Lifter noise!

[Keepers15]

Hello I am new here: I am have lifter noise in my 2002 Lowrider and its driving me nuts. I use Mobil1 Vtwin 20w50. Has anyone added a lifter additive that helped or should I replace lifters. I know Mobil1 is a very good oil as I use it in my Corvette with no problem. Would using a different oil solve this?

[S&S Cycle]

Lifter noise generally is caused by the lifter not pumping up with oil. Changing your oil will generally not change this condition. This might be caused by oil not getting to the lifter, or debris in the lifter. Sometimes just replacing them will solve the issue. How many miles on the lifters?

[Keepers15]

Originally Posted by S&S Cycle

Lifter noise generally is caused by the lifter not pumping up with oil. Changing your oil will generally not change this condition. This might be caused by oil not getting to the lifter, or debris in the lifter. Sometimes just replacing them will solve the issue. How many miles on the lifters?

It has 8800 miles, I purchased it with 8100 miles and have noticed this noise which I had concern. I read posts with the same issues but did not see anything about a lifter additives.

[DR_DEUCE]

Try a pertoleum based oil. They seem thicker and may quiet the noise down.

[BUBBIE]

Originally Posted by Keepers15

It has 8800 miles, I purchased it with 8100 miles and have noticed this noise which I had concern. I read posts with the same issues but did not see anything about a lifter additives.

**********************************************
Keepers15,

Are you New to HD?
Have you owned HD's before?

FORGET additives.(my advice for all)

A lot of New-bees Think noise when it is a normal sound. HD's ARE noisy but LOUD CLANK in lifters that does Not go away with RPM might be a problem.

Lifters/Cams/Pushrods and Motor? Do you know what has been done to this bike? OR is it totally Stock?

Answering above will help here.

IF you get back with some more facts about this bike I'd be here to give you My thoughts. Probably along with many others...

signed....BUBBIE

[Keepers15]

Bubbie the bike is stock as of now, the noise is in the top end. I did remove the front cover and it is oiling/ very clean. Just do not like the tapping that I hear. I do know lifter noise as I have knowledge of motors, I built motors for stock car racing. This is my first Harley but something tells me the noise is not normal. There is no dirt in the top end, would just like to quiet the tapping I hear. I have Mobil V-Twin 5-W 50 in the motor, always use good oil in motors no matter the cost. Synthetic oil is very good but have noticed in cars that it seams it does not get as warm as regular oil. Would like input on Oils, would consider going back to a petroleum based oil. Thanks in advance to all

[jammer45u]

There is no shortage of clearance on the stock setup. The noise probably isn't from a defective lifter unless it's really dramatic, and with your experience you'd know that sound.

First time I tore one down I was amazed the factory offered no adjustment mechanism. Rockers and pushrods are solid. The pushrods are color coded and sized.

If you're really bothered by the noise you may want to try installing a set of adjustable pushrods. You could probably get your valve clearance a little tighter while still maintaining safe clearance for the hydraulic lifters with them.

I've noticed a noise difference using petroleum based oils over synthetic. No doubt the syn's offer better lubrication, but my motors seem to make a little more top end noise with them. I'm learning to ignore it.

[1Canuck]

My $0.02 for what its worth. I have a 2010 SG, new out of the box it drove me nuts the first 1000. Finally had enough I started trying out all the popular oils, doing oil changes after about 1K intervals to get through them all in a short time. Then I installed the baisley spring $12.95 and it became much quieter with the oil I had in there. I again went through quick oil changes until I settled on Redline 20-50 as the quietest (for me anyway). During this trial and error I put in mobil 20-50 because it is popular, it was the last of the oils to try. I dumped that out in about 100 miles because it was the noisest one by far of that I tried. It did have tiny bubbles and I have not looked back still using Redline on normal duration changes.

summary Baisley spring and Redline= one nice sounding engine

[YankeeBob]

Mobil 1 V-Twin oil IS a very good oil. However, it tends to aerate greater than dino oil. Air is compressible. If your oil aerates, then your oil has become compressible.
Reggie @ R&R swears by Torco str. 50w or 60w oil. I haven't tried it, but I have seen the results on freshly shut down engines. One with synthetic and one with Torco. The visual was impressive.

[Buck99]

Originally Posted by Keepers15

Hello I am new here: I am have lifter noise in my 2002 Lowrider and its driving me nuts. I use Mobil1 Vtwin 20w50. Has anyone added a lifter additive that helped or should I replace lifters. I know Mobil1 is a very good oil as I use it in my Corvette with no problem. Would using a different oil solve this?

Change it out to dino oil. I had the same problem with Amsoil, and have heard similar things with Mobil 1 also. Might just be synthetics in general. I changed to Rotella T and the problem disappeared. Have been running Rotella for 45,000 miles now.