Need help in diagnosing this...

[NMills]

Well... went for a ride a couple week ago... decided to do a dirt bike trail.... I did better on my EX then my buddy with a CR250 thru most of it.... i did not like the bridges tho... little narrow...
Anyways... 1/2 way thru... a lot of ticking from my machine... seemed to match the RPMs well... checked my oil... it was fine on the dipstick... but it made my wonder.... after i let it sit for a bit... the noise went away... then eventually came back... i did not seem to lose power... or have a problem starting it.... just a tick... annoys me... now it makes me wonder.... did i overheat my machine?? am i looking at a vavle job? or is there something i'm missing?

[PaRedneckRiders]

Originally posted by NMills
Well... went for a ride a couple week ago... decided to do a dirt bike trail.... I did better on my EX then my buddy with a CR250 thru most of it.... i did not like the bridges tho... little narrow...
Anyways... 1/2 way thru... a lot of ticking from my machine... seemed to match the RPMs well... checked my oil... it was fine on the dipstick... but it made my wonder.... after i let it sit for a bit... the noise went away... then eventually came back... i did not seem to lose power... or have a problem starting it.... just a tick... annoys me... now it makes me wonder.... did i overheat my machine?? am i looking at a vavle job? or is there something i'm missing?
first thing i would check is valve clearence, but where does it sound like the sound is coming from

[NMills]

from the motor really... have not really tried to figure it out where exactly the sound is... the machine is a 04... but it had little use before i got it... adn had gotten little use since.... i did not think it could be the vavles...

[PaRedneckRiders]

Originally posted by NMills
from the motor really... have not really tried to figure it out where exactly the sound is...
ok o was wondering if it sounded like the topend like just under the gas tank and seat, or if it was down below and sounded almost as if it were in the bottom end

[NMills]

that kinda makes me wish i had paid a little more attention to the noise... i'd like to know what i do with it...

[MO-EX-RIDER]

probaly the timing chain is stretched

[PaRedneckRiders]

Originally posted by MO-EX-RIDER
probaly the timing chain is stretched
Didnt think of mentioning that but it would deff make a ticking rattling noise

[NMills]

would the timing chain be capable of ticking sometimes and other times not???

[killer400ex]

everyone sais timing chain all the time, but unless your running an aftermarket cam or racing your quad regularly i wouldnt see how it would get streched that fast and bad, he said that it barely had been used before and after he bought it, so im guessing its mostly stock, and if its mostly stock im also guessing hes not beating the crap out of it so the chain should still be fine imo

[NMills]

Originally posted by killer400ex
everyone sais timing chain all the time, but unless your running an aftermarket cam or racing your quad regularly i wouldnt see how it would get streched that fast and bad, he said that it barely had been used before and after he bought it, so im guessing its mostly stock, and if its mostly stock im also guessing hes not beating the crap out of it so the chain should still be fine imo

Thanks for noticing... but yes.. the engine is stock... except for the aftermarket exhaust.... i was hoping it was other then a timing chain.... or vavles... i'm lookin for somthing dumb....

[CJM]

Take off the valve cover, check for ANY slack in your chain. It should be tight as can be.

Then check and if needed, adjust your valves.

[tri5ron]

often overlooked,
it could also be an exhaust leak at the headpipe.
check your headpipe to make sure it is tight to the head.

[EXKid416]

Could be a couple of things. If it seems to go away at idle and then come back when you rev it up; that sounds a lot like a bad tensioner, which is not very common. Timing chains can make noise if stretched, easiest way to test that is to remove the tensioner and allow it to fully extend, then push it back in it's hole and see how close to the cylinder surface it is. If it's really close ( like almost touching the cylinder ) then the chain is stretched. Also check your valve clearances ( obviously a good idea )

Again, we should learn wether this noise is engine top or bottom.

[jzexrider]

Mines been doin it for 2 years but ive never looked into it to see what it is. Its pretty loud too.

[omeeomy]

could it be the oil is getting to hot and getting thin or breaking down losing its viscosity?