Possible cam chain noise at a cold start

[Dale_K]

I've noticed a noise during cold starts that I think is the cam chain. It goes away within a few seconds, maybe 15 seconds after I start the bike. I bought the bike used and maybe it's always done it. I changed my routine and now I start the bike, then put on the helmet. Up till now I've always had the helmet on before starting the motor.

Do these bikes have hydraulic cam chain tensioners? Is a little noise at start up something to be worried about? The bike has 18k miles and was dealer serviced at 12k about a year ago by the previous owner. It seems to run perfectly.

[mogu83]

Actually IMHO it's more than a little noise, but it seems they all do it (I sound like a Harley service manager). Your correct about the hydraulic cam chain tensioner. Put your helmet back on.

[deilenberger]

What's odd about this noise - it comes from the right side cylinder. The reason I say it's odd - is oilheads had the same noise, and it came from the tensioner on the left cylinder. The fix for the oilheads was to install an R1200XX hydraulic tensioner. I find mine does it if left on the sidestand for some period of time. If I stop the engine and immediately put it on the centerstand, then start it on the centerstand - usually no noise.

It is a "they all do that" apparently with no ill effects. If someone has one that doesn't do it and wants to swap tensioners with me for a test, I'm all ears. I have been tempted to order a new tensioner (they're about $40 - I put one in my R1150RS), or to even try an old tensioner from an oilhead on that side since the oilheads never did it on the right side.

[xprof]

Thanks guys! I had wondered what that noise was. Now I won't feel like my bike is "odd."

[Dale_K]

The noise seems to be coming from the left side on my bike. It could be the way the bike is parked because only the left side is accessible. Is it hard to replace the left side tensioner? I have some warranty remaining but it's a big deal leaving the bike - at least a $50 cab ride necessary on the drop off and again when I pick it up. Even if it's a quick fix and feasible to wait on the repair in the lounge I'm betting BMW will need to hear it themselves and therefore I'll have to leave it overnight.

I'll check the left vs right question more closely later today.

[deilenberger]

Dale,

I suspect you'll find it's from the right side - which is a snap to get to (right on the bottom of the cylinder). I've R&R'd my right side tensioner looking for anything obvious - and found nothing. All of the complaints I've heard on the R12 engine have been right side. All the complaints on R11 engines - left side. On the R11xx engines - the left side one requires some contortions and tricks to get it out around the rear mount for the telelever wishbone. Haven't look at the left side on our engines, but I suspect similar.

[hjsbmw]

I realize this is not a tragic issue, but I'd still rather not have to listen to my right timing chain cause a racket during startup. After a few seconds it goes away. The noise has gotten louder over the past months also. Sensitive ears could perceive it as a rather unhealthy sound.

Who has changed the tensioner and found it to alleviate the noise? What are the parts to change? It looks to me that it should be

07119963342 GASKET RING - A20X24-CU
11311341015 SPRING
11311340742 PISTON RIGHT

Or is it maybe just the spring? I suspect what's going on is that the spring has lost some of its elasticity. The right side tensioner sits under the cylinder, so the spring has to push the piston up until oil pressure is established. A weak spring would not be able to push with enough force.

[deilenberger]

Mine has done this since it was almost new. The R1150 engines did this on the left cylinder - the fix was a tensioner from an R1200 engine.. go figure. It's pretty much harmless. It is more pronounced if the bike has been sitting on the sidestand. Usually off the centerstand there is no noise at all, which to me means the oil is draining out of the tensioner, and the noise is the tensioner and chain bouncing until it's filled up with oil again.

This has been discussed on other forums where there are earlier hexheads - and no one has reported any cam-chain problems caused by it.

If it was me and I was worried about it - I'd look for the entire tensioner assembly. I know the left side can be bought as an assembly (not discrete parts) since I bought one to quiet down my R1150RS.. (and it did..)

[CharlieO]

I find that my R1200R does the timing chain noise thing only when I park it on the side stand. It has never made any toming chain noises when parked on the center stand. My R1200R has 40,000 miles on it and runs just fine.
CharlieO

[hjsbmw]

I find that my R1200R does the timing chain noise thing only when I park it on the side stand. It has never made any toming chain noises when parked on the center stand. My R1200R has 40,000 miles on it and runs just fine.
CharlieO

That's interesting, and I have to pay attention to that. Maybe the parking habit has an effect on how loud the noise is. I am, however, positive that I hear some level of noise regardless of the mode of parking. I also hear it when restarting after refilling, for which I don't get off the bike at all, hence the engine was off for only a small amount of time and the cylinders were always level.

[hjsbmw]

I find that my R1200R does the timing chain noise thing only when I park it on the side stand. It has never made any toming chain noises when parked on the center stand. My R1200R has 40,000 miles on it and runs just fine.
CharlieO

That's interesting, and I have to pay attention to that. Maybe the parking habit has an effect on how loud the noise is. I am, however, positive that I hear some level of noise regardless of the mode of parking. I also hear it when restarting after refilling, for which I don't get off the bike at all, hence the engine was off for only a small amount of time and the cylinders were always level.

I kept an eye on this and it seems correct. I always hear some initial mechanical noise, but it is loud in an unhealthy way only after having the bike on the side stand. I can live with that, problem solved.