Whistling Sound at Idle

[johndaub]

My bike started to have an annoying whistling sound at idle. I believe that at speed it still whistles but I cannot hear it over the engine noise. It is not real loud but almost is like a ringing in my ears. The whistling continues for about a second after turning the engine off. Does anyone know what this could be? Should I see my dealer before EOM?

 

[Kevin Daly]

vacume leak. need to find it and fix it. hopefully it is a piece of tubing though. hopefully one of the real mechanics will stop by and give you some focus

 

[Low Level FJR Pilot]

Gay Construction Worker maybe? :unknw:

 

[BobbyBlue]

I agree with Kevin, I'd lift the tank and take a closer listen. Or you could check with your cat...I'm sure he can hear it and will be damn glad once you've corrected the problem..stupid bipeds...cant even lick themselves properly....

Blessed,

Bobby

 

[ian]

When I removed my fuel rail while installing the Adiovox cc, I must have pinched one of the O rings. I noticed a hissing during idle, used a stethascope to locate the leak and replaced the O ring. Ian, Iowa

 

[blackarrow]

My bike started to have an annoying whistling sound at idle. I believe that at speed it still whistles but I cannot hear it over the engine noise. It is not real loud but almost is like a ringing in my ears. The whistling continues for about a second after turning the engine off. Does anyone know what this could be? Should I see my dealer before EOM?

Any resolution to this yet? My 2007 has been making a ringing sound for a couple of weeks as well. I haven't posted about it yet because I'm trying to gather as much information as possible, but due to some inconsistencies this isn't easy.

My ringing noise starts shortly (about 30 seconds?) after cold start. Mostly it quits after several miles, but not always. Three times I've come to a stop and put it on the sidestand with engine running only to have the noise go away at that point. It sounds silly, and I suspect is coincidental, but three times? The ringing noise quits after engine shutoff, but twice I turned the key back on without starting the engine and the ringing came on again, but not for long. I must have been dreaming, but that's what I remember. While underway it seems to modulate or "jiggle" in synchrony with shifts, brake application, and some (but not all) road bumps.

Quite a number of times I've tried to locate the sound but without success because it is inconsistent and transient. At times it seems to be coming from the general expanded area of the instrument cluster.

I suppose with the passage of time it will most likely become more persistent and thus be tracked down easier.

 

[johndaub]

Any resolution to this yet? My 2007 has been making a ringing sound for a couple of weeks as well. I haven't posted about it yet because I'm trying to gather as much information as possible, but due to some inconsistencies this isn't easy.
My ringing noise starts shortly (about 30 seconds?) after cold start. Mostly it quits after several miles, but not always. Three times I've come to a stop and put it on the sidestand with engine running only to have the noise go away at that point. It sounds silly, and I suspect is coincidental, but three times? The ringing noise quits after engine shutoff, but twice I turned the key back on without starting the engine and the ringing came on again, but not for long. I must have been dreaming, but that's what I remember. While underway it seems to modulate or "jiggle" in synchrony with shifts, brake application, and some (but not all) road bumps.

Quite a number of times I've tried to locate the sound but without success because it is inconsistent and transient. At times it seems to be coming from the general expanded area of the instrument cluster.

I suppose with the passage of time it will most likely become more persistent and thus be tracked down easier.

I am still living with my ringing noise. The sound reminds me of the ringing in ones ears (tinitis) like when one drinks too much. I am waiting for my 4000 mile service to bring it up with the dealer. Our sounds seem a little different but I will do some of the tests you describe above. I never notice mine at speed since it its drowned out by wind and engine noise. I do not think my sound quits after any mileage since I hear it at home as well as when I park at my destination.

 

[blackarrow]

Curiouser and Curiouser. The ringing on my 2007 is settling down to a more consistent pattern. Yes, it sounds exactly like tinnitus.

Mine still begins about 30 seconds after cold starting. I can hear it all the way to work, which is a little over a mile of stop and go traffic. When I go out later in the day it is gone. I still think it is originating in the instrument cluster/upper fairing area. I'm going to recruit some more listeners to help me track it down better.

