67 FLH engine noise
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 34
Likes: 20
From: Georgia
That sounds like a gear whine. You have two gears that are too tight. It's probably the cam & pinion, or could be the distributor drive gear and idler gear, or all of them. You can get different size pinion gears. Use .105 pins to measure the gear size. (V-twin #16-1749) I never throw away a cam gear, they are all different by a small amount, press it off the bad cam and save them for this sort of thing.
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 3,716
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 8,055
Likes: 8,080
From: Canada
To my ears it sounds like a dry or worn bushing in the generator because the noise is getting worse. Typically a tight gear will make a noise, the same noise forever. A gear wont get tighter and tighter with use increasing the frequency in which it occurs.
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 3,716
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
So, I took off the generator, made the trip to my generator shop I have been using for at least the last 40 years, had it serviced, put it back on and the whine was now worse than before. Gave Dan (Twizted Biker) a shout out and he was able to come down yesterday. Started the bike and the sound was now close to a howl. Shut it down immediately. Dan checked to make sure we had oil getting to the top end. Start it once more, same thing. Shut it down and you can see the light in Dan's head glowing brightly as he says, "Wait a minute, I have an idea" as he undoes the tac cable that goes into the top of the distributor. He has me start the bike again, and the sound is no more.
Pull the cable douse it in graphite, add a bit of 3-1 oil for good measure, reinstall and the bike is finally sounding as it should. One last thing he does is reset the carb (I had it running too rich). Took it around the block and it is finally operating as it should. Now I can get to the DMV to have the VIN# verified and get a license plate for it. And there are still a few good days left so that I can get some actual miles before the rain sets in.
Can't thank you all enough for the input and especially for Dan's insight. As I told him, I would never ever have guessed it would have been a dry cable that was causing the whine.
Pull the cable douse it in graphite, add a bit of 3-1 oil for good measure, reinstall and the bike is finally sounding as it should. One last thing he does is reset the carb (I had it running too rich). Took it around the block and it is finally operating as it should. Now I can get to the DMV to have the VIN# verified and get a license plate for it. And there are still a few good days left so that I can get some actual miles before the rain sets in.
Can't thank you all enough for the input and especially for Dan's insight. As I told him, I would never ever have guessed it would have been a dry cable that was causing the whine.
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 3,716
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Well one of these days I will actually get to ride the 67 more than a couple of miles. I was headed to the DMV and I got cough, sputter, sputter, die. Pulled to the side, half choke, fires right up and I get about 100 more yards and live, die repeat.
Limp on home and thinking a pinched vent line that goes from the T-fitting on the tanks to the top of the carb. Drain gas, pull the right tank, and the vent line is fine. Insides of the right tank has no sediment and surface rust only. Look inside the left tank and immediately notice a bunch of crap on the bottom. Pull the petcock and the filter is full of the same black crud. Gas worked all the rust loose. So, next Tuesday I drive down to GTL Advantage in North Hollywood (a bit over 5 hours one-way) to have the tanks cleaned and sealed. They use a sealer that is used on the insides of fuel tanks on Navy jets. Had the tanks on the chopped 50 and the tanks on the 65 done by them. They guarantee their work and nothing is done to affect the paint.
Hopefully I am not going to have to disassemble the carb and clean it. Guess I am learning what happens to a bike that has sat for 42 years.
Limp on home and thinking a pinched vent line that goes from the T-fitting on the tanks to the top of the carb. Drain gas, pull the right tank, and the vent line is fine. Insides of the right tank has no sediment and surface rust only. Look inside the left tank and immediately notice a bunch of crap on the bottom. Pull the petcock and the filter is full of the same black crud. Gas worked all the rust loose. So, next Tuesday I drive down to GTL Advantage in North Hollywood (a bit over 5 hours one-way) to have the tanks cleaned and sealed. They use a sealer that is used on the insides of fuel tanks on Navy jets. Had the tanks on the chopped 50 and the tanks on the 65 done by them. They guarantee their work and nothing is done to affect the paint.
