Just got my bike back from the dealer, had some work done to the engine, HTCC CNC Ported Sreamin Eagle heads, 257 cams, Sreamin Eagle lifters, Quick Install adustable push rods, Sreamin Eagle forged rocker arm supports, HTCC high compression pistons and a 44mm Screamin Eagle carb. WOW what a difference but the engine sounds like an old small block Chevy Cilcking and Clacking away, the bike runs great but I can't deal with the valve train noise, called the dealer back and the gave me a story "Those heads have big valves and springs with a high lift cam your valves will be noisy" I don't think so, if I had a quiet set of pipes on the bike it would really sound noisy even with the loud pipes you can hear it pretty easy, any one out there have any ideas???

 

HTCC CNC heads with SE257 cams? SE lifters? 95" I assume?

Ya those heads do have a ton of spring seat pressure, and a poor match with SE 257 cams, your not taking full advantage of those heads at all. They use a spring pack thats more suited for a cam in the .625-.540 lift range with high seat pressure and they will be noisy, plus I assume your using the stock oil pump and bypass valve assembly which doesnt get much oil to the top end. So yeah your going to be noisy, very noisy. But who the hell picked out that combination? SE lifters were an absolute waste of money, and that cam isnt going to take advantage of the heads cylinder fill abilities and is a pretty crappy grind. If your going from a relatively stock bike to that combo, Im sure you do like the difference, but you left alot on the table. Your at a point where roller rockers become beneficial too because I can garentee the rocker arm to valve stem geometry is off. You would be better off with cam like the Woods TW-9BG, S&S 625g. Cams in that range. The regular SE performance heads are much better suited for SE 257 cams and would have given better results since they bump the cr a bit and improve low end torque.

 

The thing to do is get some LOUDER pipes and things will seem better... There are issues with running heavy valve springs with chain driven cams. Tensioners will have problems. You can run lighter valve springs which helps. You can also try bottoming the lifter and backing off 1/2 turn to see if it helps. I'd also check the pushrods to make sure that they are not rubbing against the tubes. Chances are that you may be able to quiet it down some but you will probably have more noise than before. Bruce

 

I would suggest installing a Baisley Hi-performance oil pressure relief spring. Easy to install and could very easily take care of your problem

With the new hardware in your motor, it very likely needs the oil pressure kicked up in order to compensate for the mods.

 

"Im sure you do like the difference, but you left alot on the table. Your at a point where roller rockers become beneficial too because I can garentee the rocker arm to valve stem geometry is off."

Other than ensuring that the roller hits close to the center of the stem what else can be done? AFAIK Baisley is the only one doing this. Shim or trim the rocker boxes? Is valve stem protrusion off? Bruce

 

There are a number of headshops that will set up your valve stem to rocker arm geometry properly, not just Dan Baisley. Many places won't do it unless you specifically request it though.

I have come across a number of Screamin Eagle heads where the rocker tip was well off center from the valve stem tip through its travel arc, the easy fix is a roller rocker to relieve and reduce potential stem sideloading. Its just good insurance. Sure is money better spent than a set of uneeded SE tappets.

 

I probably didn't come across quite right. I meant to say that Baisley is the only one I know of that is altering valve geometery by using rocker arms. Any idea how the others are doing it?? I'd agree that that the SE tappets are not needed, neither are the forged rocker arm supports unless they can correct geometery problems (I don't really know). Bruce

 

Thanks for the info, I took the bike out today for its first real run 85 miles, I worked the throttle up and down keeping the RPMs uder 3000 to break it in as the dealer recomened, I did lay in to it heavy on the throttle to seat the rings but low RPMs and I noticed a lot of oil on the right side of the bike looks like it's comming out of the air cleaner and spraying back like a mist, I don't know, possible blow by because the rings arent seated yet I'm not sure, what do you think? The dealer recomended the setup with the 257 cams, I already had the heads got a great deal on them, they copied the configuration right out of the Sceamin Eagle catolog, supose to give you about 110HP.

 

257 cams will give alot of standoff under 2500, thats the reason for the gas/oil mist. Has nothing to do with your rings.

Laying onto the bike heavy isnt going to necessarily seat the rings, and if you lug and/or overheat the piston rings to soon in the engine you can permanently damage em. Smartest thing to do with a new build is to heat cycle the rings 4-5 times minimum, then ride the bike normally under different throttle positions for the first 50 miles, then change the oil.

If the dealer recommended SE 257 cams with HTCC heads though I can tell you they dont have a clue how to match engine components up properly. It may work ok, or sufficiently enough, but the engine combination is not reaching its full ability.

 

Do you think if I put the Baisley oil spring in and install a set of SE roller rockers the clacking will settle down a bit, it sounds terrible, like a 327 small block with 250,000 miles on it, I had it idling in my driveway and I was in my garage about 30 feet away and I heard the clacking over the exhaust.