Someone help me make sense of this. PLEASE!
#11
05-05-2012, 07:17 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Over the years I've had chirping noises come an go. A single chirp on deceleration is usually caused by a belt that's a bit too loose. After the second belt was installed at 85,000 miles, my bike developed a chirping squeal that was traced to a rear pulley that had runout. After replacing the pulley, the squeal went away.
Sometimes I will get a chirp or squeal after washing the bike as if the belt is "squeaky clean". When this happens, I use a dab of Harley "Poly Oil" ( PN 99860-81) applied to the outside edge of the belt to quiet it. Poly Oil was developed to lubricate the faces of the compensator pulley on the twin belt drive Sturgis model of 1981, so it's formulated to be harmless to drive belts. Its not really an "oil", more of a wax based grease.
Sometimes I will get a chirp or squeal after washing the bike as if the belt is "squeaky clean". When this happens, I use a dab of Harley "Poly Oil" ( PN 99860-81) applied to the outside edge of the belt to quiet it. Poly Oil was developed to lubricate the faces of the compensator pulley on the twin belt drive Sturgis model of 1981, so it's formulated to be harmless to drive belts. Its not really an "oil", more of a wax based grease.
#13
05-08-2012, 09:18 PM
Cruiser
#14
05-09-2012, 04:58 AM
I had a belt squeal on my FLHT.
Napa Silicone spray would make it go away for a few hundred miles.
I adjusted the belt and steam cleaned the rear pulley but it still would not go away.
I checked the drive pulley and the belt had worn the pulley down to the point that the outside of the belt was at the same level as the unworn portion of the pulley.
Replacing the pulley made the noise go away.
The belt was still in great shape.
Napa Silicone spray would make it go away for a few hundred miles.
I adjusted the belt and steam cleaned the rear pulley but it still would not go away.
I checked the drive pulley and the belt had worn the pulley down to the point that the outside of the belt was at the same level as the unworn portion of the pulley.
Replacing the pulley made the noise go away.
The belt was still in great shape.
#15
05-09-2012, 06:18 PM
This is where I'm at now. The squeal came back after only about 120 miles. I've adjusted the belt to spec and then I can really tell that the front pulley is wore out. The belt actually won't perfectly mesh with the front pulley and you can really hear it on decel. The belt and rear pulley is great and mesh wonderfully though.
#16
05-09-2012, 07:14 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
#17
05-09-2012, 09:14 PM
When I bought the bike it had a chirp. Not overly loud, but enough to make me keep the stereo up pretty loud. It sounded like it was coming from the fairing so I tightened every bolt and that changed nothing. So I checked everything that I thought might make the noise. Muffler mounts, motor mounts, heat shield clamps, head leaks, header leaks, etc. etc. Nothing worked so I decided to live with it for a while.
Then the weather started to get a lot warmer and the bike started squealing on warm days. I could hear it coming from the clutch area of the primary when I lowered my head to have a listen. Then I realized that the chirp was also coming from there. They both had the same pitch which really had me confused.
The chirp would happen only when moving and accelerating or cruising. It would go away when I disengaged the clutch to shift, decelerate, or stop.
The squeal would happen while moving only, but in gear or neutral, clutch engaged or disengaged, accelerated or decelerating.
I had heard and read that the wrong primary oil could cause this condition, so I changed it from the ATF that was in it to a hydraulic oil that I use in my old Ford Jubilee tractor. That didn't change anything. So today I changed it to HD Formula + and that changed nothing. I adjusted the primary chain and the drive belt as well. The belt appears to be in great condition as does the rear drive pulley. Obviously I can't account for the front pulley, but everything else seems to be in good working order. Anyway, still no change.
So just to rule out a squeaky belt, I purchased a can of CRC belt conditioner and sprayed the inside of the belt twice. The directions say to use it every 3000 miles and only use what the belt can absorb. It goes on wet, but when the propellant evaporates, it seems pretty dry.
Well, the chirp and squeal both are gone. The belt dressing didn't sling off and make a mess and the belt is quiet as a church mouse.
My problem with all this is; I have never used a belt dressing up until now. I always considered it a "snake oil" of sorts. Temporary fix at best. So my question is; is this a viable solution to a squeaky belt or did I mask a bigger problem. And if that's the case, what do you think the problem might be? I'm at a loss as to what is causing the belt to to make so much noise.
