VF500F knocking sound - please listen and give me opinion

Hi folks, Could anyone with V4 experience please listen this ticking sound on video clip below and have idea what it could be? Engine is working on idle speed (cca 1500rpm). From 0 to 13 sec, there is no any ticking. Than I pull throttle a little bit (to about 1700-2000 rpm) just to provoke this sound and you can here distinctive ticking from 13-28 sec. Than it stops and come again from 32-38 sec. The same ticking could be heared when bike is leaned to the left (i.e. when I put the bike on the side stand). Now, camshafts are in great condition, camchains and camchain tensioners also, valve clearances are checked... Carburetors are not yet properly sinchronized (is that could be an issue?!?). What else should I check? I think that ticking is coming somewhere from rear left side of engine, but I could be wrong... Also, this ticking do not affect driving. There are no any strange vibrations, no power loose, no smoke, no temperature rising etc...

Synchronize the carburetors with a manometer.

+1

I received that advice a while ago and it was spot on. Worst case, your carbs are synced and you can continue to chase the problem but I bet you won't have to.

Good Luck!

for reference:

[image: Posted Image]



[image: Posted Image]

That sounds like a top end noise of some type to me.  Maybe the cam chains as those are known to make a noticeable ticking sound.  If that's the case it's nothing to worry about as I've never heard of a failure that results from it.  It also sounds like it could be a worn rocker (the dreaded top end oiling failure).  Yes, this does happen to 500's too.  When did you last check the valve clearances?  Did you make any adjustments?

Top end of both cylinder pairs have been checked three months ago... I have coolant leaking problem on front head, so when I changed front head gasket I also checked (and adjusted) valves, rocker arms and camshafts on both front and rear cylinders... All these parts are in pretty good condition actually... I have this persistent knocking from when I bought this bike, I just didn't rode it much due to other problems (leaking gas tank, some problems with carburetors etc...), and because I have other bikes. But last few months I ride this bike almost every day and this ticking is driving me crazy :unsure:   Especially when driving in city speed limits in 4000-5000 rpm range - this tick-tick-tick-tick sound is only thing that I hear clearly through the helmet.

Hard to tell anything from a youtube video, but it sounds like top end.

Sync the carbs and try again, nothing to loose......

I bet my money on the camchain tensioners, allowing just a bit of slack.
I  heard similar sound at my VF500 few years ago, got the tensioners out and tried to sand down a groove at the tensioner's locking tab rod. also removed a black rubber sleeve, that covered the tensioner's  return spring, which was hardened and thought it would restrick the spring to work.
Got the tensioners back on and yes the engine was quite again.
After a month or so got a bit enthousiastic going a steep uphill mirror grip road and spinned the rear wheel.
The engine got almost at the redline and the slapping sound returned at once.