Chirp under load
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 684
Likes: 9
From: Indian Head, PA
Yep! I received one from my brother and his family while visiting them during Roar On The Shore in Erie, PA last summer! They aren't bikers, but were enthralled by the story of the gremlin bells when they started noticing them on people's bikes and asked me what they were for.
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 684
Likes: 9
From: Indian Head, PA
Loose belt? I'll check that next.
I just went through and checked the exhaust very thoroughly and everything is nice and tight and there are no soot marks anywhere or any other evidence of leaking. The nuts holding the pipe flanges to the heads were nice and tight still. I double checked the tranny again and it was at add, so I topped it off again. Now it's taken just over 1/4 quart, maybe 1/3 quart, not quite 1/2.
To be completely honest, I was so focused on the engine that I have neglected the transmission. I really couldn't say how long it has been running that low as I don't remember the last time I checked it.
The chirping is louder than any exhaust leak I've ever heard. I will check the belt next, but this isn't just a minor annoying squeak, this is loud enough to drown out almost everything else and sounds like a catastrophic failure is eminent...
I just went through and checked the exhaust very thoroughly and everything is nice and tight and there are no soot marks anywhere or any other evidence of leaking. The nuts holding the pipe flanges to the heads were nice and tight still. I double checked the tranny again and it was at add, so I topped it off again. Now it's taken just over 1/4 quart, maybe 1/3 quart, not quite 1/2.
To be completely honest, I was so focused on the engine that I have neglected the transmission. I really couldn't say how long it has been running that low as I don't remember the last time I checked it.
The chirping is louder than any exhaust leak I've ever heard. I will check the belt next, but this isn't just a minor annoying squeak, this is loud enough to drown out almost everything else and sounds like a catastrophic failure is eminent...
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 297
Likes: 150
From: Florida Space Coast
D1gger: In your first post you say you added 1/4 qt (8oz) or maybe a little less. In post #14, you say you checked it again and added maybe 1/3 to a little less than 1/2 qt. So that's around say anywhere from 10-14 ounces. I have an '89 FLHTC and the capacity is 16 oz (1/2 qt). Where is your fluid going? If you've lost that much, I think you should notice it. Something doesn't seem right.
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 684
Likes: 9
From: Indian Head, PA
That's just it, where is it going? I have been keeping a close eye on the floor and the underside of the bike to look for any drips, and nothing has been dripping. I can find no leaks anywhere.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 15,395
Likes: 19,405
From: Upstate N.Y.-Rochester Area
I had an intermittent chirp that drove me nuts, and like V-Twins & bowties, it turned out to be the muffler rubber mounts.
I noticed mine most often when Idling at a light though.
I noticed mine most often when Idling at a light though.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 2
From: Florida
My rubber hangers chirped ever since I got the bike 7+ years ago. I'd always just hit them with a squirt of WD-40, that would quiet it down for a while. Then I found out new hangers are $2.18 + tax ea. at my local HD. Got new ones on now.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 12,878
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From: la la land jerzey
the trans oil and primary oil are checked with the bike straight up right like it was going down the road - trans is 1//2 of a quart we use bel ray hypoid 85 / 140 and the primary is 2 quarts we use ATF dextron 3