Thanks for reading my long post.
Then the weather started to get a lot warmer and the bike started squealing on warm days. I could hear it coming from the clutch area of the primary when I lowered my head to have a listen. Then I realized that the chirp was also coming from there. They both had the same pitch which really had me confused.
The chirp would happen only when moving and accelerating or cruising. It would go away when I disengaged the clutch to shift, decelerate, or stop.
The squeal would happen while moving only, but in gear or neutral, clutch engaged or disengaged, accelerated or decelerating.
I had heard and read that the wrong primary oil could cause this condition, so I changed it from the ATF that was in it to a hydraulic oil that I use in my old Ford Jubilee tractor. That didn't change anything. So today I changed it to HD Formula + and that changed nothing. I adjusted the primary chain and the drive belt as well. The belt appears to be in great condition as does the rear drive pulley. Obviously I can't account for the front pulley, but everything else seems to be in good working order. Anyway, still no change.
So just to rule out a squeaky belt, I purchased a can of CRC belt conditioner and sprayed the inside of the belt twice. The directions say to use it every 3000 miles and only use what the belt can absorb. It goes on wet, but when the propellant evaporates, it seems pretty dry.
Well, the chirp and squeal both are gone. The belt dressing didn't sling off and make a mess and the belt is quiet as a church mouse.
My problem with all this is; I have never used a belt dressing up until now. I always considered it a "snake oil" of sorts. Temporary fix at best. So my question is; is this a viable solution to a squeaky belt or did I mask a bigger problem. And if that's the case, what do you think the problem might be? I'm at a loss as to what is causing the belt to to make so much noise.
Thanks for reading my long post.
I had the same damn chirping sound ....went nuts looking at belts and pulleys....the f u c k i n g chirp turned out to be a loose batwing fairing. A trip to the hardware store $3.00 and 4 bolts later the chirp was gone. These chirping noises on batwinged bikes are very deceptive because the fairing deflects sound fom all over the bike and the damn bike becomes a friggin ventriloquist.
I'm not discounting a belt as the source as I was sure it was....later I realized that the chirp was only audible when I was on the bike and at higher rpms....the 4 bolts that hold the fairing tightly in place to the cross supports had rattled loose ( Harley bolts on a Harley rattling loose ..imagine that).
Last edited by Joboo1966; 05-09-2012 at 09:17 PM.
#18
05-09-2012, 09:33 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
New belt 10K miles ago. and it chirped for a while, on hot dry days. Riding in the rain cured the chirp.
I tightened up my belt, aligning it as I did this. Only took 1/4 to 1/3 turn, but the chirp was gone.
BTW if you are looking for a name for 'the bike' my dear wife will help you out.
She makes names for everything. Plants, cars, bikes- You name it, she'll name it.
I tightened up my belt, aligning it as I did this. Only took 1/4 to 1/3 turn, but the chirp was gone.
BTW if you are looking for a name for 'the bike' my dear wife will help you out.
She makes names for everything. Plants, cars, bikes- You name it, she'll name it.
#19
05-19-2012, 08:23 AM
How bad it is.......
That my belt now has 7/8 inch deflection?
My squeal came back!! I knew belt belt dressing was just a temporary fix.
So I let the bike run in first gear (wheel off the ground of course) and adjusted the axle until the squeal went away. After checking the belt tension, I have 7/8 inch of deflection. Any less and I have the annoying loud squeal. It's so loud, my wife says you can hear it over the pipes. So that's pretty loud.
Alignment is fine, belt is running true and center, after a long ride it's not overly hot, everything seems to be working.
So my new question is; What damage can I look forward to with a belt this loose? I mean 7/8 seems like a long way from the 3/16 to 3/8 that the book calls for.
My squeal came back!! I knew belt belt dressing was just a temporary fix.
So I let the bike run in first gear (wheel off the ground of course) and adjusted the axle until the squeal went away. After checking the belt tension, I have 7/8 inch of deflection. Any less and I have the annoying loud squeal. It's so loud, my wife says you can hear it over the pipes. So that's pretty loud.
Alignment is fine, belt is running true and center, after a long ride it's not overly hot, everything seems to be working.
So my new question is; What damage can I look forward to with a belt this loose? I mean 7/8 seems like a long way from the 3/16 to 3/8 that the book calls for.
