Hi all. My 83 R80RT has developed a rapping noise under load. Just sitting there you can rev the engine and there is no noise. The nearest dealer to me is Bobs in Jessup Md. they only fix engines in the winter.
Anyone have experience with a noise like this? anyone know of another dealer near the Delmarva peninsula? I can't decide weather to sell it AS IS or spending the money to fix the engine.
Thank you, Dave
Could be as simple as fuel pre-ignition (aka "spark knock" or "pinging"). This is extremely damaging to the engine and should be corrected ASAP.
Common causes...
• Lean fuel conditions caused by air leaks, clogged jets, and other similar
• Too low of octane rating, aka "cheap gas"
• Incorrectly set ignition timing
• Wrong spark plugs
Typically this first appears when trying to accelerate uphill or other "heavy load" situation. Then it may progress to an everyday occurrence.
Uncommon causes...
• Ravens gently rapping, rapping at your engine door
Hope this helps.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
Hello again,
I bought an oil pressure guage and bought the correct fitting for the engine 12x1.5.
There is mobil 1 V twin oil 20-50 in the engine.
on the initial start the oil pressure hardly moved if at all. I revved it to 4K and it went up to 40.
After it warmed up a bit I get 0psi when I rev it up.
So...
Pull the pan?
check the Oil filter o-ring and shim?
Anything you can suggest will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you Dave
PS: I used a stethoscope while the engine warmed up, ans the left valve cover was noisy then the right started making noise as the pressure wouldn't go up.
Hello again,
I bought an oil pressure guage and bought the correct fitting for the engine 12x1.5.
There is mobil 1 V twin oil 20-50 in the engine.
on the initial start the oil pressure hardly moved if at all. I revved it to 4K and it went up to 40.
After it warmed up a bit I get 0psi only when I rev it up.
So...
Pull the pan?
check the Oil filter o-ring and shim?
Anything you can suggest will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you Dave
PS: I used a stethoscope while the engine warmed up, ans the left valve cover was noisy at first then the right started making noise as the pressure wouldn't go up.
DO NOT START THAT MOTOR AGAIN until you inspect and confirm that the oil filter cover, O-ring and shim(s) are correctly assembled. C'mon,...0 psi for oil pressure.....
Did the oil light on the dash ever work? It should glow amber when you turn the key on and go out immediately when the motor starts.
former Airmarshal, IL.
And while you're looking at the famous "White $2000 o-ring", check your filter too. 1983 model will have an oil cooler, and the oil cooler models use a different oil filter from the non-oil cooler models. The 2 filters look almost exactly alike, but the "Non" filter will have no way for the oil to enter the cooler.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
The oil light was working. but I read if the shim/oring are wrong you can loose oil pressure without the light coming on. The light has been working right. no flickering.
one guy at a dealer said either use the shim with the cover gasket or the no shim with the cover gasket? I haven't had the oil filter cover off yet. In any event The guy I bought it from was riding it and I put on maybe 200 miles before the rapping started. I'll check the oil filter next. I read about checking the oil bypass when the filter is out. Do the oil pumps ever go bad?
Thank you again! Dave
Hi,
My bike has an oil cooler? where is it located?
Thanks Dave
Hi Jim,
The oil light was working but I read that if the shim situation isn't right you can loose oil pressure without the light coming on. One service guy I spoke to said you use a shim OR the cover gasket but not both?? Seems to me that if you use the shim you need the cover gasket and maybe without the shim you dont use the cover gasket?? I haven't changed the filter so I don't know whats up yet.
Thank you for the Help! Dave
Hi,
The oil light was working but I read that if the shim situation isn't right you can loose oil pressure without the light coming on. One service guy I spoke to said you use a shim OR the cover gasket but not both?? Seems to me that if you use the shim you need the cover gasket and maybe without the shim you dont use the cover gasket?? I haven't changed the filter so I don't know whats up yet. Do I have an oil cooler?? where?
Thank you for the Help! Dave
[Moderator: If important information has been lost in deleting duplicate post then use the EDIT button to modify your post.]
Sorry about the repeats. Our WiFi is awful and it is hard for me to tell if my answers go through. I deleted 2 but the 2 I left had some different info in each.
One service guy I spoke to said you use a shim OR the cover gasket but not both ??
That must have been the same tech that told me my front wheel was no longer under warranty and there were no snowflake wheels in stock. Then, 45 days later was installing a free snowflake front wheel under warranty. :pinch:
Read this: https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/oil.htm
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
I just re-read Snowbums exhaustive article linked above by Wobbly. Follow the link and scroll down to paragraph 34, where highlighted in red are the words VERY IMPORTANT SECTION. Read that over as many times as it takes to understand what the concerns are with respect to your motor, the oil filter chamber, and it's low oil pressure issue. Snowbum can be difficult to read, his writing is very detailed.
By The Way, if your oil filter cover (right side of the motor near the bottom, front) has hose fittings on the outside, you have an oil cooler. Generally speaking, 1000 cc motors on RS, RT, and GS models have oil coolers. My 1985 R80RT does not.
My first motorcycle, a 1967 BSA 650, developed a motor noise under load. Upon dis-assembly I discovered that one of the connecting rods had spun a big end bearing on the crank. The noise it made was more of a deep knock. That is an ugly noise that once youv'e heard it, you will never forget it.
Best of luck,
James A...
former Airmarshal, IL.
Thank you very much for the Snobum link. I found the trouble see pics
as you can see the inner cover broke off one of the attachment points. He used 2 gaskets to seal the thing.
I ordered the inner cover but the microfiech only shows an inner cover. I ordered the inner cover. (my inner cover does not have a bolt) and a bolt just in case. and a couple cover gaskets just in case I do need 2 which I doubt.
I'll read the snowbum stuff and see if that clarifies anything. I may have to get back to you.
Thank you so much again for the help!! Dave
Thank you very much for the Snobum link. I found the trouble see pics
as you can see the inner cover broke off one of the attachment points. He used 2 gaskets to seal the thing.
I ordered the inner cover but the microfiech only shows an inner cover. I ordered the inner cover. (my inner cover does not have a bolt) and a bolt just in case. and a couple cover gaskets just in case I do need 2 which I doubt.
I'll read the snowbum stuff and see if that clarifies anything. I may have to get back to you.
Thank you so much again for the help!! Dave
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