Loud tapping noise
Loud tapping noise
I have a 07 Heritage with close to 38k miles. It is stock except for Rush mufflers with 1.75" baffles and SEST. My tuning is close to stock except for the absence of deccel enleanment and slightly richer mix throughout. My engine runs much cooler than it did the first 3 years.
Lately I have noticed a loud tapping noise when I am rapidly backing off of the throttle. It only happens when the engine is well warmed up and I have been riding at extended high speed, around 55 or so. When I pull in the clutch and release the throttle to shift I hear it. I can pull in the clutch and rev the engine and the noise appears when releasing the throttle rapidly. It also happens if I am up to 65 and just release the throttle with the clutch engaged.
After I have been riding in town or close to home at lower speeds it goes away.
It sounds like three or four loud taps coming from the top of the engine, possibly the front. I have a windshield so I can't really tell if it is front or rear, but it sounds like front. The dealer thought it was the cam tensioners so they changed inner and outer. (~800 bones!). The noise was gone for a while and I thought that they had it but it started coming back around 500 miles later. Really sounds more like a lifter is bleeding down at higher rpm but I thought that lifters were more prone to bleed down at lower rpm. Put an oil gauge on and my oil pressure stays up around 40 at highway speeds and never lower than 12 at idle.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Tom
Lately I have noticed a loud tapping noise when I am rapidly backing off of the throttle. It only happens when the engine is well warmed up and I have been riding at extended high speed, around 55 or so. When I pull in the clutch and release the throttle to shift I hear it. I can pull in the clutch and rev the engine and the noise appears when releasing the throttle rapidly. It also happens if I am up to 65 and just release the throttle with the clutch engaged.
After I have been riding in town or close to home at lower speeds it goes away.
It sounds like three or four loud taps coming from the top of the engine, possibly the front. I have a windshield so I can't really tell if it is front or rear, but it sounds like front. The dealer thought it was the cam tensioners so they changed inner and outer. (~800 bones!). The noise was gone for a while and I thought that they had it but it started coming back around 500 miles later. Really sounds more like a lifter is bleeding down at higher rpm but I thought that lifters were more prone to bleed down at lower rpm. Put an oil gauge on and my oil pressure stays up around 40 at highway speeds and never lower than 12 at idle.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Tom
Last edited by Tom_07Heritage; Jan 22, 2012 at 07:44 AM.
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
My experience is lifter bleed down happens while the motors off. The pressure from the cam and push rod on a bad lifter cause the oil pressure to drain on that lifter.
Surprised that the dealer would think it the tensioners. Everything I've read so far had been great on the new HYD system, I've never heard of a set actually wearing out yet.
There was one member who at 80k replaced his, only cause he put in some cams, but still they showed very little wear.
Did U actually see Ur old ones,?? if so how much wear did they have.??
The way noise travels in a motor sometimes it really hard to pinpoint more so with the shield on.
Thinking even rockers, pushrods or lifters could be causing it. if worn or something loose
Surprised that the dealer would think it the tensioners. Everything I've read so far had been great on the new HYD system, I've never heard of a set actually wearing out yet.
There was one member who at 80k replaced his, only cause he put in some cams, but still they showed very little wear.
Did U actually see Ur old ones,?? if so how much wear did they have.??
The way noise travels in a motor sometimes it really hard to pinpoint more so with the shield on.
Thinking even rockers, pushrods or lifters could be causing it. if worn or something loose
Last edited by oct1949; Oct 11, 2011 at 04:20 PM.
I did not see my old tensioner parts. The dealer said that I got it in just in time, that it was almost metal to metal. I don't know. I should have asked them to keep the old parts for me.
I agree with you on the lifter bleeding down while the engine is stopped. I just can't think of anything that is related to high speed riding.
Thanks for the reply.
I agree with you on the lifter bleeding down while the engine is stopped. I just can't think of anything that is related to high speed riding.
Thanks for the reply.
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
I did not see my old tensioner parts. The dealer said that I got it in just in time, that it was almost metal to metal. I don't know. I should have asked them to keep the old parts for me.
