nothing new (top end ticking)

[bad chad]

hey there, Im new I was really impresed with the site so i joined. I know little about the dogs. i got a 05 pittbull with 117 s&s rockers, i rode it in a christmas parade back in december, and yes it got a little warm. The overheat light flickered as finishing up so i killed it soon as it flickered drove it home later. next morning notice oil around rocker covers well just the one low corner of them. so i replaced the gaskets, little after that notice the ticking starting. It does it when it warms up witch i know this is common for the dogs the higher rpms little more noticed, it not really that loud but wanted yalls info i took it to local shop i thought vales needed little adjustment he said they were dead on specs. he said the s&s were new to him though.. I would have done it but didnt have much time i just done the gaskets on rockers. i know this is a thread already talked about a few times but mine had little different situation getting little overheated. the bike does run great it has around 4500 miles.. i did all the general things tappet screen, oil change and etc, i was thinking maybe a valve guide little wore or valve maybe hair out adjustment . so what yall big dogs think?

 

[woodbutcher]

did you change to synthetic oil? there will be a little more noise with syn.

 

[Fibersnake]

As woodbutcher indicated, sometimes with the syn you may get a little more sound. Other than that, just keep an ear on it and if you are not sure, readjust the valves. Also the BD due to the bigger size of the 117 do tend to have more noise than many are used to. You may just be a little more sensitive to it since you got it hot and are just noticing the normal noise more since it was of some concern.

Hopefully nothing unusal and she will give you many miles of fun trouble free riding like many of us have experience.

 

[bad chad]

yeah, its castrol 20-50 not synthetic. like i say its not terriable but does tick little i just wanted more opinion on it since it overheated last thing i want is a valve sitting through my pistion.

 

[woodbutcher]

did you use automotive oil or v-twin oil????????????

 

[bad chad]

you know i never thought about that, i had my local shop do it when he checked valves he said it called for 20-50 castrol gtx so im sure its just automotive oil.... But would that cause ticking i know he does everyone big dog around here same way i rode lot of theres and never heard it in the bikes 117 nor 107....now he did say he noticed little white tint in my fluids (oil primary and tranny) he said it all looked ok all i figured is the boy i bought it from washed it a lot getting it in tranny vent he said that the engine and primary wasnt that bad he thinks it just never been changed he did this at 3500 miles it has 4500 on it now ... still dont know why it would be white or milky should be burnt black if never changed, what yall recommend on oil might go ahead and change again i was going to anyways, since the oils was like that, i did have him flushed it good to get all out before putting new oils in... what yall think dogs??????

 

[twowheel99]

There have been several issues with the 05 and the dreaded ticking noises, some can be blamed on the oil or not using the correct oil filter. Some can be blamed on not cleaning the tappet screen while doing your oil changes. But most of the problems stem from the TP rocker boxes and the geometry on the rocker arms. The boxes seem to amplifiy the noises in the top end and the geometry issues cause the rocker arms to place to much side pressure on the valve stems and that forces the valves to put to much side pressure on the guides and that causes them to become egg shape. I was luck on my 05 to have BDM to replace both of my heads, rocker arms and rocker boxes with the S&S style under warranty. It didn't stop all of the noise but it was allot less noticeable, also having the pushrods adjusted correctly will help lessen the noise. Good Luck 2

 

[V]

you mentoined the "overheat light" flickered. What light is this and where is it located?

Thanks V

 

[bad chad]

you know V thats a good question, i have the digital tach tha red tear drop under my spedo thats my oil light. I dont know what i was thinking sorry guys thats correct right. anyways thats the light that flickered one time and i left the parade maybe couple blocks and killed it never flickered anymore. I let it sit about 2 hours before driving it home. My bike has the smooth rocker covers with 4 bolts on it one in each corner recessed flat. this is the s&s rockers correct. starting second guess what i thought I knew.. My digital tachs flashes when cold (which is common for the dogs so i give it slight throttle till warm and it quits, i might need to idle a hear up more. so what yall think about it.... Im still thinking a valve needs slight adjustment or pushrods so to speak. let me know dogs.......

 

[Cavazos]

I'm not as mechanically inclined as many of the other posters in here, but i heard it wasn't good to let the tach flash. you may want to turn your idle up a hair.

or am i completely wrong here?

 

[barhopper]

No, it would have 6 bolts for S&S. You have TP boxes. Your tack flashes when under 1000 rpms or so. It just is there to alert you to keep the RPM's up for oil pressure. TP boxes have had alot of problems. Alot of guys switch out to S&S boxes.

 

[jerr-06k9]

barhopper are you talking about the
chrome on the TP boxes or ? My
chrome has chips in it. I don't know
of any other problems.

 

[Daddycool]

My bike has the smooth rocker covers with 4 bolts on it one in each corner recessed flat. this is the s&s rockers correct. ....

sounds like the TP rocker boxes to me. The S&S have 6 bolts to each cover.

 

[barhopper]

barhopper are you talking about the
chrome on the TP boxes or ? My
chrome has chips in it. I don't know
of any other problems.

Yes. If you have the 4 bolt pattern, you have TP boxes. Get rid of them.

 

[bad chad]

thanks see thats what i thought at first and shop said i was wrong. because now they only put s&s on o6 and newer correct and they have 6 bolts. these pitbulls are just so complicated because you frame is so close to the front and back rocker covers.. but dont they look good.... you think i should start by doing little ajustment on pushrods. im going to do it all my self, when i get the time...

 

[Cavazos]

why get rid of the TP boxes? sorry fairly new to this and just trying to learn something here.

 

[woodbutcher]

barhopper are you talking about the
chrome on the TP boxes or ? My
chrome has chips in it. I don't know
of any other problems.

S&S motor with TP rocker boxes = the geometry is off just a little bit as compared to S&S for both. this causes the rockers to "fight" the pushrods a little and at times can cause undo wear on the moving parts. not always bad but has been known to cause problems large enough to warrant changing the boxes to the proper S&S version. think of it as putting ford heads on a gm motor. don't fit right. :2thumbs:

 

[Chopper Dave]

S&S motor with TP rocker boxes = the geometry is off just a little bit as compared to S&S for both. this causes the rockers to "fight" the pushrods a little and at times can cause undo wear on the moving parts. not always bad but has been known to cause problems large enough to warrant changing the boxes to the proper S&S version. think of it as putting ford heads on a gm motor. don't fit right. :2thumbs:

as wood said.....
here.....read this thread....

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/motor/10665-engine-tick.html

 

[bad chad]

anybody knows a roundabout price to swap it over?

 

[Cavazos]

anybody knows a roundabout price to swap it over?

you asked the question for me. i'm curious as well.