Watch "Oil pressure fluctuating" on YouTube

[06roadglide]

https://youtu.be/pbkrdFLx9K0

[06roadglide]

I suspected my oil Guage or sending unit was going bad so I hooked up a manual Guage to verify.  Factory Guage must not be faulty as this Guage does the same.
Watch around 1:30 and 2:30 
Would you guys think?  Is that the pressure relief acting up?

[rbabos]

I suspected my oil Guage or sending was going bad so I hooked up a manual Guage to verify.
Watch around 1:30 and 2:30 
Would you guys think that's the pressure relief acting up?

Behaving like it's a tad sticky. Idle oil pressure always comes back to normal so not sure I'd worry too much about it. My vrod does the same. I hear a noisy lifter in there too.
Ron

[06roadglide]

You caught the tick.  I'm planning addressing that this winter when I'm bored.  I've already swapped out lifters to see if that was the cause but it's still doing it.  It honestly sounds like something happened up top. 

[rbabos]

You caught the tick.  I'm planning addressing that this winter when I'm bored.  I've already swapped out lifters to see if that was the cause but it's still doing it.  It honestly sounds like something happened up top.

Could be a case for rocker lockers then. Quiet cold but noisy hot?
Ron

[06roadglide]

No. It's a constant noise from cold to hot.  Worse about 1700 rpm then goes quiet after that.  It just started about 200 miles ago. 

[Admiral Akbar]

Nothing wrong with the oil pressure..  Tick is probably piston slap..

[06roadglide]

It's definitely valve train noise.  The audio in the video doesn't do justice for the real sound you'd hear standing next to it.
I'm not questioning my oil pressure. That's on par for what it should be.
My concern is the fluctuation in the Guage.  It'll sometimes rise as normal then suddenly drop even when the rpm hasn't 

[Admiral Akbar]

It's definitely valve train noise.  The audio in the video doesn't do justice for the real sound you'd hear standing next to it.
I'm not questioning my oil pressure. That's on par for what it should be.
My concern is the fluctuation in the Guage.  It'll sometimes rise as normal then suddenly drop even when the rpm hasn't

Does the noise change with load on the motor..

The sudden drop is called static friction versus dynamic..

[06roadglide]

Nope. No change with load max.
Haven't a clue what you mean about static and dynamic friction.

In simple terms. After finding my gauge is OK it has to be the relief valve sticking.  Sometimes the gauge will peg 60 or only build 25ish psi at hi-way speed then return to normal on the factory gauge. 

[Admiral Akbar]

Nope. No change with load max.
Haven't a clue what you mean about static and dynamic friction.

In simple terms. After finding my gauge is OK it has to be the relief valve sticking.  Sometimes the gauge will peg 60 or only build 25ish psi at hi-way speed then return to normal on the factory gauge.

Ok so is valve related.. Lifter or whatever..

Kinda what Ron was talking about..

Didn't see the gauge in the video go to 60.. Sounds like the mechanical and electric gauges are behaving differently.

[BUBBIE]

Has it EVER started and NO pressure? I had the problem...

I think it is working NORMAL... Not a swiss Watch you know...

The flow of oil and higher pressure Drops, shows the PRValve in use...

The auto industry (cars etc) usually use lights OR SLOW moving Gauges...

People (buyers, Old ladies and ALL) would PANIC to see the FLUCTUATIONS oil pressure Has in an Engine.

Higher RPM may show lower oil pressure Lower RPM's a Little and Pressure can come UP... 

signed....BUBBIE

[rbabos]

It's definitely valve train noise.  The audio in the video doesn't do justice for the real sound you'd hear standing next to it.
I'm not questioning my oil pressure. That's on par for what it should be.
My concern is the fluctuation in the Guage.  It'll sometimes rise as normal then suddenly drop even when the rpm hasn't

If you tested this with cold oil and possibly an oil filter thats beginning to plug up some, there can be some interaction between the psi reading and how the filter bypass valve effects it. This valve is not an open or closed deal but rather pops on and off based on media resistance per rpms. A new oil filter would be something I'd try before getting too bent out of shape on the fluctuation deal. Definately test it with hot oil for sure.
Ron

[06roadglide]

It's definitely valve train noise.  The audio in the video doesn't do justice for the real sound you'd hear standing next to it.
I'm not questioning my oil pressure. That's on par for what it should be.
My concern is the fluctuation in the Guage.  It'll sometimes rise as normal then suddenly drop even when the rpm hasn't

If you tested this with cold oil and possibly an oil filter thats beginning to plug up some, there can be some interaction between the psi reading and how the filter bypass valve effects it. This valve is not an open or closed deal but rather pops on and off based on media resistance per rpms. A new oil filter would be something I'd try before getting too bent out of shape on the fluctuation deal. Definately test it with hot oil for sure.
Ron

This started when I built the engine last winter but I just thought the gauge or sending unit was going bad.  It never did it with the previous engine, same cam plate and pump.  But you bring up a good point I never thought about.  The previous engine, I always used a Bosch oil filter, the new engine has always had the black H-D filter.
The fluctuation IS worse with cold oil but does still do it with hot oil, just not as much, or often.

[Thumper Buttercup]

What cam plate and pump are you running??

Stock, SE??

[06roadglide]

R&R cam plate and DT pump with what ever relief Spring R&R supplies in their plates. I think they set them up at 40 psi.

[06roadglide]

Got the camplate and rockers out this morning.  Bypass valve was definitely sticking. Has some scuffing and a oil stain at a port like it never moves.  I had to put a little heat on the plate to get it to slide out.  (Garage at a constant 60 degree heat setting for last 2 weeks)
Rockers shafts are showing wear.  80k+ miles on shafts and supports, 70k-ish miles on SE rollers. Rollers on rockers look great. Bushings LOOK ok but they aren't going back without new Bushings or just getting new S&S rockers. New shafts and supports are going in also.
Witness marks on shafts telling me they were moving in rocker supports.
I'll get some pics up later.

[BUBBIE]

Inserting a Slightly Trimmed Pop-Cycle stick (tight fit)  into the Bypass Piston will enable you to Feel (in n out) when you get it polished out; checking  for further Hang-Ups...

I guess you can use an Ice-Cream bar stick also...

signed....BUBBIE

[Admiral Akbar]

So why did you take it apart?

[06roadglide]

So why did you take it apart?

My oil pressure was fluctuating, verified the gauge or sending unit wasn't at fault.

[Admiral Akbar]

So why did you take it apart?

My oil pressure was fluctuating, verified the gauge or sending unit wasn't at fault.

Oh.. Okay.   There was a fault??     Anyway let us know when you get it back together, how it does and what you fixed...

[06roadglide]

In this pic you can see the oil stain on the plunger. It's like it was stuck constantly and never moved.
Some scuffing as well, hard to pick up with camera.

[06roadglide]

Now on to valve train noise.
Rocker arm shafts showing some wear.
Evidence of movement in the rocker supports also.

[06roadglide]

This is the pushrod for the rear exhaust valve.
Also the rocker support bolt nearest that same pushrod. That one has me baffled why it looks like that.
The wear marks on it look as if it was spinning?  Bolt was still torqued tight when removed.

[06roadglide]

Front rocker support at exhaust valve. Major wear showing on thrust side.