Ticking speedo?

[Jeremy R65]

Gentlemen.  I rode my R65 for the first time tonight, out with the Vintage Motorcycle Club.  We are rapidly forming a BMW sub-section!  When I wheeled the bike back into the garage afterwards I noticed a ticking or clicking sound that seems to originate from the speedo area.  Don't remember hearing that before. Is this usual or is there some other hideous BMW gremlin out there that I should know about? Thanks.

[Bob_Roller]

May want to try lubricating the speedometer drive cable, I use a light machine oil .

[montmil]

Confirm the knurled cable anchor-to-speedo is snug but not overly tight. And as Bob Roller mentioned, some light machine oil may quiet the drive cable.

I usually make a small funnel of aluminum foil folded around the cable. Maybe a little tape at the bottom. Dribble in a little oil every 30 minutes or so as it may take some time for the oil to seep down.

A short ride will also help distribute the lubricant.

[Tony Smith]

Ticking can also indicate that something magnetic has got loose inside the instrument and has lodged in the cup. For practical purposes there is nothing you can do about it other than hope that it wears away and stops.
 
I disagree with Monte regarding the correct lubricant for speedo cables, my experience tells me that a good Low Melting Point, Molly grease is the thing to use, you get your fingers good and dirty smearing it on the cable, however do not lubricate the last 5 inches or so as you do not want grease working its way into the "works".

[montmil]

I disagree with Monte ...

Bob, too?

[nhmaf]

I've generally seen speedo cables lubed with grease, too.

I would first try lubing the cable to see if that had any improvement on things.   You could also try disconnecting the cable on both ends and seeing how smoothly it can turn with nothing attached ..

It could also be that you've got a bit of misalignment in the worm gear and drive gear for the odometer section and it isn't meshing smoothly.   If you are very handy working on small, delicate mechanisms there is info on the net to do some of the work, or you could have it serviced by someone - we even have members here who does this sort of work.

[Tony Smith]

I disagree with Monte ...

Bob, too?

All right then, both of you, singly or in a bunch.......

The problem with light machine oil is that it is not going to hang around long and will either dribble allover the back of the gearbox, or pollute the gearbox oil.

[Luca]

If you want a better idea of where the sound is coming from, disconnect the cable from the instrument and see what happens.  If it's quiet, the noise is north of the instrument.  If the noise persists, it is south of the instrument.

[Barry]

you want a better idea of where the sound is coming from, disconnect the cable from the instrument and see what happens.If it's quiet, the noise is north of the instrument.If the noise persists, it is south of the instrument.  

And if after disconnection the noise stops then don't reconnect the cable again until you have someone look at the speedo.  If the ticking is the speedo cup starting to contact the rotating magnet it can do expensive damage to the mechanism if it makes a more substantial contact.  

If a member here Wirespokes sees this post he will give you better advice as to the possible cause.

[Bob_Roller]

The members that grease the speedometer drive cable, how do you get the cable out of the outer sheath ??

All three of my R65's have swaged brass keepers that prevent the cable from coming out .

[montmil]

The members that grease the speedometer drive cable, how do you get the cable out of the outer sheath ??

All three of my R65's have swaged brass keepers that prevent the cable from coming out .

OK, greasers. Question me that!  

[marcmax]

I'm going to step back from this one. Once the oil cans and grease guns come out I don't want to get caught in the crossfire.   [smiley=rifle.gif]

[suecanada]

Be nice to zero in on where the sound is defintely coming from....maybe could be as simple as the ticking of metal as the bike cools down. Just a thought, remembering the KISS theory.

[montmil]

I'm going to step back from this one. Once the oil cans and grease guns come out I don't want to get caught in the crossfire.   [smiley=rifle.gif]

You're safe and good to go, Marc.

Just today, on the Facebook Airheads Beemer Club page, some guy was advising an R65 owner to adjust his swinging ATE calipers for better braking. Seriously? Another suggested adding a handlebar-mounted master cylinder. And there was a photo of the '79 R65 in question right there!

Not everything you read on the Internet may be true.
                                                              -- Abraham Lincoln

[marcmax]

maybe could be as simple as the ticking of metal as the bike cools down. Just a thought, remembering the KISS theory.

Mine sounds like someone dropping bb's into a tin can for half an hour after a day of riding.