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noisy top end

  • bikerphil
    bikerphil
    6 years ago
    hi y'all
    Got a 2008 street bob - 93 Cubic inch, 70,000k's
    Top end sounds like a sewing machine and rattles like a good un.  Dealer says this is normal and recommended I went back to organic oil from the syntheic stuff to quieten it down a bit..  Thing is its driving me bonkers, all i can hear is the friggin rattling every time I ride .

    Is this normal?  or is  the dealer pulling my chain?
    As theres no adjustment on the top end ( hydraulic lifters and all that)  is this just the result of an engine  thats done 70k's  and I need to think about new rockers/lifters etc.

    What do you guys think?

    Phil

  • fatbat
    fatbat
    6 years ago
    Are you on the original lifters? I'd get a second opinion from a reputable Indy. Lifters should be changed before 70,000 kms 
  • speedzter
    speedzter
    6 years ago
    Don't go back to the dealer, find a good independent mechanic.
    Get them to check the valve train/cam chest for issues.
    Some noise is normal, but it sounds like yours is excessive.
  • JFE
    JFE
    6 years ago
    What synthetic oil are you running? My 103 engine was quieter when I swapped HD Syn3 out for Mobil 1 V-Twin. Doesn’t smell as good, but I can live with that.
  • bikerphil
    bikerphil
    6 years ago
    thanks guys
    yes original lifters , rods and top end - nothing has been changed.

    Re the oil question - I was using harley synthetic for about 2 yrs, but now gone back to Harley organic.

    @Mark
    dunno if im just being pedantic or not, Ill get a 2nd opinion


    cheers all

  • tussuck
    tussuck
    6 years ago
    Nothing wrong with the OEM gear, although when you do replace the lifters replace them go with quality like Jims or S&S.
    Noise top ends a re normal with high lift cams - although it should not be as bad as you make it sound
    Stay away from the Synth oil as I found my Evo started to leak oil and sound like a damn sewing machine when i swapped over to it.  Dino oil is definitely quieter!
    Often as not the cure is to slightly over tighten the pushrods by a turn or two.
  • fatbat
    fatbat
    6 years ago
    But if the engine is stock it won't have adjustable pushrods 
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    6 years ago
    Good point.
  • bikerphil
    bikerphil
    5 years ago
    just in case anyones interested.  I fitted the Rockouts  as suggested by hot and heavy, did the job nicely, shes not rattling anymore, many thanks.
  • carbon fibre
    carbon fibre
    5 years ago
    I fitted a set to my 90,000km SG not long ago, top end is quiet as a mouse now.
  • robnicko
    robnicko
    4 years ago
    i bought some Rockouts a couple of years back and finally got around to putting them in as I was doing the breather service over the weekend

    The retainer bolts all had witness marks, more so on the exhaust side (maybe the added heat there loosens em up a bit more with expansion). End play was in spec so all good there.

    Took the bike for a good decent ride and the top end is dead quiet now, just hear the exhaust note. All I can say is these things have quietened down the top end to almost silent.
    For a long time I have been chasing a rattle (almost vibration) when under load at about 2500rpm upwards, constantly checking heat shields, shifter linkages etc however this was the reason all along
    A good thing with them as well is they assist in lining up the rocker assembly dead on to the pushrods and valves.
    Piece of cake to install, only wait time is lifter bleed down so i did one cyl at night and the next in the morning

    If you have the top end apart, do yourself a favour

  • micathia
    micathia
    4 years ago
    both my Dyna and Iron have the sewing machine noise. The Iron 883 has loud pipes to cover it. But if wearing half-face helmet, I can still hear the sewing machine noise. Wearing ear plugs or full face helmet, sewing machine is gone. 

    I think Milwaukee 8 has that too and more noticeable due to the quieter pipes. 
  • Birtyyy
    Birtyyy
    4 years ago
    Quoting micathia on 27 Feb 2020 09:18 PM

    both my Dyna and Iron have the sewing machine noise. The Iron 883 has loud pipes to cover it. But if wearing half-face helmet, I can still hear the sewing machine noise. Wearing ear plugs or full face helmet, sewing machine is gone. 


    I think Milwaukee 8 has that too and more noticeable due to the quieter pipes. 

    I've complained a couple of times to the dealer about my 107" Milwaukee 8 being noisy. Swear it's getting louder but they just keep telling me it's normal...
  • RossW
    RossW
    4 years ago
    Quoting micathia on 27 Feb 2020 09:18 PM

    both my Dyna and Iron have the sewing machine noise. The Iron 883 has loud pipes to cover it. But if wearing half-face helmet, I can still hear the sewing machine noise. Wearing ear plugs or full face helmet, sewing machine is gone. 


    I think Milwaukee 8 has that too and more noticeable due to the quieter pipes. 

    Quoting Birtyyy on 27 Feb 2020 11:17 PM

    I've complained a couple of times to the dealer about my 107" Milwaukee 8 being noisy. Swear it's getting louder but they just keep telling me it's normal...

    I have the same problem. It seems to.come and go. Mentioned to dealer at first service. Nothing changed.
    I would caution against tightening up pushrods to get rid of the noise. At least that noise is assurance that the valves are closing properly. Better to sound like a sewing machine than to lose compression, or worse burn valves.

    Moto Guzzis are like this too, and the general consensus among owners is that noisy tappets are happy tappets.
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