I have a 2012 road glide with 7000 miles. I know these engines sound like well oiled sewing machines when running but I noticed the engine making a somewhat loud clattering sound at 1800 rpm. It sounds similar to valve train noise but louder and has a more deeper tone than the higher pitched valve train sounds. does anyone have any ideas what this maybe? i am going to take it to the shop this week but just wanted a heads up on what i maybe dealing with. it just started making the noise today.

 

Hate to say it, but it is pretty normal at 1800-2300 rpms to make all kinds of clatter noises.

 

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Ok,your getting more engine noise then you normally hear which may or may not be valvetrain & or bottom end noise ,so here are a few questions to answer before we can simply chalk it up to normal everyday engine/valvetrain noise.


* Have you by any chance changed from full face to 3/4 or 1/2 helmet or gone to quieter pipes both of which making motor noise easier to hear?

* Did you check oil to ensure motors got enough in it?

* Does your bike have an oil pressure gauge and if yes that oil pressure with motor hot at idle (900-1000rpm) & at cruise like 2400-2500rpm?

* What grade oil are you running in the motor and is it std dino,semi blend,or full syn?

* Did you recently change the oil & filter?

If yes did you change to diff type or mfg oil filter, different grade-wt oil , a diff oil mfg & or go from std dino to syn oil then you normally run in the bike?

* Since you said noise seems like it may not be valvetrain related try this, with the motor hot sitting still rev the motor to 1800rpm to see if the noise it still there and if yes does it seem to come from top end/valves,lower end/crankcase or primary case?

If noise isnt there are 1800rpm sitting still under no load maybe you got bad fuel and when lugging motor at 1800rpm the motors detonating/piming on crappy fuel and not realizing that whats going on.

If that may be the case drain or run fuel tank low and refill with fresh premium 93 octane fuel to see if that stops the noise,if yes great & you found the issue.

But if the noise is still there reving motor to 1800rpm sitting still & hot to help locate the noise you can use a wooden dowel like for example a wooden handle from a shop broom cut in half placed against motor and then round upper end onto the opening of your ear to find the source.

I found doing that works very well having done it many times to track down noises in motors,alternators,water & fuel pumps,ps pumps,valvetrains,heater motors, etc.

Scott

 

i would have to agree with you on these vehicles making noise, however it just started doing it today and i thought it was the truck next to me that was making the noise initially. i would hate to just ignore it and call it "normal" engine noise meanwhile the engine is self destructing. Heck, i even tried to think it was just me imagining the noise but you cant ignore the obvious, lol

 

Cause I'll guarantee if you aren't running Spectro, that's the issue...

 

i have not done anything different myself or bike wise. i have no idea where the noise is coming from or what might be causing the noise i only mentioned the vlave train noise bcuz that is the closest thing that i can compare the noise to. the bike has all synthetic fluids it does not make the noiise when the bike is in neuteral. only at 1800 when the bike is in gear going down the road. it might make the noise at higher rpms but i tried n could not hear it past 1800 thanks for the replies

 

In all seriousness, you should not be going down the road at 1800 RPMs unless you are doing 15 or under. That is lugging the crap out of the motor and will cause you MUCH bigger problems in the future than a little noise...

 

Probably just the valve train being smacked around. My bike gets louder at 2700 RPMs. That also seems to be the RPMs I cruise around on the most also.

I'm with mouth on this also, you should definitely pick up those RPMs.

 

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LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the 2nd time you seem to be bothered by me trying to help someone out here,why is that?

Since your being a PIA whats your problem with me trying to help out here with oil an rec when someones asking for just that was the 1st time you got hot under the collar with a post from me then again here in this post throwing wise cracks when i am truely trying to help out with another problem?

Maybe too much info/reading for you to handle all at once and or just hate on anyone thats got some insite here,i dont know and dont case on that?

And yes theres a good reason i was asking the questions i did,that because if he went from for ex 20-50 std dino to syn 20-50 sometimes syn can thin out a bit more when motors hot which can lead to more engine and or valvetrain nose which is why i asked the questions i did,but maybe your not aware of that so it seems like all BS to you,oh well,thats your problem!/LOL!!

All you seem to be able to do is throw stones ,whats wrong,you bothered that you couldnt come up with some decent suggestions & or questions to ask to help figure out whats going on or where the source of the noise is coming from other then just busting my chops yet again like you seem to be bent on doing mult times for no good reason,Guess maybe thats why you call yourself " THEMOUTH " !!!!/LOL!!!!

Isnt helping out why we are here for in the 1st place ,or is it just to bust chops for no good reason like you seem to be stuck on doing when people ask for oil rec and i post a decent rec for them to chk out with links & info to help them out?

Hey,since it bothers you so much why not just simply mind your own buisness & not read when i post the oil info or anything else thats trying to help out fellow HDforum members when they ASK for rec on whats a decent oil to run in all 3 places of their HD or anything else i can help with?

Happy Motoring!!

Scott

 

He didn't ask for oil help. He asked for help with a noise. Half of your posts here are a commercial for Spectro. Oil is oil. Get over it...He may have motor issues but the oil he is using is not one of them...