I've got an 06 softail and I am using Mobil 1 v twin engine oil. I have noticed that when starting the bike cold there is a fair bit of what sounds like rocker or chain noise. After the bike warms up to operating temperature the noise subsides a bit but I am a little paranoid about the camchain tensioners. The bike has done 25,000 km (13,000 miles). Does anyone else using the same oil experience this sort of noise when starting their bike from cold ??

 

cam tensioners giving up the ghost? kind of sounds like it but it should be making noise all the time.....just a thought

 

Knock or ping noise on cold start likely lazy lifter. That noise subsides once warm. The tensioner problem would likely be more subdued and consistent in my opinion.

 

You'll know it when the cam chain tensioners go.

 

"It's Normal" (Standard reply)

 

Any mods to the engine? When did the new style cam chain shoes come in? Still 13k miles is a little early for the old style shoes to start going out. Somebody mention a lazy oil filter. If the oil filter is draining out and not holding any oil after shutdown you could have a short delay of oil to the lifters while the filter does it's thing. I'd change the filter, simple enough to do, just top off the oil tank back to normal level.

 

Mine was making an rpm dependent ringing/rattling sound from what sounded like the top end on the primary side for the last couple of weeks. I would alternate between thinking that the sound was coming from the primary or from the heads but I could only get the sound to happen while riding so it was tough to nail down. I checked and slightly tightened the primary chain but the noise continued. Yesterday, on my way home from work, I inadvertently got my leg against the horn cover and the sound went away. It turned out that the bolt holding the horn bracket on had just gotten ever so slightly loose. Tightened it up....noise is gone!

Now I'm noticing a sort of growling sound from the cam chest cover area. It's not consistent, though, and seems to be most prevalent when the bike has been running for a minute or two, then it pretty much goes away. Weird.

 

Which side of the engine does the noise come from? Primary side or pushrod side?

 

It is mostly comming from the pushrod side and it is very much like rocker noise but its hard to pinpoint. its just an all over rattly sound (sounds like a sewing machine LOL) and if I wasn't concerned about cam chain tensioners I probably would'nt worry.

 

Open your cam cover and have a look at the tensioners. Cost...Three gaskets (1 cam and 2 exhaust)and some time.