Clicking , Tapping , or knocking

Been reading alot of posts on hear about lifter noise some say clicking or tapping even a few saying a slight knocking noise is heard. Maybe we should define these sounds so everyone knows what they think they are hearing cause to some a tapping may in fact really be just a clicking noise . I have been having about the same problem with my Bike 93 softail put in a new cam an lifters and now have the same noise i did before the last lifter blew up on me. Just on a different lifter. At first i wanted to say it was just a clicking sound but have since realized its more of a tapping sound since its its in between a click and a knock. A screw driver works well but if ya really want to find out where the sound is coming from take a few bucks and find a walgreens or other medical place and buy yourself a cheep pair of stethescopes (ya know what they listen to that ol' heart of yours) get a piece of brake line and switch it out for the flat thing on the end of the rubber tube . Makes finding sounds and where they coming from alot easier. Another trick for finding out if its the lifter (hyd.) is to tighten it down a little bit at a time (remember to let it bleed out ) and try again if ya still hear it tighten it some more if ya get to the point of after ya let it sit say 5 min. ( or say the time it takes to suck down a beer and smoke a cig. ) ya cant rotate the push rod your at the spot where the lifter is fully collapsed and the valve is just starting to open back it off till ya can just roll the pushrod . Kinda like having a solid lifter in there. If ya still hear the same noise ya might then know its not a click but a tapping and ya might want to start looking at the rockers. I know it sounds like a lot of work it might take the guess work out of the Clicking < Tapping , And That God awful and dreaded Knocking noise

You can get a mechanics stethiscope for far less money from harbor freight or many car parts places.