I just read...scaned all 35 of these pages concerning oil filters and which is the best. Lots of talk about microns and manufacturs and etc. But apparently noone has had failures or issues. So why 35 pages, didnt you see the the poll at the begining. Any way, I have been repairing H-ds for 17 yrs. ( not that im the best mech on the planet, but) I have never seen problems caused by stock H-D filters on your typical "stock" bikes ( even with horsepower up grades). But heres why i searched this thread.

I just took in a 2001 Carbed Dyna w/ stage 1 upgrade and about 8000 miles. 150 miles Prior to recieving it in my shop some one installeda S&S E carb and changed the oil to Mobil ! and.....heres the kicker....put a stock H-D EVO filter on the bike. No other mods were done. Just an oil change and a carb.
So, here is what happened.
Customer brought in bike with lifter and rocker noise and told me about the recent changes. After a oil pressure test that was withing specs for a stock bike and returning oil to tank was verified i moved on. I opened the push rod tubes to check for possible adjustable push rods he didnt know about being loose or out of adjustment. Stock pusrods but no oil on them.
So we got good oil pressure but no oil on push rods and tubes. Next i removed the rocker covers and fired the engine and found very little oil pressure from oil passages on rockers and a hell of a lot of noise. Lifter failure? But all 4?
Removed the pushrods and lifters and spun the motor over and found good flow to lifter cavities and piston jets. (unmeasureable pressure but good volume/flow).
Put a scope down cylinder through spark plug holes and found no apparent scoring or failure.
Next i opened the gear cover and found typical normal apperance and condition with lots of typical oil coverage on inside. hmmmmm?
At this point I removed the oil filter and thats when i found that the wrong filter was installed. Very easy to do but this is the first time I've seen it. So, is this the problem? The wrong oil filter? Possibly.
A this point i decided that i was going to do a test and see. I was getting oil flow back to the tank and had good pressure so the idea that the pump was fine was pretty much a given.
Reasembled engine with new lifters. Blew out pushrods and rockers and check rocker bushings and shafts for excessive wear, All looked fine so reassembled motor with correct filter and the new lifters. Started the motor without the rocker covers and after a short pump up of lifters it was pumping oil to top end through the rocker arms and on to the top of the valves and oil was all over the bike, lift, and me. Noise quieted way down...remember the rocker covers are still off....
So, i cleaned it up, put on the covers and fuel tank and went for a ride. Took alot of the noise away but it has a rocker noise at about 2200 to 2400 rpm. Cruising speed.
So whats my next step?
Was it the filter's fault?
Has anyone ever run across this?
Screw that nut and bolt together and see what you come up with.
Feel free to call me if youve been through this. John 208-305-7562
The bike is back in my shop after customer took it on a 100 mile poker run.

 

I don't have an answer but I want to watch where this goes. I have an evo with some top end noise I have been trying to quiet down also

 

If in fact the engine was quiet prior to the installation of the incorrect filter, and now has a noise, then I'd have to say it was due to an oil stavation issue, created via that filter.
We use NOTHING but K&N filters here.
Used others, many years ago, and had problems.
Dropped them like a hot potatoe, as oil blowing towards the rear tire, on a clients bike(no matter what size engine) is NOT going to happen here.
Scott

 

As an Evo owner I steer clear of the 'wrong' TC filters! If the top end has been starved of oil I guess the rocker shafts may be worn, causing the noise?

 

What filter was used? Curious? Was it one for TC?

 

By what you've said, with the EVO filter in place, there was litterly NO oil getting to the top end, and lots with the proper TC filter. The TC filter must affect the way oil is regulated (pressure nad volume). Since the TC filter cleans the oil BEFORE it enters the engine, and the Evo cleans it after it leaves, its possible the relief valve in each is reversed too.
I'd suspect the rocker arms ran dry, damage could have occurred to the arms, valve springs, pushrods, and valve seals.
In my mind it wouldn't take long either!! FWIW Fastrider 124

 

OK reread initial post. Some how I skipped the part about the evo filter on TC. I always wondered what would happen if they were switched.

 

Well......heres what i found during teardown. Rear cam brng was never converted to roller brng and the ball brng went out.....Nothing to do with filter? Dought it but who knows for sure.