Don't know tho you can take a look at the condition of the shoe with the cam cover off. The clicking and valve moving kind if indicates that the there is slack somewhere in the cam drive. Another thing to look at is the cam sprocket on the crank. There can be significant clearance on the flat that locates the sprocket on the crank and the flat on the sprocket. The sprocket rattles on the shaft. It's one of Steve Cole's (TTS) pet peeves. He's seen a few.

 

Update I totally disassembled cam chest. I check Crank run out, Removed the cams and check it they would hit inside of the case and condition of tensioner. I slid the cams in all the way in case up against the inner bearings. The cams would hit the lower case only if they were push all the way in. I clearance the cases so the would not hit even though the cam don't go in that far. The inner timing chain and tensioner showed some wear. I replaced the inner tensioner and chain with fueling parts. Reinstalled cams and spun them over and they were all smooth. Now installed the outer chain and tensioner. I started installing the rear lifters and push rods then adjusted them to 3.5 turns. Spun the engine over again still all smooth and no clicking. Then installed the front ones and adjusted to the same 3.5 turns. The noise I get sounds like it's the front exhaust rocker arm. The tick sounds like one valve is out of adjustment. Not multiple ticks. The video really isn't that good. You can hear the noise with a helmet on and sitting in the seat. Even over the loud pipes.. Idle up to 1300 rpms.

 

Seems to me you have done everything one can do to address valve train noise. I listened to the video and have to be up front and honest; I did not hear the noise you describe. At one point in the video, I did hear a faint noise that sounded like a rocker arm but it faded away. If the noise only presents at idle, I think I could live with it rather than go insane trying to make a Harley as quiet as a German bike. Having said that, doesn't mean the noise you describe isn't there and annoying, jsut saying that what I heard wasn't bad. Maybe a better quality video that concentrates on what you think is the source of the noise rather than panning around the motor?

I am a bit confused about the original source of the noise which apparently was a lifter that you had to remove from the bore with needle noise pliars? Logic tells me that the lifter was bad before installing the 583 cams, so the noise should have presented before the cam install? Was it? In any event, that noise has been addressed and we are now trying to find the source of this new noise that only occurs at idle? How closely did you check the bore of the bad lifter? Did you check that lifter bore diameter and the fitment of the new lifter in that bore?

In all of the things you checked for clearance or replaced, I did not see any mention of inspecting the rocker arms or checking side to side play of the rocker arm shafts in the support plate. This has often been blamed for such a noise but unless the side to side play is way off, shimming it tighter usually doesn't eleiminate noise but still worth checking.

Are the 583 cams EZ Start? There have been issues with the compression releasing mechansm with the EZ Start cams.

Have you checked the fitment of the pinion cam sprocket on the pinion shaft to see if the flats on both fit up tight as Max suggested? Max is a very good resource from problem solving. I am waiting to hear his comments on the video.

Not giving up trying to help; answer the questions above and we will keep on trying to find a solution.

 

Answers to above
583 cams is normal chain drive. Rocker arms have been checked. Bushings and side clearance. All within specs. rocker lockers installed. Also clearance the rocker covers, bored push rod tubes, Installed tapper push rods. I made sure that I had clearance around valve springs. Yes original HD lifters made noise. I replaced them with S&S. The S&S Exhaust lifter was sticking but if I swapped the lifter with intake it wouldn't stick in the exhaust bore. Replaced them with fueling lifters now not sticking. The noise with a stethoscope is coming from rocker cover in the front exhaust. I hear normal noise from the other valves. No 2200 to 2800 rpm sewing machine noises. Only at Idle. If pinion gear was the issue wouldn't the other valves be noisy also? Thanks for all your help.

 

IIRC mainly on the front exhaust, with a 45 degree twin motor, as it closes. the rear intake is way past it's peak. Both the rear intake and front exhaust are trying to rotate the cams forward. Any slop in the cam drive might make noise. A forward rotating force one from the cams is going to be strongest.

 

So if I understand correctly. The abnormal wear from the inner cam chain and tensioner was causing some of the tick. After I put everything back together again with new parts except cam cover, I rotated the engine over and the click I was hearing in the front cam was gone. But I could hear a slight click coming from the slack side of the main chain. Like taking up slack noise.. Your saying by replacing the crank gear with a tighter gear (Fueling or which brand) or shim the gear tighter. This should be able to eliminate this noise. Or are you saying screw it and let it be.

 

If you have the motor a part, you should be able to see wear on the edges of the crank flat for the gear. If you slip the sprocket on, and it can rotate some, either shim it or find a tighter sprocket. Feeler gage cut to size will pass but a tighter fitting sprocket is best, IMO.

As far as cams clicking goes, the hydraulic part that controls tension. If the unit is empty, it could click. It needs oil pressure to control the tension. Sounds like you replaced the tensioner. If it was the issue, and the new tensioner is good, it should be fixed.

 

I have possibly the same condition on my 51K mile Stage II 103 (2011 FLHP). So have been following this thread. In the videos posted about his part of the engine, it appeared to me that the cap screw that screws into the crank end and secures this cam chain sprocket has a sholder on it big enough to span over sprocket boss directly, compressing it into the crankshaft relief shoulder that would essentially keep any key way slop from developing in the 1st place. Am I wrong about this ?

 

One would think that the side clamping force is enough to keep the sprocket from flopping around on the end of the crank. In a lot of cases it is. After all there are a few hundred thousand later TCs out there without the issue. The problem seems to occur when higher lift cams and/ or heavier valve springs are used. Steve Cole of TTS fame had examples were the sprocket screw was still tight but the sprocket rattled to the point that it killed the end of the crank. He's seen a few and showed one at one of those expos. Is it common? No, but in that case of chasing noises that can't be found, it's worth eliminating. It may simply stem from the end of the cam being on the small side of the tolerance and the hole / flat being on the large side. Also surface finish in the clamping area could be an issue. If real smooth, the sprocket can slip while under pressure.

I do think that weak cam chain tensioners can be more of an issue.

 

Good points.