I'm to the point with mine i can live with the valve train noise, its the "Nugga nugga nockin noise it makes at around that 2500 rpm mystical point that these engines start ringin like a bell. mines stock marelli efi how do i even check the timing? the 2500 rpm knock gets quieter as the engine warms up leads me to believe its piston slapp or wrist pin? im glad i bought this bike cheap. thanks trev

 

Mine is quiet when it is cold... and gets worse as the motor warms up. So I stiil at a loss...

I fabbed up a "nastygram" to Harley to see if they can do anything, and I am not sure if I want to send it or not... I'll post a copy of it at the end of this post....

Another thing... I wonder if cutting back on the timing some would help? I do have a PCIII, but don't have it installed right now (sitting on my desk). The bike is all stock, so I haven't had it on except for when I went to Leesburg a few weeks ago. I saw a post somewhere about maybe cutting the timing back a few degrees might reduce the noise a little.

Anyway, here is my NastyGram.... (EDIT _ Crap... the spacing is messed up... I'm fixing it now for this post..)
_________________________________________

Date

My Address
Harley-Davidson Customer Service
3700 W. Juneau Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53208

To Whom It May Concern:

I recently purchased a 2004 Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle (FLHP/I) from Gator Harley-Davidson in Leesburg, Florida on April 5th, 2008. The bike had 24,000 miles on it, and looked to be in good shape. Me and a friend (who owns a 2004 Road King Custom) drove from my home in Edgewater, FL (just south of Daytona Beach, or about 150 mile round trip) to purchase the bike. Once there, I test drove the bike, and noticed that the bike made a clattering sound which seemed to come from the top end of the motor. The salesman said that it was likely bad gas, and a good tank of premium fuel would quiet the motor down.

Well, after ten tanks of 93 octane fuel, the noise has not gone away. In fact, it has gotten worse. I took it back to Gator Harley for them to investigate the problem. The service manager test rode the bike, and said he could hear the noise I was describing, and would get it in to be looked at. I was called the next day, and was told the bike was ready. I was also told that two technicians listened to the bike and could not hear the noise. I was told I would just have to live with it, and that it is a common noise.

The noise is still there. The motor sounds like a cross between a worn out sewing machine and a Volkswagen that has not had the valves adjusted in a while. This is not my first motorcycle, but my third, with my first two being Hondas. This is however, my first V-twin and my first Harley. I have ridden other Harleys, and I have yet to ride a stock Harley that sounds like this. I am a fairly good back yard mechanic, doing my own automotive and motorcycle repairs and maintenance for over 15 years. The noise in this motor sounds like there is excessive clearance in the valve train. The Twin Cam motor has hydraulic lifters, and should not make such a noise. The hydraulic lifter runs at zero clearance (lash), and should not have any play. However, I unable to get a Harley tech to go into the top end of the motor under warranty to check the problem, even though the bike is covered under warranty. (I purchased a one-year extended service plan for the bike.) From what I understand, no tech will go into the motor under warranty until there is a component failure. A component failure could result in the motor locking up, and a subsequent locking of the rear wheel. This could lead to an accident!

I am paying upwards of $15,000 for this motorcycle, and believe it should not make noises like this. The bike is just sitting at my home, because I am afraid to ride it and do damage to the motor, voiding the extended service plan. I purchased this motorcycle to ride and enjoy it, not for it to sit because the motor might damage itself. The noise is most noticeable at around 2500 RPM in a cruise condition (light throttle, level road). The noise seems to go away as the engine drops to around 2000 RPM. Accelerating beyond 2500 RPM just increases the noise until the exhaust noise covers it up.

What I would

 

Mine has made noise that I have managed to quiet down some. My sugestions:

A good tune for rideability I think helps. Balances the cylinders. This would help bottom end noise. Knocking

Make sure the pushrod tubes are claranced at the top. I think there is touching here sometime. Tapping

I notice Doc, I think it is him, recommendes (Florida). Red Line 20-60 oil. I like Amsoil and will start, at least in the Summer, adding 1 qt- 60 wt to the oil fill, 20-50 the rest. Redline 20-60 is simpler though. I just happen to have Amsoil around.

I think Redline Primary is a little light for the new sprokets and now use,, 1/2 R/L primary oil and 1/2R/L MT-90. All these are OK for wet clutches and are gear oils. Better shear.

I run RedLine Harley transmission ShockProof Oil which isthe Heavy I think. 5th gear is still noisy below 50 MPH. With this bike 5th gear is useable below 40 but too noisy. No sugestions here anymore gotta live with it.

I do have a Zippers oil relief spring.

By the way I will not hesitate to mix oil. What do you think the oil manufactures do? Blend here, Blend there. I do keep the purposes together though. Gotta have a plan.

So far with 90 degree days I have not seen above 220 F after a long ride.

 

im gonna bump this back to the top. if a guy could get good at diagnosing these noises he'd be a god.
Ive had 2 indys look at my bike the 1st bless his heart is deaf as a board. from too many years of riding with no ear plugs. the other guy took one look ssaid"that bike is Morelli injected i dont want to work on it!" i do most most of my own wrenchin im a auto tech by trade but an accurate diagnoses sure helps my wallet.I am about convionced its a pinging / detonation issue. i dont know she said we'll ride it till it blows and build a 110' damn i love this girl. thanks trev

 

That's about how I feel right now. Ride it till it croaks, then go for a 110 or the like.....

Something I read elsewhere on the site, someone said something about taking out 7 degrees of timing from 20% up and 2000 rpm and up... Think it would make a difference? (I have a PCIII for the bike, just don't have it installed because the bike is still stock.)

 

that's why we install louder pipes. lol if you going to stay dino oil try drain out a quart and replace it with lucas oil treatment the 1 in the white bottle it is thisck so it might quieter her down a little

 

O the 2500 rpm clatter.
I have been told they all have it. Mine dose and I have chased it and can' get no satisfaction. My newest revision is the only thing stock and original is my lower cases and trans case all the guts are new. When Did my 95 " upgrade I got a set of new takeoff heads and ported them. new take off rockers and lifters. I put in a set of Woods tw6 cams and adjustable pushrods you guessed it still have the clatter. I put up with it for four years. I wanted to change the set up this winter and built it into a 103. I use a set of 07 take off heads 0 miles ported them new springs Tp rocker boxes and roller rockers. I put in gear drive cams and fueling super pump and delkron cam plate. I have 55 pounds of oil pressure running 35 at idle. All that and the clatter found its way into this mix. You are dealing with a engine who's parts are like a small block Chev in a aluminum aircooled case. Hydraulic lifters wont take away the noise that is not dampened by the engine mass.

 

lesson learned here; i'd take the time and pull the cam cover. check out the **** poor tension shoe material to be safe.

 

About the 2500 rpm clatter, I also have it in my 06 Road Glide. I've found that if I short shift it (that is, shift it at around 2000 rpm) for the first 15 minutes or so while riding it, that clatter is gone the rest of the day. Strange but true. I've been chasing this problem since new!
Gary D.

 

you want to quiet it down put a set of billet rocker covers on it. My buddy put some billlet rocker covers on his and it is dead silent. They are thicker and muffle the noise.

I am actually suprised these motors are not louder considering all the moving parts and all the metal on metal baning around. You got pushrods and rocker arms right under your butt and virtually nothing to muffle the noise. Most current bikes have water jackets etc to damping the noise.