newb with a new engine noise

[zaqattack]

Hey guys new to the forum and figured I'd introduce myself. I ride a 1982 Honda Ascot and it's great! I hit 10000 miles a few weeks back and right when it happened my bike developed a ping (light metal noise going with the rpms) and I'm new to street bikes and just can't seem to figure out what it is. It doesn't worsen under more weight and it does lighten when I back off the throttle and it's only when the engine is warmed up. Any ideas?

[J6G1Z]

Take a long screwdriver, ratchet extension, or length of tubing & hold one end to your ear, while the other end is used as a Doctors stethoscope to probe different locations of the engine while listening for the sound to get louder. This will at least let you figure out where the noise is coming from.

Check your exhaust head pipes for any signs of rust, especially on the underside. Then use your "stethoscope" to see if the pipes are rattling. The head pipes are dual wall tubing & often times the inner tube will seperate from the outer tube & cause a rattling sound. Let's hope that this is your problem vs. something inside the engine. If it is indeed the exhaust making the noise, it is fairly easy to fix. You need to remove the pipes & drill a few holes along the very bottom (where the holes cannot be seen) of the outer pipes. Do not drill through the inner pipe. Now have a welder weld the inner pipe to the outer pipe at each hole that you drilled. Squirt a bit of paint on the welds & then re-install your exhaust system.

There is also an after-market performance header available if you'd rather go that route.

So... Find a listening device, start your bike & search for the source of the noise. Then let us know what you find out.

Good luck
J.

[thumperdh]

Total shot in the dark here but check the nuts that holds the header to the exhaust studs. Mine like to back themselves off and that usually creates a weird ping sound.

[scottly]

A length of rubber or vinyl tubing can be used as a stethoscope to locate exhaust leaks: hold one end near your ear, and probe around with the other end. 1/4"-3/8" ID tubing should work. 

[zaqattack]

After a little further investigation it sounds like it is coming from the exhaust baffle. It's really only when the exhaust is under pressure and when I used the rod to probe around everything in the engine sounded fine but when I moved to the exhaust it got louder.

J- you mentioned something about an aftermarket header? I might be interested, where can I find some information on that?

[J6G1Z]

Here is the main post on the after-market performance header from ThumperStuff: http://ascot500.com/index.php?topic=138.0

Some folks think that a box stock FT Ascot, without any modifications, is better off with the factory head pipes & exhaust. I'm not in that group, but my bikes rarely remain all stock. You need to do the jetting change as described in the "Ascot Essentials", especially if you modify the exhaust.

If you order the ThumperStuff pipe, you should also order the 2 jets that are needed & either a 16 or 17 tooth countershaft sprocket. The 17 tooth often requires some light clearancing to fit.

Good luck
J.

[zaqattack]

Oh alright! Sweet I can order all that from Thumperstuff? That's kind of what I was hoping for. As for the 17 tooth sprocket clearance is it worth the trouble, or should I just get the 16 so it can just bolt right up?

[J6G1Z]

I selected the 16 tooth due to me being about 200lbs & I ride a lot of back roads & curves. If I rode a lot of freeway, I'd try the 17. Supposedly there is a bolt that is partialy exposed & the 17 tooth sprocket hits that bolt. The solution is to relieve that bolt until the teeth clear. I have not done this & I'm just repeating what I've been told.

J.

[zaqattack]

Thanks for the info! I'm a pretty small guy 130lbs to be exact I'm mostly just looking to do a bit of commuting and back road rides, maybe a quick freeway jaunt here and there, so I think I'll stick with the 16 tooth. I ordered all the essential parts to slightly mod my FT. I'm super excited for them to get here. I'll let you guys know how it goes!

[J6G1Z]

Cool! I always like shopping for & ordering new parts.

Please feel free to do an installation post with pictures if you are so inclined. Those types of posts can be very helpful for anyone new.

Did you order a new Header Pipe? If so, what type of muffler do you plan to use?

I look forward to hearing about your progress.


Good luck
J.

[Lefty]

Cool, I'm looking forward to this! Are you going to buy a muffler as well?

[WTF304]

If you did order the header from thumperstuff what did it cost ? And does anyone know if it's double walled or single.... i assume it was double wall from factory due to heat, don't think they had header wrap back then and was probably the best way to reduce heat.

[J6G1Z]

If you did order the header from thumperstuff what did it cost ? And does anyone know if it's double walled or single.... i assume it was double wall from factory due to heat, don't think they had header wrap back then and was probably the best way to reduce heat.

The link with all the header information is listed a few posts above. The header is single wall tubing. The OEM head-pipes are twin-wall.
Last I knew, the header cost $170. I recommend that you call Thumperstuff & talk to Mark about your bike. If you haven't already changed out the carb jets, you need to do that first.

Good luck
J.

[WTF304]

Anytime you change up exhaust parts you have to do a change on the intake, not trying to sound like a @$$ hole but this isn't my bike, FT or otherwise. But thank you though i do know, this is my second FT my last one was ice raced but luckily i found an un molested one. I've gone with a 55 pilot and a 160 main and with a little tweak on my accelerator pump linkage. Read one post of a guy who had his on a dyno and a 58 pilot was a bit too rich if I'm not mistaken. I still have everything apart from a rolling frame the exhaust and the wiring from the ice bike. And I'm sorry i didn't see the post earlier on, that's a good price and since it's a single wall a little header wrap would probably help cut back on heat from the pipes soaking the cooling fins and the rest of the engine.

[J6G1Z]

Wouldn't waste my time with header wrap. Aside from being hideously ugly, it tends to degrade the steel & increases corrosion.

If you have problems with heat transfer from the header pipe to anything else... You're not riding fast enough.

J.

[WTF304]

Does it really corrode ? The look wouldn't bother me .... and isn't that the reason for the factory headers being double walled ? ... does anyone have a picture of header wraped pipes and the corrosion that's taking place under them ? ... just looking for more info

[WTF304]

Forgot to proof read .... meant this isn't my FIRST bike lol

[J6G1Z]

Header wrap holds in the heat & makes the steel brittle if I recall correctly. Then condensation takes place, or the header wrap just plain gets wet. This moisture is trapped against the steel & begins to rot it away.

Honda has run twin-wall head pipes for a long time. I believe it was an attempt at preserving the chrome finish & making it last.

J.