M 8- Valve train noise SE Stg 3 114

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May 17, 2017 | 06:48 PM

#21

henryg

Thread Starter

Novice

Joined: Dec 2011

Posts: 20

Likes: 3

From: canada

Update:
I was able to be near my dealer to produce the noise and they immediately
grabbed the stethoscope and determined it was more than likely the lifters. BHD (yes in HD Forum's top 7 North American dealers) took my bike in and replaced all four lifters. Better than ever! Bike is quiet and runs like a champ.
Thanks to everyone for your replies and responses. Big shout out to Barrie Harley Davidson. With reason, my favourite dealeship!

H

May 17, 2017 | 08:15 PM

#22

mjwebb

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 13,619

Likes: 11,353

From: State of Confusion

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryg

awesome! question though..did they say what the cause was, and based on that, it is permanently resolved or may recur? just curious, thanks

May 18, 2017 | 07:45 AM

#23

DRBUICK

Road Master

Joined: Jan 2017

Posts: 1,169

Likes: 324

From: slinger wi

You guys know all they are is a gn ls1 lifter. Put ls7 lifters in and golden

May 18, 2017 | 12:01 PM

#24

stixvrad

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Nov 2016

Posts: 7,683

Likes: 13,883

From: Northern New Jersey

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRBUICK

You guys know all they are is a gn ls1 lifter. Put ls7 lifters in and golden

I wonder if the M8 has a low volume of oil going to the lifters and the earlier GM units cant fully pump up or have trouble staying pumped up? That , combined with new motors using uber thin oil might mean the later LS7 lifters might have tighter tolerances and can stay pumped up with a smaller oil supply.

Last edited by stixvrad; May 18, 2017 at 12:05 PM.

May 18, 2017 | 08:27 PM

#25

henryg

Thread Starter

Novice

Joined: Dec 2011

Posts: 20

Likes: 3

From: canada

All good comments/questions. I was told the lifters were defective or "were not functioning properly" hey sh#t happens. I've put over 500km since, and they are super quiet. The bad ones were noisy off the hopp. If this is my last post on this topic, it means all is well.

Thanks everyone!

Ride safe & keep it twisted!

H

May 18, 2017 | 10:31 PM

#26

hattitude

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2008

Posts: 14,112

Likes: 11,155

From: San Diego, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRBUICK

The lifters are a chevy LS lifter mine is getting LS7 lifters '

Quote:

Originally Posted by stixvrad

That , combined with new motors using uber thin oil might mean the later LS7 lifters might have tighter tolerances and can stay pumped up with a smaller oil supply.

Your choice if you want to run Chevy V-8 lifters in a twin cam. Many have done it, and report no problems.... I wouldn't buy a used bike that ran chevy lifters...

The chevy spec lifters are dimensionally identical to twin cam lifters, but internally different.

This S&S video kind of overstates the difference, due to the engines only running at idle rpm (a little marketing hype no doubt). Nobody idles that long, that I ride with. I'm sure the chevy lifters will flow oil at higher rpm/pressure, but the video does demonstrate there is a significant difference in oil flow rate between the S&S twin cam lifter and a chevy lifter...

I won't skimp on lifters... but each to their own....

May 19, 2017 | 10:39 AM

#27

stixvrad

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Joined: Nov 2016

Posts: 7,683

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From: Northern New Jersey

Quote:

Originally Posted by hattitude

I took DRBUICKS post ( " You guys know all they are is a gn ls1 lifter. Put ls7 lifters in and golden" ) to mean that HD used GM lifters in these things.. What your saying is, thats not the case, correct?

May 20, 2017 | 11:19 PM

#28

hattitude

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2008

Posts: 14,112

Likes: 11,155

From: San Diego, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by stixvrad

Harley absolutely does not use GM lifters, pretty much....

I am no lifter expert...... Never took one apart, measured inside tolerances, or performed flow tests... But I have always changed my OEM cams by 20K at the latest and I always replace the HD lifters in the process (unless they are the old Hylift brand). I have researched different lifters for years... and I took notes...

That "urban legend" of HD being the same as a GM lifter, was born when Harley went to a Delphi brand lifter from the Johnson Hylift lifters. The Johnson had a special 0.655" hi-volume/ hi-pressure plunger piston and valve body. This handled the temp ranges and pressure variance of an air-cooled engine like a Harley. The new Delphi was basically a small block chevy lifter... but, to serve the needs of the HD engine, Delphi tried to boost the hydraulic psi by decreasing the piston diameter. This caused a smaller high pressure oil reservoir. The smaller oil volume allows the lifter to chatter.....

So while the Delphi lifter design started as a GM small block lifter, even Delphi knew they needed to make changes to satisfy the requirements of the HD engine.

I have never read of a problem or design issue with S&S (standards or premiums), Johnson Hylift, or Woods directional lifters. I'm sure there are other quality HD spec lifters of which I have no experience/information. A GM small block lifter is NOT one of them....

I am unaware of a quality builder that recommends GM lifters in their builds...

Like I mentioned, I believe the S&S video exaggerates the difference, but a difference in oil flow between S&S & GM lifters clearly exists...

Your bike, your choice, but GM lifters won't go in my bike... nor would I buy a bike that used them...

Last edited by hattitude; May 21, 2017 at 01:51 PM.