hi how is it going. on my 500i manual i have noticed for the first time i have this nocking sound comming out of the lower part of the motor. i could not figure out if it was comming out of one of the diffs but i think its comming out of the motor. it seems like it will only do it when you first take off. like say i am in first and start moving it makes the sound. if you get it up to speed no noise. if you let off the gas and then start going again while going slow it does it again. i jacked the bike up and ran it while bike is off the floor and it would do it ever time you bliped the trottle. it will do it in 2 are 4 wheel drive. any ideas whats going on here, it only has about 300 miles on the bike and i am running the arctic cat synethetic oil

 

Usually happens at mid engine speed, mid throttle. Not there at idle, and goes away at high engine rpms.

It's a compression release valve. Don't worry about it, all of the Cat 500's do this. Mine has around 700 miles on it, and I can still hear that knocking sound though it isn't as loud as it used to be.

 

did it just start all at once. its just does not sound right. kind of a pop are like a chain slapping the side of the motor like but not a continous sound. like i said before it just when you let off the gas and give it gas again. i hope all it is the decompression lever you were talking about

 

mine too. i thought that something was wrong but dealer said "normal noise". runs fine so he was right

 

The compression valve makes a sharp metallic tapping sound, a lot like a bad connecting rod bearing. (that's what I thought it was at first) Not there at idle, not there at high engine speed, but can be heard at mid engine rpm's and mid to lots of throttle.

 

I have 1900 miles on my '02, 500i. I asked my dealer to adjust the valves because the engine was making so much noise. He told me the valves were fine and not to worry about the noise. Said, these engines are just noisy by design. Like you Maximus, I think it's the valves and timing chain. But John has a point, it may well be the decommpression valve. I didn't think of it before. Only happens on accelleration and a steady midrange.
Chuck

 

Brace yourselves on this one guys. From first hand expirience I think I know what the noise may be. I have a 2002 Vinson and I noticed a knocking noise around 250 miles. I brought it into the dealer and had them tighten a tie rod at the steering stem and asked them to listen for the knocking noise. They told me the knocking was normal engine noises,BUT it was NOT. After a few months I put on a set of 28inch outlaws and decided I needed a clutch kit. During dissasembly I noticed a nut that was loose from the factory. Not just a small insignificant nut but the one that holds the centrifugal clutch on. It was not even FINGER tight. Needless to say i was glad i found that before it caused any problems. So if your motor seems to make a knocking noise at idle you might want to check that out.

 

I know this link is not arctic cat information but it does show that Suzuki had a problem with the nut that holds the clutches on. here is the link to the same problem they had on the Eigers http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml02/02507.html

 

now that would be a problem with the autos but not for the manual. i think i found where the noise is comming from. last night i was riding around in the yard and the back Lt tire was trying to like hang up and not turn then a pop. jacked the bike up and a broken cage insided the cup. ran the bike without the rear cvs in the bike on a jackstand and did not make the noise. i hope thats all it was.

 

I hope that works for ya too Maximus. That shows a little difference from our earlier assesment doesn't it?
Chuck