Strange Rattle / Knock

[dirty jim]

NOISE CHANGED WHEN ON LIFT, FULL BIKE LIFT, OR CHASSIS? DID UNLOADED SUSPENSION MAKE THE CHANGE IN NOISE?

[Ohio HD]

Are you sure it's not lifters?  Those symptoms sound the same as what I've been struggling with on my '11 RK.  I've had three sets in there.  The start off good, then after some miles I get that chatter during cold start up.  Then the noise goes away when the engine gets hot...after 5 to 10 minutes.  Also, if I get it hot, let it set for an hour, I get chatter (again) until it gets hot.

Les, I'm not 100% certain it's not lifter related. I've tried to localize the noise, but its elusive. I did think it was lifters, and did adjust them Tuesday might, and went deeper to 0.130". I thought it sounded better, but the next day was worse again. I plan to swap lifters to simply eliminate that possibility, I have a couple of new sets. 


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[Ohio HD]

NOISE CHANGED WHEN ON LIFT, FULL BIKE LIFT, OR CHASSIS? DID UNLOADED SUSPENSION MAKE THE CHANGE IN NOISE?

It pretty much sounds the same always. I just put it on the lift because I'm more ear level to the sound.


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[kik]

Ohio, I'm sure you already checked this but a couple of years ago I was having some similar noises on the back cylinder. I thought for sure it was either lifters or maybe wrist pins. It wound up being I had a loose baffle in the rear pipe. It would knock and bang until everything got hot and then stop. I guess the noise traveled back to the rear cylinder. Just a thought and it would be an easy fix also. Good luck

[Ohio HD]

Ohio, I'm sure you already checked this but a couple of years ago I was having some similar noises on the back cylinder. I thought for sure it was either lifters or maybe wrist pins. It wound up being I had a loose baffle in the rear pipe. It would knock and bang until everything got hot and then stop. I guess the noise traveled back to the rear cylinder. Just a thought and it would be an easy fix also. Good luck

I'm running a 2 into 1 pipe, but hey, it's free to check. I did check the exhaust system for interference with anything, cause when riding, it sounds just like a sheet metal rattle when you shift gears at low RPM. I'll check the baffle Thursday night when I get home. Thanks Kik.


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[Rags722]

Don't even want to tell you how long I chased an intermittent noise under throttle until one day in the garage I looked down and saw the chrome end cover on the starter shaking.  Center screw was tight, but turned out one of the two nuts that held the mounting bracket to the starter had fallen off. Felt like a real smacked ass, because I had passed up a few good rides cause I didn't trust taking it more than 100 miles from home.     At cruising RPM the sucker would dance like a Hula girl.

[Ohio HD]

Don't even want to tell you how long I chased an intermittent noise under throttle until one day in the garage I looked down and saw the chrome end cover on the starter shaking.  Center screw was tight, but turned out one of the two nuts that held the mounting bracket to the starter had fallen off. Felt like a real smacked ass, because I had passed up a few good rides cause I didn't trust taking it more than 100 miles from home.     At cruising RPM the sucker would dance like a Hula girl.

I will check that!

Thanks


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[BUBBIE]

IT would be nice "IF" it were the exhaust...

A copy-cat note here Inspired by others here:

I took a broom stick and Put it in the exhaust as far as it would go and found the baffle end,  inside the muffler was the culprit... Took baffle out and smacked it with a hammer and the fit was Tight again...

Very similar to what noise you are describing...........

NOT meant to get a few GOOFEY's Excited about the broom stick....

You know who they are....

signed....BUBBIE

[koko3052]

My EX must have been flying by when you grabbed that broom! Hope she crashed!

[remington007]

Sounds like carbon build up on the top of the pistons. It forms around the perimiter and makes the piston contact the head. Im seeing more of this as of the last couple of years. Even on 100% stock bikes!!!
Engine grows with heat and the knock will subside.

[Ohio HD]

Sounds like carbon build up on the top of the pistons. It forms around the perimiter and makes the piston contact the head. Im seeing more of this as of the last couple of years. Even on 100% stock bikes!!!
Engine grows with heat and the knock will subside.

Not carbon, I bore scoped it, looks pretty good, pretty clean.

[Eglider05]

I think I need a lot bigger motor, I won't be turning the wick open quite so hard then.

Wanna bet? 

Rick

[Ohio HD]

I think I need a lot bigger motor, I won't be turning the wick open quite so hard then.

Wanna bet? 

Rick

No..   

Sounded good though...   

[WI Bob]

Good thread with lots of good tips.

Hope you find the clank.

[Ohio HD]

Good thread with lots of good tips.

Hope you find the clank.

Me too Bob, when I get back home Thursday night, gonna look everything external over really well again, although I'm really sure it's coming from inside. Like I had told Les, I did crank the lifters down further then they had been, when I adjusted them Tuesday night. Could have sworn it was fixed, but then, next day, was noisy again.

[No Cents]

ya got them Wood lifters in there Brian?

[Ohio HD]

ya got them Wood lifters in there Brian?

Ha, Ha, no, but they sound look "wooden" lifters. I have a new set, well, new when I put them in, of Harley 'B' lifters. I have a couple more sets of them, and a set of Johnson High Lift high RPM units, and a set of Comp Cams 850's. I may through throw the Johnson High Lift in there, just to see what, if anything changes. The Johnson lifters look identical to 'B' lifters.

[No Cents]

I expected you to spring for those S&S lifters you posted on awhile back.
You got a stethoscope...if not...come get mine.

[Ohio HD]

I expected you to spring for those S&S lifters you posted on awhile back.
You got a stethoscope...if not...come get mine.

Thanks Ray, I do have a stethoscope, the sound is hard to pin down. No noise in the rocker area, none in the lifter base area, but sounds a lot like lifters going down the road. What has me baffled was the loud knock I got a few times at startup, and now is gone. No, the S&S lifters will go in the next build, or this one if it becomes the next build....  These lifters I've had for a while.

[Ohio HD]

OK, back home from the work week today, took a lunch break and went to see my patient. Started her up, she's been sitting since Sunday, so a cold motor. Amazed me as I really heard no noise to speak of, but just started her and let her idle. After a slight warm up of a couple minutes, I started raising the RPM's the clatter is much more prominent now, and is definitely the rear cylinder "area" for sure. I was also able to make the clatter come and go by holding the RPM's right around 2,000, or just slowly rolling past or down through the 2,000 RPM range.

I used my phone to video it, to capture the sound, since it's really made it's self known now. Letting the motor really warm up, maybe 15 minutes, the clatter is almost non existent, but slightly there. It's a much more metal sound now, so I'm thinking it's rod bushing, I've never heard piston slap sound like that.

Take a listen if you would like, let me know what you think.

http://youtu.be/qQGiXoWgISg

[No Cents]

time to take the rocker box cover off and take a peek see. I have heard that noise before...so I'll wait to see what you find. I think with the cover off...you will find it quickly.

[Ohio HD]

I was wondering if it "may" be the rocker support, and yep, easy enough to find out. Just that it goes away, and comes back almost exactly at 2,000 RPM. I guess the good thing is, you gotta take the rocker covers off no matter what...     

[Thumper Buttercup]

Been following,

Hope it's something simple.

Mark

[Ohio HD]

Been following,

Hope it's something simple.

Mark

Me too! A lot of good ridin weather yet! If it's anything top end, I can fix that pretty quick, I have heads, cylinders, and would just need some pistons quick. If it's anything lower end at all,  I'll run over to see Rebecca, and order a pirate motor, so I can ride yet this year.

[sfmichael]

"...and order a pirate motor..."

Arrrr matey...and what be that??