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So, In March, I replaced the cam chain tensioners, put it all back together and she ran like a clock. Flawlessly smooth and quiet. Last weekend, July 3rd, I was on the tail end of a 200 mile ride and I notice the engine starts making noise I've never heard before. Not thinking it anything serious, I rode the following day (100 miles) and the noise got a little louder. I didn't ride again until today (July 7) and the noise was quite obvious and I cut my ride short and came back home.
The noise for lack of a better description sounds like dry rockers clacking around in the top. Akin to the sound of a V-8 with the valve covers removed.... only louder. The idle is normal and smooth. There is no loss of power. I have plenty of oil and it is swirling around a bit in the tank though not as much as I have seen in the past. When I did the Cam Chain Tensioners, I also rebuilt the existing oil pump and it functioned normally after reassembly.
I can only think that I'm looking at a few things that it could be.
1. Oil pump
2. Lifters
3. Rockers
4. All of the above
5. Top End Rebuild
The bike is a 2003 100th Anniversary Heritage Softail Classic. 53,000 miles, original Twin Cam 88.
So I'd like to hear your thoughts and how much do you think this is going to cost me. Thanks for your input in advance.
1) Replace the lifters? While the '03 bikes had the better "B" series lifters, rather than the later twin cams with the junk "C" series lifters, lifters can still go bad....
2) Did you use adjustable pushrods? While it doesn't happen often, there have been reports of adjustable pushrods coming loose and losing their adjustment...
When you replaced the tensioners, were the old tensioners severely pitted or were the pads broken up at all? If so, did you remove all debris? Any small amount of debris in the oil circuit, that isn't caught by the filter can clog a lifter (lifters are sometimes referred to as secondary oil filters). That would limit/restrict oil flow to the rocker arms....
As far as cost, you can pull the pushrod clips and check the pushrods in a few minutes time.....
To check the oil pump or lifters will require going into the cam chest. Not particularly hard to do, but you will need a service manual, some knowledge, and a little time....
Good luck with the repair, and let us know the outcome...
Last edited by hattitude; Jul 7, 2019 at 11:35 PM.
I did not replace the lifters.
The pushrods were not replaced (they were/are in great shape) and they are not the adjustable types.
The old tensioners were nearly worn through. I caught it in time. That being said, there was no debris inside the cam chest at all. I suspect that all the little micro pieces were picked up by the oil filter. There were no bits inside the oil pump either.
I've done the whole cam chest thing once already, so I know my way around and in it. I was not, am not, looking forward to loosing my summer to the bike being back on my lift again. When I did the tensioners, the bike was off the road for 6 months (it was a money thing), while I gathered parts, tools, manuals and a space to do the work. Now that I have all that and the experience, it looks like I'm going back in and I'm going to be off the road for months.
Outter Cam Bearings Yes. Inner, no. I didn't and don't have the tools for that. I don't believe that to be the problem though. But thanks for your input.
I did not replace the lifters.
The pushrods were not replaced (they were/are in great shape) and they are not the adjustable types.
The old tensioners were nearly worn through. I caught it in time.
Based on this, I would open the cam chest to inspect the lifters, check the oil pump, and check cam plate o-rings...
This will only cost some time and new cam cover/rocker cover gaskets....
If you need new lifters, I'd suggest Johnson Hylift from WFO Larry. They are high quality and affordable....
Best thing to do or have done was to replace bearings (inner & outer) - no tool = no excuse, can get one for 100 bucks on line, did I read correct 6 months..... get it with the money side of things but was the bike tore down? one thing about lifters is if they go dry they should be replaced IMHO, open the PR tubes with the bike on a lift put in high gear, turn tire & see if theres any slop in the lift to push rod - if so, collapsed lifter & an easy check.
a side from that what Hattitude said, Good luck & report back when you can.
My 2 cents for what it's worth. You say you reused the stock pushrods and also you hear noise coming from the rockers.. This means you opened the top end. I would re-open the rocker boxes and check the torque of all those bolts. (In addition to opening the cam chest again).
A YT video popped up in my feed the other day where a fellow was trying to track down a strange noise. Bike ran fine. Noise was broken rocker arm support.
hth
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Twin Cam 88 noisy
