I have a 2010 Ultra Classic, 96 cu.in. 9K miles, bike was a garage queen till I bought it. The engine has lifter pecking noise around 2,000 to 2,200 rpm. Beyond that rpm range the noise is more or less just a sewing machine valve noise.
Anyway, I'm thinking of installing the Baisley oil pressure spring in hopes that increased pressure will feed the noisy lifter and stop the noise. My question is can I install the spring by removing the cam cover only and not need to remove the cam support plate? My oil pressure runs about 32 psi hot at 2K rpm's now. I have also considered replacing the lifters.
Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

You have to remove the cam plate to drive the drift pin out to replace the spring. I carry about 40-45# at 2000 hot and at idle hot I carry about 18-20#. Before the Baisley spring I carried about 8# at idle.

 

You can R/R the relief valve spring without removing the cam plate; have done it many times. However, I doubt that the Baisley spring will have any impact on the valve train ticking a 2000-2200 rpms or increase your oil pressure at 2000 rpms; it might, I just doubt it. The spring is intended to increase low rpm pressure in the earlier TC88s. It was typical for some of the early TC88s to show nearly no oil pressure at idle. Sometimes it the idle oil pressure in a TC88 would be so low that the oil pressure light would blink at hot idle. At $12, might be worth a try but the Axtell bypass valve might be worth the additional cost in your situation. Check it out.

http://www.axtellsales.com/Axtell-bypass-system.html

 

It may be the un-fixable valve train noise I've read about? I'm an automotive tech. instructor with 30 years in wrench pulling. The thing is being a mechanic skips, pings and pecks in an engine drive me crazy.
I have cut the filters open on the last 2 oil changes and found no metal. That makes me think that little or no harm is being done to the valve train.
When I bought the bike last May, it had 2,715 miles on it. I figured that the noise would go away after it was rode some. But that has not happened. I'm thinking oil pressure because the engine is quiet when cold and noise starts as it warms. I'm running HD 20w-50 oil and ran Amsoil 20w-50 in the previous oil change.

 

Valve train "noise" is a very much discussed and is a very subjective issue; what is noise to one is not noise to another. Additionally, we can't hear your noise via a forum post which makes it near impossible to provide any guidance.

Most usually, the valve train will quiet down as the motor reaches operating temps, oil is flowing everywhere and components are expanding. Your situation is just the opposite as the valve train is quiet at start up but becomes noisy as the motor approaches operating temp. That would point to several different sources.

Lifters, although the 2010 models were still running the "B" lifter could be bleeding down when warmed up; could be one lifter causing the noise. Not likely but certainly possible.

When the motor reaches operating temperature, it could be that cylinder growth introduces lash into the valve train. Factory tolerances being what they are, this is quite possible. A set of adjustable pushrods would solve this problem.

Another source could be that the side clearance of the rocker arms in the support late is excessive; again, not likely but a potential source. Check with a feeler gauge and if side to side clearance is .025" or more, shimming the rocker arms to set side to side clearance at .005" or thereabouts might help but I doubt that this is the problem.

Changing oil to a heavier straight weight might help but I wouldn't count on it. Some claim it makes a difference but I am not convinced.

If the noise really bothers you, try a set of adjustable pushrods and set preload at about .130" and see if that doesn't make a difference.