I've been searching on the known compensator issues and haven't seen anyone else that has the same symptoms I'm experiencing, so wanted to see what you all thought. My bike is a '14 SGS w/14k miles, been doing this for about the last 5k miles. When the bike's engine and ambient air temp is hot, I'll get a brief rattle on startup. It's gotta be hot as in over 90 degrees outside and on a real hot engine for it to happen, and it seems more prevalent as I get to the end of an oil change interval; 2500-3000 miles. When I was in Sturgis with temps 100+, it would do it nearly every time I started my bike until I got my oil changed there by a shop, then it went away for a few thousand miles and came back. And it's not just a quiet rattle, it's loud enough I've had people next to me on their bike look down at my bike like they thought the engine was about to start spitting pieces out. Basically sounds like valves chattering when hydraulic lifters have bled down and need to prime up again on start up. But if I let my bike sit for 3 or 4 weeks and fire it up, it won't make a sound. Again, engine and ambient temps have to be hot for it to happen. Am I in the ballpark thinking it's the compensator?

 

I have 14 Limited the comp was replaced under warranty at 12,000 miles. It started with the rattling at idle and progressively got worse. The dealer listened several times before I was feed up with the rattle and they replaced it. The bike has 34000 now and had no more issues.
Iv tried serval oil brands and everybody has there favorite but formula+ works best imho.

 

My bike started making a little noise similar to a whirling and rattling chain. Took it in and they said it sounded like the compensator. They replaced compensator and chain tensioner. This was at just over 45,000 miles. Thank you ESP

 

My bike is out of warranty and even if it is the compensator, I'd rather pay a few hundred out of pocket and put in an aftermarket one, not put the same crappy one in that failed already. Stupid question, but I don't even know, are the stock lifters hydraulic or solid? That's the only thing I can think of otherwise that would be causing the noise on startup.

 

Stock lifters are hydraulic.

 

The over head tapping also has been discussed in depth over and over and again!


https://www.hdforums.com/forum/new-r...t-is-over.html

 

What oil are you running in the primary? If not Formula Plus, try it. Very inexpensive and a quick item to try. I found it was the answer to my primary noises.

 

At the risk of turning this into another "what oil do you use" thread; what oil are you using? Synth of Dino? Some synthetic oils, while providing good lubrication and shear resistance, can be pretty thin at hotter temps; giving you some rattle.

To test if your comp is going bad; put bike in gear, hold front brake, give a bit of throttle and release clutch a bit. Do you hear a banging/rattle? If so, comp may be going out. If not, comp is probably ok. Also, some folks have said their primary runs quieter with Formular +, rather than synth.

 

I know, I've got the rocker lockers installed already. I know it isn't a valve train rattle, it's either a lifter breeding down or something in my primary.

 

I just called and spoke with my tuner and he said not two weeks ago he had a customer tell him about a '14 that was doing almost verbatim what I was describing to him on the phone. Rattles noticeably at the end of oil change intervals, quiets down after he changes the oil, sounds like a primary rattle. At his last oil change, however, the noise didn't go away. So he took it apart and found a needle bearing on one of the lifter rollers failed, sent the needles into his case and destroyed the case. He's a month out of his extended warranty and is now battling Harley to pay for it since the issue has been ongoing and they wouldn't do anything about it. Hopefully I caught it before all that, but we'll see. I'll be taking it in within a few weeks when i get my trailer back. Let's hope I'm not stuck with a $2500 bill for a new case and the labor.