when i start my bike up, mostly when its cooler the motor rattles like its coming apart. it can last a few seconds to a minute. local hd dealer says its normal. is it? or is there something wrong? it has 7500 mi on it. other guys i know say there's does too, but i haven't heard them. any help? thank you!

 

It's gonna be a bit noisy until the oil pressure pumps the lifters up and everything warms up.

EDIT: having said that, a minute is too long if it "rattles like it's coming apart". A few to maybe 10 seconds would seem acceptable under normal operating conditions. Colder temps could make it worse, but a minute with "coming apart" type rattling doesn't sound right.

 

What weight oil do you have in the motor? Harley recommends 10/40 wt in temps under 40f. The thick stuff takes a few seconds longer to circulate thru the motor, so that probably the cause of the noise you hear.,,

 

I'm guessing its lifters. Had mine replaced this past summer, '13 FLTRU, about 12K miles at the time. Replaced with Fueling lifters.

 

If it truly is lifters, you should be able to take a stethoscope and isolate it to them or at least pin point what it is. You should here the ticking at the valve cover and also at the top of the cam chest lifter covers. Just standing beside a Harley with it running since you can be standing on one side, and the noise can sound like it is on the other side. Lot of times, at initial startup, the fuel mixture is rich till temperature trims it and that idle rich mixture make an odd rattle noise in the exhaust. With the stethoscope in both ears, that is blocked out and with the probe on the engine, you will here that smooth sewing machine wherr. A tapping lifter with too much clearance will be almost like you can fill it. Remember, a lifter can pump almost .1 past no clearance but the valve spring overrides it all except zero clearance. However if it is the lifters or lifter, they are bad..maybe a peace of trash in it. Good lifter do not bleed down in normal operation.

 

All of my twin cams have done this at one time or another. Not consistent, and I haven't changed the lifters out. Ride it!

 

I had the same issue, tried everything even leaving the windshield off. I happen to downloaded a map off the DynoJet website and to my amazement the engine quieted down considerably? why would a map make my engine quieter? Anyway I'm not going to complain...oh and I went back to regular dino oil but it had already quieted down by then.

 

Thank you all for the answers. i'm using amsoil20/50 maybe to heavy and it takes awhile to get backto the top. it's in winter storage now. i'll check into it more come spring. thank you all again! Ride Safe!

 

Use the oil weight recommended for the temperature range you will be driving in. Don't just put lighter oil in on a whim.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

 

I had 2007 a 2010 ultra and now a 2013. Amsoil made both the 07 and 10 noisy . Learned my lesson the 2013 gets harley oil only. No noise. Loose the amsoil your noise will get better or go away altogether.



QUOTE=ucbear74;12203108]Thank you all for the answers. i'm using amsoil20/50 maybe to heavy and it takes awhile to get backto the top. it's in winter storage now. i'll check into it more come spring. thank you all again! Ride Safe![/QUOTE]