This is starting to diversify into a fishing forum! wilsonsjw11, that's just because they are all jealous of us Kent carpers ! Been carping since the 70's myself. ps "French" fish don't count. Kev, thanks for the offer, only if you have time though mate, don't want your missus giving me gr...

Z1bman and all, thanks for your input. When I take the head off and turn the motor over how can I disengage the cam chain. Will it just lie out the way off the crank?
ps, Also noticed from your profile your an angler. I'm a carp and barbel man myself.

have you spun the engine over with the cam cover off ? if you do this for about 1 minute the cam buckets should be flooded in oil & should be pouring out of the side of the cam bearings. did your engine builder use any type of gasket sealer on the cylinder base or head gasket you could have som...

Okay, some further investigation with the cam cover off. This is a photo of the original buckets I replaced. Does this look like "normal" for exhaust buckets? left to right 1 to 4 http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah34/warren453200gt/20140928_1829521_zps6163fd8e.jpg Take the cam cover of...

Ok, putting new buckets on the exhaust valves definetly stopped the rattle previously. After no more than half an hour running in 5 min sessions I can hear the same rattle returning, although not as loud yet. With the bike on the centre stand when I take the cam cover off buckets 1 and 2 exhaust hav...

Steve, I think your probably right. Just trying to workout what could get them that hot. Can only be lack of lubrication or gases bypassing the exhaust valves. As all 4 exhaust buckets I took out had been VERY hot I suspect lack of lubrication to the front cam. I think the oil pump is ok as the inle...

Looks like I may have been speaking to soon. After running for a short while it sounds like the rattle is returning. The solution last time was new valve buckets as the old ones had been seriously hot and had scorched. So now I'm thinking it may be a blocked oil way to 3 and 4 exhaust cam bearing. T...

Warren, That sounds like a good result. What is the mileage on this engine :?: Regards Steve no idea re mileage Seve, clock shows mid 20, s (yeah right) but since rebore and loads of new internal bits, about 500 miles max. One of the engine builders that I mentioned earlier was the guy that did all...

Well, new exhaust cam buckets x 4 and all sounds as it should! Thankfully all resolved. Baffles me that the steel buckets would wear before the ally head but I ain't complaining.
Big thanks to Kev again for all the help and support.

I've had two different engine builders listen to it today and both immediately said worn buckets/tappets or what ever you want to call them. So 4 x new buckets on their way to me. I'll do the front four first with the new ones and have a listen then I'll do the four back ones if it still sounds iffy...

Took the cam cover off again today. Checked the torque on every nut and bolt I could find. Couldn't find any play in any cams / carriers. All the buckets moved nice and freely. Gaps are now correct. Put it all back together, took out the tacho drive, started it up and depressingly the noise is still...

Cam caps tight, no striped threads. Cam bearings appear to be good and the chain tension is also good. New valves and guides and seats re-faced.

Yes, they do seem to. Apart from pulling it apart, any other things worth checking first?

https://www.hightail.com/download/UlRUR ... OFJYd3NUQw
30 second video download of engine noise.
I've done the shims and as you can hear the noise is still there. It does sound a lot worse on the video than it does in real life.
The up side is throttle response is better with the correct gaps!

Hi Kev,
Thanks again for your time over the weekend. I'll re shim it and see what it sounds like then.