good thought not sure if i have an washer that size. If i can find 2 i will let you know

 

Cut a piece of plumbing pipe or even wrap wire around the plug to make a spacer, its only gotta run for a minute like that.

 

found a set of short plugs that would thread in. No help. I have been hearing it for a little while had a mechanic listen, he said it wasn't that bad but more noise than he expected. Going in for 1000 mi. service this week, they are going to see if it has adjustable push rods and try and lean out carb without jetting. thanks for help.

 

mate...your dreaming if you really think that a piston can hit a sparkplug and nothing breaks. Most likely the noise is coming from the valvetrain somewhere so I would also be looking at your Tappetts, pushrods and top end.

Whats the last thing you did to the bike? have you just installed a new Cam?

 

Cam timing could be off and valves are hitting during the overlap stage between exhaust and intake, when both valves are "Open".

 

True....BUT what would cause that to suddenly start happening. I am pegging normal valvetrain noise - perhaps even a lifter on its way out.

 

On a camshaft with the intake and exhaust on the same cam, the relationship between the intake and exhaust can't change, so the overlap cant change unles you've broken the cam and that would be pretty evident and the overlap would be the least of your problems.
As previously stated noises can "travel". You could have a bad valve spring and the roller isn't following the cam causeing it to slam down, cracked piston, bad wrist pin/bushing, bad valve train part to include rocker keepers etc., even carbon build-up. Or as previously stated it could be coming from somewhere else completely!!!!
It is awfully hard to diagnose a problem like this over the internet, but we will try!!!
John

 

A bad lifter, a bad rocker arm bushing, adjustable push tubes changing setting(lock nut comes loose and allows the push rod to over extend). Some sort of debris on the camshaft itself. Cam shaft bearings.

All these things will change the timing of the valves, or the extent that they will open.