this is my 1st harley, first forum. had metric bikes for over 20 years. i bought a 81 xlh1000 for my 1st harley. rode it home 100 miles and everything sounded ok. the next time i fired it up the motor has a click in it. the easiest way to describe it is it sounds like a bicycle with a playing card clospinned to the fork like when you were a kid rubbing on the spokes. gets louder as you accelerate. bike has 24,000 miles on it, and was told by the original owner the motor has never been opened since new. no tuneup in atleast 5 years(plugs and oil change is it) and he rode it everyday winter or summer where there wasnt ice on the road and over 35 degrees outside. it does have a little blue smoke at an idle when 1st starting the engine cold, blows a little wisp of black when you crack the throttle, and you can smell a little oil when you are sitting at a stand still. there are no oil leaks anywhere. owner said about a half a quart of oil is used every 5-600 miles. any ideas where to start with this? i am guessing there has to be a timing chain on it,valves would most likely need to be adjusted. dont want to stick 4-500 bucks in it for a tune up if it is time for a rebuild. might as well go right to that and put the money into that. the previous owner said it had the little bit of smoke for a few summers already, he just added oil when it needed it and ran it that way. never had it breakdown on him. the only other thing i did notice is he had told me the generater dumb dumblight would only come on when you turned the key on, and would go out when you fired it up. now it stays on till i give it a little gas, then it goes out. it didnt do that when i picked it up, but after the 100 mile trip home it did it. any ideas where to start out would be great. thanks guys/gals. p.s any thoughts about running some lucas oil in it? i know with a car or other bikes i had when they start getting tired i would ad a quart(to a car that holds 5 quarts) and it will slow oil consumption, and raises oil pressure anywhere from 5 to 10 lbs(maybe also qiet down the motor click) i really dont want to ride it till i find out if this is something major. it still runs and all housings are good with no leaks, dont want to throw a rod thru the housing or something. thanks agian for any help. id really like to ride it soon!

 

Welcome from Vancouver B.C. CANADA

 

As with a lot of new members that ask questions, U really need to ask this one in the Sporty section...
Theres a section for almost every kind of Harley, and U'll get a lot better and more responses/looks, if posted in the right area...

I have a Softy and don't really know much bout Urs...

Welcome to the Forum and safe riding.
From Indiana

Don’t forget to read the four Announcements at the top by Terry 1955, If U haven’t already.
They contain the rules of the forum and will help U understand it in here a lot better.

 

thanks, i just joined today, ill have to figure out where to find that portion of the website. didnt really see where there was a different place for different bikes. what part of the forum do i go to? thanks agian

 

Follow down the site and your see the help sections for every different model, good luck and thats a nice ironhead ! Welcome from New Jersey .

 

Welcome from Clinton Tennessee

 

Welcome to the forum & congrats on the new bike. Have fun Here, Ride Safe

 

Welcome!!
____☻-From Sunny-☻__
♣♦~Las Vegas Nevada~♠♥
Check out the sporty section, but the tick sounds like a adjustment with push rods(lifter)
Smoke is rings or valve guides and yes if it is something like that I would rebuild the engine.
Good Luck Man!!!

 

Welcome to the Forum from Indiana. It's a great place to post and learn between rides.

 

Welcome from SE Georgia! Let's see some pictures of that beast!