X9 500 SL Tapping ?

[Solo]

Hello

I have a loud Tapping that gets slightly louder and faster when i accelerate hard or over 6k rpm. I have no lose of power, no start up problems and no MPG Drop. When i rev the bike on the stand it sound like center of bike. Louse metal Rapid tapping sound only when reved.

I Think it may be the Tappets, and i am confidence i can do them but the head to take cover off is right long side the frame and hard to get off unless i drop engine down, is that only way to do it or is there and easier way to check valve gaps

Thanks

Solo

[Dave Milnes]

Tappets only vaguely rattle and mainly on idle when you can hear the individual taps, but as the sound is so rapid when revved it tends to blend into the exhaust sound.
You can set them with the engine in situ but you have to remove the tunner cover and footboards and belly pan, lift out the fuel pump then the tank will just wriggles out below if you take the heat shield off, then disconnect the bottom rear shock brackets and jack the rear end up as far as it will go and wedge it there.
The cam cover can then be removed and with the plug removed you can turn the engine using the cam nut to TDC on firing stroke on each cylinder in turn and make the adjustments to all 4 rockers at once. There is a mark on the cam gear and bearing cap to indicate TDC on cylinder 1, but if when lined up there is no gap give it another full turn, then when you can detect play you know that is TDC firing stroke on that cylinder. One more full turn will be TDC on the other stroke.
I set mine slightly wide as I didn't have a single feeler blade the right thickness but I had one about .001mm larger in one blade rather than making it up exactly with two, and wider is better than tight.
Now at idle it does slightly 'tick' like a sewing machine but you can't really tell.

Have a close look at your exhaust as it might be a leak from either the head joint, that take-off tapping part way down or the silencer sleeve. Eliminate all other things before tappets as it's a big job to find it wasn't the problem. That's why I didn't do mine until I'd tried all the easier stuff to stop the popping first.
Could it be transmission? Is it worse on throttle off over-run or only acceleration? You do have good oil pressure?

[Solo]

At idel on stand I rev it to 6000rpm and I can hear it .
On road once hit 6ķrpm and over it kicks in and gets louder or quieter opening or closing throttle, if throttle off and drop below  6000rpm it vanish.

I'll try your suggestions. And see what happens as tappets on the 500 sound alot more effort than that of the X9250SL.

 Someone has suggested cam chain tensioner come to end of it's life ?

Today on way back home arround 60mph 6000rpm I put my head down behind screen to eliminate wind noise and sound was coming from between my legs strangely towards the glove box, I know sounds travels I.e down frame.

I'll report back what I find

[The Bern]

Loose baffle in the silencer possibly ?

[Dave Milnes]

chain tensioner is a possibility

[Solo]

I have removed the CVT cover and the Variator and clutch and belt to eliminate sound, and done a video ( sent you a video via FB message ) Ran bike with all off to hear sound clearer.

Tappets
Chain Tensioner

I have also uploaded to YouTube, for others to view link is here :

https://youtu.be/pbxD7dgQknk

[The Bern]

Also possibly piston slap, does it get worse as the engine warms up ?

[The Bern]

Get one of these bud, you can listen to local parts of the engine & locate the source accurately .....  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142037223479?_nkw=mechanics+stethoscope&itmmeta=01J6ETPPYYKYX66AEW7HRNZR90&hash=item2112140837:g:qh8AAOSwcY5chhvv&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKkZ1P38MWgdIXWuWMQSIQLfG0pWgKBx7wOmE4uVHwWlOFUDkaM234lvXWRNXOBEDzZZGk%2BlKqLRmnpZ9EjIjdzixKH4uvx6WU7cHY5uhLh9ApGWOQSc5V33iKYrO5m2buYQIR%2FElR1%2B5u54yo183eQPfYnxK6ydaj6Zl09M6pU7wGr%2BR3JU22pXlkhq8Brcpf2df%2FEBx9a4jv48fUhpIOmvWO%2FgfcC%2BDnMI0NyHF4dknrpmxNAkatx%2FPZ694zKkywQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8bv2tqzZA

[Mike H]

I'm going to make a stab at worn small end bush rattle.

Might be a case of tearing it down to actually eyeball things, rather thsn trying to guess.
 

[Solo]

Update:

I manage to strip down, check Valves and the Cam chain: ( ignore photo no TDC arrow taken photo before i set TDC )




Valves was fine 0.15 on both just right, the Cam chain had no slack, So eliminated that and decided to do the Ear to screw driver way to track the sound down now i have eliminated them, as sounds travels.

I put my ear to the Area marked in this following photo and i can hear the sound loud from there and louder if i rev up the X9, as you see the 3 large round parts on far right where clutch goes the last circle you see at edge that's area its coming from:





I then taken gear box oil out and gear box cover to check cogs and bearings, they look and feel fine:









While talking to Bob he suggested that it could be the exhaust, the inside broken down, as the noise from gearbox the exhaust is right behind it, but lucky me found an original Factory SL one on eBay so i clicked buy and going to fit it and see what happens:

[Dave Milnes]

Have you removed the spark plug? Just thinking if it wasn't tight it might have been blowing past, not something you want as it can damage the threads.
If it does turn out to be the exhaust check where the brackets weld onto the box for cracks and also where the front pipe clamps to the head.

I wouldn't have thought the rear gearbox to be the issue, it would be a first if it was, they are well over engineered (as long as kept oiled!)

[The Bern]

It's not going to be the gearbox, that was not connected when you posted the video with sound, hence my suggestion at the time of loose silencer baffles.

