The last couple times I’ve started my bike from cold I’ve heard a rattling type sound around the engine. The first time it happened, I wasn’t sure about it but today I was paying attention and definitely heard something. It only does it when starting up cold, right when it first fires up and only lasts a second. No matter what I do I can’t replicate the noise after that first start-up. It’s an 18 fatboy with 13xxx on the clock, all services have been done by me except the first 1k mile which the dealer did for free. The factory warranty ran out a month or so ago but I did purchase the ESP. I’ll be calling the dealer tomorrow, I just hope I’m not bike-less for an extended period of time. Anyone have a similar noise and what was the outcome? Any ideas ?

 

Might be lifters/pushrods. No oil in the top end for a second or two. Having it checked is a good idea. If they say no problem, cobra neighbor haters will fix it.

 

sounds like lifters to me. one is leaking down but not that bad. i dont think i would worry about it until you can get the noise to happen all the time. if its only at first start of the day. but thats just me

 

Lifters, ESP will cover them. Seen it before on an 18 FLTRXS.

 

It seems we have a consensus. This is what I was thinking too, but since it’s my first H-D and there are some pretty knowledgeable people on here I figured I’d ask around. Now we’ll see how much trouble my dealership tries to give me about warranty, I remember shortly after I bought the bike I asked about doing my own services and the service manager tried to tell me it would void my warranty, when I told him I knew that was b.s. he got an attitude and mumbled something like “keep your receipts “, which I have. Thanks for the replies.

 

If you still have the stock cams, and push rods in the motor, they have to honor the pre-paid repair contract. If anything was replaced with aftermarket parts not sold or installed by Harley, your most likely sol.,,,,

 

Yeah I should have mentioned it has stage one with H-D parts( street cannons, k&n direct replacement ventilator filter, and pro street tuner) installed by me

 

Your bike sounds like mine, which is like starting a Detroit diesel. But I do not suspect the cams or push rods. The noise does not seem to come from the engine. Upon start up, it seems to come from the starter/transmission on the right side. Not a clanking or grinding noise. Just loud noise for a half a second. I have a 2000 Springer with a 103 ci Screaming Eagle motor with compression releases, six speed transmission and high flow breather. It had a CNC job and seems to have too much compression, thus a more powerful starter, if that is the case.

 

Bad starter clutch.

 

Can I jump in here and ask about the possibility of a bad clutch? Is the starter clutch part of the starter, or the Primary? Can it be narrowed down to the starter clutch as the culprit? In other words, is there a way to confirm it without having to remove the primary cover? I've already removed the primary cover in the last week to check the Compensator, and I am not looking forward to doing it again. Thx.