Irritating noise or problem?

[Farmer Al]

Hello Voyagers, first time poster, been a lurker for several years, bought an '03 Voyager in Feb of this year, it had 36+k on it. It developed the lifter noise occasionally after several hundred miles, I've tried the atf and changed to Shell 15/40. Made sure to fill with 3qt 22oz. Longest noise free ride has been 350 miles. When it occurs it will last from 5 miles to 40 miles. Sometimes a short stop will seem to cause it (makes me think heat causing it to stick) other times it just does it. I've read the other posts about this being somewhat of a problem, but I think this bike does it way more than it should. I now have just over 39K on it and am seeking opinions and help on this before it drives me nuttier. Thanks Farmer Al

[Nathan (South Carolina)]

Check your oil level. It should be around the 1/2 way mark on the sight glass. Start the bike and let it run for about 15 minutes on the center stand, turn the engine off and wait about 5 minutes before checking the oil level. When you changed oil, did you drain both drain plugs? Sometimes too much oil will cause the oil to cavitate and create air bubbles in the oil that causes the lifters to clatter.

[Farmer Al]

My oil level in the sight glass varies. When first changed it was about at the 1/3 of glass, it will sometimes not be visible at all, to almost half way. It does not leak or smoke. Is there someplace oil can get blocked and not drain back down (a check valve someplace)? My Connie is always at same level, so I am familiar with the oil change procedure. When i first got it, it had over four quarts in it. My thoughts are I've got a bad lifter, but am wondering if I'm overlooking something. I am baffled by the oil level varying so much in sight glass. Thanks for your reply

[richardb, austin]

My lifters make noise & I'm ok with that after 9 yrs of Voyager ownership. IMHO, it's an irritating noise inherent to this machine, not a problem.

[frank in ohio]

Carl says to ignore the sight glass, stick with the 3 qts. 22oz., but make sure you have it completely drained first.

frank

[Bob in Tucson]

My '03 has this ticking noise also from time to time. Most of the time I can control it with timely oil changes (for me 3000 miles), and using Rotella T 15-40 has all but eliminated it. I believe it is a result of the oil foaming up. I don't know why these symptoms don't appear in all Xll's, but perhaps tolerances vary some in different engines. I agree with everything else said on this thread. I believe it causes no engine damage, but irritates me to no end. And please, I'm not trying to start another oil thread here!
Bob

[jb1016]

I too have a 03 Voyager,it had 12000 miles on it when I bought it in aug 09.Looked like it was brand new. It started ticking about a week after I brought it home. Just like you only lasted about 10 to 20 miles,then goes away. Sometimes when I would stop to get gas it would start ticking when I started it back up.Sometimes it would start ticking if I was in heavy traffic.I also notice that mine takes a long time to drain down in the sight glass. I also did all the tricks on the forum drain from the 3 holes ,let it drain for very long time ,ran atf for 500 miles, 6 oz Sea foam another time, rotella dyno 15/40 @ exactly 3 qt 22 oz which I actually had the most ticking. I even drained out 6 oz and had 3.5 qts in it.Nothing seems to work.I can live with the ticking now as long as its not running the lifters dry. So if the concensus is dont worry ,i wont. I just took out the dyno 15/40 rotella and put in syn rotella 5/40 the jury is still out on that. I also wonder if the quality on the last year 03`s was lax as my turn signals dont cancel and my left fork is leaking already. the bike has 27800 miles on it now

[jetjock76]

If my 01 has sat for awhile since I last fired it up, it will tick sometimes. Usually by the time the engine has warmed up enough for the temp gauge to move, it goes away.
Charlie.

[Farmer Al]

Thanks for the replies. I find the XII to be comfortable to ride, but when the lifter noise starts I'm ready to park it. It seems to be the #2 exhaust lifter near as I can tell. Doesn't seem to be any performance problem, mileage from 44 to 48mpg. If I could just pull valve cover would be alright, but dropping the motor is alot more work. I am still confused by the oil sight glass level variance. Like I said my Connie's always at the same level but the XII's will disappear completely and the next time be 1/2 full on window. Guess I'll just ride it. Again thanks

[ekap1200]

hey Farmer Al, at what rpm's does it do it, can you increace or decreace you engines rpm's and make it go away? Mine did the same thing when I bought it with 2k on it and around 23 to 28 hundred rpms it would start. I found if I didn't lug the engine and keep it around 3k or more it wouldn't tap. So I changed oil and just didn't let it hang at that rpm. Eventually it just stopped. I don't shift to fifth until Im ready to stay over 50mph. I never lug it around under 25hundred in fifth gear, I want that oil pressure that higher rpm's will make. But thats just my story. What works for some don't work for all. A bike is like a woman, they all need special treatment just the way they like it. Gene from Jersey

[doug of so fla]

Many have experienced the lifter clatter and have got rid of it in several different ways and I really have not heard of a actual lifter failure. What oil have you been using? some foams easier than others. You might try running Seafoam for a couple of oil changes it may have something that Seafoam can clean out , the stuff is a excellent product. Good luck and let us know your progress.

