Funny Whirrrin' Noise?

[Schlepporello]

OK, so I take off down the highway on my bike and after about two miles this kinda high pitched whirrin' noise starts coming from the front of the bike. It sounds Like it's directly below the front of the false gas tank (where the battery is). I'm thinking that my fan may be trying to go on the fritz, but I'm really not sure. In looking at the temp, it's running way cool and it puzzles me that the fan would even come on at that point. And the noise stops before I can get the bike stopped to check where it's coming from.

Any ideas, guys?

[Sheradan]

I'm having the same kind of problem. It starts over 30 mph. Will continue even if clutch is engaged and RPM drops. Seems to stop at 65mph (or I can't hear it). Does NOT do it everytime. I was thinking carb or intake issue since I have a bad carb at this time. I also thought it might be the fan, but fan is not on.

[cjacobs]

My Speedometer will do that sometimes when it's cold out like say 40 or below. Nice high pitch whine. Stops when I slow down to stop. Never heard it in warmer temps and it doesn't happen all the time.

[Schlepporello]

It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one experiencing this. It doesn't solve the problem, but it's still comforting to know that I'm not the only one.

 

I'm also thinking that something may have dropped that rubs against the fan, but like in your case, this doesn't happen all the time and it's only if I get up to highway speeds. And I'll not rule out the speedometer cable. My original has a kink in it towards the bottom end and the noise changes with actuall speed, not engine speed.

[Neil86]

Could be speedometer cable....or the bearing in the speedo head where the cable rotates is dry.

[mbrood]

I think it's an easy check to disconnect the speedo cable, secure the inner cable so it doesn't fall out and tie the whole thing back... then make a check run.

 

The cables do need lubed but more important... the dash speedo gear train need lubed or they make noise then self destruct.

 

Simple checks are always nice.

[Schlepporello]

Could be speedometer cable....or the bearing in the speedo head where the cable rotates is dry.

If it's that bearing, how do you lubricate it?

[mbrood]

I believe it's the gears UP in the DASH...

So disconnecting the cable at the front wheel makes the sound go away.

[Neil86]

Is the odometer actually still working...as Mike mentions the gears (which are plastic) pile up....my speedometer still read but odometer quit.

I have greased the speedometer head by putting grease on fingertip and pushing into the cable drive end of speedometer....you are trying to lubricate between where the cable rotates and the outside where cable screws on.

[Sheradan]

The sound I'm hearing is really loud.

[mbrood]

Probably nothing a little wrenching and greasing won't cure... and today is a great day for it, the noise never gets quieter... well, it does... and then you get to buy a new one.

[Neil86]

The gear train greasing Mike mentions would require removing windshield and the "hood" covering top of instrument panel. You'll see the white plastic gears that drive the odometer.

[Monty]

There is a procedure in the tech section. Remove the instrument panel, and put some white lithium grease in the brass bushing at the entrance to the speedometer. you may have to use a needle or something similar to get it in there. That is the ONLY way I could get mine to shut up.

 

 

Here it is... http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8296&highlight=speedometer+lubrication

[Fvogt]

Looks like the way I did my spedo yesterday.

 

No more noise!

 

First time I had to do this in 292k

 

Fred

[gscbertrand]

Have any of you heard of Jig-a-loo spray on dry lubricants? This job would be easier with this stuff if it does what it says it does.

[GeorgeS]

Pull inner cable out, from the wheel drive unit, Hand greese it with heavy wheel bearing greese.

 

Remove headlight, remove cable houseing from speedo, and shoot some lubrican into the Bushing, where the Inner cable, fits into the speedo houseing.

[jasonm.]

I have what I call the "bird call". A constant chirp @ 3000 rpm or so. Been like this since new. I believe it's the way the gears mesh in the engine's water pump or primary.

[Monty]

I have that also. It sounds like crickets chirping, and it comes from the right front, around the water pump. Seems lots of Yamahas have that sound. It's normal.

[Schlepporello]

Pull inner cable out, from the wheel drive unit, Hand grease it with heavy wheel bearing grease.

 

Remove headlight, remove cable housing from speedo, and shoot some lubricant into the Bushing, where the inner cable, fits into the speedo housing.

As luck would have it, I had already bought a replacement speedo cable because I suspected it was just a matter of time before the original started giving me fits. So today I went to work on replacing the cable. While I was replacing the cable, I also sprayed some lithium grease up into the bearing. Thanks to all who helped me sort this problem out. One footnote to add on this though is that the upper cable collar IS NOT accessible by just removing the headlight. At least not on my '84 VR. There is a metal plate and a conglomeration of wires, fuses, couplings and a circuit breaker that make the upper collar impossible to reach. I ended up having to remove the windshield, left half of the fairing and right front turn indicator just to gain access to two bolts that held the carriage assembly for the instrument cluster up high enough to undo the upper speedo cable collar. Oh yeah, I could see the collar, I just couldn't get to it to do anything with it without removing all that I did.

 

But long story short, I got the cable replaced and greased the bearing, then took 'er out for a test spinneroo. Everything's nice and quiet again. I like quiet, quiet is good.