A buddy of mine just started to have this problem so I wanted to try and help out and pull together as much info for him as possible. I've just spent the past hour searching the forums but wanted to throw this out here anyway since most of the posts pertaining to valve noise are focused on non-stock setups.

Here's the setup:
2001 FXDWG with everything completely stock in regards to mechanical operation.
Runs the Harley SYN3 in all three holes.
30K miles on the bike.

A few days ago he started to get an excessive valve noise coming from the front cylinder. When using a stethoscope it sounds like it is primarily coming from the front valve. This is not the typical "sewing machine" valve train noise that Harley's are know for; it definitely starts to "sing" past that noise. It starts to take place at mid-level RMP's during the shifting process and acceleration. During normal highway speeds / cruising the noise is not noticeable. The noise can also be replicated sitting still in neutral and revving the engine up to approximately 1800 - 2000 RPMs and gets worse as the RPMs increase. It is a very consistent and constant noise. Based on what he told me the noise will kick in right about 5 MPH over the recommended shift speed; i.e. 25 MPH in 2nd gear and 35 MPH in 3rd. Other than this excessive noise the engine sounds and runs as it always has.

My first thought would be the lifter is no longer pumping up to maintain full hydraulic adjustment but that's just a speculation. The other thought was possibly the rocker shaft lateral movement may be too much and requires shimming...??

We're going to tear into it this evening to see what we can see and I was hoping to get some specifics as to what to be looking for and checking. For instance maybe too much end play in the push rods with the cylinder at TDC (both valves completely closed and cam at lobe bottoms). Was also wondering if anyone else out there has run into this problem popping up on a completely STOCK engine.

Any help / guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much,
Brian

(I also posted this in the Engines forum)

 

Before you tear into it. Change the oil to HD360 20w50 and see if it changes. Many get valvetrain noise fron syn oil.

 

30k, check the cam chain adjusters. If the shoes are shot, noise will transfer all over the engine and a stethoscope does no good. If it just started, an oil change will not cure the problem (may mask it slightly, but not cure it). If the shoes are bad, as long as you are in the cam chest, I would do the cam plate upgrade. You get a better system than just changing out shoes.

 

The bike just had it's 30K fluid change and maintenance done not too long ago.

I had speculated on the tensioner chain but based on the last one I had heard and assisted with the noise was a lot different. It was more of a rattle as opposed to a tapping and it was more of a "floating" noise and not as consistent as this noise I'm dealing with. This noise is very consistent with regards to engine revolutions.

tap...tap...tap...tap...tap which then gets faster as the RPMs increase.

It does not follow a tap...tap...tap tap tap tap.......tap...........tap tap..tap kind of rhythm if that makes any sense.

 

I have an 02 wideglide and just put in the screamin eagle cam plate upgrade along with pistons and cams. If you have to go inside the cam chest, put in the dash B lifters. Mine started rattling at about 75k and the -B lifters fixed the rattle. At 95k I did the whole ,cam, camplate,95" pistons,and rejet of the carb. It runs so good that I just broke my belt on a hard shift, but about 75k on the belt was not the engines fault. Being an 01, it may just need the tensioners if it has 30k on it, but the upgrade of the cam plate is highly recommended and the -B lifters is REALLY a good idea while in there.

 

just saying, I would check the known problem areas first before chasing possible ghosts. The outer shoe is easy to inspect, the inner a little more difficult. Shoe inspection is not a normal shop procedure unless you ask for it during service. Just trying to help, I hate wasting riding time.

 

Dump the oil and put some dino 50 wt in it. if that doesn't help I would tear into the cam cover and check the tensioners and change the lifters out.

 

agree,.. try this first

 

I fully agree with your post 1plumr1 and will be checking both the primary and secondary tensioner shoes this evening. It's easy enough with an inspection mirror and flashlight. Things just got too late last night.

Just an update.....

Pulled the valve train apart last night and found some items that were more than questionable. For starters both intake pushrods had signs of blockage / poor oil flow at the top orifice. The front cylinder exhaust valve lifter roller was far from having a smooth bearing action; you could feel the bearing starting to show signs of wear along with hearing it. Disassembled both rocker assemblies and found uneven wear on the shafts and rocker arm bushings; the shafts had definite divots and were out of round based on the micrometer measurements along with the bushings. The lifter is where my focus turned to the most since that was the valve location (front exhaust) I heard the most prominent noise coming from up by the rocker cover. Very possible if the bearing is starting to fail other parts of the lifter may be failing. Possibly the inner plunger was not pumping up to maintain the proper hydraulic adjustment for the valve.

In any case we'll be replacing rocker shafts, rocker arm bushings, and lifters. We'll see how things go as far as the cam chain tensioners after tonight.

In regards to the oil swap; he's been using the SYN3 since he's had the bike with no problems in the past with this kind of noise.

Thanks for all the replies.

Brian

 

I know this is an old thread but my bike has this same issue. I dont have the mileage for the cam tensioner issue as my bike is a garage find. My noise happens the same as yours did exactly how you describe. I have eliminated lifters and rods as the issue and my scope points to rear jug top end. What was the end result for your fix?