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/?action=view&current=noise003.flv

 

[rustybronco]

is it more noticeable on one side or the other?

 

[SabreJim]

I had the same thing as Earl, sounded like your #3 sound. It wont hurt to take a look in there if you narrow it to the stator side. Its just a pain the way draining the oil and wireing make it a little more then simple to remove the cover.

 

[rgierer]

I just had a god awful noise coming out of my 700 and found the staor bolts were working themselves loose and grinding on the rotor. It was a simple and cheap fix once I found the problem, but my noise was both different and similar to yours.

 

[gustovh]

Well this is what I have done. My last foray into the motor I, Checked chain guides, tenshioner, cams, cam chain, set the valves, new plugs, and sync.
The problem manifested itself last year and has been ridden around 300 miles since. It was right after I loaned it to a fellow to take his test on. Unfortunately I wasn't home when he returned it so was unaware of the problem untill later that week when I rode it. Finances being what they were and the fact that my gas tank at the time sucked, I parked it till this spring.
I have done the screwdriver search on the engine and it terribly difficult to narrow the noise down, but does seem to be coming from the lower part of the engine.
The whine continues through all ranges of RPM and is as you can tell quite loud.
The stator seems to be charging fine as well as all other systems. I lick this problem and all will be well. So it looks like I will take a look at the stator side and see what we will see.
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[blo]

I'm inclined to agree with chef1366, it sounds like the starter spinning.
But this can be a trick from the camera recording this.
Maybe yr. starter clutch is binding. Try removing the starter motor.
On senter stand, rotating the back weel with a gear engaged should not make the starter gear turn. (try this without sparkplugs in the bike)

 

[gustovh]

We'll have a look at the starter too when I remove the stator cover. Will post what I find out.
V

 

[gustovh]

Whineing to no end update.

Whineing to no end update.

I pulled the stator cover today and did an inspection, as well as a check on the starter as suggested by Blo and everything was fine. I found nothing loose, nothing wearing, scrapeing etc. No indication whatsoever that anything is wrong.
I put it back together, started it up and went hunting again with the stethascope. I can hear the wine all over the gearbox, clutch ass, stator and timeing cover. I removed it and hunted deeper. I am convinced it is not in the crankshaft area, or stator/starter.
Which brings me back to the timeing chain. I have looked through my clymer manual front to back for the stretch tollarances for the timeing chain. All I can find is the 20 pin count when installing the cams.
Can someone tell me the stretch limit between those 20 pins?
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[Suzuki mad]

Service limit according to GS1100 Suzuki manual between the 20 pins is 157.80mm or 6.213in.

Have you checked the tensioner as Cheif suggested?

Suzuki mad

1981 GS1000ET
1983 GS(X)1100ESD
2002 GSF1200K1

 

[49er]

I pulled the stator cover today and did an inspection, as well as a check on the starter as suggested by Blo and everything was fine. I found nothing loose, nothing wearing, scrapeing etc. No indication whatsoever that anything is wrong.
I put it back together, started it up and went hunting again with the stethascope. I can hear the wine all over the gearbox, clutch ass, stator and timeing cover. I removed it and hunted deeper. I am convinced it is not in the crankshaft area, or stator/starter.
Which brings me back to the timeing chain. I have looked through my clymer manual front to back for the stretch tollarances for the timeing chain. All I can find is the 20 pin count when installing the cams.
Can someone tell me the stretch limit between those 20 pins?
V

That's an ugly sound and it's probably not good to run the engine like that. In clip #3, it's more of a skreech than a whine, with a metalic drag on run down.

I don't think that it's your starter still engaged. I doubt that it would still be operational after 300 miles of that sort of treatment. It wouldn't live at elevated engine speeds for long. The starter clutch shouldn't lock up if the springs fail either. You could remove the starter cover and feel the starter housing to see if its engaged or not when the engine is running. If you are still not sure, remove the starter from the engine and push start it. If the noise remains, you have eliminated the starter engagement theory.

Is there any change in sound when the clutch is dis-engaged?

You say that someone borrowed the bike. It's possible that the engine has been over revved. Has your 1100 got the pressed or one piece crank? If pressed, have the pins been welded? If not one crank pin may have moved slightly causing some valve train damage.

I would remove the cam cover and spark plugs. Rotate the engine by hand, checking for tight spots, visually observing the cam chain, sprockets and chain tensioner. Try rotating the engine anti-clockwise for a short distance to check on the amount of chain slack and how effective the tensioner is.

While the engine is running, check the temperature of each exhaust to see if one is running substanially hotter or colder than the rest. That way you may identify a particular part of the engine where the fault lies.

Good luck. You may need it.

 

[gustovh]

When I pulled the cams to check the cam chain guides, I inspected the entire top end. I found no kinks, tight spots, visual excessive wear, metal in the oil or filter. Guides seemed to be doing their job, the tenshioner was cleaned checked and I watched the cam chain when the tenshioner was released and it took up the visual slack.

As for the crank I don't know, Suzie Q is a GS 1100 LT and only had 1024 miles on it when I picked it up in Frezno, just short of 11000 miles now. The cases show no sign of haven been opened.
I will reinspect the top end again and check the chain against the dim. given. I think I will also try running the engine for a short while with the valve cover off to see if anything shows up. I know that it will make a mess but short of pulling the engine (which I don't have the space to do) there is not much else that I can do.
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[rustybronco]

Well, pull the other side apart and check the clutch and signal generator pieces parts, i would start with the signal gen cover first.

 

[earlfor]

As a last resort, I would drain the oil from the crankcase, remove both engine case covers, remove all four spark plugs and then spin the engine over with the starter. No faster than the starter can spin it over will not cause any damage with the oil drained out. With the cases off and the spark plugs out, you will not have to listen for the whine with the interference of the engine running. It should make it much easier to locate the source of the sound.

E.

 

[gustovh]

Good thought I think that I will try that. Have to get tons of gaskets again anyway.
V

 

[earlfor]

usually, spinning an engine over with the starter, spark plugs removed, the engine is about as noisy as a sewing machine. you should be able to hear the slightest tick or rubbing clearly.

E.

Good thought I think that I will try that. Have to get tons of gaskets again anyway.
V

 

[scaryhd]

I just joined GS Resources specifically for this same problem. Mine is a 1980 GS1000E with only 3,000 miles (a future story to be posted). The bike has sat idle for most of it's life. Just got it running again (stator replaced). The engine has always had a high whine (subtle), somewhat like an electric car. Within the past week the noise has become much more noticable, lower in pitch (though not as bad as gustovh's #3 recording) and I believe from the left side. I plan on pulling the stator cover tonight and check for the problems noted in this Thread (wire mounting screw, stator rubbing on cover, etc.). Will repost once completed.

 

[gustovh]

Well here is what Suzie Q sounds like with the valve cover off, plugs out, just turning over useing the starter. Can't run with the stator cover off for it supports the starter gear.
http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/?action=view&current=noise1001.flv
V