Strange sound?

Post by **OU812** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:17 pm

Strange sound coming from under the alt. cover. Just had it in for service, and never noticed it till I heard so many others with out the sound.(At the Rally) It is hard to explain.[8)]Sounds like cicadas,whirling, but different under load. Like I said never noticed it till I listened to others, and did not hear it at all.[:(] 04 R1150R Thanks for any help,
Steve

Post by **OU812** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:41 pm

Well, this is weird. I did install a chrome alt. cover right after I got it back from the dealer. I just pulled it off and started the bike. No weird sound. So I reinstalled it but not tight. Started it up and the sound was back but less pronounced. So I started to loosen the bolts and the noise went away, just too loose to leave it like that. Tightened back up and the noise is back. I checked the cover and pulleys when it was off, no marks of any kind. I am still confused.

RRANDY · Post by **RRANDY** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:09 pm

I had a strange noise too,from the same area.I pulled the cover off and found the nut on the top pulley had backed off and was rubbing on the plastic cover.It made the same sort of noise as you described.
I tightened it and everything is fine now.Just a thought.

Post by **OU812** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:45 pm

The sound seems to occur even with the cover off as it warms up. How loose was it? I just ran my fingers over it.

Ivan Koloff · Post by **Ivan Koloff** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:24 pm

Are you sure your fully sobered up from the ralley?

Ivan Koloff

Post by **OU812** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:38 pm

Hey....didn't I meet you there? I think it was daylight, so I could not have been that bad.

def38 · Post by **def38** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:46 pm

OU812 wrote:Strange sound coming from under the alt. cover. Just had it in for service, and never noticed it till I heard so many others with out the sound.(At the Rally) It is hard to explain.[8)]Sounds like cicadas,whirling, but different under load. Like I said never noticed it till I listened to others, and did not hear it at all.[:(] 04 R1150R Thanks for any help,
Steve

Check and adjust the alternator belt tension while you have the cover off. Sometimes they chirp at startup.

Post by **OU812** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:17 pm

The dealer did the 6k checkup,(700 miles ago) and checked off that they adjusted the belt. I wonder if it is too tight, and wasting my alternator?

Post by **DSKYZD** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:23 am

If it were me, I'd put the original cover back on and listen for the noise. If present, take it back to the dealer and have them check it. Don't settle for "they all do that" because you were just at a rally where they didn't. But, be sure it's not the chrome cover.

Best of luck, these can be the most annoying types of problems.

DSKYZD

Post by **OU812** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:27 pm

It does it with the cover off after a few minutes of running.

I will return the old cover to the original position.

Ves · Post by **Ves** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:20 pm

I'll just throw this out as a possibility. Is that cover metal? Even if it's not, it's chromed. Maybe the metal/chrome is somehow amplifying a normal sound, that you wouldn't usually hear because the stock cover insulates the sound better (stock cover is plastic, right?)? The fact that it does it more when the screws are tighter kind of supports that theory.

Another possibility. When they serviced it, did they use any kind of belt dressing? I've seen those thing do more harm than good.

I would try adjusting the tightness of the belt and see if it goes away. Or even take the belt off for a minute to see if the sound goes away.

Post by **OU812** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:35 pm

I thought about the belt coming off, to see if there was a diff. But if the dealer over tightened it, I want them to tell me what they will do about the alt.

Post by **OU812** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:55 pm

OK, here we go. I rode out to Cyclewerks in Barrinigton IL today. Guy(the head mec) listens to the bike and says, "hear what?" So I say I will take the cover off so as he can look it over. He says ride it. Well, I am not too convinced about his assessment. So I call Chicago BMW and ask to speak to Mike Abt. He is in sales, but I know his cousin so I try that angle. He says bring it on down, so I do. I get there and talk to Mike who directs me to Peter, the service writer(I presume). He says he will have a mec. look at it and let me know what is up. I say right now? He says "sure, but I can't say we will fix the problem today". 20 min. later he waves me over to give me the news. The V polybelt was a tad too tight, and I needed some oil in the motor. I am like, GREAT! How much do I owe you? He says; "NO CHARGE.... The time it would take for me to write it up is not worth it, and you need new tires." Well I am very impressed by the whole experience. I will recommend Chicago BMW to anyone who needs a bike or service. They are TOP NOTCH!

mad1150 · Post by **mad1150** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 3:23 pm

Now that's Customer Service!

..and that little bit of free assistance will make them big money down the road too.

Glad you got it sorted out.

Post by **OU812** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:00 pm

mad1150 wrote:Now that's Customer Service!

..and that little bit of free assistance will make them big money down the road too.

Glad you got it sorted out.

That is no lie!

Post by **baltm604** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:01 pm

I have always had a great experience with Peter and Mike.

They went way out the way for me when I bought my bike (switched all the body work from a silver 04 to the last black 03!).

I am glad it worked out so well.

Let me know the next time you come down, I live about 2 miles way from the shop.

Bill

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Strange sound?

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