[Solo]

Update:

I have fitted the New Silencer and....sound still there.

I rechecked the Tappets again, as per my other post i claimed i check the gap and they was 0.15 but i checked it under the understanding that there should be little tiny resistance on the feeler gauge when sliding it in and out and my friend said the feeler gauge going in and out there need to be more resistance than what i am Showing / feeling.

 i assumed ( never trust goggle ) that a tiny bit of resistance on the gauge is all that's needed to slide easy in and out, So it could be this means i am wrong and the tappets are actually Too lose?

So Friday ill be popping the Valve head off and tightening them up more. ( ill update once done )

Referring to Dave spark plug idea! your physic i checked spark plud and it was only finger tight.....( its now tightened back up Made no difference )
Refering  to * The Bern * idea the new SL silcencer is on and the bike is a lot quiter now and the tapping clatting is now more clearer.

[Dave Milnes]

Stick an oil pressure gauge onthe tapping where the switch is and make sure the pressure is OK.

I have always set tappets so the feeler gauge has only a light resistance. It should be possible to re-slide it into the gap and move it in all directions but it shouldn't 'rock' around. The thing to avoid is making it too tight then you are actually pressing on the valve. Also loose is better than tight as long as not excessive. The biggest issue with the siamesed rockers on the X9 is that they are both exactly the same ideally set using two feelers at the same time.

[Solo]

Update 06.09.24:

I tightened them up a bit and made no difference, set them to how you mentioned in last post, still same, the Cam chain is Nice and tight had a really good tug and press, def not lose or nothing.

Unfortunately Dave i have a oil pressure gauge to test test oil pressure. Spent from 2pm till 7pm on the X9, i have for now given up. and will come back to it with fresh mind in a few days.

[Solo]

Update 09.09.25:

Did Tappets again this time with my mate round, as he knows i am deaf so had a good listen, Says compared to other day, he can only hear one tappet tapping out of 4 ( good ears ) looked at all the Tappet adjuster things ( don't know correct name ) 3 have good leanth, but one of them bottom left one, if you loosen nut to adjust then the nut is at the very end of the adjuster, can i assume this could be my problem?

on side not, put all bike back together went for a ride, besides the tappy sound bike runs fine and ok, Warms up in about a min, gets up to speed, no back fire not funny running, idles just fine and starts up on the button first time, so could be ok to run for a ride just annoying tappy sound.

[Dave Milnes]

Sounds like one of the rockers has bent which was a rare problem on some early motors. If this has happened the rocker won't be pressing on the valve stem perpendicularly and will wear the valve guide. When I set mine it appeared that there was a small 'wobbly' shoe on the adjuster screw that pressed against the valve. Could it be yours has lost one, in which case you need to get a new adjuster screw from a scrap engine, or a complete rocker.

[Solo]

Dave yes one of the adjuster screw is more worn than any of the others, and adjusted loads times and its the only one that's tapping and at end of its adjuster, like that one has worn out faster than the others.
Taken it out for a ride, rides ok and when warmed up was not as loud, but i broken down just up road, The starter solenoid packed in, pushed bike back home was pissed off, it was just buzzing VERY loud! so in pissed off mode i wacked the bloody solenoid with a hammer and it fire up!. Think and not sure if they can, but some how it got stuck ( inside )

So iv just ordered a new one, due to arrive tomorrow.

ill look in to them adjusters / Shoes you mentioned Dave and replace it, there are a few on ebay.

Will these off an Evo work ok ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266963452483?_nkw=piaggio+X9+500+valve&itmmeta=01J7F5786K1PXM825Y7XJGGRBM&hash=item3e28430243:g:mewAAOSwg7FmyXos&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKmaJBg7dJ4MU2dW8JroN9VPoF5xXt1h6zbTwlOWsMF5QB1spFOfPBQPNT8KlyvdqsNOim3kKX7NjFPNMOHCpWzCuCftVdoP8ZZiBKv9%2FTxtt4ZdVvB2BK1TfiDeWpJ%2F73VrjI75%2BhFCjBRpAyxSQ1i1TvmwkjREA%2B6u2%2Bht9pRNQJ3dRd3ursm7KmGWweFPahivYeH2uGA1VxBBYZ6aR8kqwWLXDzwplOKdO4TmZR03fnVmdpBoZsFS28R%2BE56%2BdbFyaL22X6OPwAJF16lT45njjx13WTccwquX%2FYIiZA4Njg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR7aDneW7ZA&edge=0

[Dave Milnes]

I don't see why they won't. According to Fowlers all ages use the same parts. Note there is a difference between inlet and exhaust, and at £180 each new these are a bargain, the adjuster screws alone are £17.50 each new.
To remove the rockers you need to remove the cam chain adjuster then the cam gear then the cam retainer plate and finally the rocker shafts drift out from the other side with a thin drift. You need to set the engine TDC so the crank and cam timing marks align so when you refit the chain the marks are still aligned. It's a big job, so even if you buy the ebay parts I would just replace the worn screw first and see if that sorts it. It the new screw is still short then I suspect the rocker is bent so you will have to replace it, worth trying just the screw first.
There may not be enough space between valve and rocker to fit the new screw so you might need to work out a way to lever the valve open to give you space. Plug all possible holes so if you drop anything it doesn't end up going down into the sump. It will be a fiddly job.

[Solo]

Sounds a big job just reading it, i will try the Screw first.

Went to Squires other day with my mate on his royal Enfield interceptor 650 ( lovely sounding bike ) and my X9 started ok and go up to temp, and rode ok, over takes was fine no hesitation up to 80mph, So seams to be ok