[RedinFL]

I have a 69 FLH that had a quiet motor but leaked from every gasket on the top end. My wife would ride it and when we got home she would have oil all over the bottom of her jeans. That being said I took it down to the local bike shop that specializes in Harleys to change the gaskets.
They had my bike for 2 weeks, called me said it was all done, I went down to pick it up and there was this knocking sound that sounded to me like the front head. They told me they heard it but thought it was maybe there before. I said no way, so they said well it must be in the bottom end since they had done everything correctly on the top. So I said ok split the cases, they had it another 4 weeks, called said come get her shes done. I started it up and bang bang bang still from the front head. they tore it down again, called again and its still there. Frustrated after nearly 3 months without my bike I payed for it and picked it up.
After this long story my question is....... Do you think that the piston could be hitting the head? I hate to open it up because at this point the bike shop owns this problem, but am not sure I trust them to fix it if I take it back.

[whacker]

I would make them fix it....I know wtih my sportty there are different thickness copper head gaskets,you never know what they, did but to give it back to you like that is wrong.The pistons on my bike are notched for the intake valve.If they did your top and bottom end ...and you still got the noise,they should make it right...Good luck...

[RedinFL]

This is what I get for letting someone else work on my bike. I am going to take it back to them, it's just got me frosted mostly cause I could have done this myself, but have been working out of town and thought this would be better since I am only home on the weekends and have a whole other list of chores to do when I do get there. But hey atleast I found this cool site.

[chucktx]

can you describe the "bang" a bit better?? take the plugs out and rotate the engine. if somthing is hitting, you should be able to feel it. if you dont feel it by rotating by hand, use the starter motor to turn the engine . if still no "bang", the the only other thing is to pull the heads and see whats up in there. let us know what ya find......good luck

[RedinFL]

Thanks for the tip, I will try that this weekend when I get home.

[cowboy]

RED , you can also use a long screw driver , put the metel end on the head & the handle in your ear this will let you know just where the sound is realy comming from ,

[ringo912]

I usually stick the metal end in my ear to tighten up the loose screws my wife claims I have!

[chucktx]

hmmmmm i get the same thing at my house!!!

[RedinFL]

hey Ringo, I used to live at Joy Rd. and Middlebelt in Westland Mi.

[kenfuzed]

Hard to tell what it could be without knowing more about the banging sound. For instance, is the sound rapid or slow? Really the only way to find it is to tear down the top end as if repeating the steps taken by the shop to replace the gaskets.

I know you want the shop to own up to fix what they caused, but after all that I'd be less than confident that they wouldn't makes things worse.

[RedinFL]

It's a staeady knock knock knock, keeping perfect time with a piston and gets faster with acceleration, its not that its all that loud, its more that its there and shouldn't be.

[hotroadking]

Red in that it was there with the top end my guess is you have either a sloppy piston ring set loose piston on rod, or a valve that is tapping. It could even be a loose bolt on a rocker arm assembly.


I be hesitant to run it but if you must, then do the stethoscope with the screwdriver to isolate the noise. Sound really travels on these machines and problems can be in other areas vs where you think.

Is there another shop you can go to that will listen and give you advice, some HD dealers have old school techs still around, a good SM might be able to tell by listening to it.

My suggestion is that you pull the rocker covers and check internals, turn it over by hand checking each part as it moves, then if you can't find it go into the motor, once you locate the problem, either reassemble or take photos and parts to the shop and ask for a refund of expenses if it's something they did or did n't do, they should cover any parts that need to be replaced and the labor.

Good luck

[RedinFL]

Thanks for the tips, I will know more when I get back home for the weekend. The shop I took it to has a great name in the community for working on shovels and pans, you rarely even see an evo there, so I am surprised that this has happened. I have always gone there for parts, or just to stop in a have a drink in the back while out for a ride. When I picked it up, they said to bring it back after 250 for a free oil change, and to check tourqes on bolts, I'm not sure I even want them to work on it again.

They told me they were as baffled as I am as to whats causing the noise. They have put it together and tore it down completley (top and bottom end) 2 times and still there is that banging sound. I would equate the sound to a rod knock I had in an old Dodge Dart I had one time. The sound is more evident at idle speed and less when the rpm's are up.

As for not starting it, we rode it all last weekend, and it runs great, just like it always has. When they tore it down, they said the cylinders were a little out so they took it 30 over and installled new pistons, rings, rods, and lifters. And also they thought the knock was coming from the generator, so it was replaced as well. As you can imagine, I got alot of cash tied up in replacing these gaskets....... This is the first time in a long time anyone else has put a wrench on one of my bikes but me, I think thats what has me the most frustrated. Anyway, thanks to all of you for the advise, and I will keep you posted as to how it all turns out. Red

[ReeseSS]

Hey Red, If you end up deciding to take it somewhere, really good shop about 1/2 hour south of you on Pine Island Rd. in Cape Coral....American Cycle.

[RedinFL]

Thanks Reese

[hotroadking]

Red,

That noise might be elsewhere, does it make it idling or just in gear, or both

Wonder if something in the primary is loose, also motor mounts etc maybe something is broken that they have overlooked, god knows I've chased sounds and electrical gremlins around, they are hard sometimes to locate.

[RedinFL]

In neutral or in gear, the sound is the same, the only thing that changes is the speed of the bang, that goes faster and slower with the throttle.

[hotroadking]

Primary chain will turn regardless of speed, I'd check that area as well, might as well eliminate it if you haven't already, hard to diagnose over the net, can't hear it LOL

[2fastnaz]

Just FYI and to think about. I thought I had blown a rod on one of my drag cars once. Turned out it was just a leaking head pipe (header). I swear it sounded just like a thrown rod.

The noise is always there even at idel and goes up with the rpm. Without hearing it'as ghard to say but could be any thing from valve clatter to a rod. Much what every one else has said.

Good luck let us know what you find. I'm a shovel head kinda guy my self.

[RedinFL]

Thanks 2Fast, yeah I think shovels rule......... even when they rattle.