Hi all...was riding the bike today and starting hearing some very unsettling noises coming from the upper motor.

My bike is a 2004 Heritage Softail with 7500 miles on her. Always be changed with HD synthetic oils (soon to change to AMSOIL next go around) and never abused. No engine mods...just a stage 1 when the pipes were put on.

While riding today, the bike started making weird noises coming from the top of the motor. If you're sitting on the bike, it sounds like it's coming right up through the gas tank. The sound is at times a clunking sound and at times a scrapping/grinding sound. It's plain ugly and can't be good. The weird thing is the bike seems to be running fine, no hesitation, stalling, or anything like that. It has never made the kind of noise untill it started with today. The sound is intermittent, loud and very noticeable. If you get next to the motor and listen, it seems like the noise is coming from the top of the V's on the motor.

Another thing, it seems to start making the noise after it has fully warmed up. If I let the bike cool, it doesn't make the noise...but once the bike warms up it starts. It's loud enough to hear it on the freeway, it's not a constant noise, it's intermittent...what is the situation guys!!!!!

Has anybody had this problem? I read some of the posts on the board about engine noise problems and say cam bearing/tensioner problems behind most of them. I believe one post talked about a rod bearing as well.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. I've got 6 months left on warranty and will be taking it to the stealer in a week or so but any imput from the board would be great.

 

On my last rebuild I left the bolt loose on the frame that connects the stabilizer link.

It sounded just like that .. worth checking that link. Hope that's all it is!

 

It's a wrist pin clip gouging the snot out of the cylinder. Seriously, just a guess as they all will be. With pushrod engines noises can travel from the bottom to the top via the pushrods, so it could be lots of things. Take it in and find the real reason.
Ron

 

The clunking sound makes me think compensator.... This is a common problem (happend to me too) and it will make you think the motor is coming apart.

The grinding part is troubling, but it could be the primary tensioner assy loose ~ experienced that once too... years ago.

I would not ride it anymore in case it is something internal to the motor, but my gut feel points to the primary....

 

Thanks for the advice fellas...one thing I forgot to mention.

It makes the noise moving and not moving. It doesn't really matter how high the RPM's of the motor are. The bike can be stading still at a lightin nuetral or moving down the freeway...the noise pops it's head up.

 

Not a likely guess, though. The last time that happened to me, the bike was quiet. It was just smoking like a freight train at first and then boiling the oil the last few miles.

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I really hope that's not whats going on with me! I didn't notice any smoke from the exhaust, however the bike was running pretty hot when the noise started...I have one of those oil dipstick temp gauges and it read a little under 250 when I noticed the noise. Mind you it was about 92 degrees yesterday so I really didn't think to much of the high motoroil temp...the bike ususally runs in the 210-220 range on a mild day.

I just went through the motor area checking for any loose mounting bolts. Everything seems to be tight. Checked the oil, looks fine. Checked the plugs, looked fine.

I'm stumped at this point . The sound seems like it was comming from the rocker boxes on top of the v (i think that's what they are called...the chrome caps on top of the v).

 

I was yanking your chain with the wrist pin clip. If it was that you will lose compression in no time at all and be puking blue smoke out the pipe. You need to zero in with a stethoscope or whatever homemade version of it for the exact location of the noise. If I were to diagnose the sounds you mentioned, it would be a lose comp and rotor. The comp will make the clunking and the rotor chewing up the stator could explain the rest. Like I said before , it's almost impossible to nail it over the internet and it's a guess only. Once you take it in to the shop, they will have the answer in no time. Hopefully it won't be too serious. I'm interested in finding out what it is too, so keep us posted.
Ron

 

Thanks Ron...I'm gonna try and take her in this Friday. I'll definetly be sharing the results with everyone...

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I've been doing a lot of reading the last few days, trying to find similar issues others have had with their bikes and what the problem may have been.

The most common theme I hear is a "loose compensator nut". It seems like most people with this problem had very similar sounds coming from the bike to what I am exeperiencing.

I rode my bike about 50 miles home "after" starting to hear the noise and feeling the vibration. I babied her back home but never the less 50 miles is 50 miles. Hope I didn't jack anything up too bad.