Engine noise, V7II Stone

[alanp]

I have a noise that sounds like valve tappet noise, but I am not convinced it is.  When I first heard the loudish tap, tap, tap coming from the right valve cover area (only the right, not the left) I figured I needed to check the clearances.  Turned out the clearances were exactly the same on both sides, with the exhaust being exactly on spec (.020) and the intakes being a tad loose (.017 vs. .015 spec).  I left them as is and closed it back up.  The tap persists, but there are couple of differences from typical Guzzi tappet noise I am used to.

At idle, the left side sounds normal to me.  The right side has a pronounced ting/ping noise.  It sounds louder and "ringier" than the tappet noise I am used to from other Guzzi engines, but this is my first small block.  The sound is more like hitting a tuning fork as opposed to hitting a piece of rebar. Ringy, and really quite noticeable when I start the bike cold.  But it gradually goes away as the bike warms.  After 5 miles, the noise is less loud.  After 10 or 15 it is gone, and the left and right sides sound identical. 

Any ideas?   

[pete roper]

Fins ringing? Are the buffers still there?

[redhawk47]

Alan,
Check the header nuts. I had a similar noise and one of them was about to fall off and two more were loose. Seems to be a common problem on V7's.
I am ordering some Nordlock washers for mine.

[Kev m]

Alan,
Check the header nuts. I had a similar noise and one of them was about to fall off and two more were loose. Seems to be a common problem on V7's.
I am ordering some Nordlock washers for mine.

Also check the positioning of the exhaust. Is something close enough that vibration is making the exhaust contact it.

IIRC I loosened up all 4 header nuts and tweaked the left-to-right positioning of the whole system JUST enough to keep the crossover from just barely contacting something on the frame.