Cam chain rattle? Is it harmless? Will it go away?
 

So based on my searching here, I seem to have the clatter of my cam chain. Rattling noise, sounds like valves, when you're in the throttle fairy hard, in the 5-6K ish RPM range.

My first question: Is it harmless? Should I be worried about my valves?

Second question: How long till the tensioner takes up the slack? Will it do it on its own, or is there some things I should do? I read something about loosening a couple 8 mm bolts and it'll click on the next spot?

When my money starts flowing again, I'm investing in a 2009 service manual :( Too many things I don't know!

Thanks in advance

Cliff

Mine does the same thing. I did the manual adjustment of the tensioner and it fixed it for 400 miles. Its now doing it again. I don't believe its service affecting. I am just going to leave mine alone now, because manually adjusting it will cause it to stretch faster. I don't think you need to worry. I "fixed" it by taking my MP3 player with me.

It will go away on its own. Does it get quiet after the bike is warmed up?

Well wouldn't you know, that as soon as I post about it and mention it to my old man... it goes away. After cleaning it I puttered around the yard this afternoon, then went for an after dinner ride. No clatter at all. I revved the crap out of it the whole time, on and off, just to see, and after 11 miles around the hood and a little highway, it never started it. Revved clean and clear up to 8K. Sounded better than it has ever.

Deej: It would do it hot or cold, regardless of temperature. I run 87 octane when I'm cheap, and Supreme (93) when I'm feelin' dangerous.

Our temperature has finally gone from "Louisiana Summer" to "Louisiana Winter" (highs in low 70s, lows in upper 40s), so I'm thinking maybe the change in temperature edged it over. So HOPEFULLY it will stay this quiet and it wasn't a fluke of the cooler evening ride.

All that happened was it got so loose the spring adjusted itself in there. If its like the rest of ours it will go out again few hundred miles down the road.
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FISTING AMATEUR