Okay. I don't think it is the compensator... the noise is coming from the cam side of the motor. I would almost think it is a main bearing. I just rode the bike today for about 350 miles at around 80MPH, and the noise hasn't gotten any worse that I can tell.

How can I tell the difference between rod knock, main knock, and piston slap?

 

Does it make 'the noise' during Acell? Decell? Steady cruise? Get a stethoscope... noises will transmit through pieces of motor from one side to another. Or... use a plastic handle screwdriver and listen around ALL over engine, primary, and tranny. Does it do it in gear? In neutral? Clutch in? Clutch out? Take a playing card and run it everywhere over your exhaust looking for a contact point. Look over EVERYTHING for a contact point. I read your last post, so I hear what your saying, OK? But noises transmit badly on these bikes. You have an old enough bike for a comp NUT, and not a bolt... this can sound like from right side because it can 'beat' through the crank.

Give us EVERY bit of info you can.

 

Okay. Sound starts when the bike is at operating temp. On startup (engine cold), oil pressure is 32psi or better.At operating temp, it hovers between approx 4psi - 16 psi (at idle). Bring the revs up to 2k, and the pressure goes to 20-32psi.

When warm and making the noise, it is there at idle, accel, and cruise. Didn't listen for it at idle.

I haven't used a screwdriver yet, but I was down beside the bike and could hear the noise better from the cam side than the primary side.

I was going to pull the outer primary this weekend and check, but that is put on hold because I have to help my sister move.. Ugh..

It's more of a hollow sound, than a sharp sound. IIRC, hollow was main bearings, sharp sound was rods, and if it sounds like a Catapillar, it was piston slap.

BTW - the motor has 47k on it.

Something else. The motor "smells" hot. Like I am smelling old oil and grease getting hot. The bike has an aftermarket exhaust (unknown type), but still has the stock air cleaner. The bike didn't have a tuner or PCM flash when I got it. I put my PCiii USB on there with a canned map. I stiil have exhaust pop on decel (easily fixed).

Will try to do more digging when I get a chance.

BTW again - Engine and Primary have Mobil 1 V-twin 20w-50. Tranny has Mobil 1 75w-140. All three were just changed about 400 miles ago.

I didn't notice any bronze coloring in the engine oil, but it was dark colored.

 

How about light cruise? Where you are just on the throttle a teenie bit to keep going on flat ground? Also, when riding is it RPM based? Is there areas that the noise goes away.

I had piston slap. I installed a kit that ended up with .008 clearance so THAT is very very loose. NO noise on decel. Very light cruise was no noise. But any acell at all, and the noise would appear. I have to say that I couldn't hear it clearly at idle. But could tell something was going on at hot idle. But... I could control the noise with the throttle very easily, make it come and go at will with the throttle.

Doesn't quite sound like what you have.

Mains and rod bearings usually good for like forever.

Take a peak in that primary. Also, might want to dump the syn and run real oil in the engine and see if that makes a difference. Try some straight 60wt. Like Spectro v-twin or something. Oil pressure seems right, BTW.

Possibly, you have bad tensioners? Or a bad cam bearing? Pull the cone off and look in there with a mirror? I didn't think they make a banging noise BWTFDIK? 06 had the old style tensioners.

You ALREADY know that chasing noises suck. I tore my new build back down after 5k miles to find WTF, and found the clearance thing.

 

If I'm maintaining cruise on flat speed, I can still hear it, or so I think.

It changes speed with RPM, but does it at all speeds that I can hear. Also does it in Neutral with no load.

I just picked up a outer primary gasket, and I have a cam cover gasket. I have a set of exhaust gaskets somewhere.

I guess I am going to have to pull the primary and the cam cover.

I was at the $tealer, and from looking at the 06 parts book, the mains are roller bearings, and the rods are actually pressed onto the flywheel assembly at the factory. So I would assume if anything has gone bad, it would be the main bearings.

 

Loose comp will easily transmit noise to the cam side, but if loose will more than likely get worse as time wears on. Could be a touch of piston slap. If it is very light, meaning hard to hear, you might just ride it for a while to see if it gets worse. Could also be the begining of a crank that is starting to scissor, but you will know that as time goes on also as the oil pressure will start to drop, engine will sump and eventually oil pump takes a crap. Chasing noises can drive you insane. For peace of mind, go to a dealer you trust or an independent, and just ask them to listen while idling and they may tell you it is nothing, or may be able to pinpoint the noise.

 

First place i would look would be the compensator. It could very well be something else too.
A compensator normally only makes noise at idle or decell. Not when on the throttle. That's the nature of the beast. Use the screw driver and listen to it real close.

 

ide start taking it apart and find the prob,before it turns into a big prob ($$)

 

I agree with Kirby. Lets see what you find, or don't find, in the primary and cam cover.

 

Well, I broke out the magic screwdriver today, and listened all over the motor. I didn't really hear it from the cylinders or the heads. Didn't hear anything from the primary side of the motor. I did hear the noise from the cam side. It's it louder and more pronounced on the cam side.

I already bought a new outer primary gasket, new cam cover gasket, and new exhaust gaskets. Going to pull the outer primary anyway to check the sprockets and chain, use it as an opportunity to flush out any clutch material, and to check the compensator nut.

Anyone give me some hints or info on what I am looking for inside the primary and compensator???