ST1300 Engine squeal

STRider

STRider

Joined
Mar 17, 2020
Messages
166
Age
66
Location
Oregon
Bike
2012 ST1300A
Help! I just returned home from my seven mile commute and stopped in my driveway.

Idling while waiting for the door to open, a high-pitched squeal started, originating in the front-left side of the engine. To my ear, most prominent near the front of the left valve cover. I blipped the throttle and it went away with revs and remained quiet for a moment before returning. Once again it quieted with revs, but the squeal returned faster. I let it run for about for about 15-20 seconds trying to assess the problem. Then I rolled it into the garage and recorded this video for the hive mind to consider. The squeal really emerges at about 0:07 sec into the video.

The bike has never exhibited any issues with the engine or other mechanical systems.

Most recent service was an oil and filter change at 32,700 on July 25th. OEM Honda filter and my first try with @Igofar 's favorite slippery stuff, Shell Rotella T6 15W-40. It hasn't had its valves adjusted yet, but I have the shims and am ready to do this when my schedule allows and will replace coolant at the same time The top end sounds fine. Yes, I know, that alone isn't a useful indicator.

It's not a remotely hot day, but the air temp on the dash at the end of the video reads 108°F. Which it isn't. Moments earlier I recorded a video, which I wasn't happy with where it read 77°F. In my opinion, the air temp reading shouldn't have risen that much in that short a time. So there's a clue.

I started the bike after dinner and it sounded fine and the air temp it read in my closed garage was 84°F.

Anyone with experience with such a noise?

 
I can't recall the exact noise it made, but my 1100 developed a squeal from the front of the engine and it was the water pump going south.
 
Yeah, water pump is on the other side from where I think the sound is originating. But I'll narrow it down tomorrow, I hope.
 
The air temperature display isn't accurate when the bike isn't moving. That 108F was air trapped under the fairing heated by the hot engine. I would first adjust the counter balancers to how the sound is changed. The whining noise doesn't sound that unusual to me for this engine.
 
I would check if the sound goes away when depressing the clutch lever, looks like an harmonique from the basket rode vibration caused by the internal play. If the rattle stop, nothing to be alarmed then.
 
Thanks everyone.

I adjusted the balance shafts just over a year ago, June 2025. I don't recall the whining sound being like this as you make the sound come and go to set the shaft positions, but my memory could be flawed.

Based on the reports of others when their water pump fails, this seems early mileage for that as well.

I also know where the air temp sensor is located and how movement is necessary for accuracy, but I've never seen the temp rise that much from such a short pause idling. The ambient air temp was less than 80°F. I'll pay attention to that too.

I'll make my commute today and see what happens. It's not that far to get home if things are more serious than we suspect.

Thanks! Tom
 
From sound I hear on phone I say keep running it see how it goes don't hear anything standing out I never adjusted balance shafts on my bike, got it new 184,000 mi now -Do you reset back lash on your truck ring, pinion. No same deal if it goes out of spec something real worn down, adjustment should only be needed at first assembly of unit
 
vstrom.zrxdude said:
From sound I hear on phone I say keep running it see how it goes don't hear anything standing out I never adjusted balance shafts on my bike, got it new 184,000 mi now -Do you reset back lash on your truck ring, pinion. No same deal if it goes out of spec something real worn down, adjustment should only be needed at first assembly of unit
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@vstrom.zrxdude I have no idea what you mean by, "Do you reset back lash on your truck ring, pinion."

Please elaborate on what this means. But for the record, I have never adjusted anything on this bike related to backlash... yet. It's still a youngster, mileage wise. Only 33,400mi.

For those following, no sign of any whine or squeal on my commute to work. Will be listening closely again on the way home.
 
STRider said:
I have no idea what you mean by, "Do you reset back lash on your truck ring, pinion."

Please elaborate on what this means.
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He is suggesting that the back lash between the ring and pinion of a differential is set at initial assembly and that there is never any requirement to adjust it afterwards as a regular maintenance item and therefore there should not be any need to adjust the back lash of the counter-balance shafts either for the same reason. Whether the two are analogous or not I shall leave up to you.
 
Truck ring & pinion gears normally do not have external adjusters to change lash. It is set at the factory. The ST not only does have [counterbalance shaft] adjusters provided but also details the procedure in the service manual to make such adjustments. If one has seen the adjustment done or done it themselves they probably know the difference it makes in the engine sound. For someone that’s concerned about a squeal or different sound but overall it sounds like normal ST1300 gear whine, it doesn’t hurt a thing to check the adjustment.
 
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dduelin said:
Truck ring & pinion gears normally do not have external adjusters to change lash. It is set at the factory. The ST not only does have adjusters provided but also details....
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Dave, Where are these adjusters? I read his post as talking about the final drive ring and pinion. My HSM says the lash gets adjusted with shims...no adjusters. Are you talking about the balancer adjusters? Those are not ring and pinion gears....
 
SMSW said:
Dave, Where are these adjusters? I read his post as talking about the final drive ring and pinion. My HSM says the lash gets adjusted with shims...no adjusters. Are you talking about the balancer adjusters? Those are not ring and pinion gears....
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Read my reply again.
 
In my mechanical experience I've never heard of a "truck ring" in reference to a motorcycle before, hence my befuddlement. I did consider that in context with a pinion gear, it might be equivalent to the ring gear, but the bike was stationary so bringing driveline components into he discussion seemed like a complete non sequitur.

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dduelin said:
Read my reply again.
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I did. It reads the same way every time. You talk about truck ring and pinion gears do not have adjusters...then in the next sentence say 1300s have adjusters. If you mean the balance shafts, those are not ring and pinion.
 
STRider said:
In my mechanical experience I've never heard of a "truck ring" in reference to a motorcycle before, hence my befuddlement. I did consider that in context with a pinion gear, it might be equivalent to the ring gear, but the bike was stationary so bringing driveline components into he discussion seemed like a complete non sequitur.
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I agree, confusing to say the least. At best a very poor analogy.
 
SMSW said:
I did. It reads the same way every time. You talk about truck ring and pinion gears do not have adjusters...then in the next sentence say 1300s have adjusters. If you mean the balance shafts, those are not ring and pinion.
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The reply you got hung up on was meant to be read in context of the poster implying you don’t adjust the ring and pinion gears of a truck because the lash is set at the factory so therefore there’s no reason to adjust the ST’s counterbalance shaft lash.

Of course the ST doesn’t have ring and pinion gear adjusters it has counterbalance shaft adjusters which I referenced earlier as something that you could do to see if it changes the sound the OP is concerned about. Sorry for the confusion.
 
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