Mine ticked under load until I changed pipes (SERT too) and had it on the Dyno .....it might be running too lean....and you can't always trust the gas...

 

This is not just under load.... anytime the motor is above 2500 it clacks and clatters and rattles. Can't be bad gas, as it does it with any gas. Don't think it's lean because I am running a PowerCommander w/ a map that is close to my needs.

I had a set of pipes that would quieten the motor some, but also the exhaust was quieter as well. The pipes I have now are just stockers.

 

My tensioners were dead at 26K - that you are over 30K is amazing. Replace them, NOW. I have heard that tensioners are pretty much used up at 25K.
...gene

 

Hmmmm. I am thinking about going out and pulling the cam cover and checking on them.

However, I don't think the cam chain tensioers will/would cause the racket in the top end?

 

Well, for the laughs of it, I went out to try and pull my cam cover to see if I could inspect the tensioners and chains myself. Holy crap... someone at the Moco needs their head examined. I quickly realized that you cannot simply remove the front pipe, you have to remove the entire exhaust system to be able to get the front pipe off to get to ONE DAMN BOLT on the cam cover.

Not to mention when I took the nuts off the front exhaust flange, I soaked them about a half hour in banana lube (Zep 45). One came off really easily. The other started to, but then I think it tried to pull the stud out with it. I finally got it off to realize that I have to pull the entire exhaust system.

So I put it all back together, but the flange doesn't seem to be right. One bolt is farther down on the stud than the other, but they are both tight.

If I had the tools, I would change the tensioners myself, but I don't have the stuff to pull the cam plate out.

 

Well, I put the bike back together. Never did get the cam cover off. When I retightened the bolts, and fired the motor up, and it was mysteriously quieter. WTF? I didn't change the gasket BTW.

I wasn't happy with how the bolts went on, so I loosened them back up, borrowed an in-lbs torque wrench and torqued the bolts according to the book. Fired it back up and it was quieter!!

I rode it around for about a hour, and then shut it off when I went to a friend's house. Was there for about 20-30 minutes. When I fired the bike back up, it was noisy again. I took it home, and tried to retorque the bolts again but it didn't work. It's noisy again.

I dropped by HD and picked up new gaskets ($20 for two exhaust gaskets? WTF?) and I am going to change them this weekend (unless I can con my friend into changing them for me.)

So... any comment on this?

 

well 4 what its worth when i first responded to this thread last year my bike had 36k on it . I did all that stuff too it and it still rattles. now its got 51k on and its noisier than ever but run great. i still have to turn the radio up. this winter i plan on tearin her down till i find something. thanks trev

 

Well, now that makes two indys that have told me my noise is from cam tensioners and chains.

Looks like its time to try that.

 

I think you mentioned a "whining" noise. When I had my 2004 w/sidecar at the dealers getting a stage 1 download, (I bought it used w/38k miles on it) some of the mechanics showed me the worn chain tensioners, said they should be checked at @ 30k. One of them mentioned a "whining" or "whirring" noise.
I'm gonna check mine, gotta take the sidecar off though, ugh!

 

I've basically given up.

I have installed the following new parts, and along with the installation, every spec was checked to be at the smallest end of things...

New Jim's Rocker Shafts; new S&S NON roller rockers (have longer rocker bushing and was dead on spec); one new rocker stand; new pushrods; new lifters; new cams; new camplate; new oil pump; new crankshaft; new cam bearings (torringtons); Timken conversion; new right crank bearing; new chains; new gears; new chain tensioners; new valve job.

Now... most of this was replaced because I rebuilt engine with a new crank. But, a bit like the shafts, etc. were bought expressly as an attempt to quiet things down.

It's some better, not much, and NOT quiet. I have what I think is the front exhaust TICKS at various rpm.. I shimmed all the rockers down to .004-.006 except for that exhaust... I WILL try that after awhile, though. That one came out to .009 and the only shim I had was a .010. I will mill the end down, or get a .005 shim.

I can NOT tell you what made it some quieter, though. It's NOT as quiet as my Bud's bike.

If I can get rid of the tick... I WILL be happy.

I actually DO give up. Here's why... the shafts, rockers, etc. WERE on the end of the LARGE specs. Know what? I would have easily made 100k miles if I had never touched any of that. So the noise? It's just a noise. It's the nature of the beast... there IS nothing inherently wrong with this noise... no mechanical issues or any of that.

At least on mine now.

And... this is a 2009 with hydraulic tensioners... THESE don't go 'bad' like the springy ones at all.