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upper engine noise

bassman61

Member
hello, all....

I have a considerable amount of noise, a light metallic, rattling, "jingling" type noise.(sounds like it's coming from the upper engine, up by the heads)...... Recently, a mechanic friend of mine adjusted the pushrods, which seemed to help a little bit, but not completely. It almost sounds like a set of keys jingling, something along that line.

I can speculate all day long (could be this, might be that, etc.) but I won't.

Hopefully this is an easy fix. Any help is appreciated, thanx.


ED
 
I can speculate all day long (could be this, might be that, etc.) but I won't.

ED

In order not to....

Tell us a little about the engine. Recent work done. Is it stock. If not what mods have you done. Mileage on engine. Fluids you currently use. Is the noise something that has always been there, if not when did it start. Other than pushrods adjustment what other things have you tried to isolate the source of the noise. Does the bike have any performance issues other than the noise..
 
Noises on our bike are often confusing since they can show up other than where the problem is. Do as Hoople suggests, and give us some more info.

But also go to the bike and inspect it for something loose. With the engine cool to the touch, grab the bars and hold the front brake. Vigorously rock the bike forward and back against the brake so the fork compresses substantially. Listen for noise. Track any down.

Grab handfuls of the bike and try to find something loose including the gas tank. If you have been all over the bike and can not find anything loose, get a stethoscope and try to isolate the noise: forward head, rear head, forward lifters, rear lifters, cam chest, inside the case, etc.

Keep tracing the sound until you isolate it and see where it is coming from, and let us know.

TQ
 
I had a noise like that once on a sportster had an aftermarket rubber mounted tank the rear rubber mounts had decided to go in their own direction which left the threaded rod jingling in the frame
keep looking you will eventually find something loose

Brian
 
I get a similar noise when I ride on grooved pavement, as soon as I hit smooth road, no noise; go figure that one out. :small3d023:
 
Noises sure do show up in other places. I thought I had an upper engine noise that was driving me nuts. It was really bad at an idle but when I would pull away and ride, it seemed to go away. Go so bad I was afraid to fire up the bike. Decided to try the old trick where you put a metal shaft against a part of the engine and the other end to your ear to hear that spot better. As I did that, I rested my hand on my foot board... noise stopped. Pulled my hand off, noise started again. It was a loose foot board all along. Felt relieved and stupid. Just making the point that noises can be coming from anywhere.
 
hello, all....

I have a considerable amount of noise, a light metallic, rattling, "jingling" type noise.(sounds like it's coming from the upper engine, up by the heads)...... Recently, a mechanic friend of mine adjusted the pushrods, which seemed to help a little bit, but not completely. It almost sounds like a set of keys jingling, something along that line.

I can speculate all day long (could be this, might be that, etc.) but I won't.
Hopefully this is an easy fix. Any help is appreciated, thanx.
ED
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY easy to remedy Guess:
Check the Snake Skins .... Often the clamps come loose and or break from the skin covers and that JINGLE noise was a sure Likeness of the problem.

Bad cam bearing would also make that sound.
Are you talking about your EVO here ?

signed....BUBBIE
 
I had the same noise recently in mine, it turned out to be a broken rocker support. It sounded like a set of keys rattling around in my front rocker box.
 
In order not to....

Tell us a little about the engine. Recent work done. Is it stock. If not what mods have you done. Mileage on engine. Fluids you currently use. Is the noise something that has always been there, if not when did it start. Other than pushrods adjustment what other things have you tried to isolate the source of the noise. Does the bike have any performance issues other than the noise..

Noises on our bike are often confusing since they can show up other than where the problem is. Do as Hoople suggests, and give us some more info.

But also go to the bike and inspect it for something loose. With the engine cool to the touch, grab the bars and hold the front brake. Vigorously rock the bike forward and back against the brake so the fork compresses substantially. Listen for noise. Track any down.

Grab handfuls of the bike and try to find something loose including the gas tank. If you have been all over the bike and can not find anything loose, get a stethoscope and try to isolate the noise: forward head, rear head, forward lifters, rear lifters, cam chest, inside the case, etc.

Keep tracing the sound until you isolate it and see where it is coming from, and let us know.

TQ

More info is a big plus as noisrs can and do travel and come and go IE lifter noises valve noise and spark knock:D
 
My bike is a 1986 Heritage Softail Classic, with a 1340 (80c.i.) Evo engine.
Mileage is a little over 23,000
Recently had a tune-up, and some other service done (based on the 20,000 mile svc.)
Recently had a maddening oil leak, turned out the seals in the tranny were going bad...that issue has been resolved......pushrods were adjusted to "back off" sound a little bit.......
Fluids were Amsoil 20-50 in the engine and primary, Amsoil Severe Gear in the tranny....that was until the recent work done......engine and primary are still the same, but I believed he put in standard Harley tranny fluid.
Really, no modifications to speak of......

All in all, bike runs good, so hopefully I can narrow this down soon.

Thanks for the input, and God bless.
 
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