Hello everyone... I have a 2001 Road King Classic with fuel injection and just had someone do an upgrade to a 97" S&S TWIN CAM BIG BORE KIT ... I just got the bike back and the engine is smoking a lot ... not out of the exhaust but seems like the top of the engine ... is this normal? Also ... the engine sounds good until I take it down the road and then it seems like the engine has a rattle or tapping that it did not have before the upgrade ... is that normal?

I could really use some help here ... I just need to make sure that the bike is ok before I take it out on the road... anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

What does your installer say?

 

Just guessing here about the smoke on the top of the engine, sounds like oil leaking from the rocker box gaskets on to the exhaust. And if there was something in the top end not assembled proper or the gaskets were in upside down or on wrong good chance oil passages are blocked and not enough oil if any is getting up to the rockers hence the rattling. Who did the work? Best be getting it back to them.

randy

 

What the Cajun said↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑

 

Mechanic says it's normal... it doesnt sound normal though

 

BTW ... white smoke around engine ... black smoke when I throttle it

 

That doesn't sound normal to me. A little smoke when you first start it after a rebuild would be normal but that should burn off quickly. If it continues to smoke somethings wrong. Call the installer.

 

In addition to the above suggestion,

Two other possibilities.....

The front of the rocker box covers, have a small indented portion, while the rear of the cover is straight. If the rocker box cover gaskets were put on backwards, it leaves unsealed gaps on the front and rear of the rocker box cover. You will see the gasket going straight across that front indented portion if it was put on backwards. Oil can/does leak at those gaps, and the rocker arms are much louder than when the rocker box covers are sealed..... A guy posted just such an issue and resolution on another forum....

The crankcase breathers could have been put in wrong which would cause all sorts of crankcase blowby issues...

In any case, while some builds have noisier valve trains than OEM, the way you describe it, with the smoke and all, just doesn't sound right ...

If the mechanic says it's normal based on your verbal description, make sure he looks at it in person and rides it...

If he has inspected it in person and says it's normal, get a second opinion....

Let us know the outcome.....