Engine Tap
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Likes: 4
From: South Carolina
Engine Tap
I just recently swapped out my SE 255 cams for the andrews 54h's but it came with an engine tapping sound in the heads. The bike runs great but this tapping is annoying. I suspect it is the valves closing from the more aggressive cams. Anybody have experience with this and know of a fix?
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 683
Likes: 3
From: Florida
I just recently swapped out my SE 255 cams for the andrews 54h's but it came with an engine tapping sound in the heads. The bike runs great but this tapping is annoying. I suspect it is the valves closing from the more aggressive cams. Anybody have experience with this and know of a fix?
Some high performance cams in cars come with solid lifters (more so years
ago than now) since the solid lifters gave a quicker valve response. These
will give a sound like you discribe.
If not (and it utilizes the OEM hydraulic lifters) then I surmise like you say that it is the cam's high lift and the valves are making a sound coming back down.
Another possibility is that with the new high lift, your OEM hydraulic lifters oil hole clogging is showing up more than they did with the OEM cam. You might want to have the shop of your choice check that out. Sometimes (usually on high mileage or no regular oil changes) hydraulic lifters will clog and the oil pressure cannot get thru to lift up the slack and they function like solid lifters then.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: where the military takes me
I would say the lifters might be the culprit. R W B hit the nail on the head with the solid lifters. I had one in my 454 and they clacked away to some good power.it also may be your injectors that you havnt noticed. Mine sound a little like a solid lifter.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,588
Likes: 9
From: Sunny Southern California
I just recently swapped out my SE 255 cams for the andrews 54h's but it came with an engine tapping sound in the heads. The bike runs great but this tapping is annoying. I suspect it is the valves closing from the more aggressive cams. Anybody have experience with this and know of a fix?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,082
Likes: 11
From: Long Island, NY
May not be a "problem", at least in the sense that something is wrong. A more aggressive build with high lift cams and bigger valves and springs will generate more noise in the valve train.
If you're concerned you should check it out, but it is more than likely (hopefully) just a function of the build and after a while you will (hopefully) get used to it to the point where you won't even think about it.
If you're concerned you should check it out, but it is more than likely (hopefully) just a function of the build and after a while you will (hopefully) get used to it to the point where you won't even think about it.
Ever find out what the tapping sound was? I also just swapped from 255's to 54H's but, also went to 103" with head work among other things and have a tapping sound, that seems to be coming from the heads, mainly from about 2400 to 3200rpm. Was just doing a search to see if anyone else has had this problem, when I came across this thread.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,919
Likes: 23
From: Seattle, WA
Never heard of anyone using solid lifters in a Twin Cam motor ... the stock are hydraulic and all of the aftermarket lifters that I am familiar with ....
Have you tried listening to the motor with a stethiscope ...?
R/
'Chop
Have you tried listening to the motor with a stethiscope ...?
R/
'Chop
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