My friends 14 limited with only 1100 miles has developed a noise sounding like marbles in a can from the upper part of the front cylinder. The noise seems noticeable only when idling and it kind of comes & goes. The dealer had recently done the 1,000 mile service . Noise seemed to start shortly after that. He's taking bike in on Monday. If anyone has any ideas what it could be , he would appreciate it .

 

Sounds like a compensator. Don't ask me much about it . . . but my FLHTK did the same thing at idle, and we all swore it was gonna come apart. Noise started to go away after a little while and was non-existent at anything above idle. So I rode it gingerly to the dealer and yup . . . . you guessed it, it wouldn't do it again. They rode it on a few occasions for about 60-75 miles and it wouldn't repeat. Said they've pulled a few apart and have found nothing wrong. I have about 1,500-2,000 miles since then and nothing.

 

The dealer service guys told me it is the compensator. Said it's is noisier than my other bike because the cams in the 103HO give it a rougher idle and work the compensator harder. Kinda makes sense....

 

I recently had my bike in for work at a dealer in Northern MN and was told the exact same thing. I spoke with the tech that worked on the bike and they checked the compensator and all seemed ok. The noise is a bit unsettling until you know that it's not something serious!

Lobo

 

Does it sound like something clanking or rattling around and only at idle? I heard some noise recently after pulling into the garage while in netrual the other day that sounded like this. Then the next ride when I pulled into the garage I didn't hear it. Kinda comes and goes from time to time.

 

For all those that want to cure that noise, it's pretty simple. I strongly suspect you are all using Syn 3 in the primary. You probably had it swapped when you did your 1K service. Dump that crap and put in the OEM Harley Formula Plus that came in the bike from the factory. Mine made that noise too, I dumped the Syn and put in the thicker fluid and just that quick NO MORE NOISE. The new compensator has more moving parts that previous ones, it needs the thicker viscosity. Some of your dealers need to quit claimin that as normal and accept it.

 

Same here! Dumped the syn 3 after 200 miles, hasn't made the noise since.

 

Mine did the same thing on a trip when it was at about 10,000 or 11,000 miles. Conway, Ark H-D Dealer had it in and out in about an hour and a half. They found that the tensioner had slipped and the chain was slapping. They disassembled the compensator just to check it and all was well with it. Like yours, it only made the noise at idle and did it on and off when it started. It didn't take long to get consistent on the second day. That was when I stopped in Conway. It is at 15,000 now and the noise has not returned.

 

I stopped into a dealer on Saturday on a ride and mentioned my "Hammering" sound when decel from 2500 - 2000 rpms in morning for first 5 minutes of riding. It goes away and does not come back until it sits overnight again.

He sets me up for an appointment for Wednesday. Tells me Harley is doing free upgrades to Screaming Eagle compensators for this concern.

There is also an ECM update to improve the idle as well.

Gonna have to check my paperwork when I get it back. Make sure it's all legit.

'14 Limited, 10 months old, 17k (hamming noise started about 2 weeks ago) been running amsoil in all holes since 1k svc.

I'll follow up on here after my service date.

 

I was under the impression that the 14's and newer had the latest and greatest SE compensator from the factory. Anyone have any knowledge of a SE compensator that is different than the one installed from the factory on the 14's and 15's?