Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
Hey everybody
 \\;
I just got an '03 Fatboy with 20K miles, and it's my first HD. \\; I've been riding for 30+ years, and I've owned several metric bikes. \\;
 \\;
Here's the problem: \\; When the bike gets warm, it makes quite a bit of noise that sounds like it's coming from the bottom end. \\; Kind of a grinding noise, not a knocking noise, and it's hard to pinpoint but it sounds a little louder on the cam side of the engine. \\; I was thinking of draining the oil and seeing if there are metal particles in it. \\; Then I thought I'd switch it to synthetic and see if that makes any difference. \\; I heard that some of the twin cam engines around \\;the vintage of mine had some cam bearing problems. \\; My last bike (a 1600 Road Star) had loud enough pipes that if there was any engine noise you wouldn't \\;have been able to hear it. \\; This bike has Screamin' Eagle pipes, so they're pretty quiet, so the noise I'm hearing is quite apparent. \\; Other HD riders' \\;bikes don't have the grinding/swishing sound I'm experiencing. \\; The sound kind of reminds me of how an ultrasound of a baby in the womb makes. \\; You know, that swish swish swish as the baby's heart beats.
 \\;
Any thoughts or ideas?
 \\;
Thanks, Mark \\; \\;
 \\;
I just got an '03 Fatboy with 20K miles, and it's my first HD. \\; I've been riding for 30+ years, and I've owned several metric bikes. \\;
 \\;
Here's the problem: \\; When the bike gets warm, it makes quite a bit of noise that sounds like it's coming from the bottom end. \\; Kind of a grinding noise, not a knocking noise, and it's hard to pinpoint but it sounds a little louder on the cam side of the engine. \\; I was thinking of draining the oil and seeing if there are metal particles in it. \\; Then I thought I'd switch it to synthetic and see if that makes any difference. \\; I heard that some of the twin cam engines around \\;the vintage of mine had some cam bearing problems. \\; My last bike (a 1600 Road Star) had loud enough pipes that if there was any engine noise you wouldn't \\;have been able to hear it. \\; This bike has Screamin' Eagle pipes, so they're pretty quiet, so the noise I'm hearing is quite apparent. \\; Other HD riders' \\;bikes don't have the grinding/swishing sound I'm experiencing. \\; The sound kind of reminds me of how an ultrasound of a baby in the womb makes. \\; You know, that swish swish swish as the baby's heart beats.
 \\;
Any thoughts or ideas?
 \\;
Thanks, Mark \\; \\;
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 29,598
Likes: 19
From: Oregon
RE: Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
That year didn't have the worst of the cam bearing problems, but Harley has never put really good cam bearings in an engine imho. Lots of guys like to swap them for a Torrington brand bearing. Good time to get a nice cam too.
 \\;
That's not to say it's a cam bearing, but it could be. If you do swap out cams and bearings, I'd highly recommend a cam grind for bottom end torque and not higher end power. Just my two cents.
 \\;
That's not to say it's a cam bearing, but it could be. If you do swap out cams and bearings, I'd highly recommend a cam grind for bottom end torque and not higher end power. Just my two cents.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 805
Likes: 6
From: Burb of Chicago
RE: Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
Well coming from the cam side....and your scoots an 03 with 20K miles..it may seem early, but I believe its never to early to check out your Cam chain tensioners. \\; 03 didn't have a bearing problem that I can recall, but you do have the crappy designed plastic cam chain tensioners, which, if they decide to break apart, will screw up your engine Big Time. \\;
 \\;
Take a screw driver, and using it as a stethescope get right down there by you cam chest, and take a listen. \\; If it sounds like a metal chain rubbing on a metal sleeve, that could be your problem.
 \\;
Respects,
Ed
 \\;
Take a screw driver, and using it as a stethescope get right down there by you cam chest, and take a listen. \\; If it sounds like a metal chain rubbing on a metal sleeve, that could be your problem.
