K11 Owners Group

confish86 · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:43 pm Post subject: 94 K1100LT knocking

A buddy of mine was just telling me of a guy he knows that has a 94 K1100LT . He was telling me the bike has about 60-70 thousand miles on it, & it only does it while idleing (knock that is). The oil light doesn`t go on when it is idling & the oil is full & fresh. Is there anything i should look at (going to visit him tomorrow) that would give him that kind of noise. It stops when you take off & don`t hear a peep while riding. I`m woundering it it could be a cam chain , chain tensioner or is there any other chain in there that could do that (like the big servo chain on the back of my 1100 Goldwing when carbs are out of sinc.

Thanks

confish86 · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:44 pm Post subject:

part 2 of this problem

OK just got back from L.i. N.Y. & had the owner of the K1100LT come over so i can take look at it & also to listen to the knock. Well i used the probe to listen to the right side of engine (crank side) The altanator had a very slight tap to it but nothing to even hear with the human ear. I also listen to the crank cover & nothing (just a smooth sound) Now i went to the left side valve cover , And with the engine running at idle you can here it without the probe , but goes away as soon as you bring up the RPM`s. Now i took the probe & put it on the intake side of the valve cover (top & side) & you do hear a little faint tapping . Now when i went to the exhaust side of the valve cover you hear the engine knocking (very strange) & it`s all across the 4cyl`s where you can`t pinpoint where it was the loudest. So as i brought the probe slowly from front to rear it sounded the same (i did this several times , back & forth & came up with the same thing). I was figuring on maybe a piston slap at first , but it doesn`t sound like a cracked scirt. There is no exhaust leak & my buddie & i looked at his K1100 factory service manual & didn`t see anything on that side that could make that noise. I hope someone can figure something out. I have another question on brakes (same bike model) but different bike

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:18 pm Post subject:

Try listening to the front of the engine. It could be worn timing gear.
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93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
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confish86 · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:04 pm Post subject:

Mystic Red · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 12:13 pm Post subject:

The K's motor DOES sound different at idle than other bike's. When I first got mine a friend asked about the "knock." So then I started to worry and ran it in the the dealer and had the service manager listen to it. He idled it then cranked on the throttle a little while I stood there and worried about what he was going to tell me. He said, "Sounds like a good strong K engine to me." My buddy still thinks it knocks but that was over 30K ago and it's still going!
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Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

tmarshall57 · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject:

Mine sounds exactly the same. 37000 miles. Mine also sometimes makes a slight knocking/scraping noise when the engine warm and you move off from a stationary position - not the ABS clicking in. It happens just as you engage the clutch.

I have just assumed that these noises are normal.

Tony
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K1100RS Special Edition 1997
Arctic Silver/Black

confish86 · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject:

We had a 93 K1100LT to compare it too with 63,000 mi`s & the 93 is quite compaired to the 94. If they were close i`d say no biggie but this sure doesn`t sound like it is supposed to. It`s funny how after he bought the bike he went to Canada with another buddy with a 94 K1100LT & then he went to the past owner to give him something he found on the bike & told the guy where he was & the P.O. said you made it ???? (not a good sign)

mike toon · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:08 pm Post subject:

Funny how we hear sounds others don't on our bikes after owning them for a while. Ask someone if they hear this or that little sound and they always say "sounds good to me"
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Current Bikes
1993 K1100LT
1976 GL1000 Naked
1981 GL1100 Naked
2000 DR650 Dual Sport

bmwmick · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:05 pm Post subject:

confish86 · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:44 pm Post subject:

Idle was fine & it really didn`t make much noise on the right side at all. It also was quite on the left untill you get to the left valve cover on the exhaust side . It idles nice & smooth & as soon as you go over 1500 rpm`s it sounds like it goes away , but then again the engine gets busy & exhaust get louder so it might be harder to hear. When you hear an engine making a knocking noise 20 feet away it kind of concerns you a little. Shocked

K11Martin · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:40 pm Post subject:

As stupid as it sounds, is one of the sparkplugs loose? I had exactlythe same symptom on mine a few months ago and in commencing a top-end strip down to investigate, I found one plug so loose that the anode had almost completely worn away. New plugs cured it and I haven't noticed any lasting effects.
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Currently riding a '93 K1100LT (ABS1) decked out with lights and aerials (Ex 70's Vespa rider)

Why not join the UK owners club at http://forum.bmw-club.org.uk/

rydor · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:05 pm Post subject:

Does the noise continue while in neutral , at idle, but with the clutch lever pulled in?

confish86 · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:51 pm Post subject:

John S · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:58 am Post subject:

I've been concerned about a knocking noise at low revs on my K1100 since 1/2005, about 40000 kilometres ago. My k100 been making the same noise for 10 years and about 150000 kilometres.

Hey the good news is Mr BMW has got rid of this on my GT. Downside though it makes different noises for me to worry about.

Cheers

confish86 · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:38 am Post subject:

CheapJapCopy · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:00 pm Post subject:

K's knock at idle, especially when cold or at a slightly low idle. Don't worry about it. It's normally the output gearing/clutch. I've got an old K100RT that has more of a BANG than a knock, yet it's done a good 30k under my ownership and hasn't missed a beat. The K11's are generally quieter all round but still sound noisier than jap lumps.

Tell him not to worry.
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1992 K1100RS - Red and gold.

John S · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:41 pm Post subject:

The current GT. I never thought the older K1200 was that much an improvement on the 1100.

Cheers

jr'sbmw · Big Brick Rider Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 54 Location: Fl

My 1997 K1100LT is also noisy below 1000 rpm idle. It was that way when I purchased it 6 yrs. ago with 23,000 miles and still that way with 80,000. For me, doing a throttle syc helped smooth out the engine at idle and reduce the noise.

Off the grid · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject:

RobWheatley · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:58 pm Post subject:

My 99 LT is very noisy when cold, idle is a bit rough when its first started for a few mins, then when it warmed up it smothes out and the noise goes, it is very much like a hard knock sounding like the ends have failed but bring the revs up a bit more and it goes.
Think its either the output shaft to crank gears or the clutch assembly but hey its going to stay like it, just turn the music up a bit more till she is warm.
Rob
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1999 K1100LTIC Smooth and Quiet Smile

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