[TCP]

When I received my 2011 C5, I noted that there were several rubber pieces that were in place between the fins of the cylinder and the head.  I figured they were vibration dampers, put in to mitigate the vibration on this thumper.
After about 100 miles (not all in the same trip) they started to dislodge themselves at full running temperature.  I kept pushing them back in, yet they were determined to jump ship.  After a few rounds of this, I decided to just remove them, as I had never seen them on any other bike. 

Was this a mistake?
Do I really need them?
Are they actually vibration dampers or something else?

Had I known about this forum, I would have posed the question before removing them.

The Caseman

[TWinOKC]

IMHO, you don't need them, they serve no purpose. 

I have lost some, am thinking about removing the rest soon.

Terry

[rbelyk]

I took mine off a while ago, no difference noticed

[Arizoni]

IMO, They are vibration dampers put there to reduce noise.

At one time I thought that it had to do with DOE requirements but the RE's sold in India also have them.

If the cooling fins did not have the small connecting features I would think that they were needed to prevent metal fatigue but as these connections are a part of the casting I don't think they are needed.

Living in Phoenix where the air temperature can hit over 115 degrees F in the summer I think that cooling is more of an issue and with this in mind I removed the rubber dampers.  They were covering a fair percentage of the available cooling fins.

Although I've only had my bike for 5 months and it only has 2300+ miles on it, removing the dampers has not produced any noticeable problems and the loudness didn't seem to increase without them in place.

[GlennF]

The version I heard is that in India the average Enfield buyer is obsessed with "Thump" and the bike emitting other engine sounds which interfered with the rider hearing the "Thump" had an effect on sales.

Hence, according to that version, the dampers are so Indian domestic riders can hear the "Thump" better

[Arizoni]

They do like their "THUMP".  No question about that.
A member of Team-BHP was wondering why his Enfield was not running smoothly at 20 mph in 3rd gear.

[barenekd]

Mine have been out for a couple of thousand miles. I don't hear anything different from when they were in.
I  put in earplugs and I cna't hear anything but a little wind noise and the The Thump. The engine rattles all go away.
Bare

[Vince]

     The path to reliability in 2 cycle engines involved better cooling. More generous fins transferred and dissipated heat better. These large fins had a tendency to vibrate, which caused a loud ringing, and to amplify other engine sounds such as piston slap from the large tolerances in the bore. Combined, this produced the classic ring-a-ding sound.
     Your Enfield has generous fins for the same reason as the older 2 cycles: the fins transfer and dissipate heat. The rubbers are  there to dampen the sound. They have no other effect on running or cooling and can be safely removed.
     Like me, you guys can't hear the ringing because you are old and have had too much noise in your life. Years of loud motorcycles, loud music, and loud city and industrial sounds have taken their toll on our ears. My kid watches TV on sound level 2. I need level 5 or 6. On the plus side, I sleep better with no noise to distract me.

[GSS]

Well stated!

I took mine out as well.

[P. Schraub]

Hello Vince,
        Being a Rock' n Roll musician pretty much all my life ( and with a day job ! ) I totally understand hearing lose. I've been taking care of my ears, and always use ear plugs when I ride my motorcycle. Most people don't realize how much damage WIND NOISE can do to your ears !! That being said, I removed my rubber dampers from the cylinders of my G5 Deluxe, and re-located them into.........the garbage can !

[TCP]

Gentlemen,

Thank you kindly for all your responses on this issue.

I can now rest a little easier in knowing I didn't remove some critical component that would cause my engine to rattle apart and because of my own hearing loss caused by my years as a "Thumping" bass player and my wife yammering in my ear for decades.
The sound of wind in my ears is somewhat soothing compared to that.

(Hmmm.  I never saw the correlation before.  Now somwhow it all makes sense. Thump - Thump)

Thanks again.

Caseman

[tooseevee]

             Like me, you guys can't hear the ringing because you are old and have had too much noise in your life. Years of loud motorcycles, loud music, and loud city and industrial sounds have taken their toll on our ears. (snip..... I sleep better with no noise to distract me.

                   You left out loud women. And wives.

[TCP]

I should have saved the vibration dampers I removed and stuck them in my ears.

I always seem to get a negative vibe whenever I get home from a long relaxing ride.

Oh well, live and learn.

[bman734]

Mine are coming loose as well but to be honest, I kind of like the look of them, don't ask me why. So every couple rides or so I attempt to push them back in, after the bike cools off of course. It seems though that eventually they will fall out since they don't seem to seat as well as time goes on. They can't be that important though since they seem to be designed to fall off any way.
Kevin, can you give us a definitive answer pleaes?. This seems to be an oft brought up subject.