My new to me Dyna Switchback has a tick, tick, tick sound in the top end under the fuel tank area.
This is my first Harley. So I apologize if this is a normal thing. Or if it is just some very noisy fuel injection.
Since it is hydraulic lash. I have no idea what it could be. And the fellow I purchased it from says it did that since he bought it new.
It has 5,000 miles now.
Any insite?

 

That noise is a ping which is what a lean running engine does. It's normal for a stock bike but bad for your engine. If it doesn't have a tuner which I'm guessing is the case you should invest in one.

 

Wrong!!! you cannot diagnose that as a lean ping he did not give you enough information you would only hear a lean ping under a heavy load perhaps going uphill He did not say at what RPM range I was assuming he was speaking at an idle and @ 5000 miles I would tend to believe standard valve lash noise Especially sense he said he was new to harleys and not familiar with the sound of them

 

You might be hearing rocker shaft tapping... very common.

Have a look around my website, I've solved the problem for thousands of brothers & sisters worldwide

__________________________________________________ ____
For ROCKOUT information & purchasing please click HERE For all Twin Cams and Evo Big Twins & Sportsters

 

Sorry. It's at idle. As I accelerate and just about always. Hot or cold.
I've been looking at old threads and I'm leaning towards rocker box shaft rattle.
So there is a "standard" valve lash noise?
I'm completely new to Harleys. Thanks.

 

I'm ordering the Rockouts now.
That makes sense because the noise is at valve speed....
I'm correct in assuming that I'm 100% safe riding the bike until I've repaired it?

 

If the tapping noise is from rocker shafts you're fine... it's just annoying as hell

John @ Rockout

__________________________________________________ ____
For ROCKOUT information & purchasing please click HERE For all Twin Cams and Evo Big Twins & Sportsters

 

what gaskets are required for that mod?

 

Just rocker cover gaskets if you don't feel lucky. I've reused them many times with no issues but..... what's your time worth? They cost about 6 bux each at the dealer.

__________________________________________________ ____
For ROCKOUT information & purchasing please click HERE For all Twin Cams and Evo Big Twins & Sporsters

 

John's inserts will solve the problem is the noise is being generated by shaft movement. John's website will show witness marks that confirm shaft rotation so when the OP is installing the inserts, he should look for the witness marks. If there no witness marks and the noise still presents after the inserts have been properly installed, the OP could have a weak lifter. Hope that the inserts solve the problem as they have for many others.