So was out riding yesterday and all of a sudden the bike starting making a loud clanging noise and got SUPER LOUD when i rolled on the throttle and the noise got louder also when rolling on. Pulled over and shut it off. Was not running hot, oil level was good. No fluids leaking. Was on highway so couldn't isolate where exactly it was coming from. I recently had an S&S full cam chest installed with adjustable rods. The guy who does my work picked up the bike and gave me a ride so and is supposed to tear into it later today. Don't think I threw a rod as nothing was leaking and the bike will start. Any idea what it could be? Seriously hope I'm not going to be out a few thousand here.

 

It might be one of your footboards. My left footboard will clang pretty loud once in awhile. The floating part can clang against the fixed part. Try pushing your foot down harder when you hear the clang, see if that changes or eliminates it.

Also, could be a loose exhaust heat shield. Those are held on my simple hose clamps. If one is loose it might clang.

First time I heard the footboard clang, it was really alarming. I pulled over, thinking the motor was coming apart. It took me several days to finally isolate the source.

 

This is def the motor.

 

Pushrod came loose?...compensator bolt came loose? Hopefully that's all it is

 

Should know shortly. Could a loose push rod damage the valves?

 

Damn. Hope it works out ok. Keep us posted.

 

Sorry to hear, please keep us posted

 

I’m gonna guess a pushrod loosened up, let us know

 

So apparently one of the s&s pushrods came loose. Mechanic doesn't think it caused any further damage but is checking. Hoping none of the valves got bent and damaged the pistons. Once I heard the noise I only rode about 30 seconds. Just long enough to get to the side of the HW and shut it down.

 

If a pushrod loosened, wouldn’t the worse it would do is cause a valve to not fully open and maybe clack as the gap was abruptly taken up as the lifter slapped it? I mean, the adjustable pushrods couldn’t tighten on their own, so the likelihood of valve interference is pretty low, right?