XJ750 top end noise

I have some top end noise - 1983 XJ750. I checked the valve clearance and everything is fine, but there is a "ticking" and it's kinda loud. I'm not going to stop riding it, i don't feel like anything is loose and ready to come flying out of the engine as i'm reving 7 or 8 grand, but i would like to know what that noise might be. any suggestions? anything i might want to check?
I just dumped about 600 into this bike and would hate to have to pull off the licence plate and kick it into a ditch. lol

Oh, and Hey! it's BikeWeek here in Daytona !!!!!!!!!!!! but the weather has been CRAP! 4.5 inches of rain last night - 40 degrees tonight. worst BikeWeek since i've lived here.

 

It's probably a little cam chain noise. hard to say without listening though. How many miles are on the bike.

Try adjusting the cam chain tension and see if the noise persists. Do you see any smoke under engine braking?

 

Just turned 25,000 miles.

I'll look for the engine braking smoke - and check the cam tensioner

 

Get a section of hose and listen to the engine with it. One end to your ear and the other to the top of the valve cover, back of the engine at the camchain tensioner and at the exhaust ports. A loose exhaust nut will cause the same ticking noise.

 

those bikes have automatic tensioners with weak springs inside. Years ago we (dealership) used to remove the bolt cap off the end of the tensioner and push on the rod inside until we heard 1 click. This made the engine very quiet. We only did this to the noisy bikes and never experienced a problem after doing it.

 

Don't take the Bolt Cap off an Auto Tensioner or you will pay Hell trying to get it back on.
The Bolt Cap on an Auto Tensioner keeps the two springs tensioned against the Floating Rod. One spring is wound tight and the other surrounds it.
You pretty much have to remove the tensioner to get the Bolt Cap back on if its on an engine.

Auto Tensioners camm be Manually reset.
Search:

Automatic Cam Chain Tensioner resetting.

The Manual Tensioner has a Lock Bolt to loosen and move the Rod.
That one's made to be done manually.

The ticking noise might be a GOOD ticking noise.
Valves that are Closing Tight at the outside of Clearance Specs.
Don't fret that kind of ticking ... its a good noise to hear.
It means the Valves are NOT too tight and safe from burning-up.

If the ticking is Loud ... :
Check for an Exhaust Leak.
Tape an Indicator Flag on the end of a long screwdriver. (Sliver of paper ot tissue)
Probe the Exhaust Collars and unions where the exhaust pipes meet and watch for the flag to flutter under the presence of a leak.

If you have an exhaust leak you can install new gaskets or donuts.
The Donuts leaking will sound like an Engine Knock.
As they get worse ...
They will "Pop,pop,poppity-pop" on deceleration.