Over the last 300 miles or so I have started noticing a new noise coming from my engine. It's been progressively getting worse and worse. It's a metal on metal sound, seems to only be there when under load or on the throttle. I thought it sounded like a loose exhaust hanger or something similar. It gets faster with the RPMs and louder under more of a load.

I thought perhaps primary chain, so I checked it and although it was slightly loose, that didn't cure the noise.

I still had the oil change coupon from purchasing the bike, so I ran up to the dealer and had them change the oil. The tech they put on my bike was obviously one of the older techs there with a greying pony tail down his back. I asked him about the noise and he took a good long listen and poked around here and there. He said that it sounds like a pushrod out of adjustment, probably the rear exhaust one. He explained to me how to adjust it myself. I told him I had just rebuilt the top end last month and he asked if I might have gotten the pushrods in the wrong location and I told him I had them marked so I wouldn't mix them up. He said that sometimes the lock nut works loose and the pushrods work themselves out of adjustment.

I am going to let the bike cool off and check the pushrods tomorrow since I have a day off and will have the house to myself. Has anyone else had this happen before? Anyone have any input or helpful advice about tackling the pushrod adjustment? It seems pretty straightforward, put the bike on the lift, back tire off the ground, pull the plugs, put the trans in 5th. Open the pushrod cover and spin the rear tire until the pushrod drops the whole way down. Adjust the length until there is no play up or down, but it will spin freely, then the tech told me to lengthen the rod 4 more full turns(or actually he said 24 nut flats) and lock down the locknut. Let it sit a little bit for the hydraulic lifter to bleed down and seat and I should be able to spin the pushrod by hand again. Then put the cover back in place and do the next one...

 

He told you the truth. Any time you work on an engine you must treat the disassembly like it was an autopsy. For example, where the locknuts tight?? Which ones seemed loose?? Does the same one have extra clearance, if so maybe something is going on inside!! Are there any "witness marks" on the pushrods?? Are the retaining ring fully seated in the lifter?? These are a few of the things you need to look for.Hope this helps.

 

I wasn't planning on pulling the rocker covers, or the tank... I will if I have to, but for the time being I was just going to expose the pushrods and see if any are loose. I know they are adjustable from when I was in there last month... I didn't mess with the lifters or the rockers...

 

digger, all of the above can be done by opening up the pushrod tubes only.

 

I adjusted the pushrods, they really didn't seem to be loose much. I didn't see any marks or anything and they seemed to be straight. The noise is still there. And it still seems to be coming from the rear exhaust pushrod area. Now when I rebuilt the top end, there was oil up to the top of the pushrod base plate when I took the pushrods out and when I put them back in, the oil level was down further. Could that be the problem? Do I need to put more oil in the pushrod wells?

 

After consulting the manual, I think its possible the rear lifter is bad. I didn't have the lifters out of the engine when I redid the top end. I kept the lifter plate covered the whole time as well. I guess it's time to tear into the lifters. I have adjustable pushrods, so I can pull them without pulling the tank and rocker covers again, right? Any helpful tips on doing so?

 

careful my noise was only a quiet one when it started but it was my rear cam bearing!! wiped out my case. mine also sounded like an exhaust hanger but got worse under load and changed pitch with RPM. don't let it go find it before it dose damage.

 

That's just lovely. I guess proceed with pulling the lifters and inspecting them, and if they look ok, suspect cam bearing perhaps? Forgive my inexperience, but can the cam bearings be replaced without pulling the engine?

 

Yes but you will have to remove your lifters and remove your ignition and timing cup then you can pull your cam cover.

 

I haven't started tackling this yet, but before I do I just want to get confirmation about pulling the pushrods out. Since I have adjustable ones, I rotate the engine until they are down the whole way, then what do I do? Collapse them the whole way and pull the bottom end out of the lifter plate? That seems like how they would come out without pulling the rocker covers...