Strange ticking noise

Papamte

I have a ticking noise from the upper primary that is driving me nuts. The sound appears to be coming from the upper primary right above the compensator. When you crank the bike, the ticking starts when you start throttling up a bit. When riding the bike, the ticking seems to only be heard when trying to maintain speed. When you throttle up under it seems to go away, and when you let off completely it goes away.

Has anyone had this type of problem, or any insight on what it might be? I've done a lot of research on several forums, and mine seems to be a bit different than what others have experienced. You can hear this noise good when you use the screwdriver listening method at the bolt above the compensator.

glider

Have you checked the primary chain tension?

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Papamte

My mechanic checked the primary chain tension after I picked up my bike from the cam swap and said it was good. I really hoped the new lifters would stop the noise because I thought the sound was coming from the heads.
We both listened to noise and finally realized that it was coming from the area around the bottom of the front cylinder. That's when he went and got the screwdriver to try and narrow the search for the sound. When he put the screwdriver to the top bolt of the primary above the compensator, that's where the sound was the loudest.

glider

You mention a cam swap, what cam was used, could be a problem with too much lift and contact with the rocker box cover. Sounds travel sometimes and are hard to pinpoint the origin.

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Papamte

I went with the Andrews TW55's and new fueling lifters. My previous cams were SE 258's, so lift clearance shouldn't be an issue. The 258's have .569 lift, and the TW55's have .550 lift. My mechanic pulled one of the rocker covers and it showed being relieved for clearance for the 258's. Also, I have the SE roller rockers.

The sound is definitely coming from the primary side. I'm wondering if the compensator package is weak?

glider

I would say if it was the compensator, that it would be more of a knock similar to a rod knock than a ticking judging from the ones that I have heard.

Just reread your post again and something else comes to mind. If you mainly get this when throttling up, check for an exhaust leak at the head, check the exhaust flange nuts for proper torque. That will give you a sound that is similar to a ticking each time that the cylinder in question fires.

Try putting on some heavy gloves and cover the outlets on the exhaust and have someone listen at the head pipes for a hissing. You should be able to just about stall the engine if you apply enough pressure to the pipe outlets and should hear any exhaust leak as a hissing then.

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Papamte

Glider, it only makes the sound when you ease off the throttle to maintain speed. When throttling up under load or dropping the throttle while riding, the sound seems to go away. When idling, it makes the noise when you start to throttle up. When just idling whether riding or not, it doesn't make the noise.

Sorry, but I realize that the sound is more like a knocking than ticking. It's not a hard noise, but it's loud enough to irritate me to no end. I guess that's why I described it as more like a ticking or clicking noise.

Fisher

I've seen compensator nuts come loose slowly and allow the rotor to beat itself to death.The splines in the rotor slowly enlarge and allow the rotor to walk back and forth on the sprocket shaft.Pop the outer and take a look.

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Papamte

I took the primary cover off a couple of weeks ago to check the compensator and found that the nut was still tight. I didn't think to see if there was any play or movement inward to see if the spring was shot. I've heard of the spring package going out, and I'm wondering if that is my problem. My mechanic that was working on my bike has moved, and now I'm pretty much stuck with taking to the dealer. I talked to them the other day and they say they're backed up at least two weeks. They say this every time you call. The only other dealer is about 30 miles away, but I never get the backed up line from them.

I guess it's off to the dealer time! I just hope they don't sell me a load of crap.

I changed my tranny oil today, and afterwards I took it for a short spin down the road. I love the new cams and the way they changed the sound of the bike, but the knocking/clicking sound is still just as bad. I gotta get this fixed before it drives me insane!

Doc 1

If it was a loose compensator nut the alternator would loose its clap load and the north/south poles on the magnets would work the rotor back and forth causing a ticking sound but if this was the case you would really hear it when you shut the bike down.

I say it's what the dealers say is a normal sound, (which means we don't know how to fix it...lol) 90% of Twin Cams have a oil flow problem to the lifters and around 2800 to 3000 rpm we get a distinctive ticking sound at cruise or during decel. I have found for a $12.50 it can be repaired. Dan Baisley and Latus Harley Davidson sell a spring that goes into the cam plate oil pressure relief valve, this spring is called a LMR#2 or LMR#4. I use the #4 spring when I install aggressive cams for the extra 30 lbs pressure it attacks the lifters with keeping them pumped up. The #2 spring will add a consistent 15 lbs added pressure on a stock bike or a new 07 and up oil system. This simple change that takes all of 45 min. and $12.50 and a gasket will rid your bikes of that terrible ticking lifter. I can go into this much deeper and explain what is happening with the stock spring and pressure slide but as you can see it's almost two in the morning...(first pee call)... time to get bask to bed.
Thanks for listening