I have heard several people talk about 'noisy cams' and lifters. What actually happens when cams make 'noise'? What causes cams or lifters to make noise at certain RPM's? Case in point, I recently installed Andrews 21's (stock 'B' lifters) in my 88, and it is generally quiet until about 2200 to 2500 RPM, then rattle city. After that RPM spread, it gets quiet again. Why would a cam or lifter do this but not at other RPM's?

 

rattle of drive train is cause by clearance between moving parts( slapping the slack out)
if all is quiet at certain rpms, then inertia is in play at higher rpm's.

i/e valve springs not keeping up with cam grind etc.
then as rpm increase's the frequency is so great that you cannot hear it.

simple question , simple answer

 

When I had the 95"kit it put in my 02 I had the noisy lifter sounds about the same rpm as yours. Last year I put in the cam hybrid plate with a stronger oil pump and different pushrods that seem to fit better, proper length (?) and the bike is much quieter since at that range, in all rpm ranges. Maybe it's your pushrods with your cams.

 

Soooooooo many possibilities. Google search harley ticking noise and have a nice long read.....

 

If you're running your bike at less than 2500 rpm in gears other than 1st or 2nd , that may be the problem.

 

I also changed cam plates and using the newest SE oil pump along with SE adjustable pushrods. The noise is in all gears at that RPM. I also cannot see '06 heads with beehive springs not keeping up with a mild cam such as the 21. Bike runs good and no otter issues with it other than the noise which was not present before the cam swap. Bike has 18 K on it and I reused stock lifters. Rods are adjusted 3 full turns (instructions said 2.5, tried that first, then went back in half a turn to go 3 turns total. No change).

 

I can also be the actual tappets clicking against the valve stems. In fact, I believe that's why they're called "tappets".

 

Prop, it's nearly impossible to solve a mechanical noise problem on a forum. I wish you the best of luck. Let us know what it was when you figure it out.

 

I definitely will. I was seriously considering replacing the lifters with gatermans in the hope that it would calm it down. It's like the sewing machine noise that I expect on a HD but much louder.