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Hey Kids,
I got a 2003 100th Anniversary Heritage Softail Classic EFI. 52,000 miles, original Twin Cam 88. Garage kept but it gets a lot of road time. Regularly maintained and pampered.
So I'm riding back from my brothers house 50 miles away and I here this whining noise. Can't figure where it is coming from, but I thought from the Starter since it was't starting "normally" the past few times. That is to say, a press of the start button would initiate the starting... pause.... then it would kick and start. So, while I was riding down the highway I could here this noise, I thought "the starter maybe?". I notice the noise would seem to accelerate and decelerate with me. When I got home I tried to figure out where it was coming from. Doesn't sound like the primary side (primary chain tensioner), can't tell if it's the right (cam tensioner), my ear says it's coming from the starter, but when I step to the rear of the bike it sounds totally right side.
I haven't done an inspection full cover-off inspection yet, but at the moment I'm looking for some input and thoughts. Should I, can I continue to ride the bike? What does a failing cam/primary chain tensioner sound like? If it fails is it catastrophic? Any help, suggestions and wisdom you can pass this way would be greatly appreciated.
I have never had a tensioner fail, so i can't offer anything as to how it would sound, but at 50,000 miles I would be pretty suspicious of a tensioner failure. That is probably the first place I would look. No way to say for sure if it would hurt anything to keep riding it since you don't know what it is. My advise is that if this is a new noise, something is probably needing attention. I wouldn't ride it any more until I figured out what is going on.
The chain tensioners can so some costly secondary damage. Personally, I sure think it is a good idea to check into it before you ride it anymore.
I too, had a whining noise that drove me crazy. It turned out to be the drive belt was rubbing slightly on the the plastic belt guards. Have you checked that?
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Strange Whining Sound
