Whirring noise

[cairojay]

Don't know if I am being paranoid but just recently I have noticed a low pitch whirring noise which is in time with the engine right through the rev range. I've done a cursory forum search which suggests it might be the alternator or even the timing belts.

Any suggestions?

[mintyhit]

Does it make the noise in neutral?

If not it could be the chain perhaps? I over tightened mine once and it made a noise like a bearing going.

[mrbryanmarshall]

i would 2nd the chain - it's the bearings due to it being too tight. - Have you/someone recently changed the tension?

[gary tompkins]

When was the engine last service or belt tension check - has it been done recently?

Belt tensioner pully bearings have also been known to fail and get noisy

[cairojay]

It's not the chain as it does it idling. Engine was serviced by Rich at Luigi's in the summer and also had a full dyno set up done by Chris at cjs racing. Belts are due to be changed in april on the scheduled 2 yearly.

[Paul_]

Does it do it when the clutch is pulled in?

[cairojay]

Not sure - I'll have to test that one.....give me a minute.....

[cairojay]

....it appears to make no difference, clutch in or out, other than the plates stop rattling against the basket!

[rollo22]

Could be the bearing in the Clutch Pressure plate
mine when the other day there only £6 ish for an SKF one.

[Paul_]

Thats what I thought it could be but the noise would normally stop when the clutch is disengaged, with no pressure on bearing. Thats about as far as my knowledge goes I'm afraid but it does sound like a bearing going somewhere. Sorry I can't help more but will be interesting to see what it is when you get to the bottom of it.

[Rally]

My guess would be a belt idler bearing. Even though Rich has serviced it, it may have gone since then. Bearings have a habit of failing overnight sometimes without any warning, especially smaller ones like those. Pop the covers off and have a wobble of them, 30 minutes work, so worth doing.

[Capo]

I'd let Rich listen to it, he would not charge you for that.

[cairojay]

I'll let you know as soon as I know what the prognosis is.......

[gary tompkins]

I would be wary of using it until the potential fault is diagnosed

If it is a tensioner pully bearing as I suggested earlier, these have been known break up and seize with nasty concequences for the cam belts and engine.

[cairojay]

its in the garage at the moment, having the valve clearances checked, they're going to have a look at the belts and tensioners at the same time. I was told that it could be the layshaft bearing which can be common but not that serious apparently. Only problem there is its an engine strip to replace it!

[cairojay]

Update....Marcus at Riders said first impressions was that he couldn't really hear anything which must say something for my acute paranoia, all valve clearances need adjusting and surprisingly, oil and filter change, might be something to do with racking up the miles going to Assen among other exotic places! Anyway, should get it back tomorrow and hopefully a full prognosis.....

[Dukedesmo]

Update....Marcus at Riders said first impressions was that he couldn't really hear anything which must say something for my acute paranoia.

Wear stronger earplugs!

When I bought my latest helmet, the dealer told me that it was more quiet than the old model and that I might not need earplugs, so I tried it without.

I had to come home after 5 minutes as I was constantly imagining the bike was breaking due to all the grating & rattling noises!

Seriously, I doubt if I could hear a whirring bearing over the general noise, but maybe I'm a bit deaf from riding bikes and loud rock concerts...

[Sirc]

try not to beat yourself up re: paranoia as we've all had bouts of it - dropped off the M2 near Margate on Sunday and was aware of.. well, a whirring sound is probably the best description - one that was new or so I thought. Took it easy on return journey for fear of big end/valve gear etc failure. Stopped for petrol after 60 miles and gave it a blip (750 Elefant) and noise was there but quieter, then (my memory is failing at an alarming rate just recently) - it suddenly sounded familiar - it was the diaphragm pump... it pulses at the firing rate of the engine (same unit on many Monsters) and for some reason gets louder now and then. :chuckle:

[cairojay]

Thanks for all the reassurances everyone. I have to admit, its cost me a few quid recently so I was immediately thinking "oh no, not another £500-£600 bill! 2011 saw the starter motor fry on me, replaced with speed sensor and other bits £500, then the gear lever return spring snapped which ruined the selector fork and gear changer shaft - another £500 so when I start hearing/imagining I'm hearing whirring noises....well you can imagine! Anyway, I'd definitely do it myself if I had a garage, So I think I need to move.....Might cost an extra £50k on the mortgage but worth it for the Monnie! Where's the logic you say? Well often I think there can be no logic in owning a Ducati....Would I swap for anything else? Took me a nano-second to decide.....Never. Nothing else matches up.

[cairojay]

Update

Bike back into Riders - Marcus is investigating a new graunchy rattly noise, cant risk riding it anymore despite the origninal reassurances. Hopefully he thinks it is not the layshaft bearing but still not sure what it is.....the original whirring noise appears to have disappeared after the valve clearance check and an oil change. Bike is running fantastically apart from the new noise which even my staff at work pointed out when I rocked up the other day.

[cairojay]

Final update!

Ok diagnosis to the whirring noise - Crankcase bearings had pretty much exploded. Bits in bottom of case, fortunately they found all 10 ball bearings, rest of the bearing was ok, o ring was in bits, they've collected as many bits as possible. Some scoring on the inside of the case, nothing terminal. some finings left apparently. £300 quid lighter!

[Capo]

You got an engine rebuild for £300 ?

[Rally]

You got an engine rebuild for £300 ?

If so, thats an absolute bargain!

[Paul_]

Glad you finally got it diagnosed and fixed, I have been watching this thread with some interest to find out what it was.

[cairojay]

Not an engine rebuild just bearing replacement - they already had the bike in once before and they didn't diagnose it - had the valve clearances checked. so with the 2 trips the bill came in just shy of 800 quid!

correction on the bearings....it was the crankcase cover bearings not the crankcase bearings! Apologies to all for the previous misleading information