noisy front lifters

[roadkingdresser]

Been looking at a fueling camplate, watched a couple of videos on u-tube as far as the leak down of oil pressure on the Harley cam plate. the bike runs great when i control the throttle, was on the interstate with the cruise on and I thought the front cylinder was going to fly apart. Any comments on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Hossamania]

A little more info helps, year, model, number of miles, any mods to the motor.
A lot of discussion about camplates, lifters, cams, pushrods, and much more can be found with some searches on this sight.

[roadkingdresser]

2010 roadking stage4 kit by the dealer 40,000 mi. front valves were noisy from day 1. Changed the harley lifters to S&S premiums didn't help changed to highlift johnson lifters and a baisley lmr oil pressure valve. adjustable pushrods. Tried different adjustments. Just acts like the front lifters bleed down. Was watching the demo of the pressure test on the harley camplate verses the fueling. Just a thought. was wandering if anyone else tried it and the results.

[CndUltra88]

Did you try running straight 50W of your choice ?
I push the ear plugs in deeper when I start hearing strange noises that are not followed by odd vibrations.
Rob

[roadkingdresser]

No I did  buy straight 50w but haven't gave it a try yet. Trouble being an diesel engine mechanic for over 40 yrs. just seemed like a cover up. Being that i have a bad habit of listening to engine noises would explain some of it.But being around race engines and diesel engines the noises usually end from something going on that shouldn't be. And the other thing is 1 bad ear, makes it worse.

[Hossamania]

Have you tried Rocker Lockers? We have a guy here that sells them...

[Jaystn62]

Rocker Lockers help to a degree. I install on a stock 2016 103. Eliminated all but the front exhaust. After I built the motor with cams and adjustable pushrods the noise is almost nonexistence.

[harpwrench]

Travel limited lifters adjusted one flat off the bottom made a big improvement on mine, there are a few good threads on here about it to help you fully understand if you don't. I like the Johnson hylift with pin oiling that wfolarry carries

[RomeoTango]

I've went 'round with a similar noise. Swapped lifters, changed from SE adjustables to S&S quickees. Different oil (Spectro 25w60 did help some with noise abatement). Just the other day I thought I would try more lifter adjustment. Set to 4.5 turns on the quickees - and most of my sound quieted right down. Not sure what I did right this time or wrong last time, but not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

[roadkingdresser]

Already has rocker lockers in it, didn't change anything. Had travel limiters didn't change. Swapped lifters didn't change. Adjusted them quite a few times, never have a problem with the rear, only the front. That's why i'm leaning towqards the plate. Just curious if anybody had changed the plate for the same problem and whether it changed anything. Did put 50# in it yeserday,didn't get a chance to ride it, seemed to help but didn't get it hot.

[Hossamania]

Checked for witness marks in the rocker box?
Sorry I can't help with the Fueling camplate info at all.

[rigidthumper]

It's a longshot, but a stuck open front piston squirter might reduce oil pressure @ the front lifters enough to cause some additional sound.

[kd]

Checked for witness marks in the rocker box?
Sorry I can't help with the Fueling camplate info at all.

.... and on the pushrods. Are the tubes opened up to 5/8" at the top).  The sound you are chasing doesn't seem to be effected by anything you say you have tried.  That leads me to think it must be something contacting rather than loose.  Of course it wouldn't be the first time an exhaust heat shield or other component was loose and wasn't even considered because the noise sounded like engine mechanical. 

[roadkingdresser]

If the front squirter was stuck open, how would i know and what would i have to do to correct it?

[kd]

If the front squirter was stuck open, how would i know and what would i have to do to correct it?

What is your hot idle oil pressure? If it is under the opening pressure of the squirter, there's a fairly decent chance if (when hot) you idle it for a while, shut it down and drain the crankcase you will find it is sumping. If not, retry it at the RPM it is noisy and compare.

[MikeL]

I went through the same thing on my 2000 RKC. Mine sounded like a valve tap also. Got worse when I did a 98 upgrade. Did the spring in the stock cam plate 60w oil. Got worse when hot. I ended up pulling it all apart and upgrade to 124. It ended up being the main crank pin/bearing/rod failure. About 45k miles on the bottom end. I chased that sound for a while.

                                                                                                                                                                  MIKE