Wife wanted me to take her to Atlanta for the weekend so she could shop. I told her I would drive her, but I was bringing my 2003 Ultra Classic to go up into the North GA mountains while she shopped all day. I did a 3 hole change the morning of, before hitting the road. I checked the levels, took for a quick test drive, checked the levels again and everything went well so loaded the bike on a trailer and we drove up to ATL. Unloaded the bike off the trailer at a buddy's house so i didn't have to bring the trailer to a hotel in Buckhead. Rode the bike from McDonough to Buckhead with no weird noises. On Saturday morning, I then took off early and headed to the mountains while the wife took my truck and went shopping. I put over 300 miles in the mountains with no weird noises and ran great. The Sunday morning, I rode the bike back to McDonough to load up the trailer. Still no weird noises. I loaded the bike on the trailer then we headed back to Florida. The way I strapped the bike on the trailer was a soft strapped around the front fork right above the fender brace mounts so there wasn't any load on the forks. The rear of the bike was soft strapped to the bag bar pulling the bike back. I left the bike in gear and the bike was well strapped with no play. The one thing I can think of is that, while at a rest area in Alabama, I hit a pothole that I didn't see at about 15mph and the trailer did a jump. The bike still looked good. I got to the house, unstrapped the bike, sat on the bike and cranked it up. There was a loud valve train tapping that tapped with the motor running, increasing in speed as rpm jumped up. i turned it off then cranked it back again. The noise was still there, but maybe, maybe slightly less hard with the tapping intensity. I pulled it into the garage without really revving it up, then turned it off. I then got off the bike and cranked it again to see if I could tell where it was coming from. It sounds like it was coming from the front jug, maybe alittle more on the left side. I'll check it out a little better when I get some time, but I wanted to get some ideas on what could be wrong, what to check, what are some possible reasons. The only thing that's coming to mind is that, when the bike jumped from the pothole, the transmission kicked the motor and maybe bent a pushrod? Any suggestions is greatly appreciated. I've got a '99 Fatboy too, but it just got a starter issue, maybe a solenoid or relay, so now I don't have a bike to ride. So I need to get at least one bike back on the road or I'll go crazy. Thanks everyone!

 

If you had it in gear, the rocking motion of the trailer probably caused the engine to move back and forth a bit collapsing lifter (bleed the oil out of it). Start it up and let it idle/warm up and see if the lifters pump up.

If they do not pump up then further investigation is warranted.

Best not to transport bikes in gear, just tie them down sufficiently.

 

My BIL trailered a couple of bikes from FL to Sturgis, same thing happened to him, bike rocked a little tied down but enough to pump the oil out of a lifter., finally pumped up.

 

Welcome aboard from Old Cape Cod!

 

Like said, that twitching depending on were piston was left parked leaving a valve open wil collapse a lifter.

I did it on my first cam tension shoes. I had also did a oil change and no oil in it

When it started on those flat down lifters, I thought a rod was coming out the side.. And it takes a bit when flat to get back pumped up.

PS...

Welcome Kenneth.

Hope you enjoy your ride here again.

Only as a suggestion, create a signature line for your bike, year, model, and all the code letters.

You can add that bike photo to the signature too.

And also as a suggestion, make your next new post over in the new member welcome area to say hello.

 

You guys were right. After I read everyone’s reply, I went out and started the bike up. It took a little bit till it had completely warmed up but the oil pumped back up into the lifters and now it’s back to its normal light tick. Thanks everyone for the quick replies.

 

There are a lot of smart, possibly drunk, folks on this board.

 

I don't see any evidence of that. At least in this thread. Once in a while on some maybe?

Why do you say that?

 

Seemed to me that they hit the nail on the head with their advice and the OP saved $ chasing a non issue.

 

yes, I know they are some very smart people on here and yes, they nailed this problem. The reason I ask you that was you said they were possible drunk.??

The expression drunk trumped smart and I was just wondering why you said that?

Must be missing something. Do you get better refunds for people after the 4th Dirty Martini olives are gone?

PM me your business card. I have a job for you February 24.