Weird noise
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 516
Likes: 16
From: TEXAS
Weird noise
Took the 1990 Softail out for the initial spin to the local CMA bike night after bleeding the brakes.
I noticed a rattle/deep chirp that is driving me nuts. It seems to be associated with engine speed/ vibration. If I pull the clutch in and coast, it is quiet. I thought it might be the speedo drive but it doesn’t do it with the clutch in and coasting so probably not the speedo drive.
Initially I thought it was the speedo rattling in the dash but I shimmed that will a folded business card, no help. I pulled the headlight bulb (is there supposed to be a rubber gasket in there?) but that didn’t help. Removed the gremlin bell, still there.
Checked the turn front signal mounts, no joy! I put pressure on the side of the brake and shift levers to eliminate rattles and still there.
The only thing that I am leaning towards is the primary chain.
Any suggestions of things to check?
I noticed a rattle/deep chirp that is driving me nuts. It seems to be associated with engine speed/ vibration. If I pull the clutch in and coast, it is quiet. I thought it might be the speedo drive but it doesn’t do it with the clutch in and coasting so probably not the speedo drive.
Initially I thought it was the speedo rattling in the dash but I shimmed that will a folded business card, no help. I pulled the headlight bulb (is there supposed to be a rubber gasket in there?) but that didn’t help. Removed the gremlin bell, still there.
Checked the turn front signal mounts, no joy! I put pressure on the side of the brake and shift levers to eliminate rattles and still there.
The only thing that I am leaning towards is the primary chain.
Any suggestions of things to check?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,168
Likes: 7,676
From: Poolville
Secondary drive belts will chirp on acceleration and deceleration with worn pulley's... if too loose. If you have a bike lift maybe someone can put the bike through the gears so you can inspect.... You never stated mileage..
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 516
Likes: 16
From: TEXAS
Checked and tightened - noise is still there.
Kind of hard to video it while riding. issue only presents itself when riding and clutch engaged. Pull clutch in and virtually gone unless I rev it.
UPDATE (but still no resolution) - I checked and adjusted the following items and the noise is still there.
- Checked the primary chain and it was just a tad tight in the tightest spot so I adjusted that. I probably would have left it as is during normal maintenance but I put it in spec to eliminate any doubt.
- Checked the drive belt and it was a little loose. Again, probably not the issue but I adjusted it to spec. In the process of adjusting, I found that the previous owner had installed a slightly wider rear tire (BU instead of BT) and the belt was slightly rubbing the tire - that is now rectified.
- Checked and tightened heat shields.
- Put a folded business card between the speedo and housing to eliminate that as a potential rattle. I have the rubber speedo isolator from a later model but haven't installed that yet.
- Removed front fork brace.
- Removed fork mounted turn signals, cleaned and tightened.
- Put bike on lift and rotated tires and listened for bearing grinding. Didn't hear any and didn't really expect to based on this only doing it when the clutch is engaged but needed to be checked anyway!
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 516
Likes: 16
From: TEXAS
UPDATE to the UPDATE:
I removed the speedo housing as I needed to replace the high beam indicator bulb. I also removed the speedo as I had a new gasket to install.
For grins, I also removed the low profile gas caps (with steel threads) and put the original caps on which have plastic threads.
Road it just to see and BOOM! Noise gone.
SO it is either the gas caps, the speedo or the speedo housing. I am leaning towards it being the gas caps....
I removed the speedo housing as I needed to replace the high beam indicator bulb. I also removed the speedo as I had a new gasket to install.
For grins, I also removed the low profile gas caps (with steel threads) and put the original caps on which have plastic threads.
Road it just to see and BOOM! Noise gone.
SO it is either the gas caps, the speedo or the speedo housing. I am leaning towards it being the gas caps....
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 516
Likes: 16
From: TEXAS
Yes it is! I have been known to completely disassemble something to find a squeak, rattle or weird noise if that is what it took to get rid of it.
This one I could hear without a helmet and with a helmet, it was amplified tenfold!
This one I could hear without a helmet and with a helmet, it was amplified tenfold!