[Farmer Al]

I was told it had synthetic in it when I bought it. Since then I've run a quart of atf through it. Then changed to Shell Ro T 15w40, which I continue to use. It again got noisy, so I tried 6 oz of Sea Foam till it did it again. Someone on here recommended Marvel Mys. Oil. All have had pretty much the same results, it will be quite for several hundred miles then start clattering. Two times it did it after a short stop, otherwise no rhyme or reason that I can figure out. Engine rpm doesn't seem to affect it, although I've not tried keeping rpm's up, I do lug it some. thanks for the ideas. I will keep you updated if anything changes or I find a cure.

[tregal16]

Farmer Al...my bike will occasionaly make some noise however I don't worry about it. Just keep the oil changed etc like you have been doing and from what I hear it will be fine.

The real reason I am typing a response to you is this... you may want to check your drive shaft u-joint...I talked to Carl and the last few years of production of this bike, I guess some of the quality control wasn't there. If you search for drive shaft failures you will find that Kawasaki didn't grease the u-joints properly and they go bad.

My bike has 20000 on it, it is an 02, there is no reason a u-joint should fail that quickly (other then not being properly greased.) My bike didn't give me any symptoms at least not that I picked up on, I happened to find it when I changed my rear tire and pulled the shaft to check it.

Just a little FYI and congrats on your purchase.

[Farmer Al]

Thanks tregal 16 I had read about the driveshaft, but had put it on hold until I figured out whether the lifter was going to be a bigger problem. Had bike out tonight for first time in a week, ran nice and quiet. Will have to see how long it lasts this time.

[jb1016]

After a couple of weeks with the Rotella 5/40 synthetic,the ticking is still there but maybe to a lesser extent.I was in a traffic jam and temp guage started rising ,ticking started. went away when I got rolling. then it would tick if I stopped for a short time like getting gas.Goes away after about 5 miles. After I shut bike down the sight glass is full for a very long time. Others on the forum say only takes 5 to 15 minutes to drain down.Mine would take an hour or more.I wonder if the oil is trapped in the head longer and causing the tick.I have tried all the tricks and the different oils nothing works in my case. Could there be a blockage in some motors??? Farmer Al have you had any luck with yours????Has anybody checked oil pressure?
Looks like you need some kind of adapter to check it. Anyway the Dino rotella 15/40 after the atf did not help at all unlike a lot of the members here.

[Farmer Al]

So far nothing I've done has stopped the valve adjuster noise. It will be quiet for up to 120 or so miles, then start ticking for 10 to 30 miles. The last time it started I had stopped for about 15 minutes, I tried running up the rpm's, it quieted for a few miles, then started ticking again. It has done this three times after similar stops, makes me think heat is causing it to stick. It seems to quiet down sometimes when I slow down and idle, so I don't think lack of oil pressure is causing it. I'm currently running Shell Rot 15/40.
I know people have posted to ignore the oil sight glass, but I've not read any that speak of the level varying as much as mine does. It will disappear completely from the glass and then the next time show half full. Thanks for the response. Farmer Al

[carl leo]

farmer al, the voyager is very very sensitive to the quanity of oil in the engine. drained at both drain plugs and changing the filter the correct amount of oil is 3 qts and 22 oz, if you take 10oz out of a gallon jug you will have the correct amount, do this and do not look in the window, see if this helps.........

[Farmer Al]

Carl, yes I did that with the oil change. I've got a Concours also and the oil change is the same. But the oil level in it stays the same, the XII varies so much it doesn't seem right. It seems like it holds oil somewhere in the motor occasionally. It will vary from not showing at all to half full. I've tried the atf, it seemed to work for maybe 300 miles. Then changed oil and tried Marvel Mystery Oil. It also stayed quiet for about the same mileage, now has come back. As near as I can tell it is the same hva each time, I think it's the # 2 exhuast. I am going to do an oil change and start over fresh again and see how it goes. Thanks for the response. This board has been very helpful.

[jb1016]

Isn`t it possible that Farmer Al and I both have bad or sticking lifters and nothing will help other than replacing them. I have tried every trick mentioned on the forum ,Drain the oil thouroughly ,put in exactly 3 qt 22 oz tried various oil just like Al ,works for about 100 miles than comes back like clockwork. has anybody changed lifters???
Is it worth the effort??? thanks for all who responded

[carl leo]

the engine has to be removed to replace the lifters, it would be a gamble to just replace one, a complete set retail is $1060.32, plus the labor and gaskets, not really an option in my opinion......