lifter noise

[49Reo]

If you add the sea-foam to the oil then ride around a bit to let the sea-foam do its thing, it cleans all the "guck" out that is in the engine, and the oil filter will take out a lot of it. What does not get removed by the filter will stay in suspension in the oil, when you drain the oil and change the filter, it is again a "clean" engine. Try to drain from the screen plug; like pcarrell says, it is lower than the oil drain plug, so gets more dirty oil out as well as giving you a chance to clean the screen.

Hope this helps;

Regards and such,
49Reo

[LadyDrifter]

OK...so "just like a woman"...I'm confused and going to add a new "SeaFoam" post---I ride 10,000 easily in 4 months (Florida you ride every day pretty much) and didn't know you could add to the oil (I too have the dreaded lifter noise)
So...you add the SF to the oil before you change it---then ride around for a bit and do the complete change?? or what---? because then you say you shouldn't ride around with the "Gack" that was cleaned out by the SF...

on a side note---I do add it into the gas 1oz/gallon; I was told it helped keep water, ergo rust, out of the tank---which seems to be a problem in mine....thanks for the patience guys!

[vagabondjay]

yes 49 reo great point... So I changed my clutch last night and changed oil and filter and check screen... added 20w50 and took bike out for a ride..all is fine. no ticking so far. (cross finger)..lol

[pcarrell]

If you haven't yet done so, you might want to remove and clean the oil pump pick up screen. Sometimes stuff gets left behind, like parts wrap, which can impede oil flow, and plug oil galleys. Just a thought...

Regards and such,
49Reo

Good point!

Whenever I change my oil I always pull the screen.  The side benefit is that the plug for the screen is actually lower then the drain plug, so I empty out the oil more completely by doing it this way.

[49Reo]

If you haven't yet done so, you might want to remove and clean the oil pump pick up screen. Sometimes stuff gets left behind, like parts wrap, which can impede oil flow, and plug oil galleys. Just a thought...

Regards and such,
49Reo

[vagabondjay]

no worries fellas... and @troll.. I have been following the tings you have done.. I did the seafoam and ran it for 200 miles then changed my oil and put 10w40 went on a 850 mile round trip ride and all was good.. about a week and a half after the trip thats when the noise started... it is with out a doubt the front lifters,, and it goes and comes. so I am doing the clutch tonight and I have 4 new qts of 20w50 oil I am going to put in it. and I will swing by the dealer and pic up a filter.. I will keep you posted if this takes away the noise.. thanks everyone for the input

[49Reo]

and back on topic now..please dont derail my thread about some damm seafoam please..

Yeah, me too. Thorry!!

Regards and such,
49Reo

[pcarrell]

and back on topic now..please dont derail my thread about some damm seafoam please..

My bad.......sorry!

[Troll]

My '01 has had "lifter" noise, in varying degrees, since I rescued it from the barn it was languishing in for 4 years. The hydraulic system in this engine is pretty complex, so it's really important that the system is clean and free flowing.  When I first got it, the noises coming from anything and everything were pretty incredible. I changed the oil right away, using Kawasaki 10w40. I used a 1 oz to a quart ratio of SeaFoam in the oil to clean out the varnish and sludge that was supposed to be oil. After about 40 miles of running, the noises subsided. It was pretty interesting to listen to them disappear, one at a time. On hot days, and after a warm overnight, sometimes the tap of one hydraulic unit would be there for a few seconds to maybe a minute. , but always after a cooler overnight. I've been experimenting with different things to help quiet the noises, and further clean up the inside. I switched to Valvoline 20-50 conventional after the Seafoam oil change, and it's been working quite well. It cleaned up the opaque oil eye in about 1500 miles. For the last 10,000 miles, I've been using Valvoline 20-50 synthetic motorcycle oil, and although it didn't seem to do anything noticeable, nothing went sour, either...I've tried several different oil filters from different vendors, with no change in the noises, until now...I currently have 2,000 miles on my last oil change, and I tried the OEM Kawasaki filter...$12 for an oil filter seems a little steep, but if it makes a difference...and it did! I just went out to the garage and started the bike up after a 40 deg. overnight...tick tick tick for about 10 seconds, then it was gone! I suppose I can justify $24 a year for oil filters, if it keeps the noises at bay...I'm changing the synthetic at 5,000 miles, so that's 2 changes a year...

[vagabondjay]

and back on topic now..please dont derail my thread about some damm seafoam please..

[pcarrell]

NAPA auto parts carries Seafoam, and so does Autozone and O'Rilley.  If you're really desperate, you can get it on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Foam-Motor-Tune-Up/dp/B003WOO5WU

The stuff is GOLD!

[CDNRatMan]

   sorry thought you were in fact 45 Bravo, from down south, and then I checked and relized you are from BC my mistake so you would have a hard time finding Seafoam. It seemed to work really good on my 99 800 today.

[49Reo]

I never heard of Seafoam before joining this forum. I found it at the local Canadian Tire Store, so why you southern boys can not find it is beyond me, and it did wonders for my 800....thanks guys for letting me know about this product.......

I found 1 count em 1 can of Seafoam Penetrating oil last winter at a Peavey Mart store; have never seen Seafoam products "here in the south" before or after; in Canadian Tire or elsewhere.
-:

[ChilliDrift]

So, from what I understand, you add this before changing the oil once a year or so.?. And to the fuel every so often I see it by the parts counter and I am starting to think I am missing out on something. Follows the directions n the bottle I guess. I bet the directions have been addresed on here.
I found a good discussion and added below.

http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=17128.msg29703#msg29703

[CDNRatMan]

 

As Seafoam doesn't appear to be sold up here in the "Frozen North"

I never heard of Seafoam before joining this forum. I found it at the local Canadian Tire Store, so why you southern boys can not find it is beyond me, and it did wonders for my 800....thanks guys for letting me know about this product.......

[49Reo]

My 1500 had the "little man with a hammer inside wanting out" every time I started it cold; especially if it sat for awhile. I switched to Kawasaki synthetic, problem went away. Had to leave the bike for a whole winter (I try to start and run 10 minutes or so every couple of months during the winter) and no noise on start up; then it started again. As Seafoam doesn't appear to be sold up here in the "Frozen North", I picked some up while in Montana and will be trying it as soon as I can get out for a ride.....time will tell.

Regards and such,
49Reo

[ChilliDrift]

I know there have been discussions about this sort of thing  on here before. Im sure Chief and Troll will share more info. I'm jumping on board because I'd like to hear more on the subject.  Often referred to as the tiny man with a hammer I think. Seems like mine has done a bit of this itself.  After running full synthetic mobile1 vtwin.. it seeems to have quieted, but it shows up now and again.  I look forward to hearing what others have to say.

[vagabondjay]

So I added some seafoam to the oil this morning, since sunday I will be changing clutch and oil..as I backed out of garage the noise went away..so Iam thinking they may have been some small debris in it.. so I rode about 20 miles and it came back and then went away and came back again then went away again.

[vagabondjay]

so I left work put cas in the bike 89 octane, then rode about 25 miles to spot, left there rode up the road about 10 miles and came to a light and I could hear my lifters ticking ..got up this morning and started bike and it is the front cyclinder that is making the noise .. I looked thru the manual and says they are self adjusting. So has anyone had this issue?? I changed the oil about 1500 miles back used 10w40 regular motorcycle oil.. valvoline