Author Topic: exhaust chirp  (Read 6243 times)

Offline 70Bonnie

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exhaust chirp
« on: August 14, 2011, 11:41:37 PM »
Been lurking around for a while and now I need an opinion so I signed up. :-) 1970 Bonneville, no balance pipe, Dunstall megaphone copies, no baffles. Head has been decked and I am using a thicker head gasket. (.080" copper)  Plug looks good, nice tan colour. The right side exhaust has a chirping/whistling sound as it winds down after throttle. Left side is fine.  I wear earplugs so I hadn't noticed it. A buddy riding behind me heard it and let me know. I checked the tappet clearance in the right exhaust and it was tight. Reset to recommended .004 and no change. There is no noticeable loss in power/compression. No strange sound when listening to the engine, it's only noticeable at the muffler. All opinions appreciated.

Offline R

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Re: exhaust chirp
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2011, 12:17:16 AM »
Are your exhausts and mufflers identical side to side ?
Can you swap the Dunstalls side to side, see if it changes side ?

A lot of exhausts chirp/whistle on the overrun - Norton Commandos had those famous 'tweety' mufflers, aka as peashooters.

Although not sure that Dunstalls would fall into that category.
Not something partly blocking one inside anywhere, is there ?

Is is pulling strongly on both cylinders, carbs synchronised, one cylinder is not doing more of the work ?  Will it idle on one cylinder, each cylinder in turn ? (don't do this if you have electronic ignition).

Offline 70Bonnie

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Re: exhaust chirp
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2011, 02:21:11 AM »
It's a stumper. Same pipes and mufflers. Even swapped in a pair of real Dunstalls off my '72, no change. The chirpy side doesn't idle quite as well as the other. I did a check by squirting carb cleaner through and it doesn't look blocked. It  pulls well when the throttle is opened, carbs are synched.  I haven't swapped out the pipe though. Could unscrew the exhaust pipe adapter and swap a push-in just to test and see if that solves it. Then, as you suggested,  I'll know if it something in the pipe is causing it. Old school....I like my points.  LOL

Offline Matt

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Re: exhaust chirp
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2011, 02:51:42 PM »
I would whip the head off and have a peek my VB had that noise and it turned out to be head gasket failure.

Offline rogerwilko

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Re: exhaust chirp
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2011, 10:20:34 PM »
Headgasket noise is most noticeable when under power not over run.

Offline 70Bonnie

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Re: exhaust chirp
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2011, 12:47:20 AM »
Head gasket is new, I put it on. No Oil leaks at the gasket. Couldn't get a fit with the push in pipe so I abandoned that idea. I ran it a bit with no pipe and couldn't notice any mechanical noise. I have to go back to it being some irregularity in the pipe. Sound plausible?

Offline Rex

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Re: exhaust chirp
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2011, 08:08:53 AM »
Does to me.
Just one of those idiosyncrasies of old bikes, allied to the weird effects of harmonics, etc.
 Goldie owners used to make a big thing about the over-run twitter, as do Beetle owners... ;)