I just put my bike back together. After I mounted the heads and installed the lifers dry (i.e. not primed with oil), there was no noise at all. Then, I turned the bike over several times with the starter to prime the oil pump and I believe it also primed the lifters. From then on, whenever I rotated the back tire in 5th gear, I would get this squeak/screech noise. I had my son turn the back tire while I checked it out and it only happened when the valves were being pushed open, and the noise was definetly coming from the valve spring/stem area. All 4 valves did it consistently, the heads were recently redone and so I saw no need to pursue further.

Today, I started the bike up for the first time and it idled fine and had 32psi of oil pressure at idle. It started easy and sounded great coming out the exhaust. However, that weird noise coming from the valves was still there. Its very hard to describe but it sounds like a squeak/screech coming from each valve...definetly not normal valve train noise. It started out fairly loud and started to fade as I let the bike warm up but when I put my ear down close I can still hear it a little. And it appears to still be occuring when the valves are opening (the sound is in a cycle).

Should I be concerned about this or should I just give it some time and see if it goes away? Does anybody have any ideas on what it could be?

 

If you used adjustable lifters, they may be rubbing on the tubes. As long as you got oil to the top end not much else will make that noise.,,

 

Thanks for the reply, I'll have to check if that could be it. I could swear it was either the valve spring screeching/chirping as if was being compressed or something in that area. The noise didn't appear to be coming from the pushrods. But, noises travel so who knows, its worth a look.

Anybody else have an ideas or input?

 

Ditto that. It sounds like the pushrods are contacting somewhere.

 

Did you remember the lifter anti rotation pins?

 

I am not familiar with a "screeh or squeal" sound on a new build...

You said it would do it by rotating the wheel..??... If that's the case, I think I'd pull the front rocker cover and inspect things while the heel is being rotated. As long as it has not been ridden & really heated up good, you can reuse that cover gasket & zip it all back up after you find / fix / or discover that it's nothing and will oil up & be fine.

Better safe than stupid!

Question: Did you lube things up before you buttoned it up? (assembly lube / oil can squirter / etc)?

 

It only makes the sound when the valve springs are being compressed. If I move the rear wheel at all, even 1 in, I'll get a little eeeaaak and if I keep rotating it is continuous and coincides with the opening and closing of the valves. When the heads arrived, then we fully assembled and there was a small amount of oil present so I assumed they were lubed when assembled. I used assembly lube on everything else (rocker shafts, rocker rollers, etc.) Perhaps I should pull the valve covers and squirt assembly lube or oil in between the valve springs to lube the valve shaft?

I did not see any interference with the push rods and the push rod tubes and it is definetly in the spring area.