valve noise
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Columbus,Indiana/ Arecibo,Puerto Rico
valve noise
I have valve/lifter noise on my 06 ultra since new. now at 3500 it is getting louder. is there a way to adjust it? The 3 dealers in my area says to turn up the radio!!! or put onlouder pipes. any help????
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Joined: May 2006
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From: hopefully in the bahama's someday!
RE: valve noise
hmmmmm, sounds familiar. mine not only clicks (which is typical) but it clanks! until its thoroughly warmed up, at times it sounds like a bunch of loose marbles. the local dealer said they'd switch out lifters for me. im hoping this is the problem but not convinced.
robert
milwaukee
06 ultra
robert
milwaukee
06 ultra
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,081
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From: Phoenix, Arizona
RE: valve noise
She's just talking to ya.
From what I understand (learned from here) that noise is just part of HD's engine. Different type of oil has been reported to quiet it some and engine mods (big bore kit I think) improves it even more. Me? I don't notice it anymore. I just grin and ride.
Can anyone add to that or correct me if I'm way off base?
From what I understand (learned from here) that noise is just part of HD's engine. Different type of oil has been reported to quiet it some and engine mods (big bore kit I think) improves it even more. Me? I don't notice it anymore. I just grin and ride.
Can anyone add to that or correct me if I'm way off base?
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From:
RE: valve noise
Right after I bought my new '01 RK the engine started making a lot of valve train noise. I took it to three dealers. One of them determined there was a problem on the rear cylinder, kept it a week but didn't fix the noise. Another just let it sit under a sap dripping tree for a week. They all did H-D's basic compression and leak test, road test and said it was normal (see #2 below). After arguing with them on the phone and getting nowhere (see #3 below) I pulled the rear rocker box cover, rockers, pushrods and lifters. The only thing I could see was a strange wear pattern on one of the lifter rollers. I replaced both lifters and pushrods (my expense) and put it back together. Still had the same racket. So, on advice from a mechanic at one of the dealers I submitted the initial Lemon Law letter. Now, they were calling me arranging a meeting with their engine technician at any dealer I wanted. Two weeks later I was waiting for a new engine to be installed. A few months later, the tech called me long distance to tell me the rear cam shaft was completely worn out (10k miles!). The strange wear pattern I had seen on the lifter wheel was due to a badly worn cam lobe.
Fast forward maybe 2k miles with the new engine. Guess what? Valve train noise again. I'm sure the cam/cams are badly worn and am now wondering where I'm going to get the $1.5k to buy gear drive cams and install them. New engine now has 28k on it. The noise is somewhat bearable with good oil (I use Mobil 1 15-50 . . . make your own choice).
I recently read about all the improvements to the '07 engine and saw where they said they now use "more durable cams". What have they been using all this time, Junk?
Fast forward maybe 2k miles with the new engine. Guess what? Valve train noise again. I'm sure the cam/cams are badly worn and am now wondering where I'm going to get the $1.5k to buy gear drive cams and install them. New engine now has 28k on it. The noise is somewhat bearable with good oil (I use Mobil 1 15-50 . . . make your own choice).
I recently read about all the improvements to the '07 engine and saw where they said they now use "more durable cams". What have they been using all this time, Junk?
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Joined: Jul 2006
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From:
RE: valve noise
Warmer temps you are going to hear more valve train noise,Lose the 20/50 and go heavier,Im sure oil types,brands,frequency of oil changes are factors.10000 miles and wiped cam,you have issues.Too heavy,too light valve springs,incorrect pushrod length,bent pushrod,bad rocker etc.Oil is cheap compared to engine work,dealer runarounds,no returned phone calls and paper trails.Learn to do at least the basic work on your bike yourself.Noone will do the job better.
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From:
RE: valve noise
same noise on my 06 rkc, switched back from Mobil 1 twin to HD regular oil and the noise is much quieter but still there. Dealer said " normal "
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,440
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From: Columbus,Indiana/ Arecibo,Puerto Rico
RE: valve noise
Help me understand this valve problem Is the valve clearance adjustable or are they hydraulic like an auto. As far as turning wrenches, I retired frim Cummins Engine Company. The people who make Diesel engines for Dodge trucks and semis,tractors etc. I am a Journeyman Machine Repairman with 40 years experience. and close only counts in Horse shoes, HandGrenades, and Atom Bombs. thanks
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From:
RE: valve noise
No adjustment. These are hydraulic valves and as you probably know they operate at zero lash. I feel that the problem is that the cams are made of too soft a material (or they are not hardened properly or machined incorrectly). When the leading edge of the cam lobes wear to a strange profile it tends to snap the lifter up in the lifter bore. This causes the rest of the valve train to rattle. You hear the noise on top but the culprit is the cams.
My second engine was making quite a bit of noise before I started using synthetic. Synthetic quitened it down a bit. On the first engine I used 20-50 H-D dino oil and when it was hot weather I tried 50 for a test but no good. Both engines used dino H-D to start and it wasn't until I was about to dig a hole and cement the thing into the ground that I tried synthetic. Mobil 1 was better than H-D syn. I'm sure there are many others maybe better or worse.
Most people just accept the fact that the engine is noisy. Well, I don't like that. A few like to make excuses for H-D. I don't. Of course they are noiser in hot weather. Metal expands. Guys install loud exhasust and that helps. I enjoy riding near other bikes with loud pipes but I rather like my SE fishtails with the baffles. For something that cost that much I don't want it to sound like a model T. Of course the dealer says "normal". I hate the dealer! Ear plugs help too.
My second engine was making quite a bit of noise before I started using synthetic. Synthetic quitened it down a bit. On the first engine I used 20-50 H-D dino oil and when it was hot weather I tried 50 for a test but no good. Both engines used dino H-D to start and it wasn't until I was about to dig a hole and cement the thing into the ground that I tried synthetic. Mobil 1 was better than H-D syn. I'm sure there are many others maybe better or worse.
Most people just accept the fact that the engine is noisy. Well, I don't like that. A few like to make excuses for H-D. I don't. Of course they are noiser in hot weather. Metal expands. Guys install loud exhasust and that helps. I enjoy riding near other bikes with loud pipes but I rather like my SE fishtails with the baffles. For something that cost that much I don't want it to sound like a model T. Of course the dealer says "normal". I hate the dealer! Ear plugs help too.