Sounds like a rattle can

[Firedog]

Originally Posted by automogul

What would be the best lubricant to use for this?

I recently took my tank off and lubricated the bushings with White Lithium grease. When I put the tank back on, I jiggled it around a bit and the chirping went away. I rode for a bit and was content that I had killed it. Saddly, it was short lived. It returned shortly thereafter. What can I use that's safe and will last?

The guy at my dealer was saying something like vaseline, tho, I'm not sure how that would be for either the paint on the tank or the rubber of the bushings...

[tlwisner]

Originally Posted by Firedog

The guy at my dealer was saying something like vaseline, tho, I'm not sure how that would be for either the paint on the tank or the rubber of the bushings...

I've seen various dealers who use vaseline.

[automogul]

Vaseline it is. I'll give it a shot this weekend to see how it works out. I'll let you guys know for sure.

[gtcjohn]

Hey Auto,
Isn't it a valve sound? I have same noise and have checked it. I found it from the engine head. I guess it is from the valve. I have 250 miles on her, still in braking in. Something diffrent from mine? Maybe..

[automogul]

If I squeeze my legs against the tank firmly or reach my hand up and pull gently on the front of the tank, the sound changes. If I do certain combinations of movements, I can stabilize it and make it stop.

This sound is a little chirping cricket like sound.

Mine may be a more pronounced case because I can stand beside my bike and shake the tank and hear a chirp. Yours may very well be a different noise, but you might try different things with the tank to see. You may have the tank chirp and not even know it! Perhaps you have BOTH!

I'll keep you guys posted as to the results this weekend. I'm looking to ride to the dealer where I bought the bike to get some goodies (weather permitting). That's a long ride so I should have plenty of time to evaluate the results.

[DS06C50T]

Automogul:

I get the same rattling sound from my '06 C50T at start up. It doesn't seem to affect anything, so I've learned to ignore it. As far as fuel octane, I was also told by the dealership to run premium, which I did for the first 4-5 tankfuls. I have since (2,000+ miles) gone to regular unleaded (87 octane here in CA) with no ill-effects. I've actually learned that it's a better octane to run with our engines (for reasons stated in previous replies on this thread). So, I run th 87 all the time now and everything's fine.

My $.02 worth,
Daryl

[automogul]

For me, I don't notice any difference when switching fuel grades in terms of rattles. Premium certainly offers a much MUCH more noticable boost to the oomph off the line. The bike is MUCH quicker and smoother through the powerband. I'm a penny pincher though, so I can't really justify the cost. I've been running 87 for quite a while now. It's respectable enough for me.

[automogul]

Hey all, I gave the Vaseline a shot this past weekend. When I slid the tank back, I noticed that the Lithium had all dried up BONE dry. Hence the return of the chirp. I did the fix and rode about 15 miles. No more chirping. The question will be - how long will this hold up? I'll keep you posted. Due to rain I didn't get to do any more riding this weekend. Let's hope that fixes the problem, because that chirping is irritating!

[automogul]

Well, it would seem that the Vaseline is holding up nicely. It's been over a week and still no noises. So, just to cover all of the options of the search function:

If you're experiencing: Tank Rattle, Tank Chirp, Cricket sound, Rattle Can, or Tank Squeak

Give this a try to see if it helps you out. If it comes back, I may have to reopen the topic to try and find a better lubricant.

[tlwisner]

Originally Posted by automogul

Hey all, I gave the Vaseline a shot this past weekend. Let's hope that fixes the problem, because that chirping is irritating!

Sometimes you just want to quote somebody out of context...