I have just returned from a trip to Belgium and while i was away my bike has developed a loud rattly knocking noise in the engine. Its worst when just ticking over, kinda smoothes out once im moving.
Its a 2004 model xtx, its done just over 10k miles n apart from the first free service iv been doing all the work on it myself and i want to continue doing so.
Does anyone have any idea what could be causing the noise and if it can easily be fixed? Its been suggested by a friend with a little more mechanical knowledge than me that it could be that the timing chain is loose and jus needs tensioning. (i dont even know if the bike has a timing chain?)
Thanks AndE

It could well be your tappets, that might need adjusting. I had to reset mine at 10k kms, because they became noisy.

The timing chain has a self adjusting tensioner & would not need any attention at that mileage

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Mods that I have done to my XTX's

My 04 XTX
Stage 1 & 2 DNA filters / Kev fuel mod / snorkel mod / Drilled air box mod / Engine breather mod / Fork Spacer mod / 15w fork oil /
[
My 07 XTX
Raptor 700 cylinder 102mm / Modified Crank Case to take a 105mm Raptor Cylinder / 11:1 102mm JE Raptor piston / Stage 1 Raptor Hot Cam / Ported head / Colder Spark Plug / +2mm Throttle body / DNA stage 1 & 2 filters / Modified Air Box / Snorkel removed / Worry Brothers stage 2 filter cover / 6mm & 8mm Bolts Replaced with Titanium Bolts / Recovered seat in Black / O2 Eliminator /

My 09 XTX
59HP at the rear wheel / Stage 2 Raptor Hot Cam / DNA stage 3 Air Box / Carbon Can Exhausts / Modified Exhaust Link Pipes / PCIII With Custom Fuel Map / Wideband Commander O2 Data logger / LCD100 Dyno Jet display & fuel adjuster / 2500 OHM HT lead instead of a 10K OHM XT lead / Extra Coolant Cooler / Protaper Fat Bars / Tail Tidy With LED Tail Light / OKE Protection Knobs / LED indicators / AIS blocked / Modified rear sprocket rubbers / Rear Foot Pegs removed / 09 ECU With 02 Sensor Changed To A 06 ECU / Complete wiring harnes Changed from 09 to 04 / Home made LED resistor flasher / Hole drilled in the fuel tank filler neck to allow quicker filling / Modified Bar End Weights / Progressive front fork springs, 15W fork oil, forks lowered 25mm, used XTR rear links lowering the rear 20mm, rear spring one click stiffer / Changed front & rear guards from blue to black / 47T rear sprocket / Speedo Healer V4.0 / Kev throttle cam mod / Throttle grip mod / The new 2010 O2 sensor mod is out, works a treat, The new 2012 O2 Controller is out, PM me for details

Now ride a 2018 MT09SP ABS + TCS

My KTM 990 SMR Mod book. http://www.ktmsmt.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4946

im certanly not an expert on mechanics but i had some similar problems with mine '04. xtr, weird noise coming from left side of engine, tickling sound goes faster with opening throttle.
It was a bearing on my crankshaft, and now after mechanic fixed that problem during winter time, there's another even stranger noise on right side of engine, by the clutch, can be heard only when bike is cold and with throttle it dissapears.. he said it's like common sound on some honda transalp
btw mine has 43tkm

I have heard of a few xt660 crankshaft main bearing noisy lately, only seems to be in the cold climates when the bikes seem to stand for long periods.

__________________
Click here to join the XT Supporter's scheme

Mods that I have done to my XTX's

My 04 XTX
Stage 1 & 2 DNA filters / Kev fuel mod / snorkel mod / Drilled air box mod / Engine breather mod / Fork Spacer mod / 15w fork oil /
[
My 07 XTX
Raptor 700 cylinder 102mm / Modified Crank Case to take a 105mm Raptor Cylinder / 11:1 102mm JE Raptor piston / Stage 1 Raptor Hot Cam / Ported head / Colder Spark Plug / +2mm Throttle body / DNA stage 1 & 2 filters / Modified Air Box / Snorkel removed / Worry Brothers stage 2 filter cover / 6mm & 8mm Bolts Replaced with Titanium Bolts / Recovered seat in Black / O2 Eliminator /

My 09 XTX
59HP at the rear wheel / Stage 2 Raptor Hot Cam / DNA stage 3 Air Box / Carbon Can Exhausts / Modified Exhaust Link Pipes / PCIII With Custom Fuel Map / Wideband Commander O2 Data logger / LCD100 Dyno Jet display & fuel adjuster / 2500 OHM HT lead instead of a 10K OHM XT lead / Extra Coolant Cooler / Protaper Fat Bars / Tail Tidy With LED Tail Light / OKE Protection Knobs / LED indicators / AIS blocked / Modified rear sprocket rubbers / Rear Foot Pegs removed / 09 ECU With 02 Sensor Changed To A 06 ECU / Complete wiring harnes Changed from 09 to 04 / Home made LED resistor flasher / Hole drilled in the fuel tank filler neck to allow quicker filling / Modified Bar End Weights / Progressive front fork springs, 15W fork oil, forks lowered 25mm, used XTR rear links lowering the rear 20mm, rear spring one click stiffer / Changed front & rear guards from blue to black / 47T rear sprocket / Speedo Healer V4.0 / Kev throttle cam mod / Throttle grip mod / The new 2010 O2 sensor mod is out, works a treat, The new 2012 O2 Controller is out, PM me for details

Now ride a 2018 MT09SP ABS + TCS

My KTM 990 SMR Mod book. http://www.ktmsmt.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4946

Could it be possible that Motori Minerelli have built such an over engineered engine that if you just bimble around the engine doesn't get hot enough for its design parameters?


The engine does weigh 51kg - about the same as the KX65 my son used to have.

A knocking or slapping noise in mine (@ 78K KM) has been tracked down to movement in the crank.

Hopefully it is just the bearings that need replacing.

Hi Paul,
When you get the work done could you check for tightness of the crank nut and condition of the plate washer (corrosion, wear) before dissassembly?
At a push it may just be that the nut needs tightening and washer replacing.
At c60,000 miles I needed a new crank as well as r/h main bearing (under warranty) apparently due to corrosion??!! At c90,000 miles I needed to change just the r/h main bearing (diy) and although there was again signs of corrosion the main cause of wear appeared to be due to the crank journal spinning inside the inner race of the bearing.
Crank nut not tight enough?? Torque spec for current Tenere is considerably lower than that quoted for earlier/old school models.

Look forward to your findings (hope it's not too major/costly).

I've already seen the right hand side and there was no sign of corrosion there, all was nice and oily. Will ask them to check the torque on the nut though, thanks.

Sent using Tapatalk.

Ok, so it has turned out that my crank is out of round

Now I have to source a replacement crank new prices are ridiculous!!!!

Oh nuts!!
You have my sympathy - been there, done that etc. (had to wait over a month for my oem crank - fortunately under warranty though)
OEM parts are never cheap are they?!

Drive side I presume? How did the thrust washer look? Any signs of rotational wear?