Loud clacking in cam chest when cold start

[96349]

Like many here I have had my oil light (M8) come on repeatedly. I have taken in to the dealer on 3 occasions over 5 months.  They check it for throwing a code and each time they find one which leads them to the oil sending unit. I  ask the question: "How do you know if it is a bad sensor or maybe we are really having low oil pressure. Every time they say to "Watch it" and send me home. They don't seem to want to put a gauge on it to check the oil pressure. About 2 weeks ago I started getting a loud clacking noise down around the cam chest region. It sounds like there is no oil pressure down there after the bike sits overnight and I start it up. After about 45 seconds of banging away the clacking goes away and the engine is quiet. I called the dealer last Saturday to report the new noise and again I got "Keep your eye on it".
At this point I am of the mind to quit telling them anything and just let the clacking go on until the sob grenades and they end up replacing the engine. I am sick and tired of them doing nothing.

[Ohio HD]

Do you have access to another dealer? Sometimes it's the way to go.

[les]

You might want to try to press them to be more specific about what the exactly mean when they ask you to watch it.  In other words, if you can document what they tell you in terms of what to watch for, what conditions they feel warrant bringing the bike back in, etc.  When they told you to watch it, they actually told you nothing...too vague.  Pressing them for specifics on what constitutes a green light for you to go back might box them into a corner enough to do something about it.

[Scooterfish]

I would make sure a paper work claim was done and I got a copy of it for each visit. It may come in handy in the future.

Maybe they will write " keep an eye on it" on the paper work.

[happyman]

Give custoner servive a call. Ask them . Supposedly they record calls . Tell them to record it when you tell them what's happening.

[96349]

You might want to try to press them to be more specific about what the exactly mean when they ask you to watch it.  In other words, if you can document what they tell you in terms of what to watch for, what conditions they feel warrant bringing the bike back in, etc.  When they told you to watch it, they actually told you nothing...too vague.  Pressing them for specifics on what constitutes a green light for you to go back might box them into a corner enough to do something about it.

"Watch it" at this dealer means they don't know what it is that is making the clacking. I am not even sure they have an oil pressure gauge to fit the new M8. The shop foreman doesn't have much to say about anything. As loud as this noise is I would think they would at least want to check oil pressure and remove the cam chest cover to have a peak inside. I have given them 3 opportunities for check it out. So I will just let nature take it's course and it will blow up eventually. The saddest thing is I don't even care any more. Damn  dealers!

[ViseGrips]

..a guy in the neighbourhood had the same problem on his 17 trike...same story...conclusion it grenade last week..I haven't caught up on the latest news about it.

[sumncguy]

Mine just recently started making this clanking noise. I'm not going to mess around .. I'm going to pull off the Rinehart slip ons so I don't have to deal with the voided warranty bull. Then take it in. I am again getting intermittent oil lights and codes p0522 and p0523.

[hogpipes1]

You might want to try to press them to be more specific about what the exactly mean when they ask you to watch it.  In other words, if you can document what they tell you in terms of what to watch for, what conditions they feel warrant bringing the bike back in, etc.  When they told you to watch it, they actually told you nothing...too vague.  Pressing them for specifics on what constitutes a green light for you to go back might box them into a corner enough to do something about it.

"Watch it" at this dealer means they don't know what it is that is making the clacking. I am not even sure they have an oil pressure gauge to fit the new M8. The shop foreman doesn't have much to say about anything. As loud as this noise is I would think they would at least want to check oil pressure and remove the cam chest cover to have a peak inside. I have given them 3 opportunities for check it out. So I will just let nature take it's course and it will blow up eventually. The saddest thing is I don't even care any more. Damn  dealers!

Good plan you have , they go in there now it might be just a band aid  to fix  just the noise , and forget about all the other parts that are worn  because of it .  after warranty is up then comes the  we need to replace this , this , this . You know this dealer would be all over  your bike to fix it now if it was after warranty.  Even pick it up for free.

[Hossamania]

Make a video recording of it. Drop it off at the dealer so they can do a cold start in the morning.
Or, just let it blow.
Is there a way that they can look at the history of how it has been run? I was thinking that when it's clacking away on cold start, you just rev the hell out of it and just hurry the destruction along.

[rbabos]

Can't believe they didn't care enough to investigate the cause. Well, maybe I can.  Let the engine grenade. Otherwise, it could end up being a half ass fix to a repeatedly oil starved engine anyway with other damage still present.
Ron

[lucasg]

Do you have access to another dealer? Sometimes it's the way to go.

