VFR400: funny noise coming from the clutch area

[Coyote]

Forgot to check the oil earlier and just checked it before going somewhere tonight. The dipstick didn't have any oil on it. Since that obviously wasn't good, Dad and I filled it up with some Magnatec (the only 10w/40 in the garage - what the manual reccomends). The dipstick was earning it's name by not giving me a good reading (one side had no oil, other had patches of oil, random shit like that) so Dad and I kept on adding more oil in. Still wasn't getting a good reading so we decided to leave it cause I had to run off. Go out, the bike was making a funny noise around the clutch area. It was a kinda buzzing-sloshing noise, don't know any better way to describe it. I came home thinking we had overfilled it, checked the dipstick, it was reading half way, but who really knows since it's been so unreliable. Dad believes it might be the magnatec mkaing the noise since it's meant to be 'sticky' but we didn't add that much in since it was only a top up. Does anyone have an idea what the problem might be?

My night is ruined now. This mightn't be a problem, but then I don't want it to seize on me for being complacent.

[breakaway]

I see you're quite expeirenced, but when you checked the dipstick, was the bike on a lean (sidestand) or what? It's gotta be straight if you want to get a proper reading.

[Coyote]

I see you're quite expeirenced, but when you checked the dipstick, was the bike on a lean (sidestand) or what? It's gotta be straight if you want to get a proper reading.
It was upright, I'm not the brightest knife in the shed but I know that much :p

I'm getting some oil for it this morning and hopefully getting a filter if repco has one that suits

[snot]

Magnatec is a car oil dude....?

[Sketchy_Racer]

Screw dip sticks.

Drain it all. and put the quantity that the manual specifies. Its far more accurate, and you know exactly how much oil is in there.

Putting oil in should make a difference. even if you over fill it, it should just spit it out the breather.

One dumb question, you did put the dip stick back in aye? because the sound you describe is what it sounds like if you leave a dipstick out and start a bike...

[MSTRS]

Rule #1 - use a motorcycle-specific oil!!!! (unless yours runs a dry clutch)

[mark247]

I would very much doubt you not having oil on the dipstick caused the noise. If oil was off the dip stick but your oil light was still not on, you obviously still had enough in there ( im not saying its good having it off the dip stick, but yeah, you should be alright there. )

Was the rattle really obviously loud? Or were you just being paranoid and thinking you were hearing an awful noise? I know i do that sometimes...

Im no clutch professional, but couldnt the plates have come loose or something?

If you were using car oil, then that could cause your clutch to slip, but that wouldnt start as soon as you started riding with it. And the fact you just topped it up with car oil means that that is very unlikely to have effected the clutch.

If you really want to you could just take the right side cover off and check the clutch out.

Good luck!

[xwhatsit]

You sure it's coming from the clutch area? Strange sounds on a bike can seem to come from completely the wrong area. E.g. I had a kind of buzzing sound myself, that I thought was coming from the drive sprocket area. Turned out to be on the opposite side of the engine, the tacho drive (with broken cable) was making the noise.

How low did the oil get? I've noticed when filling, then checking, then filling, then checking with a dipstick often you get odd readings. I put this down to the oil still settling down and running down the casings; when I put the dipstick in, it is easy to brush up against a rib on the side cover, which gives odd readings.

[more_fasterer]

There are a few other things under that RH side cover that could be causing that noise, however the fact that it's not showing oil on the dipstick is a bit of a worry.

This is probably a stupid question, but did you let the motor sit for 5mins before checking the oil?

If/when you delve under the side cover, check that:
- the oil pump drive chain isn't ridiculously loose (they're typically quite loose anyway);
- the 3 end bolts on the starter clutch are tight - I've had these come loose (thanks previous owner) and start rattling against the side cover :shit:
- the stub axle for the starter idler gear is sitting in its hole in the crankcase


Hope it's nothing too major dude