I just put Andrews 26G cams in my '06 Ultra. I used S.E. adj. pushrods. After the install when the bike warms up it has more valve train noise than before. I talked with a tech at the dealer and he told me to go another 1/2 turn longer on the p-rods. I called Andrews and was told the stock lifters plunger travel is .200. He said pull a p-rod extend it 2.5 turns and see how much travel. Not to be under 90 or over 110 thousands. 2.5 turns put me at 105. My crank runout was less than .001 and inner and outer gears were at .001, all within specs. I guess the noise is normal? Have any of you experienced this? Am I good to go or should I be concerned?????? Thanks!

 

If you put gear drive in, you're going to have more valve train noise. Can't say how normal it is without hearing it, but if all installed well including p-rods it is probably normal.

 

Sometimes it can be a challenge.

The first thing to know is "how much lash" do you have on the inner gears. If it more than .001 or so, the gear drive setup will introduce noise. They have over and under sized gears for this very reason.

Also if the inner gears are not pressed on "square", they will generate noise.

Having said that, there are many theories on lifter plunger compression and it's effect on valvetrain noise. The general rule of thumb is that the plunger should be set at 50% (.100) compression within the lifter body.

Another thing is that lifters themselves can invoke noise. Did you replace the lifters when you replaced the cams?

"Most of the time", when I setup gear drive cams, that are no noisier than stock ~ often they are quieter.

Good oil (AMSoil, Redline, RoyalPurple) can help to quite valvetrain noise.

Yet another possibility is proper oil pump alignment.... if the pump is not properly aligned or an oring is torn, oil pressure can be low and that, too, can cause the dreaded noise....

 

Couple of questions:

1. Which SE pushrods did you install? Part no.? If they are the new 18404-08, the TPI is 24 and IMO 3 complete turns is perfect. (.125")

2. Did you check the adjusters and upper pushrods for anodizing flash in the oil ports? Had to run a drill bit through all 4 adjusters to clean up the set I installed. Would have definitely obstructed the oil getting to the top end causing a lot of noise due to lack of lubrication. All brands/types of pushrods can have this obstruction.

 

Sometimes you need to find the "sweet spot" on the lifter. Not all oe lifter are made the same. I had the same problem with my adj pushrod. After talking with Kevin at HQ and with PhilM I had to make 1 pushrod longer by a little than the rest. That quieted the valve train noise down. The orginal cams and pushrods will make less noise than the cam you are running. Seeing I did not hear the noise I cannot fully help.

 

Not trying to highjack this thread but how did you determine which pushrod to make longer, good ole fashioned trial and error or what. I have one lifter that sounds louder than the rest as well.

 

I used a mechianc's stehascope(sp?) to hear the noise and then by trial and error I adjusted the pushrod slowly until I got rid of the noise. It had taken me like 11-12 times of taken off the pushrod clip and adjusting the pushrod.

 

Did you use the SE tapered or straight pushrods? Did you replace the lifters? Did you get the exhaust and intake mixed up?

 

I was thinking on this one on the way into work, could the pushrods be hitting the side of the tubes? I remeber reading somewhere that s.e. tapers may casue that promblem.

 

On my '04 Ultra did the exact same change as you. I fillowed the instructions to a T. The new "noise" I have is from the gear drive.
I would suggest that you go oveer your work to insure the pushrods were installed correctly.
Yes it sounds different from what you had. But it is a good different.

YMMV, as I suspect it already has. Just my thoughts.