Rattling noise at idle.

G

Ghis_imp

Running like a top
Thread starter
Hello all,
I'm new to the forum. I just purchase my 2013 CB1100 a couple weeks ago from a Honda dealer where the bike had been sitting for two years unsold. The bike has about 700 miles now, and I'm hearing a sound I don't like. At idle only, there is a rattling sound coming from what seems to be the lower part or bottom of the engine. It sounds like something is loose, however it disappears once I rev it up or the bike warms up after a few minutes. When I ride, it's all good. If I let the bike sit for about 3 hours, and restart it, the rattling is there. From a completely cold engine, there is no rattling. Anyone experienced this? Am I just worrying for not much? Though the sounds surely doesn't sound normal. I've own many bikes, including Kawasakis, Yamahas, Suzukis, Triumphs, and Harleys, but this is my first Honda. I'm used to hearing noises that are just the bike being what it is, but I'm thinking my new CB may have an issue. I thought I'd check here and see what you guys think before I decide to take it back to the dealer. The dealer performed the 600 miles service, and put in Honda 10W40 instead of the 10W30 the manual says to put in. The dealer says their manual says either or depending on the season.
 
This is not the first report of this. First thing, change the oil to 10W30. The noise will most likely go away. If not then address it then.

Some of the CBs are oil sensitive. Yours may be one. Others will chime in soon, I'm sure.
Here is a link to a thread on the noise. I think this is the first report on the US board. It was reported on the UK board before Guth started this one.

Engine trouble... awaiting diagnosis
 
Mine had it too. You could hear it on the bike with 10w40 below 60 degrees. 10w30 it was still there but you need to have your ear right next to the motor.
It's like one part of the motor doesn't warm up with the rest?
 
You know noises are funny. To some people they are glaringly obvious. To others merely normal motor noises. I rode up yesterday and had lunch with an old client. i saw he had a new truck and asked him how he liked it. he said it had a weird motor noise he wanted me to listen to. He fired it up and I swear I didn't her anything out of the ordinary, and he's say "hear it? Hear it now? And I'm like I don't hear anything abnormal. So I ask him what the dealership said, and he siad " they say it sounds normal" but he hears something no one else does. I dunno.

Now, I'm not saying your isn't making a noise. Mine makes all kinds of noises. It may make one of the noises you are hearing, then again yours may be making a noise mine is not. These things have a lot of metal parts moving around inside, and there is no body work to muffle sound, so any noises they do make are easier to hear. Whatever noises mine make it has been making for a year and nearly 10,000 miles. If it was something serious I'm sure it would have surfaced as a problem by now.

I say have a Honda tech listen to yours and see if they feel there is an issue. If they say no, trust that your 1 year unlimited mileage warranty will protect you in case of anything catastrophic.
 
Thread starter
Thank you guys! I checked out the video from CIP57, as well as the video posted by dBuster. It's the exact same sound mine does. And of course it too started right after the 600 miles service. It was perfect before that. I will be switching back to 10w30 this Saturday.
 
Ghis_imp said:
Thank you guys! I checked out the video from CIP57, as well as the video posted by dBuster. It's the exact same sound mine does. And of course it too started right after the 600 miles service. It was perfect before that. I will be switching back to 10w30 this Saturday.
Click to expand...
:thumbsup:
 
Thread starter
Would you stick with conventional Honda 10w30 or go to Honda's 10w30 full synthetic? Is 750 miles too early to switch to full synthetic?
 
Ahh..only 8 posts. I remember those days. The days before I stumbled innocently into the Oil Thread. It was a little like what I would imagine it would be like to lose one's virginity to a prostitute - it accomplished the goal but is not particularly satisfying in the long run. Good luck, my friend. Good luck.

:)
 
Ahhh only 8 posts. I remember THAT day. It was a slow one.
 
Oh boy! an oil thread. And so it begins... :)
 
Thread starter
Oh no, not another oil thread, please no. That is where I used to spend my life when I rode Harleys. Conventional v. synthetic blends, full synthetic, Red Line, Amsoil... I don't want to get into that. On my Harleys I would switch to full synthetic on the very service (those big air cooled V-Twins run so hot) as suggested by the Harley dealer every time. However, on my CB, I'm gonna stick with Honda's 10W30. CIP57 suggested I put in Honda' synthetic 10W30, but my Honda dealer says to wait until 8K. So the real question is more like synthetic now at 700 miles or later at 8k or even 4k for that matter?
 
The ferret_imp said:
You know noises are funny. To some people they are glaringly obvious. To others merely normal motor noises. I rode up yesterday and had lunch with an old client. i saw he had a new truck and asked him how he liked it. he said it had a weird motor noise he wanted me to listen to. He fired it up and I swear I didn't her anything out of the ordinary, and he's say "hear it? Hear it now? And I'm like I don't hear anything abnormal. So I ask him what the dealership said, and he siad " they say it sounds normal" but he hears something no one else does. I dunno.

Now, I'm not saying your isn't making a noise. Mine makes all kinds of noises. It may make one of the noises you are hearing, then again yours may be making a noise mine is not. These things have a lot of metal parts moving around inside, and there is no body work to muffle sound, so any noises they do make are easier to hear. Whatever noises mine make it has been making for a year and nearly 10,000 miles. If it was something serious I'm sure it would have surfaced as a problem by now.

I say have a Honda tech listen to yours and see if they feel there is an issue. If they say no, trust that your 1 year unlimited mileage warranty will protect you in case of anything catastrophic.
Click to expand...
I think the ferret gets to the heart of the matter regarding noises like this one and others discussed on this forum (and plenty of other forums for that matter).

While my eyes have finally started to give me a bit of grief the past few years my sense of hearing remains very intact and sensitive. I constantly find myself hearing noises that others didn't notice or are completely unable to hear. Not just motorcycle related noises, but with everything.

I can hear my CB1100 making a noise like the one described in this thread after it has been running for a few minutes, then it goes away after the engine is fully warmed up. I notice it with my helmet on — it's almost undetectable with my helmet off. It seems that the helmet filters out some of the frequency spectrum, in effect highlighting certain noises that would otherwise be masked by the full ensemble of noises generated by the engine.

In my case, if I understand the service manual correctly, the noise is generated by the balancer gears. This particular noise can be decreased or increased with the transmission backlash adjustment. I can eliminate the noise, but then I worry about excessive gear whine that occurs until the engine is fully warmed up which strikes me as even more intimidating. So basically, I can still tell the noise is there, even when others can't.

(FYI, I'm running 10w30 oil.)
 
Ghis_imp said:
Would you stick with conventional Honda 10w30 or go to Honda's 10w30 full synthetic? Is 750 miles too early to switch to full synthetic?
Click to expand...
G,

I would go full Synthetic and be sure to change out the filter with an OEM. If you have any hint of the rattle use the first change as a flush and do it again. ( 1 qt stays in the oil cooler ) That Intermittent rattle is not normal and has nothing to do with adjustments, your lower end should be quite and free of any rattle. Let me know how things work out for you.
Steve
 
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