Just like the man said " find another dealer, if you can".  That is complete b.s. 

[paulw]

i have the same symptoms on my 17 FLTRU - clacking on cold start up it started at around 15,000 miles.  dealer replaced the lifters under warranty a 20,000 they told me they just wanted to make me happy.  the problem is clacking noise at cold start is still there
i have used AMSOIL 20-50 since the 1000 mile service.   

[wildchild]

Like many here I have had my oil light (M8) come on repeatedly. I have taken in to the dealer on 3 occasions over 5 months.  They check it for throwing a code and each time they find one which leads them to the oil sending unit. I  ask the question: "How do you know if it is a bad sensor or maybe we are really having low oil pressure. Every time they say to "Watch it" and send me home. They don't seem to want to put a gauge on it to check the oil pressure. About 2 weeks ago I started getting a loud clacking noise down around the cam chest region. It sounds like there is no oil pressure down there after the bike sits overnight and I start it up. After about 45 seconds of banging away the clacking goes away and the engine is quiet. I called the dealer last Saturday to report the new noise and again I got "Keep your eye on it".
At this point I am of the mind to quit telling them anything and just let the clacking go on until the sob grenades and they end up replacing the engine. I am sick and tired of them doing nothing.

Sounds like your lifters are bleeding down and need replacing. How many miles has the engine done?

[N-gin]

I here that the dealer is changing out a lot of oil pumps.

[96349]

I here that the dealer is changing out a lot of oil pumps.

But are the oil pumps they are changing out specifically the ones for the water cooled engines or the oil cooled engines? I have heard the bikes that are having oil pumps replaced are the water cooled engines. There are two oil pumps out there for the M8.

[happyman]

I here that the dealer is changing out a lot of oil pumps.

they change out how many I wonder. then did it actually address the issue or is it another design flaw? or  is it another issue that is being overlooked.   

[happyman]

Like many here I have had my oil light (M8) come on repeatedly. I have taken in to the dealer on 3 occasions over 5 months.  They check it for throwing a code and each time they find one which leads them to the oil sending unit. I  ask the question: "How do you know if it is a bad sensor or maybe we are really having low oil pressure. Every time they say to "Watch it" and send me home. They don't seem to want to put a gauge on it to check the oil pressure. About 2 weeks ago I started getting a loud clacking noise down around the cam chest region. It sounds like there is no oil pressure down there after the bike sits overnight and I start it up. After about 45 seconds of banging away the clacking goes away and the engine is quiet. I called the dealer last Saturday to report the new noise and again I got "Keep your eye on it".
At this point I am of the mind to quit telling them anything and just let the clacking go on until the sob grenades and they end up replacing the engine. I am sick and tired of them doing nothing.

Cam bolt?   had a couple of them puke.

[r0de_runr]

 See if you can get a bunch of your non-Harley riding buddies to come over and park next to your bike, then video the start-up and their reaction to the clacking.

Alef's in Wichita kept telling me they couldn't fix my 2009 Ultra compensator till it "failed". Once they saw a video of the grinding start at a local gathering place for all makes of bike they got right on it.  Of course the next comp on that bike was out of warranty.

It's amazing how the M8's are exhibiting mechanical problems.

[Pirsch Fire Wagon]

I don't know why they wouldn't put a gauge on it. that's just laziness. If they're telling you to "Watch it", they're idiots as well. I would drop a Dime to the MoCo. That's just ridiculous.

[96349]

Complaining to the factory does little good. The factory has little actual control over the dealer's service department because they are separate businesses. If you call them and complain they will tell you real quick that if you are not happy with your dealers service then "to take your bike to another dealer" and see what they offer. The bottom line is that buying a first year of anything mechanical is like playing Russian roulette. There are good ones and bad ones but since they are relatively untested in the field there are going to be issues popping up from time to time. In essence, if you buy a first year anything you are going to be a guinea pig, like it or not. The difference between a good manufacturer and a bad one is that the good ones will always step up to the plate and fix their crap. The bad manufacturers stall and stall and tell you they don't know why the product keeps failing. For those of you out there who have purchased a new M8 and have not had any problems, then good for you. But for the thousands of people who have had engine or transmission problems then you know what I am talking about.

[Neon Moon]

Tech at my dealer told me they are having lots of oil pump issues. They have replaced a lot  of them and a few complete engines. They sent a stock pump to a company(don't remember name)had them do there magic and are testing it. Classic HD in Leesport, Pa