I did have the gas tank up for a throttle unwind, but this noise began way before that so I'm reasonably certain it isn't a vacuum leak caused by tinkering in the area, although it could (I suppose) be a leak present before I put the tank up.

Would a vacuum leak start and then stop under a certain specific set of temperature range? I suppose anything is possible.

Best of luck. I'll keep you posted.

 

[johndaub]

Curiouser and Curiouser. The ringing on my 2007 is settling down to a more consistent pattern. Yes, it sounds exactly like tinnitus.
Mine still begins about 30 seconds after cold starting. I can hear it all the way to work, which is a little over a mile of stop and go traffic. When I go out later in the day it is gone. I still think it is originating in the instrument cluster/upper fairing area. I'm going to recruit some more listeners to help me track it down better.

I did have the gas tank up for a throttle unwind, but this noise began way before that so I'm reasonably certain it isn't a vacuum leak caused by tinkering in the area, although it could (I suppose) be a leak present before I put the tank up.

Would a vacuum leak start and then stop under a certain specific set of temperature range? I suppose anything is possible.

Best of luck. I'll keep you posted.

I have my bike down for some other work so I mentioned the whistle. In the loud shop, the manager could not hear the whistling. He said that I have to pay to investigate unless they find out it is a manufacturing defect. I said, if it is not normal, I should not have to pay to investigate. He said, if they find that it is due to a leaf for example, I have to pay. We did not resolve what will happen if they can hear it but cannot determine the cause. I should know the results by tomorrow.

 

[johndaub]

Well, I picked my bike up and they said the only two sounds they could hear which sounded like my description were the fuel pump and the venting of the gas tank. They said the sounds they were making were normal. When I am at EOM next week, I will ask others if their bikes make the same sound.

 

[spineman]

Mine has it too. I just figured it was the spaceship effect!

 

[Bogey907]

..stupid bipeds...cant even lick themselves properly....

Reminds me of a roommate I had in college. He got short on cash, so he bought a case of cat food to get himself through the month. He said the first can was tough, but he was hungry enough to eat it. After a few cans, he said it wasn't too bad, and he even thought he could get to like it.

Then one day he jumped up on the kitchen counter, leaned over to lick his butt, and fell off and broke his neck.

<rimshot>

 

[Mooseonagoose]

I've asked a mechanic experienced w/ the beast whom I'm inclined to trust, and he says it eminates from the straight-cut gears associated w/ the mechanical balancers, and is not abnormal.

 

[FJRBluesman]

I would also say possible vacuum leak; however, it could also be the howl of the straight cut gears?

Gay Construction Worker maybe? :unknw:

:rofl: R the Village People back?

 

[marcusorelius]

When I picked up my 04, I asked the guy what is that whrilling/whistling noise?, he said he didn't know but other fjr's have it. I took it by the kawi mechanic I know to show it off, asked him about the noise he said that's what yammies do. So it put my mind at ease that it's normal.

 

[Mooseonagoose]

When I picked up my 04, I asked the guy what is that whrilling/whistling noise?, he said he didn't know but other fjr's have it. I took it by the kawi mechanic I know to show it off, asked him about the noise he said that's what yammies do. So it put my mind at ease that it's normal.

...my mechanic friend also alluded to that whine not being uncommon in 4cyl Yamas in general.

 

[Steve Hunt]

My 07 does it too, most loudly at around 3000 rpm. Annoying as hell I can tell you that.

Steve Hunt

 

[toddfont1969]

I was bike sitting (read riding) my buddies Bandit last week so my 09 FJR sat idle. This week I got back on her and immediately noticed that when I started her she is whistling/whining. The sound is not unlike the high pitched whistling/whining that the fuel injectors make when first starting the bike except that it's higher pitched and continuous. It's coming from the front of the bike somewhere under the tank. This has never happened before in 8K miles so wondering what the hell a week of sitting unridden would do to cause it to whistle??? I have gone TDY for multiple weeks at a time and she has never done this before. Any help or info is greatly appreciated...

 

[Bloomeanie]

Doubt it`s the same sound, but my last 2 bikes - FJ12 and XJR13, I used to get comments from pillion that they sounded like jet engines, cos they seemed to whine a bit.

Knew Yams were fast, but that takes the biscuit.

It`s a great sound though!