1. After 20+ years it's time to pass the torch. If you are interested in acquiring this forum please contact support@cv-performance.com for details. Any spam will be reported and blocked.
  2. Welcome to Bike Talk, a forum for all bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts. If you are new to Bike Talk, be sure to register for free and join the conversation.

    There's always someone around willing to help out with questions or give a friendly wave back. All Harley and metric riders are welcome.

Rapping noise and Stalling

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by Lucifer, May 21, 2012.

  1. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    Got about 55 miles on my 95" kit . When my buddies went for the initial start up,he had the plug wires reversed...spittin' and sputtin' then a loud backfire,did it a couple of times,then figured out plug wires were in wrong....didn't hear any unusual noises during heat cycles...backed it out of the garage to take it home and it had to turn over a few times to fire up...once it did there was a tapping noise...went away in about 30 secs....next morning same thing, catch and quit,third try it fired up...hear tapping,sounds like a lifter,half a minute its quiet...head to work(25 miles) runs great,didn't here any unusual noises,excellent throttle response in the 2300-2800RPM range I was riding in...parked for 4 hrs...finished work ,same thing..2 attempts to start it and tapping is back,a little louder and longer this time...quiets down in about a mile...get back to town and it stalled when I pulled in the clutch to downshift from 3rd to 2nd,fired up when I let the clutch out...a couple of miles down the road it cut out again turning up a side street,I was going too slow to dump the clutch again...it was harder to start this time....got up the street to the garage and it was running fine...changed the oil and getting ready to put a couple hundred on after the 50 mile change...head home..doesn't want to idle...next morning I start it and it cuts out while still on fast idle (twice) tapping there too...leave with OL on back...tapping doesn't go away and doesn't want to idle...get a few miles out on to the highway...tapping is now rapping....turned around and slowly took it home:gah:

    Sorry for the long post,just wanted to try to give a full description of what's going on...

    Could this just be a fugged up lifter causing all this?? Could the backfires have done anything??...the bike purred like a kitten going in as an 88"
  2. baggerpaul

    baggerpaul Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    Messages:
    2,670
    Likes Received:
    108
    Location:
    south fl.
    nope but you need to re adjust the push rods cause one exhaust or intake is out of adjustmen and building up cylinder pressure and shutting it down been there done that if they are andrews push rods go 3.5 turns if they are se 2.5 for corse thred 3.5 for fine thred
  3. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    Stock one piece rods... stock '06 casting heads...TW21 cam .030 HG...fuel Moto PCIII,with new map I downloaded from email...Joe Minton build is what I copied...

    What about the PCIII ...I didn't want to unplug it and run it with the stock ECM because I figured it would be too lean on a new top end...
  4. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    Maybe the stock rods are switched?? Only .118" difference in intake and exhaust rods...He said he was sure he put them in right ....
  5. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2004
    Messages:
    13,682
    Likes Received:
    584
    Location:
    Mouseville USA
    maybe you got too much bass in the radio,
    gettin that tin can in da trunk rap sound...
  6. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    Heh, 8 Track's workin' fine...

    http://youtu.be/5G1scyA3UZs
  7. baggerpaul

    baggerpaul Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    Messages:
    2,670
    Likes Received:
    108
    Location:
    south fl.
    Only. 118 what if you have two exhaust on one and two intake on the other ? 125 is the total pre load we often run! Double check set of adjustables are cheap and you won't have to pull the tank again cut them out replace with adjustables in ten min
  8. eieio4tn

    eieio4tn Active Member

    Joined:
    May 5, 2011
    Messages:
    362
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    tennessee
    my bike and i need a spongebath after that video...thanks.
  9. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    Heh, what I meant by only .118 was that he may not have notice he dropped an exhaust rod in the intake hole, it could be missed with the eye if not paying attention....I also went with an .030 gasket,so the rods would effectively be another.01"longer...I think a stock HG is .040"

    If I went with adjustable rods,I'd have to order them and they wouldn't be here until the end of the week if I'm lucky...tomorrow were gonna pull the tank and check the rods...sure hope that's the problem...

    Checked plugs this evening and there was a little oil in the hole and on the plug...put a spare set I had in and it ran a little better for a little while...but then the idle increased by itself up to almost 2000RPM's then slowed and quit...
  10. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    :roflmao:
  11. joshbob

    joshbob Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2010
    Messages:
    5,687
    Likes Received:
    167
    Location:
    Hobgood, N.C.
    I'm assuming you have hydraulic lifters? Sorry, I don't know anything about those. It's possible the rods got dropped in the wrong holes; wouldn't be the first time. I switched over to solids on mine. Much simpler to adjust and maintain, which is a + for people like me! It does sound like a pushrod and/or lifter problem you have. Hope you get it sorted out . . . .
  12. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    Changed plugs,put some Seafoam in tank(just in case the idling problem is gas)Started it up,doesn't sound too bad so I decided to go for a ride and try to burn the fuel outta the tank and replace with fresh fuel and see what happens....
    Quits at stop sign,start it up...go some more... a little ticking but seems to be running OK...Get out to highway and it starts clattering really loud and not running good,got back to my buddies,doesn't want to run and is real noisy...tearing it down tonight or tomorrow and won't be started again until the problem is found:witsend::angry:
  13. cowboy

    cowboy Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2006
    Messages:
    9,926
    Likes Received:
    50
    Location:
    Alvin TX
    Where's the easy. Evo lol does sound like a push rod in wrong hole :)
  14. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    LOL..I'll be going at that while he's finding what's fugged up with the twinkie
  15. Tomflhrci98

    Tomflhrci98 Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2004
    Messages:
    1,169
    Likes Received:
    17
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    Can you put an oil pressure gauge on it?? I'd be watchin that. I know twinkies have the oil pump on the crank but if the key broke maybe it's running sometimes and not running other times, or ya got **** in the lines :confused:
  16. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Messages:
    3,861
    Likes Received:
    102
    Location:
    Cape Breton NS,Canada
    I don't know if he has a pressure guage at his place but I do want to check it...


    Oil's fed to the heads through the pushrods,yes? If you had an shorter intake rod in the exhaust hole,would that effect oil flow to the head??

    What are the chances of valve,guide or seal damage??
  17. Tomflhrci98

    Tomflhrci98 Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2004
    Messages:
    1,169
    Likes Received:
    17
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    I can't get past the part where it is running great one minute, then sounding like a bucket of bolts the next. Something is changing inside the engine. Push rods don't change but they could be wrong length from the start like you said, but they can't run good then bad. Lifters could change, I guess, with oil pressure or dirt in the oil, or something.

    bad valve guides or seals won't make that much noise. You'ld only know it from looking at the spark plugs.
  18. HarleysLR

    HarleysLR Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2007
    Messages:
    2,113
    Likes Received:
    13
    Location:
    Colorado Springs, CO
    and if he had the plug wires crossed what else could he have crossed or installed incorreclty. just say'N
  19. eieio4tn

    eieio4tn Active Member

    Joined:
    May 5, 2011
    Messages:
    362
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    tennessee
    can a hyro lifter hold oil then lose it ?
  20. Tomflhrci98

    Tomflhrci98 Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2004
    Messages:
    1,169
    Likes Received:
    17
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    Basically they will bleed down when you shut the motor off, then oil pressure fills em again to the point of restriction to the pushrod length. But if there is something broken or excessive wear inside the lifter then they could work some of the time and not some of the time I guess.

Share This Page