To this I can attest. That's EXACTLY what my remanned engine's top end sounds like around 3000rpm. Originally I thought that was a joke, but really, that's what it sounds like.

 

The lumpier the cam the more the tic tic. I have just gone from a EV35 to a mild S&S 520 and ALL of the ticking I have had for the past 15 years has gone!

 

Man, replace those lifters pronto, if they are original and at 70,000 miles. This is one area that DOES fail, and often with unhappy results. NOW... it just so happens that if you are going to do that what a GREAT time to cut out the the pushrods and install adjustables, along with a new Andrews EV27 cam and torrington bearing for the inner cam shaft support. Oh yea, baby! My set up now has the coolest "lumpy" idle and sound that people turn to look at when at stop lights lol. Oh, and btw, it still "ticks" a lot.

 

Everyone has a different level of acceptance on the "tick". I've been chasing a tick on my Wide Glide for years and over 30k mi... The bike runs great and I wouldnt hessitate to ride it anywhere. But, it is the loudest angry sewing machine I've ever been around.. I've done a top end checking for play in piston and rods, valve job with springs, lifters, checked cam gear lash, replaced compensator sprocket, installed new roller rockers, exhaust gaskets, breather, cam bearing, and push rods.. I have not touched the sound. Being an automotive wrench for 20+ years, I refuse to beleive its "normal". There is a reason for it, I just havent found it.. The next step on my journey will be lifter blocks. I'm now thinking they may have excessive wear.. But, with it running so good, I'm not losing sleep over it.. The addition of my '95 Ultra, with 45k on it, has proven to me that it is NOT normal, the full fairing keeps in more normal noise than the Dyna's windsheild, but not the same level of noise.. This bike is nearly silent.. Granted, it doesnt have the cam, but the Dyna did not make the noise when the cam was originally installed either.. Dont know that I've added anything to help the situation, but while it is in fact very common, its not normal.. If you find the magical soloution, please let us all know. But, I wouldnt recomend spending a ton of money chasing it.. Lifters may need replacement, but I seriously wouldnt expect much. There is just no reason for lifters to fail every 50k...

 

Glad to know I'm not the only one. My remanned engine (the second one-first one failed under warranty) has that same tick. Sounds like it's coming apart at 3,000 RPM. I had it back to the shop I don't know how many times complaining about it. This has been the case since the day it was first started, ten years ago.

Eventually, I figured if it hasn't broken yet, I might as well give up and ride it.

Ironically, the FIRST remanned engine was quiet as a church mouse mechanically. It also was hard to start, overheated at the drop of a hat, made poor power, and threw a rod bearing 6,000 miles in-obviously set up too tight by the MoCo.

In my experience, it's the quiet ones you can't trust.

 

So you would think, but it happened to me at 46,000 miles and eventually cost me my first engine.

"Such are the conditions that prevail."

 

I guess my point was more to the fact that they shouldnt. Of course, anything can fail. In your case it appears obvious. It just seems to be that many tend to believe that its a simple fact of life. If that were the case, there's be a hell of a market for a good automotive type company to bring a good set to market. Every car/truck in my yard has 100k or more and lifters never come to mind as a problem. In fact, my daily driver, with 315k has never been opened. It doesnt mean I wont have a lifter come apart on me today, but they shouldnt be junk @ 50k as a wear item..

 

Greg, it's all about angles, springs, cam profiles, etc., and an air cooled Harley is not a water cooled V8. There are aftermarket lifters out there, but they range from total garbage to "as good as OEM 'B' lifters," give or take. Also, from memory here, the HD lifter is pretty darned close to a Chevy V8 lifter. If I recall, I think the twinkie lifters can be replaced outright with the SBC ones at a fraction of the price. I don't remember if Evo ones will swap or not. The twinkie lifters may last longer because they don't have to deal with the angle that the Evo does, which is why they have 2 cams in the first place.

 

Point taken... Any side loading of the lifter can certainly cause wear..

If you were looking at a new bike and had someone tell you that you needed to replace your lifters more often than brake pads, would you buy the bike??? Do the majority of us really have to replace lifters on a 50k mi interval?? I really dont mean to be a smart *** or know it all here. I just have a hard time believing its as bad it may sound on this board. Twinkies eat chains and slip cranks, but if it were every one, the moco would be out of biz.. Maybe its because 95% of all HD's are still under 50k mi?? Maybe it honestly would be a good market to look into..

 

A set of lifters at 50K is A Good Idea. I did mine at like 60 and one was bad and one cam lobe was shot. That is still pretty minor maintenance and an afternoon of wrenching if you only have to do the lifters. That's just how they are. Replacing lifters at 50K is not a big deal. If you want to bad mouth the design, I'm sure there are forums for that.