Hello all, have this bike 40K miles, mobil 1 since new (I am second owner). I recently have noted how noisey the valvetrain is on this motor. Its not terrible, but is a pretty decent clacking when engine is hot, just a light tick when cold. I have had two years, and didnt think much of it knowing that these motors are known to tick, until reading more about people replacing lifters in evo's preventatively. Can anyone give a sense for how much clatter is concerning? Should I open the cam chest to inspect?

Thanks alot.

 

It's hard to diagnose a sound without hearing it.


If your motor sounds like a pissed off sewing machine then everything is good!!!!!

 

Switch to a dino oil before you do anything. Try Pennzoil 25-50 MC oil.

 

Stock cam?? If not you will have noise.

 

bone stock motor.

 

your lifter rollers have come loose on the pins that retain them the rollers themselves to the lifters -

a chatter kind of ticking sound that goes up and down with engine speed

 

The 98 should have the good lifters. I have 50,000 on my 99 with no problems so far. I did change out the inner cam bearing at about 23,000, but those usually give a siren sound when they go bad. You might try a stethascope to locate where the noise is for sure, or just a screw driver up to your ear and placed on the cam chest and then on the rocker box.

It is rare but you might want to check the screen filter that is in the cam chest. If it is plugged it would restrict oil flow to the lifters.

 

Screen was cleaned when i pulled this summer.

 

There's only one way to know if the rollers are OK.

At 40k, I would just replace the lifters and cam bearing.(good opportunity to drop in a better cam)

This is a lifter with 24k when a different noise developed, the roller had more play than the others, so I punched the pin out and found this.

 

Service bulletin was issued to the dealers back in the day, stating to "inspect and/or replace at 25,000 miles".
Open that cam chest up and hopefully no damage has yet occured.
If a roller has come apart, oil pump needs to be looked over, and all oil lines and oil tank need to be completely cleaned.
We replace them with S&S here.
Scott