 \\;
Respects,
Ed
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,950
Likes: 4
RE: Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
ORIGINAL: Fatrat03
Hey everybody
 \\;\\\\\\;
I just got an '03 Fatboy with 20K miles, and it's my first HD. \\;\\\\\\; I've been riding for 30+ years, and I've owned several metric bikes. \\;\\\\\\;
 \\;\\\\\\;
Here's the problem: \\;\\\\\\; When the bike gets warm, it makes quite a bit of noise that sounds like it's coming from the bottom end. \\;\\\\\\; Kind of a grinding noise, not a knocking noise, and it's hard to pinpoint but it sounds a little louder on the cam side of the engine. \\;\\\\\\; I was thinking of draining the oil and seeing if there are metal particles in it. \\;\\\\\\; Then I thought I'd switch it to synthetic and see if that makes any difference. \\;\\\\\\; I heard that some of the twin cam engines around \\;\\\\\\;the vintage of mine had some cam bearing problems. \\;\\\\\\; My last bike (a 1600 Road Star) had loud enough pipes that if there was any engine noise you wouldn't \\;\\\\\\;have been able to hear it. \\;\\\\\\; This bike has Screamin' Eagle pipes, so they're pretty quiet, so the noise I'm hearing is quite apparent. \\;\\\\\\; Other HD riders' \\;\\\\\\;bikes don't have the grinding/swishing sound I'm experiencing. \\;\\\\\\; The sound kind of reminds me of how an ultrasound of a baby in the womb makes. \\;\\\\\\; You know, that swish swish swish as the baby's heart beats.
 \\;\\\\\\;
Any thoughts or ideas?
 \\;\\\\\\;
Thanks, Mark \\;\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\\;
Hey everybody
 \\;\\\\\\;
I just got an '03 Fatboy with 20K miles, and it's my first HD. \\;\\\\\\; I've been riding for 30+ years, and I've owned several metric bikes. \\;\\\\\\;
 \\;\\\\\\;
Here's the problem: \\;\\\\\\; When the bike gets warm, it makes quite a bit of noise that sounds like it's coming from the bottom end. \\;\\\\\\; Kind of a grinding noise, not a knocking noise, and it's hard to pinpoint but it sounds a little louder on the cam side of the engine. \\;\\\\\\; I was thinking of draining the oil and seeing if there are metal particles in it. \\;\\\\\\; Then I thought I'd switch it to synthetic and see if that makes any difference. \\;\\\\\\; I heard that some of the twin cam engines around \\;\\\\\\;the vintage of mine had some cam bearing problems. \\;\\\\\\; My last bike (a 1600 Road Star) had loud enough pipes that if there was any engine noise you wouldn't \\;\\\\\\;have been able to hear it. \\;\\\\\\; This bike has Screamin' Eagle pipes, so they're pretty quiet, so the noise I'm hearing is quite apparent. \\;\\\\\\; Other HD riders' \\;\\\\\\;bikes don't have the grinding/swishing sound I'm experiencing. \\;\\\\\\; The sound kind of reminds me of how an ultrasound of a baby in the womb makes. \\;\\\\\\; You know, that swish swish swish as the baby's heart beats.
 \\;\\\\\\;
Any thoughts or ideas?
 \\;\\\\\\;
Thanks, Mark \\;\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\\;
engine noise on a Harley????????? \\; \\; You have got to be kidding??????? \\; HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
 \\;
I can harley hear mine. \\;
 \\; \\; Troll
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
RE: Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
I'm not positive it's coming from the cam side, but I used a stethoscope and it seemed a little louder on that side. \\; I'll drain the oil and see if there's any metal in it, but this has me pretty worried. \\; I'm thinking I'll take it to the dealer (which unfortunately is 80 miles from me) and see what they have to say about it. \\; There are others who work on HD's around here but I don't really trust them... \\;
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
I have a similar noise in my '02 Night Train with 28,000 miles. It's noticeable at idle, mostly, sort of a continuous 'scraping' kind of sound. I became convinced it was cam-tensioner related, so I had SE 203 cams installed, along with new bearings, chains, tensioners and gear. When I picked it up, the engine still had the exact same sound. It runs perfectly well, and since the cams, I've put about 500-1000 miles on it. The noise hasn't changed (gotten worse), so I'm just monitoring it for now. The only thing that ever changes is the noise is louder in hotter weather- seemingly nothing to do with engine temp, just ambient temp.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 697
Likes: 1
From: Just west of Tahoe
RE: Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
EAR PLUGS!
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,051
Likes: 0
From: Inverness FL
RE: Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
There must be an indy closer that 80 miles..They are mostly honest ex HD mechs and usually know their chit. It don't cost for opinions!!
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Joe Kucinski
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 5
RE: Newbie Here, Have Engine Noise
Before you take it to the dealer, change the oil. \\; Check the oil for metal fragments then cut open the filter and spread the contents on some white paper towels.. \\; The tensioner material will be orange in color if any is present..
 \\;
If you do all this and find nothing, fill it back up with oil and run the hell out of it. \\; Unfortunately HD's are noisy...
 \\;
Ride safe....
 \\;
If you do all this and find nothing, fill it back up with oil and run the hell out of it. \\; Unfortunately HD's are noisy...
 \\;
Ride safe....
