Evo engine "tapping"

[pike1612]

89 Sportster 883...noticeable at highway speeds and high end throttle,cannot hear upon decelleration?any thoughts?

[etreulich]

When was the last time you changed your oil? My bike starts ticking at high revs when the oil breaks down.

[heavyduty]

May be time for a new set lifters. I had the same problem with a 1340 evo, i ignored it, til the bearings in the lifter axle failed. Done alot of damage to the bottom end. I had the same noise that you are describing.

[autotec]

Originally Posted by heavyduty

May be time for a new set lifters. I had the same problem with a 1340 evo, i ignored it, til the bearings in the lifter axle failed. Done alot of damage to the bottom end. I had the same noise that you are describing.

Me too, except I replaced them before they came apart. Same noise that you are describing.

How many miles, and what cam do you have in there?

[DYNA98]

what exactly is the lifter axle...i am having the same problem..i just did the lifters..i put about 15 miles on..but there still makin noise

[BIGBOPPA]

Hi DYNA98,
What they are talking about is the axle that the wheel on the end of your lifters spin on. There are little roller bearings in there that it runs on, and if they fail, they usually come out and go into your oil pump, causing all manner of damage, and usually trashing your cam as well. Try to avoid this at all costs, as much mullah usually needs to be sacrificed up to the Mechanical Gods to make amends for this transgression.

[DYNA98]

ok i gotcha...well i just put in new lifters so that's not a problem...and the rollers were good on the olds ones....the start of all this was i had an oil line cut loose on the highway and pump the motor out....i picked up this noise and figured a lifter went..so i changed them all..but still have the noise

[DYNA98]

found my noise...it was a piston slap

[Bebop]

How did you determine it was a piston slap? I am having the same noise problems, but it seems like it is coming from the rocker.

[cienfuegos]

New to the forum.
I have a 2000 Indian Chief 88ci S&S and what ever else comes original on the bike. I was riding and then a loud ticking noise resumed; it stopped for about 20 seconds then it came back loud. I looked down as I was riding and saw sparks out of the side of the jug. the motor died and I pulled over.

I took the bike to the mech; he pulled the motor apart and noticed a hole on the side of the jug where the gasket was. We bought a new jug from S&S, rebuilt the top end.

I ride it for abotu 5 miles to start breaking in the new rings. 5 miles into it and I hear a similar loud ticking noise, I lost power going up a hill, as the ticking got louder the bike the motor quit on me. I forced started it to get up the hill.

Took it to the mech and they told me it has no compression in the rear cylinder (the on they replaced and rebuilt).

Now im pissed. They dont know what it is. Any takers????

I grew up most my life rebuilding cars but have never worked on a bike. Im thinking about taking on the task of tearing it down, finding the problem and putting it back together.

marcos.ruvalcaba@gmail.com

Thanks fellas.

[head]

my 98 evo road king has 124,000 miles on it. i'm getting a tapping that i could have sworn was coming from the rocker box. a wrench that i trust a lot checked it yesterday and said its piston slap or piston skirt slap. figure i will ride it out until i do a top end on it. did one at 80000 but a hone and rings only. figure it will need boring and new pistons next time i assume.

head

[Bebop]

thanx Head... I just bought mine. It's an '86 FXR but it has an '04 evo with less than 4000 miles on it!!! I guess I'll tear into it and see what I can find.