I agree with you on the lifter bleeding down while the engine is stopped. I just can't think of anything that is related to high speed riding.
Thanks for the reply.
I agree with you on the lifter bleeding down while the engine is stopped. I just can't think of anything that is related to high speed riding.
Thanks for the reply.
I'd have to see them to believe it.
IMO a dealer saying that makes me wonder.
Is Urs a 96'er or is it a 88''er??? If it a 88'' then yes, they can wear out between anywhere between 25k to 50K
I've lots of reports from members in here and other forums that when changing cams anywhere from 10K-50K that all but one of them I've read are reporting almost ZERO wear on the tensioners.
heres a thread on how long they last.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...sioners-3.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...sioners-3.html
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,473
Likes: 15
From: River City Western Canada
I have a 07 Heritage with close to 38k miles. It is stock except for Rush mufflers with 1.75" baffles and SEST. My tuning is close to stock except for the absence of deccel enleanment and slightly richer mix throughout. My engine runs much cooler than it did the first 3 years.
Lately I have noticed a loud tapping noise when I am rapidly backing off of the throttle. It only happens when the engine is well warmed up and I have been riding at extended high speed, around 55 or so. When I pull in the clutch and release to throttle to shift I hear it. I can pull in the clutch and rev the engine and the noise appears when releasing the throttle rapidly. It also happens if I am up to 65 and just release the throttle with the clutch engaged.
After I have been riding in town or close to home at lower speeds it goes away.
It sounds like three or four loud taps coming from the top of the engine, possibly the front. I have a windshield so I can't really tell if it is front or rear, but it sounds like front. The dealer thought it was the cam tensioners so they changed inner and outer. (~800 bones!). The noise was gone for a while and I thought that they had it but it started coming back around 500 miles later. Really sounds more like a lifter is bleeding down at higher rpm but I thought that lifters were more prone to bleed down at lower rpm. Put an oil gauge on and my oil pressure stays up around 40 at highway speeds and never lower than 12 at idle.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Tom
Lately I have noticed a loud tapping noise when I am rapidly backing off of the throttle. It only happens when the engine is well warmed up and I have been riding at extended high speed, around 55 or so. When I pull in the clutch and release to throttle to shift I hear it. I can pull in the clutch and rev the engine and the noise appears when releasing the throttle rapidly. It also happens if I am up to 65 and just release the throttle with the clutch engaged.
After I have been riding in town or close to home at lower speeds it goes away.
It sounds like three or four loud taps coming from the top of the engine, possibly the front. I have a windshield so I can't really tell if it is front or rear, but it sounds like front. The dealer thought it was the cam tensioners so they changed inner and outer. (~800 bones!). The noise was gone for a while and I thought that they had it but it started coming back around 500 miles later. Really sounds more like a lifter is bleeding down at higher rpm but I thought that lifters were more prone to bleed down at lower rpm. Put an oil gauge on and my oil pressure stays up around 40 at highway speeds and never lower than 12 at idle.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Tom
At 38k on a 07 I seriously doubt the tensions were worn out
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,289
Likes: 22
From: Beautiful Downtown Burbank
Thats what I'm thinking.
To the OP, the dealer you used is a friggin idiot
To the OP, the dealer you used is a friggin idiot
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,133
Likes: 125
From: Japan
Never go to that dealer again. They just scammed you out of $800. Tapping sound from the tensioners? I don't think so. Even if your tensioners WERE worn down (highly unlikely), the chains on models with hydraulic tensioners are designed so that the tensioner shoes can't wear thru.
The noise is most likely coming from your valve train. I would find a trustworthy indy and have them take it for a test run to listen for what's going on.
The noise is most likely coming from your valve train. I would find a trustworthy indy and have them take it for a test run to listen for what's going on.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 313
Likes: 1
From: St.Louis, Mo area
Marvel Mystery Oil. Add to the gas and run a few hundred miles. If it is in the valve train, you should notice a change in the sound. If not, add to the oil next, same routine. Easy way to troubleshoot upper or lower problems.