Dreaded ticking noise, Not the vent tube
- Thread starter Bee
- Start date
Bee,
1. Ex leak: Have someone hold one exhaust pipe closed at the end with a rag. Go up to the head and see if that ticking hiss is there? Check the other pipe the same way.
2. Valve adj: EOIC means Ex-Open - Set intake pushrod. IC means Intake Closed... So, 'as soon as' you see the rod stop moving, that means set the other valve lash.
a. If they are solid lifters, there is your tick, i.e., tight valve. If the lifters are hydraulic, then the pushrod is 24 turns from the rod losing all it's clearance. So the EO is open. You are going to loosen the intake rod so you can lift it up and down, but now spin rod adjuster so the clearance can't move the rod up or down, but can easily spin it. This is now the starting point of 24 turns of one flat of that rod's stationary flat. The locking nut holds that flat from spinning loose in other words. Mark the one flat and turn the rod so each flat adds up to 24. IF... This is the number. Wait for a revision for adjusting the valves another way or the flat count. Though, the EOIC is the most accurate, your call on the adjusting of the rod(s).
3. Check Compression: Why? If we have a lagging lifter, the compression will show up as one is lower. But when you rev the engine, both cylinders sound equal as if no lifter is opening partially or lags.
4. Normal noise? With the input so far, this might have a normal sound but you are new to the bike and listening to new noises that were there all along. So, either it's normal, you found nothing, or.... ????
1. Ex leak: Have someone hold one exhaust pipe closed at the end with a rag. Go up to the head and see if that ticking hiss is there? Check the other pipe the same way.
2. Valve adj: EOIC means Ex-Open - Set intake pushrod. IC means Intake Closed... So, 'as soon as' you see the rod stop moving, that means set the other valve lash.
a. If they are solid lifters, there is your tick, i.e., tight valve. If the lifters are hydraulic, then the pushrod is 24 turns from the rod losing all it's clearance. So the EO is open. You are going to loosen the intake rod so you can lift it up and down, but now spin rod adjuster so the clearance can't move the rod up or down, but can easily spin it. This is now the starting point of 24 turns of one flat of that rod's stationary flat. The locking nut holds that flat from spinning loose in other words. Mark the one flat and turn the rod so each flat adds up to 24. IF... This is the number. Wait for a revision for adjusting the valves another way or the flat count. Though, the EOIC is the most accurate, your call on the adjusting of the rod(s).
3. Check Compression: Why? If we have a lagging lifter, the compression will show up as one is lower. But when you rev the engine, both cylinders sound equal as if no lifter is opening partially or lags.
4. Normal noise? With the input so far, this might have a normal sound but you are new to the bike and listening to new noises that were there all along. So, either it's normal, you found nothing, or.... ????
The long tubes are where the pushrods are located. The rocker arm is where one end of the rod pushes. The other end of the rod is where the lifter pushes the rod up. So if you remove the rods, you can unbolt the lifter blocks that the outer rod covers lay into.
You might be over your head if your confidence is not there. This is one of the easiest engines out there to work on. It might cost big bucks you mess up.
Dezertrider37v
Member
I have to agree with Curtis on this one, mine unfortunately was a bit worse. It sounded just like yours (both sound and sequence) just to be safe I pulled the heads. Both exhaust valve guides were oval and the valve stems badly worn. Had heads re-done and put it back together and 90% of the noise was gone (put it back together with S&S rocker boxes).
The other 10% of the noise that was left was the lifters, I don't know what they were but not S&S (did not have the limiters) mine came with the TP Boxes and the Comp Cam (.565).
Now I'm running the S&S lifters, the .585 cam, and the S&S boxes. It's very quiet now too bad it cost so much to get it that way. Oh, and like somebody else mentioned, I changed my pipes (FSD Sinful) and I could still hear the tick!:bang:
KaptinAmerika
Guru
Your listening for which tube has the loudest ticking sound as that's going to be the bad one.
email me and I will send you a manual
wsworx@gmail.com
Srodden
Well-Known Member
Yes that's excessively noisy needs some diagnosis so nothing worse evolves like dropping a valve.
bigdogtech01
Well-Known Member
Keep in mind, for the amount of work that's involved with replacing a lifter, you should replace all 4, not just 1. In most cases you can only by them as a set anyhow and they are only $200.
