Ticking getting louder
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 281
Likes: 4
From: Temecula, CA
Ticking getting louder-UPDATE, found problem
Hey everyone, just looking for some input. I have a 2006 1200C with 66k miles, daily commute bike about 85 miles a day. My Sportster "tick" has got louder recently. I have not made any changes so I'm just curious if its time to open the engine up to investigate.
I have SE intake and V&H Short shots installed and change the oil every 3k miles, use Harley 20w50 and a stock filter.
Any ideas or input would be great!
I have SE intake and V&H Short shots installed and change the oil every 3k miles, use Harley 20w50 and a stock filter.
Any ideas or input would be great!
Last edited by pjweber; Nov 26, 2015 at 09:45 AM. Reason: Fixed problem
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 281
Likes: 4
From: Temecula, CA
At idle, my idle is set to 950 RPM. It sounds like it is coming from the rocker area front and rear cylinders. The bike has the same power in all gears and RPM range as it always has, I have not lost any performance.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 67
From: Phoenix
The sound's coming from your valvetrain, then. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a problem, especially if your bike's still performing normally across the board.
Sportsters and Big Twins use hydraulic lifters, which pump up with oil to maintain zero valve lash. It's normal to hear the valves ticking while the lifters build up pressure for a little while after start-up. If there's too little oil for the lifters to build adequate pressure, that ticking is a symptom. One reason you might be hearing the valves now when you weren't before is that engines will often burn oil more rapidly as they age.
Next time the bike's fully warmed up (I'd take it for at least a half-hour ride, just to be thorough, though that's probably overkill), listen to the rocker boxes again. If the ticking's still there, check your engine oil level and make sure there's enough.
All that being said, there could be a problem with the lifters themselves, or it could just be harmless Sportster "character" noise. Sporties are noisy bikes, and the engine racking up miles will tend to add to that.
Sportsters and Big Twins use hydraulic lifters, which pump up with oil to maintain zero valve lash. It's normal to hear the valves ticking while the lifters build up pressure for a little while after start-up. If there's too little oil for the lifters to build adequate pressure, that ticking is a symptom. One reason you might be hearing the valves now when you weren't before is that engines will often burn oil more rapidly as they age.
Next time the bike's fully warmed up (I'd take it for at least a half-hour ride, just to be thorough, though that's probably overkill), listen to the rocker boxes again. If the ticking's still there, check your engine oil level and make sure there's enough.
All that being said, there could be a problem with the lifters themselves, or it could just be harmless Sportster "character" noise. Sporties are noisy bikes, and the engine racking up miles will tend to add to that.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 281
Likes: 4
From: Temecula, CA
So I have been away for a bit, I found the source of the "ticking" i have been hearing. The top engine stabilizer link is bad, metal on metal vibration in perfect sync making it sound like it was coming from the valve train.
The sound disappeared when I dismounted and the bike was on the jiffy stand but if I was stopped at idle and leaned the bike the right it was much louder. That's it, simple fix!
The sound disappeared when I dismounted and the bike was on the jiffy stand but if I was stopped at idle and leaned the bike the right it was much louder. That's it, simple fix!
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Road Warrior
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So I have been away for a bit, I found the source of the "ticking" i have been hearing. The top engine stabilizer link is bad, metal on metal vibration in perfect sync making it sound like it was coming from the valve train.
The sound disappeared when I dismounted and the bike was on the jiffy stand but if I was stopped at idle and leaned the bike the right it was much louder. That's it, simple fix!
The sound disappeared when I dismounted and the bike was on the jiffy stand but if I was stopped at idle and leaned the bike the right it was much louder. That's it, simple fix!
For the "normal" ticking, there is a way to get rid of it!
Rocker Lockers!
Check em out HERE.
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