Im running 60 wt oil in a 1974 flh. It runs strong and compression is 135 both lungs cold. After about a 5 or 6 mile run a ticking sound appears and I know its valvetrain noise. Drives me crazy. The previous owner put new hydraulic lifters in just prior to me purchasing it and I have since rebuilt the entire top end with pistons rings, valves and guides. The bike runs strong and starts really nice. After sitting for twenty min or so even when hot and a hot day the ticking sound leaves and again reappears after about five miles. I would say that if it cooled down the expansion of all the components retract and quiets it down again till hot but it is very hot sitting and I would think the opposite. Does that make sence? It will appear sooner if I run the bike up to about 65 mph and then kind of quiets down at about 40. This I think would suggest not enough oil to the top but I know this is pushing tons of oil up there.

I have the valves adjusted to where they just roll the pushrods stone COLD. Should I snug them up more or is this the nature of a 74-1200? Just an annoyance for me

randy

 

With stock hydraulic lifters, you adjust them until there is no up and down and you can just turn them. Then you tighten them 4 more turns. Then you WAIT until they bleed down and it can be spun again. Then go on to the next lifter. If you don't wait until it bleeds down you WILL bend the push rod and possibly the valve.

 

My mistake I meant to say solid lifters not hydraulic.

Randy

 

Before you put the motor together, did you mic the tappets and lifter blocks to make sure they were still in spec.

Running hydraulics on my 84. When I first got the bike, I went 10 over and a different cam. Over the last 10K on her the valve train got increasingly nosier. Last week pulled the components apart and found they were out of spec. Ended up using Jims at +5 over along with oversioning tappet blocks in order to get back within specs. Sounds like a sewing machine again.

Anyway, just a thought. You have the solid tappets adjusted correctly. Think I would be careful about extra turns when dealing with solids.