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Strange Sound, Best Guess

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by HellBoy, Mar 2, 2009.

  1. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    I noticed a strange sound occasionally in the last few weeks that is intermittent. It has been happening more often lately and I will take my 07 Street Bob in to the dealer as soon as the snow melts. Until then, anyone here have a best guess? This way I might have something intelligent to say to the service guys at HD.

    I can be riding for 20 minutes and all of a sudden a sound that's like a very fast, very loud ticking clock. TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK TICK TICK TICK, TICK TICK TICK TICK,TICK TICK TICK TICK or maybe TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP TAP TAP.

    It might stay for the whole ride or stop in 2 minutes and doesn't seem affected by a fast or slow throttle. It also doesn't seem like something's loose, because, it probably wouldn't go away. I'm having difficulty locating the sound, although it seems to be around the engine, Slightly forward of the middle.

    Fortunately, this started before I did my change to synthetic oil and put in V&H Quiet baffles, so they can't blame those things.

    Very frustrating!
  2. Mayor

    Mayor New Member

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    When I went to get my tires changed last week I had something that drove me crazy....all the way up and back I thought the motor had a bad tick.....when I got home and started hunting it kept sounding like the motor....By accident I found when I happenen to put my hand on the windshield bag that one of them was vibrating......Sound like it was comming from the motor.......Maybe something like that....Maybe!!! ???
  3. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    There's one guy at my Harley dealership who is good at this kind of thing. Hopefully it's something stupid and not some major work needed. it's frustrating to have to wait for the snow to melt before I can go and check it out. I'd rather know what's wrong, no matter what, than have to worry about it for days.
  4. Art_NJr

    Art_NJr New Member

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    Lifter(s) would be the 1st thing I'd suspect.
  5. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    Thanks Art, that's what the road captain of my HOG group said when I spoke to him on the phone two days ago. Is a lifter typically time consuming or expensive to replace?
  6. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    loose exhaust cover/heat sheild, loose floorboard, loose pegs, etc

    Check all the parts around the bike.

    had a clicking sound I couldn't find with my stethoscope, go riding and click click click. Then one day by accident I put my hand on the side cover of the air horns, the clicking stopped, take my hand off and it started. Seems the tiny little weld they did to it at the factory had popped and the tin cover would vibrate. JB Weld fixed that.

    Lifters usually do that on startup but once they fill they are quiet or they are never quiet but it could be.

    Does the bike have any engine work done?

    Lifters are not difficult to replace.
  7. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    Good to hear from you guys. When the first owner had forward controls installed, he had them completely remove the mid control parts, which evidently was tricky. So far, that's about it, other than oil change, handle bars, mirrors, grips, turn signal relocation in the front, Arlen Ness Big Sucker air filter, V&H pipes. Also, before I owned the bike The 07 Street Bobs ( and I think, all early 07 Dyna's) had an issue with the areas that involve steering because a part was loosening where the triple trees are. They took three times to fix it and this should have been a recall, since they changed the faulty part on the later 07's, but instead, they just wait for people to bring it in with a problem, and probably charge to fix it if the warranty's expired.
  8. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    well I'd check all the bits attached to the bike and look for something loose, start with whatever you changed before the sound started up, then work back from there.

    It's not always internal but it sure can sound like it and sound travels funny on a bike.
  9. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    There are so many things that can sound like its coming from the engine it ain't funny. Have you tried pulling in the clutch when riding to see if the noise either goes away or quiets down?
  10. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    I'm off to the dealership either tomorrow or Thursday, depending on the street condition. I'll try all sorts of things before I go. It's intermittent though, so it might not even rear it's ugly little head.
  11. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    HellBoy, belated congrats on the new ride, Check the rear brake pedal,if its on the right side, shift linkage if on the left since it's not affected by throttle prolly not in the engine. Those ticks can drive you nuts trying to find em...maybe you shouldn't go with the quiet baffle:roflmao:
    Like HRK said check all the things on the bike and start a the last thing done to it.

    Sweet ride you that followed you home too HRK.

    :devil:
  12. ironhorse

    ironhorse Active Member

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    yes the rattles, ticks, taps, thumps, growels, all hard to pin point at road speed every one has great suggestions and, like flht said pull in the clutch at the road speed and let the engine come down to Idle, hold it at the same rpm pull the clutch at road speed, setting still take it to the RPM range that the tick becomes noticable, (this is where you can set the thumb lock and search out the culprit), if you can get it to tick take a long screw driver, pry bar or the likes, and use it as a stethascope, it can confirm the engine or discard it as a suspect, you can also use a funnel and hose to search out other areas.....or you can just get one from napa, or your local ER
  13. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    I'll check these things tomorrow and get back to everyone here afterwards. That's if it isn't 13 degrees out like it was today. This ticking sound isn't something that you can live with, it's way too prominent, especially when the bike sounds fine for 15 minutes and then it starts to loudly go tap, tap, tap, tap, tap tap, tap, tap ...
  14. Art_NJr

    Art_NJr New Member

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    Lifters aren't particularly difficult to replace & the newer ones ain't that great - if that's what it is, I'd definitely go aftermarket & Jim's Powerglides are the best, although Crane makes good ones which cost a lot less.

    But as others have said, check every single thing that could conceivably work loose - and even those things you're sure are not. Harleys do vibrate y'know :roflmao: And although you don't feel it as much on the bikes with rubber mount engines, that V-Twin vibration's still there.
  15. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    I guess they don't have a part called a Rocker for nothin'. You bet my Harley does the shakes rattles and rolls, rubber mounts or not. More later.
  16. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    It's all part and partial to the ride.

    Fixed up a friends 113, he wanted to get rid of the noisy Pro Pipe and I steered him to a Supertrapp supermeg 2-1 now it's so friggin quiet the goldwing riders are louder...

    And he hears everything...

    It's a PIA actually to go too quiet, some things make a bit of noise but are not a mechanical or safety issue.

    Unless something mechanical just happened to let go or is going, which a lifter can, I'll bet on something that is loose. Check exhaust baffle see if its loose, you just changed it right?

    I'd go with HD B series (the letter after the number) lifters on your mild motor. The others are good too, but HD lifter B series were improvements.
  17. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    The service mgr and service writer at HD both think it's a lazy lifter. Of course, when I got there, the sound wasn't happening. Intermittent sounds are really frustrating. They're doing it today/tomorrow, since I still have my warranty I'm not sweating it.

    One question, how does a faulty lifter affect the power and grip of the ride?
  18. Thump '63

    Thump '63 New Member

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    Proud you don't ride a Panhead. Hear a new noise? If the engine still runs, pull in the clutch, rev her up, let out the clutch. If it still pulls itself you got a new noise. ( just funning you pal. good luck
  19. Art_NJr

    Art_NJr New Member

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    When a hydraulic lifter isn't "pumped up" all the way, the effect is the same as having less lift & duration in the cam lobe for that valve. With solid lifters you have to adjust periodically & they can't be "tight" or you'll bend the pushrod - hydraulics are designed to pump up with oil to take all the "slack" out of the valvetrain & act like a cushion between pushrod & cam lobe. But when they don't pump up (for whatever reason - little piece of dirt blocking oil passage, low oil pressure, etc.), they'll bounce a little bit between cam lobe & pushrod - that's where the clatter comes from. And that valve won't open as far as it normally would, it'll open & close sooner too, robbing you of power in that cylinder.
  20. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    Thanks Art, maybe that's why 1st gear's been a little weak lately?

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