engine tapping
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Stage III
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, SC.
engine tapping
Have a 99 FXDX. It started making a tapping noise last year in the front / top of the engine. tried changing the push rods recently ( nothing ) still running all synth fluids. I'm the 3rd owner and was told the original owner had Andrews racing cams and pushrods installed before he got it from the shop. Haven't noticed any loss of power, but feel it has become louder recently. Just don't want the engine to fall off going down the road. It's the only transportation I have, and would be in a bind if it seized up. Anyone ever have this problem, and did you figure it out?
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,671
Likes: 11
From: sequim, wa
welcome from washington state and you need louder pipes
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: NY
Welcome aboard from New York.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Honah Lee
Record it
Can you record it and add it as an attachment so we can hear it. Not sure if you can do this but sure would be nice feature. My Harley sounds like a rotary tiller in a gravel bed but it does not tap. (mine is stock) If it coming from top of motor it's probably a lifter. Only takes a few .001 of an inch and you can hear it. If someone has put adjustable push rods in and it still has the hydraulic lifters the push rods may not be adjusted correctly. These engines are also rather sensitive to piston clearance. Does not take much to hear a piston slap especial if its been overheated. However for normal ever day driving should not be a real problem if the sound does not drive you crazy. Put a stethoscope on it. A piece of vacuum hose with a small thin wall pipe bent over or a long screwdriver with you ear to the handle will suffice and see if you can pin point noise. Just went through a 22R motor that I thought was going to blow up. Had 200K and was knocking bad- could hear it 1/2 block away. Only thing wrong was a wrist pin bushing in number 3 piston had about .003-.005 play. (should have been .0001-.0003) Some trash had gotten in the oil line and it was not getting a lot of lubrication for a while. With a scope on it it sounded just like cam bearing was worn in head at #3.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Nov 30, 2010 at 09:18 AM.