Hopefully I am not going to have to disassemble the carb and clean it. Guess I am learning what happens to a bike that has sat for 42 years.
Last edited by panz4ever; Nov 15, 2024 at 10:27 AM.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 3,716
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Bit of an update. Picked up the tanks from GTL Advantage just before Christmas. Got them installed but didn't more because on January 3, 2025 I had to go in for some foot surgery (chipped a bone plus replace some cartilage). A full month on crutches and a week ago Friday I was finally able to get a tennis shoe on the left foot again. Saturday thru Tuesday was spent doing yardwork (25 bags of mulch and 450 bps of rocks after weeding, trimming and feeding all my rosebushes, fruit trees and shrubs). All I can say is thank you Jack Daniels and ibruprofin. Stiill hurts like a bitch tho cuz I probably pushed it a bit too much. Had to tho with the really heavy rains that passed thru over the next couple of days.
'Nuf said on that and back too the business at hand...
Bike started just fine but pops on cold starts (as if it is running lean). Once it is warmed up it seems to go fine. Good throttle response and no popping. Haven't been able to road test yet because I am still gimping around and I want to be wearing boots and not sneakers.
1. Today I tested the O-ring on the manifold. No leaks
2. Tomorrow...Going to check the load speed setting again
While I was messaging pagodawheels I got to thinking about the carb spacer. I know I replaced one of the O-rings but I do not have it in my notes or pics that I replaced both (parts diagram shows one for each side).
3. Tomorrow, if necessary, pull carb body to access carb spacer and check rubber seals.
'Nuf said on that and back too the business at hand...
Bike started just fine but pops on cold starts (as if it is running lean). Once it is warmed up it seems to go fine. Good throttle response and no popping. Haven't been able to road test yet because I am still gimping around and I want to be wearing boots and not sneakers.
1. Today I tested the O-ring on the manifold. No leaks
2. Tomorrow...Going to check the load speed setting again
While I was messaging pagodawheels I got to thinking about the carb spacer. I know I replaced one of the O-rings but I do not have it in my notes or pics that I replaced both (parts diagram shows one for each side).
3. Tomorrow, if necessary, pull carb body to access carb spacer and check rubber seals.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 61
Likes: 108
From: out there
So, I took off the generator, made the trip to my generator shop I have been using for at least the last 40 years, had it serviced, put it back on and the whine was now worse than before. Gave Dan (Twizted Biker) a shout out and he was able to come down yesterday. Started the bike and the sound was now close to a howl. Shut it down immediately. Dan checked to make sure we had oil getting to the top end. Start it once more, same thing. Shut it down and you can see the light in Dan's head glowing brightly as he says, "Wait a minute, I have an idea" as he undoes the tac cable that goes into the top of the distributor. He has me start the bike again, and the sound is no more.
Pull the cable douse it in graphite, add a bit of 3-1 oil for good measure, reinstall and the bike is finally sounding as it should. One last thing he does is reset the carb (I had it running too rich). Took it around the block and it is finally operating as it should. Now I can get to the DMV to have the VIN# verified and get a license plate for it. And there are still a few good days left so that I can get some actual miles before the rain sets in.
Can't thank you all enough for the input and especially for Dan's insight. As I told him, I would never ever have guessed it would have been a dry cable that was causing the whine.
Pull the cable douse it in graphite, add a bit of 3-1 oil for good measure, reinstall and the bike is finally sounding as it should. One last thing he does is reset the carb (I had it running too rich). Took it around the block and it is finally operating as it should. Now I can get to the DMV to have the VIN# verified and get a license plate for it. And there are still a few good days left so that I can get some actual miles before the rain sets in.
Can't thank you all enough for the input and especially for Dan's insight. As I told him, I would never ever have guessed it would have been a dry cable that was causing the whine.