Slight ringing noise from engine

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alan hodge said:
is ring a ding ding when motor is hot or cold or both? my friend's 78 triumph T140 makes a lot of ring a ding a ling when cold but quiet when hot
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In my experience... "Kadink-Kadink-Kadink" sounds in Triumph T120s and T140s at idle when cold, going away when hot, is the generally the sound of the pistons "bucketing" when cold... As the piston skirt warms and expands, the sound diminishes.
Nortons twins with slightly excessive piston to bore clearance will give this sound also this too, but not as badly as Triumph twins..
 
Norton engines, British air cooled motorcycles in general, tend to act like transmitters especially when the cooling fins react harmonically and resonate.

If I'm correct the ringing you hear will wax and wane with engine RPM?

Best.
 
Hi all,
it turned out to be a very interesting discussion and, as always, I learn more about my bike.
I am quite sure the ringing is from the engine internals. Other than checking the timing, as suggested, I will leave
well alone, other than checking filters for metal.
as an aside, the headlight brackets were mentioned as a source of noise. I have just replaced mine as the originals had surface rust. When installing them I decided that the o rings were a flimsy and inefficient way to stop rattles so, off my own bat I used silicone to further secure them, now totally tight, so that was a win.
regards
al
 
Alan, if you’re concerned it might be piston slap it might be worth doing a compression test.
It will only take 5 minuits and if you haven’t got one a tester can be found on eBay for about £20.

Its easy to get paranoid and as most of the replies say the motors do make noises although I ran out with someone with a 961 lat weekend and it made my 850 so7nd like a Swiss watch!

I got it in my head I might have a compression issue. Bought a tester. 160 psi on both sides.
No concerns now!
 
I wouldn't worry about it as he has said all along its running great, even the newer Norton's make a lot of noise from the motor.
 
Hi All,
I really believe compression wise the engine is very good. I have a compression tester so I will check and announce the results. It has excellent oil control.
I should have mentioned the slight ringing noise I was referring to is most noticeable when the engine is idling, especially when cold. What tweaked my interest was that a contributor mentioned a ringing noise from the valve lifters. I was just battling to get my head around how a lifter could produce a ringing noise.
I appreciate the input from all.
At this stage I’m adopting the ride and enjoy advice from a contributor although at -6’ it won’t be this morning
Regards
Al
 
You can have cam followers that have become worn. Or even the part of the tip that has detached itself from the main body, but that will produce a diffent sound to " ringing"
 
Alan L said:
Hi all,
It’s amazing what ‘by catch’ you get by reading this forum. In a recent thread on another subject a contributor mentioned a ‘ringy dingy’ noise in relationship to the engines tappets (cam followers).
I have been aware of a ringing noise coming from the motor of my 74 Mk2. I was considering asking about it on this forum but assumed it might be just the cooling fins ringing or similar. Having read about the ‘ringy dingy’ sound I’m sure that we are talking about the same noise. So, what is it, how serious is it and what should i do?
I should also mention that the motor appears to be running perfectly. I believe it was rebuilt shortly before I bought it and came with numerous receipts and a box of used parts including cam followers (nothing looked particularly worn). My desire to strip a motor that is running perfectly is low!
regards and thanks for any advice
Alan
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All Nortons ring, it's how we announce our arrival. It's one more thing for those who ride lesser machines too be jealous of. BTW I rode my buddys Zero, (110mph top end, 3.9 0to60) I told him except for the lack of music it was sorta like my Commando, you don't have to shift.
Alan L said:
Hi all,
It’s amazing what ‘by catch’ you get by reading this forum. In a recent thread on another subject a contributor mentioned a ‘ringy dingy’ noise in relationship to the engines tappets (cam followers).
I have been aware of a ringing noise coming from the motor of my 74 Mk2. I was considering asking about it on this forum but assumed it might be just the cooling fins ringing or similar. Having read about the ‘ringy dingy’ sound I’m sure that we are talking about the same noise. So, what is it, how serious is it and what should i do?
I should also mention that the motor appears to be running perfectly. I believe it was rebuilt shortly before I bought it and came with numerous receipts and a box of used parts including cam followers (nothing looked particularly worn). My desire to strip a motor that is running perfectly is low!
regards and thanks for any advice
Alan
Click to expand...
 
Maybe it wants to be a two stroke ... have you been premixing gas and oil ?
Seriously mine rings a bit and I have always attributed it to fin resonance .
 
Some time ago I sent the barrel and forged pistons to a Norton industry expert for an overbore to +.020. I asked for a 5.2 skit clearance. I had no reason to doubt the quality of the work and decided to skip my usual measurement protocol. I knew up-front that I was on the tight end for clearance, 5.5 was recommended. I wasn't going to race and I didn't care how long it took to complete the run-in, I was thinking 1000 miles.

I fired it up and rode around the industrial park for a little over 20 minutes to break-in the cam and was amazed that the engine was so quiet. I heard the valve train, but not the usual engine noise(s). Forged pistons, everyone should have them. I knew that the racers had been keep a big secret...

At 1100 miles with many cycles of re-torquing, setting, changing fluids and checking all fasteners I was ready to start using the upper end of the tach; I would listen to the engine, watch for "tight" spots and if present challenge them carefully.

I got on the Interstate/freeway/A class motorway and started feeding the engine throttle, backing off periodically. I got no indication that a full bore run wasn't in the cards, so I let her rip. At a tad over 90 I felt the engine begin losing power, so I backed off got in the exit lane, I had about a 1/2 mile to go to reach the exit. Just before I got to the ramp I lost a cylinder. I was able to nurse it to a safe place. On tear down I found that the skirt clearance was 2.5, I knew then that forged pistons had no place on the street and that I would never again skip the measurements phase of any component that requires precision fitment.

Too much clearance makes a lot of noise, but can be tolerated a lot more than too little...

Best.
 
My ring a ding is caused by the LH exhaust header lock washer. Both head side tabs failed the first time I eased them back to retighten. I've tried bending one of the exhaust side tabs to the head, but not enough purchase to lock it in. Irritating, but I don't fancy taking the exhaust apart to deal with it.

A loose baffle on the right side silencer announces itself over road humps.

I guess, part of its personality!
 
I thought I had a slight ring ding ding from my engine Sunday morning......

Then I noticed a TZ350 waiting in front of me in collecting...assumed that was the source of the ring ding ding....and off we went for our track session, two laps later, no clutch....

The ringing was the clutch diaphragm centre, the mainshaft clutch nut had come loose and the whole clutch drum was being held on by the belt cover!
 
To date the quietest Norton engine I've heard is the one that can be heard in the Jay Leno JP special video posted recently. His sounds like it was designed in Japan. Maybe it is being muted in post video sound editing though. :)

I'm surprised my Norton still runs given what it sounds like idling. On song it's pleasant though.
 
SteveA said:
I thought I had a slight ring ding ding from my engine Sunday morning......

Then I noticed a TZ350 waiting in front of me in collecting...assumed that was the source of the ring ding ding....and off we went for our track session, two laps later, no clutch....

The ringing was the clutch diaphragm centre, the mainshaft clutch nut had come loose and the whole clutch drum was being held on by the belt cover!
Click to expand...
No problem Pierre, I just did it up again.....with Loctite!
 
And don't neglect checking for ringing noises from headlight ears. There's supposed to be a rubber o-ring 'tween the ears and the yokes, which can get dislodged/degraded, forgotten on re-assemblage....creating a resonance frequency vibration ringing effect.
 
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