[2bikebill]

Thanks CJ . I've saved the info and will very likely have a crack at re-installation when spring comes round again....  

[barenekd]

I started mine this morning, but it was about 15 degrees warmer than it has been, so it started up without the clacking. Supposed to be cold again tomorrow, so it'll get another chance.
Bare

[jartist]

I've had both the auto decompression clack noise upon startup and the clatter problem and they are very different noises and sources. The decompresser clack noise is a slow clack clack and went away quickly so I never worried about it much. The clatter noise is a loud constant clattering noise that is in time with the valves and it's horrible. Ive heard cars with stuck lifters and it sounds just the same. They took the auto decompresser out to try to fix it but the noise came back. Im 90% sure it's a stuck lifter but nobody cares what I think and its at the shopfor the third time for the same thing and they are shaving a few thousandths off the head to try to fix it. We'll see. Bikes been in the shop for a cumulative total of over two months now.

[jartist]

I should add that I've been reluctant to post because the dealer and CMW are committed to fixing it but I feel like nobody has a clue what's really wrong and I'm starting to feel like a bit of a guinea pig.

[2bikebill]

You have my sympathy & empathy John. I fear you may be right - no one does know what is the cause of this clattering. As I've said, my engine was stripped down and nothing specific could be found which would cause it. I was told that if the clattering was gone when I got the bike back, it was just lucky!
Scott may be right about the cam gear backlash - it's something which isn't mentioned in the service schedule, and is only touched on in the workshop manual. Apparently if it isn't adjusted after the first 500 miles, and there is backlash, then it can't be adjusted out later!
I was convinced it was something like a stuck lifter - as you say, that's exactly what it sound like! But WS insist there was nothing amiss in the valve train. I was starting to feel like they just wished I would go away and learn to live with it.....But kudos to them, they went above & beyond the call of duty to fix it. I just wish I could get some miles on the bike to see how it settles in....
I'd really like to know how this progresses for you. If CMW are on the case then you're in good hands - I'm darn sure they're as keen to get to the bottom of it as we are.
Good luck. Be persistent, and please definitely report back when you know something.
Will

[Ducati Scotty]

I should add that I've been reluctant to post because the dealer and CMW are committed to fixing it but I feel like nobody has a clue what's really wrong and I'm starting to feel like a bit of a guinea pig.

Jartist, they may not know what's wrong yet but if they've committed to fix it then it will get fixed.  Patience.

Will, yeah, the manual hardly touches on it.  I'm still not sure how I'd adjust it if I needed to.  The manual is very vague.  Maybe it would make more sense if I was looking right at it and had the gears and bolts in front of me.

Scott

[2bikebill]

It is pretty vague isn't it, just an aside in the chain adjustment section if I remember rightly.  As you say, probably clearer when you can actually see the workings in front of you. It ought perhaps to be mentioned in the owners manual too. I doubt it ever gets done at the first service. The mechanic at my dealer hadn't a clue what I was talking about.   Worrying......
I haven't been back....

[barenekd]

I could recommend you try some Marvel Mystery Oil. That's the kind of stuff it works on. I've never known it to harm an engine, but I do know that it has cleared up some sticky stuff, valves, lifters, etc.
Bare

[Maturin]

I could recommend you try some Marvel Mystery Oil

I beg your pardon, Sir, I thought you were making jokes! Is there really something like Marvel Mystery Oil? You´re kidding me, aren´t you?

[Ducati Scotty]

Totally real: http://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/

It's basically a thin, bright red, highly detergent oil.  Add it to your crankcase and it can work it's way into all kinds of crevices and help clean out built up carbon and gook.  It doesn't always work but I've never heard of it hurting anything and the next step is usually taking things apart so it's always a good first step.

And it's not snake oil, it really can fix things.

Scott

[Arizoni]

I think Marvel Mystery Oil has been around since before the Gillmore Red Lion was racing the Gee-Bee in the air races of the late '20's.

Here we are 80+ years later and still, no one (except the maker)  knows what's in it. 

[barenekd]

It's been around since 1923. The FAA usually doesn't condone additives to oil and gas, but they always turn the blind eye to MMO, because they know it works, but even they can't figure out why. It's very common stuff in the aviation world. people put in the gas and oil. It cleans the carbon out of the combustion chamber and lubes the valves when it's in the gas, and loosens up sticky things when it's in the oil. Great stuff.
It's available at auto parts stores, and not terribly expensive. Less then a good quart of oil.  Mix about 20% in your oil supply.
Bare.

[jartist]

If I had it to do again I'd try some marvel mystery oil or something like it first. I've always suspected that the valve lifters are just gummed up and that the gear shavings and clutch debris is hard on lifters.

[Maturin]

I´ll never have doubts in my fellow Enfield riders no more...
But the name was so close to "magical mystery tour", it must have been a joke...not!  

[singhg5]

I've had both the auto decompression clack noise upon startup and the clatter problem and they are very different noises and sources. The decompresser clack noise is a slow clack clack and went away quickly so I never worried about it much. The clatter noise is a loud constant clattering noise that is in time with the valves and it's horrible. Ive heard cars with stuck lifters and it sounds just the same. They took the auto decompresser out to try to fix it but the noise came back. Im 90% sure it's a stuck lifter but nobody cares what I think and its at the shopfor the third time for the same thing and they are shaving a few thousandths off the head to try to fix it. We'll see. Bikes been in the shop for a cumulative total of over two months now.

I completely agree with you that the noise you heard and some of us experience on our bikes is Valve Train Noise, not decompresser clack.  This noise has been heard under many different conditions - it has been heard in some brand new bikes or it has developed after a few months to a few years older bikes.  To further complicate this situation, this has been accepted as 'normal' to 'annoying' to 'something-is-wrong it-needs-to-be-fixed'.  If this is not enough, there is no clear answer for the cause of this issue from the manufacturer / dealers / importers, except that sometimes they will tell the rider 'Don't worry', 'We've heard it before'  and sometimes they will open the engine and replace some parts and the noise goes away without fully understanding what cured it.

The valve noise can be due to deviation in form or function of any one of the many different parts - valve, stem, rocker arm, rocker bearing, pushrod, hydraulic lifters, cams etc.  In some cases it is dysfunction (sticking or loosening) of one of the parts, while in a very few cases it may be the deviation in the form of the part.  I have never seen a deformed part that was linked to the noise with certainty.

Cold temperature related clatter noise appears to be due to dysfunction, and cleaning the innards would be the first choice in my opinion.

@MATURIN:

The name 'Marvel Mystery Oil' does look fictitious and when I had first read about it I thought the same as you did   !  But I have tried it in my car. It is used in the engine oil and in gas tank.

Here is what it looks like -