Loud tapping noise
#11
10-17-2011, 06:27 PM
#12
10-17-2011, 06:38 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
#13
10-17-2011, 07:16 PM
I have a 07 Heritage with close to 38k miles. It is stock except for Rush mufflers with 1.75" baffles and SEST. My tuning is close to stock except for the absence of deccel enleanment and slightly richer mix throughout. My engine runs much cooler than it did the first 3 years.
Lately I have noticed a loud tapping noise when I am rapidly backing off of the throttle. It only happens when the engine is well warmed up and I have been riding at extended high speed, around 55 or so. When I pull in the clutch and release to throttle to shift I hear it. I can pull in the clutch and rev the engine and the noise appears when releasing the throttle rapidly. It also happens if I am up to 65 and just release the throttle with the clutch engaged.
After I have been riding in town or close to home at lower speeds it goes away.
It sounds like three or four loud taps coming from the top of the engine, possibly the front. I have a windshield so I can't really tell if it is front or rear, but it sounds like front. The dealer thought it was the cam tensioners so they changed inner and outer. (~800 bones!). The noise was gone for a while and I thought that they had it but it started coming back around 500 miles later. Really sounds more like a lifter is bleeding down at higher rpm but I thought that lifters were more prone to bleed down at lower rpm. Put an oil gauge on and my oil pressure stays up around 40 at highway speeds and never lower than 12 at idle.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Tom
Lately I have noticed a loud tapping noise when I am rapidly backing off of the throttle. It only happens when the engine is well warmed up and I have been riding at extended high speed, around 55 or so. When I pull in the clutch and release to throttle to shift I hear it. I can pull in the clutch and rev the engine and the noise appears when releasing the throttle rapidly. It also happens if I am up to 65 and just release the throttle with the clutch engaged.
After I have been riding in town or close to home at lower speeds it goes away.
It sounds like three or four loud taps coming from the top of the engine, possibly the front. I have a windshield so I can't really tell if it is front or rear, but it sounds like front. The dealer thought it was the cam tensioners so they changed inner and outer. (~800 bones!). The noise was gone for a while and I thought that they had it but it started coming back around 500 miles later. Really sounds more like a lifter is bleeding down at higher rpm but I thought that lifters were more prone to bleed down at lower rpm. Put an oil gauge on and my oil pressure stays up around 40 at highway speeds and never lower than 12 at idle.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Tom
Last edited by checkers; 10-17-2011 at 07:25 PM.
#14
10-17-2011, 07:24 PM
I have not ridden the bike lately without the windshield. I have been riding this bike with the windshield for over four years and I can tell you, this is not normal. The tapping is very pronounced at the times I originally described. There may be only four or five taps, only while the engine rpm is dropping rapidly. I can hear normal lifter noise all of the time and am not bothered by it.
Thanks for the reply,
Tom
Thanks for the reply,
Tom
#15
10-23-2011, 07:46 AM
Amzoil 20w50
Purchase a bottle of Chevron Techron fuel system cleaner and install about 10oz into a full tank, take out on Interstate and run RPM's up to redline and down in gear many times. Change engine oil to Mobil 1 synthetic 20w50 Vtwin oil and run it for several hundred miles. You may get good results. I dont know why it works, but from my experiance it does. Lots of bad fuel out there and carbon build up on valves, pistons, injectors etc a big problem. The Mobile 1 creates a quieter motor, from my experiance, on several TC's I've switched over to Mobil 1.
Last edited by Tom_07Heritage; 10-23-2011 at 07:50 AM.
#16
10-23-2011, 09:29 AM
Have you checked for any loose mounts or hardware. So much time is spent trying to chase "engine noise" when it's been something totally different, like a loose gas cap, accessory mount, etc. The windshield will funnel the noise, no matter where the source, right back at you.
#17
10-28-2011, 03:20 PM
I ran Amsoil in my 2005 RK from the time it was broken in to 16K. Motor was noisey, swiched to Mobile 1 20w50 V twin, noise much less and stayed with it ever since. I have run it in my 2007 E/Glide and now my 2011 Heritage, with no noise.
Last edited by checkers; 10-28-2011 at 03:23 PM.
#19
10-30-2011, 12:50 PM
Tom, give us an update on what you find, thanks. Have you checked your exhaust header bolts and muffler clamps, make sure no exhaust leak, that can show up with warmer engine temps and on accell or decel, just a thought.
Last edited by checkers; 10-30-2011 at 12:55 PM.
#20
04-22-2012, 10:38 AM