I have a 98 Roadking which has a whirring sound on the right side I think and a rattle sound on the left when hot. Both are quiet when it is cold. The whirring is coming from around the cam/lifter area when I listen with my stethescope. It is more pronounced when I place it on the lifter blocks or on the timing plate cover screws. The rattle is from the area of the compensator on top of the primary cover. Neither of them are really loud but I can hear them both when riding slow or gearing down, at speed it sounds normal. I just wonder if there is a problem or am I expecting it to be quieter than it was built to be? It has 32,000 miles on it and I have ridden it about 8,000 miles since I bought it and the sound does not appear to be getting worse, just annoying. I came off a Goldwing so I may be expecting too much but just thought I would get opinions. I have read about the cam bearings on these but I have no idea if it is still the original or not. I have adjusted the primary chain with no change in the noise at all. I am using 10W40 diesel oil in the primary and Mobile 1 20W50 in the engine. I will attemp to record the sounds in the morning and post them here. I have found no one with an EVO engine around here to compare it to, all are twin cams.

 

OK, 2 noises.

Noise #1, right side, cam area. Could be 2 things, IN MY NON-PROFESSIONAL OPINION. One could be somewhat normal cam gear to breather gear whine. That's nothing to worry about. Some do it more than others. You can swap out the gear sizes to find a pair that fit better, but it really doesn't hurt anything. The other noise from that area that one should be concerned with on the later Evos, (not my early one) is the inner cam bearing. The guys around here say to just replace it with the better one before it grenades.

Noise #2 on the left side: I have heard, although never experience it myself, that the compensating sprocket can have issues on some of our bikes, giving the noise you describe. The springs go bad or it loosens up or something like that.

If that was my bike, I'd do the inner cam bearing just because and if the cam gear/breather gear is the noise source, I'd let it go. I put 30K miles on a shovel making a whine there all the time and that was the only reliable part of the whole bike. I'd swap out the compensating sprocket.

 

DrHess told you right...

Can't remember when they started using the "cheap - sure to explode" cam bearings. Seems like it was around 92-93 so. Replacing that with a Torrington is a good move for sure. Cam gear noise is relatively common with Evos and little cause for concern.

Compensators can get the rattles if the nut gets loose, if one the inner disc-type springs fail, or the primary chain is too tight. Thing is, the primary chain is backwards of a rear drive chain in that it tightens up as it get hotter. Too loose and it'll knock and slap against the case. But you've already check that, so if it's excessive noise, pulling the outer primary to check the compensator would be next. The spring pack that keeps pressure against the drive cam arrangement is actually called a "compensator washer" in the parts book.

Since you came off a "Wing" I'd recommend you leave the stethescope alone else you'll be a nervous wreck in no time with an Evo

 

Thanks guys, I was really afraid of what the answer would be but I thought I would ask anyway. I guess I will pull it down and have a look. I was thinking about a cam change anyway but not really now so I may leave the stock cam in it to save money or splurge and go all the way. I understand the lifters from the dealer are ok to go with? Some kind of B liftter or something? The lingo here is still a little strange to me but I am learning. I can do the work myself as I have been a mechanic for 40 years, just not a Harley mechanic. I was thinking an Andrews EV-13 cam? I will go with the adjustable push rods so I don't desturb the top end also. I guess i will buy a complete compensator and put it in while I am at it as I want to get all this done and get it back on the road. We just rode 1600 miles to the dragon and back last week and I plan on another trip in June so I need to get it going again. Beginning to wonder now if trading from the wing was a good idea, it had 130,000 miles on it and the engine had never been opened at all. Oh well, I'm here now so I will do what it takes to keep it going,have to say though the Roadking has it all over the wings for comfortable travel.

 

First get the Diesel oil out of the primary. Either put in Primary fluid or ATF. Motor oil belongs in motors. A lot of Twinkies run the same oil in all three hole. Harley said to do it, but they still do not reccomend it on the EVO's. You may get a dealer or tech say that it is OK, but no bulletin that I've seen from HD has said that. Take a good look at a Woods cam, most likely a 6 series

 

Ok will do, just one more question. How can you tell if the cam is still the original or if it has been changed out? I now have it out on the bench and to my surprise it had adjustable push rods in it already. It does still have the INA bearing so tomorrow when I can go get the puller it is coming out. The cam has no markings that I can see at all. Everything looks good inside.

 

If it has NO markings, it could be stock. Most (maybe all) aftermarket cams have "something" on them. Are there any markings or numbers on the gear (other than timing dots)? There should at least be a spot of paint if it's stock, may even be one if it's not. Sometimes hard to see - usually red or blue... and there would be a similar paint dot on the pinion gear.

yehaa for the adjustables and If you change out nothing more than the cam bearing for now - good move!

 

Nothing on the gear but one small spot of yellow paint on the end of the shaft in a notch. I am going to change out the bearing and the lifters but not sure if I can swing the cam now as I am also going to order a new compensator for the other noise. Parts start adding up quick including all the gaskets and seals. At least I saved a little on the pushrods. Can anyone tell me what lifters to ask for from the dealer? I read somewhere about lifters from a B engine or something like that? Can I buy the lifter block gaskets seperate? I can only find them in upper end sets so far?

 

If your lifters are not making noise or damaged (bad rollers, etc.), I'd leave them alone. You have the B lifters already. That's the B revision of the lifter. At 32K miles, you have at least another 30 to go before you have to worry about replacing them, and probably a lot more than that.

The shop manual tells you how to size a cam gear set, but it might involve trial and error. I'd leave that alone too, as I said. Replace the inner cam bearing, and that you can get from a bearing supply place cheap. Use the kind everyone on here says to use and make sure it isn't the same kind that came in the bike. Ina or whatever. Yes, you can get any gasket on the bike individually. You can get it at the dealer or you can get it from about any indy, who will have them all on a big board.

The good part about your bike is that it ain't a Honduh. The bad part is that it ain't a Honduh. You really can't compare the two. Anyway, just fix what needs fixin' and ride.

 

+1 LMAO

Bob