You also want to make sure you get the right advice from people who have actually worked on these motors. Not just a shade tree mechanic who knows how to read a manual and works only on Jap bikes :loony: :lol:
You also want to make sure you get the right advice from people who have actually worked on these motors. Not just a shade tree mechanic who knows how to read a manual and works only on Jap bikes :loony: :lol:
Okay, say the exhaust tick was the quick and dirty, I'm not standing in front of the bike say. Now say tick and valve. That would be again, setting the rods to the EOIC positions.
Then, who has the most gap, means, one with the galling gone off the valve stem? Who can you lift without moving a valve open as in, who has the most movement if tick means excessive gap = Tick.
So if pushing down on the rod, we see if a lifter has no holding force. If they load up and give, meaning, equally, then not a lifter at this time say. We are back to the top end and a rocker to valve stem gap if we equal Dez' failure.
The valve has to drop out of the guide or you dress the mushroom end with a file until it drops out. You may have a guide that is within tolerance or does not puff smoke on lift. Does it puff smoke when you start it in the morning or sitting for over days on end and poof, she cleans up? Then if no, the guides are fine at this time.
Ride the bike down a hill and lift off the throttle for as long as you can. Look back and hammer the throttle. See a puff of smoke? Yes? Then the guides are junk.
1. Check compression: for a lifter not opening and test with a cold engine. Why? No oil pressure in the beginning. You pinpoint that tick, check that cylinder first.
2. Ride the bike and do a 'lift test' for [subtle] guide wear.
3. Run the EOIC and check for rocker/valve stem wear and that might point to a loose pushrod.
4. Like Dez says, he heard a tick, he checked the rockers first. If all 3 above pan out fine, I'd start at the rockers and start checking parts is.....
... Parts, no matter how you look at it. American gall is the same parts is parts call on a Japeeknees, you go searching for the same noise is. You know, funny noise is.
Welcome back. :flag:
What kind of disease did you bring back? Is that lice on your head? Let me take care of that for you.
francoblay1
The Spaniard
Here we go again........
Welcome back. :flag:
KaptinAmerika
Guru
I'm glad Andy threw the Jap Bike statement in there.
liferider
Looking forward to retirement
Don't you mean again and again and again...........Here we go again...
I'm glad he did too. You keep an open mind, read manuals and read between the lines. I see an advantage, don't you? Take the VOES as an example. No way could anyone explain the black box event in one sentence we go hacking.
I have 3 computers [1 flashed], 2 pc5 that hold 2 maps each, a jap bike [zx14] that runs like a fridge, and here I hametup finding problem after problem with the black boxes; to the clutch baskets; to the no wink; to no start; to gearbox failure.
I'm not complaining, nor are your problems my problems. I'm just saying ...
Jump over the pit wall theory anyone?
Bee
New Member
Thanks to everyone for your input. I greatly appreciate it. With my limited time to work on the bike and my lack of confidence in tearing into things that could really mess things up I'm having my local harley shop install the quick pushrods and a new set of lifters. Getting ready to go to a police academy so when I get back I'll have the s&s rocker boxes installed and hopefully then I can take this baby out on the road!
David Watters
Member
Bee what did you find out about the noise what fixed it my 2004 Pitbull is making a similar sound
knothead
Second Chance Customs
U may have already done this but have u cleaned ur tappet screen...dirty screen will let one tap in the top end from lack of oil...idk if urs has a tappet screen or not...107 s&s has tappet screen and 117 does...a buddy of mine just came over the other day cause of a tapping sound in his...i could hear it when he pulled up in the driveway...i changed clean his tappet screen and oil...all noise was history...i mean it sounded like death before...hoping this might be ur case....
francoblay1
The Spaniard
Bee has not been back in the Forum since 2014. I would not hold my breath for an answer....
