The problem is stripped teeth on the cam chain tensioner causing the chain to slap on the guide which then slaps on the adjuster pin. Don't be fooled if you've checked it for adjustment; It'll trick you and you need to bench test it.
This IS the ticking clattering sound that is loudest at idle speed and seems to go away as engine speed is increased. This happens because at idle, the engine is ticking over and theres constant slack and tension in the chain, but as engine speed is increased, the piston is driving the chain and it's always "taught" on the back side where the tensioner is.
Here's my story;
My bike (2009 SMR 510) developed noisy, ticking sounds in the engine after approximately 1000 miles. People have described it as a mechanical noise. I have read every thread I could find on why the Husky motor would do this (and apparently alot of them do).
In my search, I have read that the "noisy engine condition" is attributed to everything from a worn timing chain to a busted water pump to the auto decomp laying on the cam to the valves being out of spec etc (they are all good reasons and probably true for some). I also read that it's just normal/typical for the Husky motor to sound this way. I just couldn't accept that, so I checked everything 10 times or more and came up with no solution. The engine still ticked and clattered and made alot of mechanical noise.
The ticking sound was driving me crazy as it sounds like something is wrong with the motor AND the fact that it didn't do it for the first 1000 miles told me there HAD to be something else not quite right.
Here's what I did;
I used a screw driver as a stethoscope, putting the handle to my ear and the blade end on the running motor. When I put the "stethoscope" directly on the cam chain tensioner the ticking/pinging was loudest.
I thought to myself; I've checked/adjusted this thing umteen times, why/how the hell is it making such a racket!!!??? I had it out previously and checked both it and the chain for proper adjustment.
So... determined, I removed it from the motor once again and took a VERY VERY close look at it. What I saw is that the tiny little teeth on the adjusting pin were rounded off just enough for it to slide past the detent and be pushed all the way back in when the motor is running.
But how???
It's tricky because if you push on it with your finger, it will stay put. If you apply constant steady pressure to it, it will stay put (depending how rounded off the teeth are). However, if you tap it on the bench (like as if the chain were slapping it with the motor running) the rounded teeth won't hold under the pounding/vibrations and the adjuster pin slips past the detent and gets pushed back leaving the timing chain slapping in the wind.
What's worse, is that the spring keeps pushing (reloading the adjuster pin) back against the chain guide if/when there's any slack in the chain as the motor rotates, and then the chain pushes it back again and the cycle repeats continuously. Very interesting I thought to myself.
BUT... I had to be sure, so I ran another test;
I reinstalled the cam chain tensioner on the motor and left the spring and screw out of the back of it. I then stuck a thin probe into the back of it and pushed the adjusting pin all the way in and up against the chain guide which then was pushed all the way up against the chain itself; which is where it should be. I then cranked the motor over with the starter several times.
I then re-inserted the probe into the back of the chain tensioner (where the spring and screw would normally be) and pushed in on the adjusting pin. Sure enough; I was able to push it all the way back in up against the chain guide and then all the way up against the chain. I did this several times with the same results.
Now even though this was pretty conclusive, I still needed to be REALLY REALLY sure; So I ran another test;
I took a very fine, small hack saw blade and sort of cut an edge back into the teeth enough for them to catch on the detent.
It now passed the bench test.
Satisfied, I re-installed the unit on the motor. I then took my probe and pushed the adjusting pin in all the way up against the chain guide which was then pushed all the way up against the chain itself and then re-installed the spring and screw. With my fingers crossed, I started the motor.
OMG, the thing was quiet as all get out. Like new!!! That's right: No More Noise. The motor now just sounds like a normal motor with out all that clattering, pinging and clicking ticking going on.
Hope this helps some one.
Sorry no pics, but it's pretty self explanatory once you get to it.
This IS the ticking clattering sound that is loudest at idle speed and seems to go away as engine speed is increased. This happens because at idle, the engine is ticking over and theres constant slack and tension in the chain, but as engine speed is increased, the piston is driving the chain and it's always "taught" on the back side where the tensioner is.
Here's my story;
My bike (2009 SMR 510) developed noisy, ticking sounds in the engine after approximately 1000 miles. People have described it as a mechanical noise. I have read every thread I could find on why the Husky motor would do this (and apparently alot of them do).
In my search, I have read that the "noisy engine condition" is attributed to everything from a worn timing chain to a busted water pump to the auto decomp laying on the cam to the valves being out of spec etc (they are all good reasons and probably true for some). I also read that it's just normal/typical for the Husky motor to sound this way. I just couldn't accept that, so I checked everything 10 times or more and came up with no solution. The engine still ticked and clattered and made alot of mechanical noise.
The ticking sound was driving me crazy as it sounds like something is wrong with the motor AND the fact that it didn't do it for the first 1000 miles told me there HAD to be something else not quite right.
Here's what I did;
I used a screw driver as a stethoscope, putting the handle to my ear and the blade end on the running motor. When I put the "stethoscope" directly on the cam chain tensioner the ticking/pinging was loudest.
I thought to myself; I've checked/adjusted this thing umteen times, why/how the hell is it making such a racket!!!??? I had it out previously and checked both it and the chain for proper adjustment.
So... determined, I removed it from the motor once again and took a VERY VERY close look at it. What I saw is that the tiny little teeth on the adjusting pin were rounded off just enough for it to slide past the detent and be pushed all the way back in when the motor is running.
But how???
It's tricky because if you push on it with your finger, it will stay put. If you apply constant steady pressure to it, it will stay put (depending how rounded off the teeth are). However, if you tap it on the bench (like as if the chain were slapping it with the motor running) the rounded teeth won't hold under the pounding/vibrations and the adjuster pin slips past the detent and gets pushed back leaving the timing chain slapping in the wind.
What's worse, is that the spring keeps pushing (reloading the adjuster pin) back against the chain guide if/when there's any slack in the chain as the motor rotates, and then the chain pushes it back again and the cycle repeats continuously. Very interesting I thought to myself.
BUT... I had to be sure, so I ran another test;
I reinstalled the cam chain tensioner on the motor and left the spring and screw out of the back of it. I then stuck a thin probe into the back of it and pushed the adjusting pin all the way in and up against the chain guide which then was pushed all the way up against the chain itself; which is where it should be. I then cranked the motor over with the starter several times.
I then re-inserted the probe into the back of the chain tensioner (where the spring and screw would normally be) and pushed in on the adjusting pin. Sure enough; I was able to push it all the way back in up against the chain guide and then all the way up against the chain. I did this several times with the same results.
Now even though this was pretty conclusive, I still needed to be REALLY REALLY sure; So I ran another test;
I took a very fine, small hack saw blade and sort of cut an edge back into the teeth enough for them to catch on the detent.
It now passed the bench test.
Satisfied, I re-installed the unit on the motor. I then took my probe and pushed the adjusting pin in all the way up against the chain guide which was then pushed all the way up against the chain itself and then re-installed the spring and screw. With my fingers crossed, I started the motor.
OMG, the thing was quiet as all get out. Like new!!! That's right: No More Noise. The motor now just sounds like a normal motor with out all that clattering, pinging and clicking ticking going on.
Hope this helps some one.
Sorry no pics, but it's pretty self explanatory once you get to it.
