i have a 2011 Heritage Classic. While shifting through the gears, i notice a whirring high pitched noise in 3rd and 5th gears. It has been suggested to me that it might be the primary chain tension adjuster. Looking for yea's or nay's

 

Open it up and take a look.
I think your TC has an automatic chain adjuster so it may be you need a new chain.
I don't think you have an inspection hole in your primary so you will have to take off your outer primary case.

 

It is most likely your inner primary bearing (IPB) wearing. This happens with TC, because of the auto chain tensioner. You should replace with a manual chain tensioner. If the primary chain gets too tight, it can put stress on your mainshaft and take out your tranny mainshaft bearing. This is something to watch for in TC. Easy fix. Get a Evolution!. :-)

 

When my Indy mechanic recently serviced my 1992 FLSTC, he suggested putting a chain tensioner on it. I said OK. It now has an odd noise. It comes at higher RPMs. Not really high, but higher than cruising speed. It purrs beautifully at cruising rpms. But if you get on it a bit, there is a difficult to describe kind of creaking hollow sound. I thought it might be something loose, but I cannot find anything. It seems a little like the sound of the cables going to the front brake creating some kind of vibration in the front fender.

But it comes from the center of the forward portion of the bike. Only noticeable in motion so difficult to pinpoint. It occurred to me that it could be the primary chain tensioner and the sound might sound like it is coming from the front because of how it comes up through the bike.

Is the plausible? Should I go back to the stock primary chain and live with having to adjust it from time to time?

Or is this not likely the source.

Guess away, I understand very difficult to diagnose without hearing the bike. Throw out any hypothesis you think of. Give me an idea to pursue.

Thanks

 

there should be a chain tensioner on your bike anyways ( manual adjustable)..I tend to run mine just a little bit looser* than what is prescribed, but not by much.
over the years of owning everything from Panheads, and Shovelheads to now evo's it is something I have a feel for.

yes a primary chain can give that sound you are describing*..its almost a *fast vibration* type of a sound like a humming* that doesn't have a vibration feeling...

you have to find that perfect spot in tight/loose ( the chain will have a tighter spot in one position in the rotation than the other ) and adjust from there..but, its nearly impossible to get rid of that sound ..it seems like some chains have them and others don't.

 

Thanks for the reply. The tensioner my mechanic installed is the automatic tensioner that does not require adjusting like they have on the Twin Cams. It is not really a humming sound. More like a hollow creaking sound. And only at higher than cruising rpms. No noise at cruising speed only when I am at higher rpms. And more when accelerating or decelerating.

 

personally..I wont run any type of automatic adjuster, and don't recommend them.