I ask this because every time I turn my bike off, I hear like a "whistle" sound come from the top of the engine somewhere.

I picture this sound as an air release from the cylinder head.

Is this possible?

Or does it sound as if I have a leak?

 

The amount of leak that would be necessary to "hear' would be so great usually that the bikes performance would off and you would know you had a problem. You will get some hissing type of noises when you shut off the bike depending where in the stroke the pistons come to rest. If your bike is running well, I wouldn't give much thought to a leak IMO

The delphi systems can compensate for a leak of fairly large proportions in the manifold area (not the seals themselves) and still run fairly well. I've been told by a major engine tuner that a 1/4 inch hole can be drilled in the manifold and the bike would still run. Left me scratching my head on this one.

 

I feel that my idle could be smoother, and I get an occassional "spit" sound from the air cleaner, with a slight hesitation.

My ear is telling me that this "spit" be actually be an air leak that I'm hearing from the intake somewhere.

Is this something a "do it your selfer" can fix?

 

My bike, and many other bikes that I ride with give a little whistle on shut down...very quick, right the motor stops...I've always assumed it was the compressed air that was not used on the last stroke escaping backwards through the intake manifold.

I may be completely out to lunch, smoking dope, and out of my mind. But that's my uneducated, ignorant guess.

Skip and Bill will chime in and tell me if I'm a bafoon or genius.

Mac

 

Hearing you say this is making me feel much better.
Right now, I'm going through a "fanatical stage" with my bike, where I'm suspecting every new noise as something being wrong.

This is my first HD, and there are some things that are simply different than my previous Jap bikes.

Thank you for all your input.

 

It sure is different after riding metrics for a while. I get the same whistle that Mac describes as well, at first I thought dang something needs lubrication, but my thoughts are it's the air going thru the hole in the butterfly and the IAC, or from the breather head orfice's at shut down and that's a guess as well.

 

Heck, these bikes/engines make so many strange noises, I put ear plugs in so I can ignore them.............

I was pretty critical at first, but now I accept all the noises as part of the ride. The bike will let me know if something is wrong, so as long as the warning lights stay off and the engine continues to run and run, I don't worry about them.

My bike is now 7 weeks old and I have 2300+ miles on it.

 

I have hear the noise too at shut off only once in a while my buddy has a Harley too and he hears it once in awhile we think it's funny

 

You hit it pretty much on the head there "genius"

I think you should be taking over in the DIY forums in a short while too at this rate

 

Bill,

Not on your life! I have much more fun getting yelled at for censorship elsewhere!

I will go pay myself on the back now though!

Mac