A few things for the group to ponder. I am fairly mechanical and do about anything except go inside the motor but this is my first harley. 2002 Fat Boy, EFI stage 1, 2:1 pipes, 1000 miles and about to go to dealer for first (and last he'll do) service and with my laundry list of nagging issues.
1) At whatever that RPM that 50ish MPH in 4th gear is and at that same RPM in the other gears, I get an awful rattle from I think the top end....sounds like a dog chain being swirled around in a metal mixing bowl. I get it on a smooth road at steady RPM, maybe a tad more as i accelerate through that RPM and it actually gets louder and kinda skips a beat (the noise that is) when I hit a bump at that speed) as if you now flipped the dog chain up out of the bowl and caught it in the bowl. Goes away above or below that RPM area.
My guess....cam chains get sloppy at that RPM and are slapping the cases????????
2) In 85 degree or so weather...2 up or even single...general 2 lane cruising 40-50 MPH and I get a 250 degree oil temp reading. Swapped temp dipsticks with a buddy and it confirmed temp. Dealer (it was just the parts guy actually...haven't yet talked to service dude)says "thats normal" and "280 is even OK".
My guess...parts guy is on crack, my oil isn't oil anymore after an hour at 255 and I have an oil flow problem...any guesses?
3) I was dumb enough to use the ball end of my ball-end allen wrench to tighten the set screw for my left side swingarm pivot bolt chrome cover as I was installing them. Its on tight but the little ball snapped off and is stuck/jammed up in the set-screw and I suspect it has to come off to check torque on the swingarm. Tried drilling with a tiny drill bit to create a hole I could grap into but the bit was no match for hardened ball thingy. Anything I can try before my dealer either takes a crowbar to the cover or worse just leaves it on?
4) Fuel gage...after working fine for 700 miles, it now never goes below 7/8 reading even if I am down to a gallon. No guesses.
Just wanted a little input before I visit Mr Dealer
1) At whatever that RPM that 50ish MPH in 4th gear is and at that same RPM in the other gears, I get an awful rattle from I think the top end....sounds like a dog chain being swirled around in a metal mixing bowl. I get it on a smooth road at steady RPM, maybe a tad more as i accelerate through that RPM and it actually gets louder and kinda skips a beat (the noise that is) when I hit a bump at that speed) as if you now flipped the dog chain up out of the bowl and caught it in the bowl. Goes away above or below that RPM area.
My guess....cam chains get sloppy at that RPM and are slapping the cases????????
2) In 85 degree or so weather...2 up or even single...general 2 lane cruising 40-50 MPH and I get a 250 degree oil temp reading. Swapped temp dipsticks with a buddy and it confirmed temp. Dealer (it was just the parts guy actually...haven't yet talked to service dude)says "thats normal" and "280 is even OK".
My guess...parts guy is on crack, my oil isn't oil anymore after an hour at 255 and I have an oil flow problem...any guesses?
3) I was dumb enough to use the ball end of my ball-end allen wrench to tighten the set screw for my left side swingarm pivot bolt chrome cover as I was installing them. Its on tight but the little ball snapped off and is stuck/jammed up in the set-screw and I suspect it has to come off to check torque on the swingarm. Tried drilling with a tiny drill bit to create a hole I could grap into but the bit was no match for hardened ball thingy. Anything I can try before my dealer either takes a crowbar to the cover or worse just leaves it on?
4) Fuel gage...after working fine for 700 miles, it now never goes below 7/8 reading even if I am down to a gallon. No guesses.
Just wanted a little input before I visit Mr Dealer
