2007 crankmare, noisey

[Seadub2]

Originally Posted by Sir Fig

"I guess the noise could be compensator related, with the added torque that this thing has, I suppose its possible, but as mentioned before..The noise is a higher pitch, like a loose valve or bad lifter...What gets me is that it is only under a load, when riding...Noise will not show up sitting still...sounds louder on the left side of the engine..course there is a lot more going on on the left side......"

Yup - the newer comp sprocket is designed to absorb more of the torque shock...I don't know if anyone has tried it yet. But I plan to this winter; add the IDS as well. Most folks say installing the IDS quiets the drivetrain considerably. Harleys are just plain noisy when compared to the imports. Remember too that there's a lot of open chambers for rattles to resonate in, like the primary.

If you plan on installing the new compensator, keep us advised. We'd like to hear your opinion.

Bests...C.W.

[Sir Fig]

I pulled the bike down last night, checked primary stuff, seems ok...How do you check a compensator anyway...everything seems tight...pushrods have been adjusted anywhere from 2 1/2 turns to 4 turns with no change.. pushrods are close, real close but do not see any rub marks.. Unless I have completely lost my mind, how could a valve train noise occur only under a load..

By the way, I did not tell what the problem with the heads was upon initial build.. The guide was protruding too far into the inside of the head. I guess when the valve closed the tulip started to bind in the guide and finally locked up...

This guy built a set of heads for my dyna, no problems, But seemed to have come back from Daytona bike week with an attitude.. The valves dont seem to be sunk to far into the chamber, at least the height of the stem is within specs, at least from where they cut the spring seats, if they did..Overall valve length is correct, however it may be sunk a few thous..dont know if this would change the geometry of the valve train or not...Still, Why just under a load????

Anyway, valve covers are off, excuse me, rocker covers are off. I am going to try to start the thing up with the valves exposed and get the stethescope out just to see if I hear any minor differences while not moving.

Unless I can get one of you guys to ride on the back and get oil soaked and listen with the stethescope I guess I will have to wing it.. Hell, It shouldnt sling out that much oil idling anyway...

I read somewhere on this site, I believe from a sponsor, that they suggest taking the pushrods down to .140.

I am willing to try just about anything now..This noise is definitely amplfied by the fairing and lowers, but it is one of those noises that is unnerving. Tone and loudness tends to make you not want to go very far from home, especially when the woman is on the back. I have never known one who liked to walk very far, quietly that is..

Of course, if it did break, I could always blame it on her and say "I told you so"....Yeah, Right..

OH by the way, I am 57 years old, Someone said crank up the rock and roll, I have no problems with that.. But would have to put carl perkins, little richard and jerry lee lewis on cd or I pod...

To quote a line in a great movie, American Graffiti "Rock and roll has been going downhill ever since Buddy Holly died"...I will have to admit, I think he is right...

Thanks again guys,
Bill

[KingofCubes]

Try straight weight oil and see if the noise changes or goes away. This will narrow it down a little bit.

[Sir Fig]

Yeah, I called the local dealers, if you want to call them that, they said that the new SE compensator will not be released until later this month. Maybe they are sticking them on all of the SE bikes because of a noise between 2000 and 3500 rpm under a load...WHO KNOWS??

[Sir Fig]

Now have 50w Harley in the engine, could not tell any difference, that I could notice.. I am going to put some 75-90 in the primary and try that..Is GL5 for posi-trac diffs OK??? Dont want to soak the clutch plates with something they dont like...

[rbabos]

Sounds like a wrist pin or piston slap. I believe you said you were an auto tech. Then you know how to check this by pulling the wire off and killing the cylinder. Could also be a cracked piston close to the wrist pin hole. Pulling the sparkplug wire will find that too. I assume the sound you are hearing is a snap, crack type of sound?
Ron

[Sir Fig]

noise was there on first build...since then have replaced stock BS crank (slipomatic) with S and S crank and wiseco pistons...noise continues..

The only common items from first build (the nightmare) and second build is the heads...Plenty of deck clearance and valve relief..

May be the pushrods, started the bike up last night with valve covers off...does sling lot of oil... did not hear any difference between rockers or valves at 2500 rpm.. or revving type load... seems to be oiling great...pushrods are close...real close.

Of course I couldnt ride it or put it under a load, but got it plenty hot and still no noise....I did put 75-90 in the primary..may have quieted down the compensator if that was the problem..won't know until I reassemble and ride...

Is it possible to shift the rockers housings to the left and the rocker arms to the right and get any pushrod clearance????...did not know if anyone has tried that yet..figured I might as well try that while I was inside the rocker housings...

Thanks,

bill...

