Top end noise
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
Likes: 6,171
From: SE Michigan
One month after posting this, I purchased a 2020 FLTRK. Its a great bike, but I will say that the top end is very noisy. I only have 500 miles on it so far, but it has a warranty, my attitude is just ride and not let it get to me.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
I'm on 3rd set of these crappy HD lifters worse was the SE premium crap lasted only few hundreds miles. Seems like noise on my 3rd set is coming back again after little over 4K miles Sturgis trip. Not sure what the hell is going on every time I start the bike it pisses me off.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 115
Likes: 33
From: Central California Coast
Sorry for your troubles. Some noises are significant sign of a problem. Your noises were also accompanied by other symptoms: fouled plugs, low oil, etc. Most noises are merely noises without any other symptoms. As any engine wears, it will get noisier. Harleys are not unique in this. A Gold Wing engine with over 100k miles on it will be pretty clacky. The ones I've heard have been. I had an 03 Honda VTX that I and my son put almost 60k miles on before selling it. A friend bought a 2005 VTX with only 5k miles on it, and one day we went riding. I could really notice the difference in noise clatter between the older and newer engines.
That's not the point anyway. My 2011 50K mile RK police is quiet. I love driving around on it just to listen to it go through the gears. I run rocker lockouts, 10w-60 non syn. Needed new lifters and cam at 38K miles. So about 12K miles on my SE 255 cam and HD lifters.
I run injector-valve cleaner about 6 times a year, to keep the injectors clean and the intake valves clear for good air fuel entry and swirl. A partially clogged injector will cause, due to the closed loop Ox sensor, a longer pulse length to get the A/F ratio back into target range. This can go undetected. These engines are also very carbon buildup sensitive. Air cooled pistons the size of a Ford 427 with short skirts are set up a bit looser than a car to start with, and blowby is routed right back down the throat.
I think a lot of clicking on an otherwise healthy engine is carbon or fuel injector related, not related to piston slap or small end rod issues.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,614
Likes: 6,440
From: Honah Lee
Sounds normal to me for a air cooled motor with steel on steel (roller) bearings . That is not lifters. Get you a mechanics' stethoscope at harbor freight. Probe around with it in both ears. That will isolate exhaust. A problem would show up then as a tap. With the stethoscope, you will hear the steel on steel rollers as a steady whirr but not the tic.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
