neo, did you miss this the details of this post - https://www.hdforums.com/forum/5305137-post115.html

I fanally had the tim eto rip it apart again (just the cam case) and make sure everything was on the up and up. I inspected the pump - looked great. I made sure I was not 1 tooth off with the cams - perfect. I used the oil pump positioning bolds during reassembly. I replaced the lifters and did 4 turns on the Andrews EZ install pushrods.

Other than the valve noise between 1700 and 2500 RPM, she purrs.
...gene

 

One thing that puzzles me is I don't see how a bad tensioner or chain could cause the top end to sound like it has excessive lash.

Something else that puzzles me is that when I was messing with the exhaust the other day, the bike actually was quiet for about an hour. Once it sat for a half hour or so, it was right back to being noisy again.

The bike has 30k on it now, and it lived the first part of its life as a cop bike. I am either going to have the tensioners changed, switch to the hydraulic tensioners, or just go to gear drive cams. I can handle some gear whine over the clacking of the motor.

This noise isnt from 1700-2500... Under 2000 and the bike is quiet. 2000-2200 it starts, and from 2200-up it is noisier than hell.

I went on a 250 mile run yesterday (from my house to a relative over on the other side of the state, and then back), and the bike ran fine, but the noise was killing me. Most of the trip was 70-80 MPH @ 3000 RPM. At this speed, the motor sounds like it is going to fly apart. Part of me hopes it does one day....

 

Tensioners try to keep the cam timing consistant. But, as they wear and the springs loose a little strength,they allow the cam to flop on the transition from BTDC to ATDC. This slop can change the combined valve train tollerances inducing noise.

This is easier to explain with pictures
...gene

 

Well, after litterally months of knowing I need to open the top again, I finally got it done. What you ask?

I have looked, but cannot find the post where someone, a god actually, said just use countersink bolts to center the rocker support plate to the correct position. A god I tell you! Well a demi-god at least .

So yesterday, well Friday night and saturday morning I did just that. Given these are flat blade screws, I put both bolts on the cam side of the motor so I could tighten them down.

Well, to be specific, I bought 2.5 in 5/16x18 countersink bolts that had a straight slot top for a screwdriver. I pulled the 2 rockerarm bolts on the cam side for each cylinder (one cylinder at a time) and put the countersink bolts in finger tight. I then loosened the back side bolts and tightened the countersink bolts, very tight. Then I tightened the back side to torque specs. Replaced the countersink bolts with the real ones and torgued to spec.

I am amased at how less than a 10th of an inch has such a dramatic difference. I have noise, but not the disturbing clack I have posted about before. I attribute the little tapping I get as normal wear and tear.

If you have done maintenance and gained the clack (no, the clap is different ). Try this, it really worked for me.

...gene