Ok heres my issue.

I own a 2006 FLHXI with 15,000 miles on it and I completed a nice simple tune-up last night. Changed all 3 fluids, oil filter, plugs, and clutch inspection gasket, and primary chain inspection gasket. I also tightned my primary chain a little (per service manual) since it was loose. I just bought the bike used form a private seller and instead of taking his word for all the work said hey might as well do it myself.

Well everything went smoothly, toke the bike off the lift, and then toke it for a nice little ride before closing shop. Everything seemed nice, she ran smooth the whole time. While i was riding the bike home (earlier mentioned shop is at a buddys) i noticed a slight knocking coming from below me. I was only a block from home so continued home.

It seems the knocking is coming from around the clutch area of the primary. There is no knocking when the bike is first started and cold, but as it warms up it seems to get worse. My friend was saying my primary chain may have come loose but i will not be able to check it till Monday (work always gets in the way!)

I was hopiong maybe someone had an idea of what else it might be or if someone has had the same problem. The bike was running clean before the tune-up incase i didnt mention that.

Looking foward to some good tips!

 

Two things come to mind.
1: There is a hot OR cold adjustment for the primary chain depending on whether your bike is warmed up or not. Make sure you adjusted it to the right specs.

2: There is a spot on the primary chain where it is tighter so you have to roll it around to find that tight spot before you adjust the chain.

 

sounds good texas i will do that when i readjust on monday. you think i should drop the whole primary cover to do it and refill all the fluid?

 

Doubt if it is a knock. More likely a primary chain slap. Pull inspection cover and check chain after rolling it in several places. Sounds like you either left adjuster loose or you slacked off the chain.

 

Could be that the compensator loosened up. It's pretty common. If you don't find your chain at fault that's where I would look next.

 

trans drive sprocket could also be coming loose! time to take a detailed look before something gets bashed.

 

I wouldnt worry about draining the fluid or pulling the cover. You just have to make sure you adjust it right. It can be tricky without a tool to measure the slack. You can take a metal coat hanger and put a couple bends in it to make you a good measuring tool.

Since it only started AFTER you serviced the bike and adjusted the primary chain i highly doubt it is the comp sprocket. Just a missadjusted chain slapping in there.

 

How could tightening the chain cause chain slap from a previously looser chain? Unless the op actually loosened the chain or the tensioner slipped. Just wondering.

 

If the nut wasn't tight after adjustment, that thing can drop to full loose instantly. Rattle city.
A too tight chain would likely whine noticeably loud.

Something odd about this story. I can't wait to see what he finds!

 

yeah if it is chain slap... the Op did something wrong... Like move the adjustor down instead of up, not tighten nut tightly, I dunno, I do know that the chain could not be tighter and then have developed chain slap.