Has any one out there had a ticking noise develope in their 400ex? Mine has a noise in the top end right hand side of motor. I've checked the valve adjustment, it seems ok. It still has great power but i'm concerned about damaging the engine. Engine mods are as follows:White brothers trac-cam, High compression piston, pipe and rev limiter.

 

mine has ticking nose but I think mine is just valves. how often should I adjust them?

 

all honda RFVC engines use a sub rocker arm, it almost doubbles the rolling mass in the valve train... it should lightly tick at idle, more so when cold. adj the valves yearly and your good.

 

ok cool

 

A 300ex isn't a RFVC motor is it?

 

First a question--- Have you had the top end apart on your 400?? If so I may have an idea for you. We did a port/polish/bore/cam job on my friends 400 EX. When we reassembled it, it ran well, but it had a LOUD ticking noise from the head. After adjusting the valves-- still no luck. He ended up taking it to a Honda dealer who promptly charged him $300 to tell him that there is a small spring located in the head near the decompression lobe on the cam. No bigger than a spring in a ball point pen. The dealer said that when we disassembled it it feel out, causing that lobe to flop around with the cam, hence the ticking noise. After the dealer replaced it, ran fine quiet and all.

 

No the 300EX is not a RFVC, that spring and pin also controls oil flow, so your lucky.. On all honda engines pay close attention on the rubber plugs as they direct oil to the cam.. i blew a XR 250 when i did my first rebuild when i was 15 by not reinstaling a tiny plug. Joe