[BVBOB]

Make sure your rocker arms are not hitting the cover, mine were VERY close on my 07 so I clearanced them, still seems odd that it is only under load though, those load type noises are typically pinging or exhaust leaking, I had a noise in my 06 dyna that I would have sworn was the camchest, it was merely a loose 02 sensor vibrating, also check all heat shields, remember, the rubber mount engine flexes and affects how things react with each other under acceleration.

[skyhook]

I'm not sure exactly what to call it, but I hear a lot of the wood cam users say that they shim the rockers...have you done that?

[Sir Fig]

I am rechecking the valve covers,,I relieved the casting ridges over the valve side and along the rocker shaft...seems to have plenty of clearance...

I am starting to suspect the compensator...Maybe it was weak all of the time..still have not ridden since changing primary oil to 75-90..

By the way,,when checking for individual cylinder noises by pulling the plug wires one at a time..there is all kind of strange noises coming from the primary side, must be one of those ramps on the comp not knowing which way to go with only one cylinder active.

thanks,
Bill

[grandpa Tom]

Sir fig: Really sorry to hear about your problems, Just want to say that your problems and others that I have read about having issures with builds has helped me to decide not to change anything more than doing stage 1 and maybe, (maybeeee) only a bolt in cam for my 07 FLSTC with 14K .
It would make me very, very unhappy as I am sure it is for you to spend hard earned money to help make our power plants better only to have a engine we are unhappy with and having to spend a lot more money and time to get a good reliable ride..

Hope everything comes out fine and your motor is fine....

[Sir Fig]

I guess thats part of owning a Harley,,,Would have to admit that I was dissapointed with the crankshaft, even though I and MOCO knew that they had ISSUES...Thats what Toyota calls them anyway, ISSUES"

Whats wrong with people today anyway, PROBLEMS ARE PROBLEMS..an issue is just a small inconvenience...

Anyway, found a small rub spot on front exhaust pushrod, just polished, would be surprised if that was the noise...

Reading a post about someone really railing MOCO....Guess he has a right to feel that way...You know, Harleys are like Corvettes,,, You really got to love em to own em...

Whats funny, some of these guys that by these $80,000 customs dont say a whole lot when thier 130 inch air cooled takes a dump, in 6 months...saw it happen in Myrtle beach last year, Was about ready to throw mine in the ditch after 1 hour of traffic jam, Really had blisters on my right inner thigh, no ****...and it was misting rain..this thing was so lean..Did not feel so bad when I saw this guys custom puke out 4 quarts of oil and smoke out the exhaust when he simply tried to go forward at 5 mph...too much heat, **** happens...

Lets face it, we all know that you cant get but so much horsepower per cubic inch, especially with an air cooled engine..too much heat generation, especially when the feds tell manufacturers that they have to pass emissions...Aint but one way to do that lean, lean, and leaner...Harley has thier image, thats what sells, sound and image..They would have to go fully water cooled to build a dependable engine and meet todays standards..A car would never pass emissions if it was constantly running at greater than 14.7 to 1. way to much NOX...

But still, Harley should not be building press together cranks that are not splined or keyed..Thats a load of crap...

But, I bought one, and so did others..You pay your money and you takes your chances...Most people know what they are getting anyway..

By the way, my build is not a very harsh build..but 6th gear feels like 4th used to...so yes, it is worth the money to soup it up a little. besides that it just plain fun...And thats what riding is all about..."JUST PLAIN FUN"

thanks guys,
Bill

[zzmellio]

If it is quiet at idle but only makes noise under load, I bet it is the tranny comp issue. Do you have a IDS installed? Without one on my 07, it sounded like the bike was coming apart. Installed ther IDS and my bike is as quiet as a church mouse.

[chopper blue de]

Hey Fig,
The noise you are chasing, is it a chirping or a ticking kind of noise? If it is a chirp or squeaking, check the belt tension. I had an odd squeak that was only under load and got worse when 2 up. It turned out to be the belt rubbing the top of the primary opening, if you look where the belt goes into the primary it will look polished. Let us know.

jim

[Sir Fig]

I am about to say that it is a compensator issue, the new SE comp has not been released yet, so say the stealers in the Atlanta area..

Did find a very, very, slight bit of pushrod rubbing, so slight that it was very hard to see, still dont see how that could occur only under a load..

Has to be the comp,, it is a slight rap, almost like a lifter and almost like a piston when cold, in a car anyway...Pistons expand to FILL the hole when hot...Anyway, pistons and crank are new..noise was there before..Deck height about .030..

Got to be comp,,anything else, that I know of, that can make that kind of noise has been eliminated...