this is my first time and I'm a little nervous, so here goes. My 2000 road king fuel injected, screaming eagle slip ons and K&N air cleaner, has developed a low grade knock or rattle. It is only noticeable at idle, which after warming up is borderline low. The noise comes from the front part of the engine, but I can't seem to pinpoint it. I had the cam chain tensioners replaced 9 months ago and have 28,000 miles on it. Can you offer any help to a first timer?
engine knock
- Thread starter chase1
- Start date
billnapabill
Active Member
I'd take it back to who ever did the work on the cam chain tensioners and see if they left something loose or installed something improperly. Is there any vibration in the floor boards or anywhere else assosiated with the noise? If the exhaust pipes or floor boards weren't installed right they could touch something and make a racket. One other thing ya might wanna check is the front motor mount, normally you'd feel that in the handlebars but it's one of those things ta look at when ya get a new rattle or knock. If that all checks out..........find yourself a good Harley Service Department and get them ta tell ya what they think.
billnapabill
Active Member
It's kinda difficult but here's the senario........the front motor mount consists of a steel tube vucanized into a rubber mount, a bolt goes thru the steel tube to connect the top of the mount to the motor and the bottom of the mount to the frame. The idea is the bolt contacts the rubber of the mount via the tube. The motor mount is not doing it's job when the tube de-laminates from the rubber, allowing the steel tube to move freely in the rubber. The best way to tell if your mount isn't working is the obvious vibration that you feel in the handel bars at idle and the excess amount of motor movement. If ya wanna look at the mount ya gotta lay on the floor on the right side of your bike with a good flashlight, look at the spaceing around the mount, see if any of the tube is showing on top & bottom of the mount, if it's not and the top mount appears to be down on the rubber, ya might need to replace the mount. Good luck!
You might check but I seem to recall that the motormount is either a service bulletin or a prod. recall. on 1999-2005 touring models.
BUBBIE
Well-Known Member
WHAT YEAR WAS THE BUILD DATE on the frame neck....... ON and BEFORE DEC> 15< 1999 was the FIRST 1/2 of year that had BAD STYLE BEARING installed....
NOW saying you had the shoes replaced and saying NOTHING about build date and IF THE BALL STYLE BEARING WAS REPLACED???????
THIS is very important as it COULD BE THE CAM BALL BEARING.....
I find people who are UN AWARE of this problem in the early 2000 bike....
MECHANICs and ALL just don't seem to remember the BIG PROBLEM IN THE FIRST 1/2 YEAR ending AFTER dec.15 1999 build date when the HD co replaced the problem with a better ROLLER STYLE BEARING....
IF THE BUILD DATE IS of the first 1/2 year and bearing HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED i would BET it is the start of the bearing going bad...
I HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AND MAYBE A FREE FIX FROM HARLEY...
so jump thru a few HOOPS here..
OLD AND NEW PEOPLE here on this site have the same OLD QUESTIONS and maybe I"LL find one with the BEARING PROBLEM...
THE described NOCK or RATTLE is the sound when the bearing IS ABOUT TO GO....
if it goes , the cam will have no support and engine may BLOW-UP.. lots of damage...
even if the shoes were replaced it doesn't do any good if the OLD STYLE BALL bearing wasn't replaced.....
I'LL WAIT FOR A RESPONSE on the date.... FIRST
signed....BUBBIE
Last edited:
cowboywildbill
Active Member
I vote for compensator nut loose, but whatever it is, I wouldn't ride it until it was checked out. It could be an inexpensive fix right now. But if something comes apart it could cost big$$$. Good luck and let us know what you find.