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[FLTRCVO]

I have a 2009 SE Road Glide with 5800 miles on it. It's making a metallic churping sound in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear at 2800 to 29500 RPM. It sounds like its coming from the top of the front cylinder. I asked the dealer service manager about it Sunday and he said he had not heard of such a thing, and further added the 110s are "noisey anyway." Well, I ain't buy'n it. I've had 12 twin cams in 9 years. None of them made this sound. My current 06 SE Fat Boy and 08 103 Street Glide has never made this sound. Anyone hearing this sound on their 09 110?

You might want to have the mechanic look at the rev limiter since you are reaching 29500 RPM, I'm messing with you. Every time I have encountered a chirping noise it has been the failure of the chain tensioner or the flywheel prior to its destroying the motor.

[BRIANBIGBIKE]

Yeah, you should hear that 110 at 29000 rpms, it howls!

Haven't heard anyone mention the tensioner. I have 10 more months of 2 year warranty, so I wanted to start on this early. From all the other posts it looks like the diagnosis and final fix can drag out for months.

[grc]

Yeah, you should hear that 110 at 29000 rpms, it howls!

Haven't heard anyone mention the tensioner. I have 10 more months of 2 year warranty, so I wanted to start on this early. From all the other posts it looks like the diagnosis and final fix can drag out for months.

Unfortunately, it seems that diagnosis at all too many Harley dealers consists of "That's Normal", "They All Do It", "It's In Spec", or from the more honest but still clueless places "We Don't Know What It Is".  I'm not sure what the requirements are to be a "Master Technician" at Harley, but from personal experience I don't think it's got anything to do with being very good at actually diagnosing and fixing problems the first time.

You have the right idea in trying to get this resolved well before the expiration of the warranty.  Make sure you get your complaint on file with H-D Customer Service if the dealer doesn't come up with the right answers ASAP.


Jerry

[sadunbar]

Unfortunately, it seems that diagnosis at all too many Harley dealers consists of "That's Normal", "They All Do It", "It's In Spec", or from the more honest but still clueless places "We Don't Know What It Is".  I'm not sure what the requirements are to be a "Master Technician" at Harley, but from personal experience I don't think it's got anything to do with being very good at actually diagnosing and fixing problems the first time.

You have the right idea in trying to get this resolved well before the expiration of the warranty.  Make sure you get your complaint on file with H-D Customer Service if the dealer doesn't come up with the right answers ASAP.


Jerry

It's the diagnosing part that really has them baffled.  It's easier to both teach and learn the fixing part.  It takes a logical mind, experience and real skill to master the diagnosing part of the solutions.  And that's only after getting past the "That's Normal", "They All Do It", "It's Within the Spec routine"... 

[Cvostu]

that's it,,,, I'm keeping my 103's

[JOYRDZ]

Hi- I had the same 'bird  chirping' 2800-2950 rpm sometimes, not always on my 2007 CVO Ultra- when I took the bike in for the 'upgrade' head replacement I asked them to check the rocker boxes for clearance- when I got it back they said they had 'clearanced them' which I think means ground out some metal where valve springs were hitting.
Never heard it again.

Ride Safe,

Jeff
 

[skreminegul07]

It's the diagnosing part that really has them baffled.  It's easier to both teach and learn the fixing part.  It takes a logical mind, experience and real skill to master the diagnosing part of the solutions.  And that's only after getting past the "That's Normal", "They All Do It", "It's Within the Spec routine"... 

Not defending the skills of the technicians but I believe it comes down to money.  HD will only pay XX hours diagnostic time.  The guys are flat rate also.  This is a recipe for poor workmanship.  I remember back a few decades as a mechanic, within the GM family, Olds would pay for test ride time, Chevy did not.  Therefore when the customer said it makes a noise when you hit a pothole, the Chevy tech did not take it for a ride and reproduce the problem.  Plus a water leak was .5 hours pay, no matter how long you wanted to spend looking for the leak.  How long would you look? Plus those jobs went to the low seniority guy because warranty paid less money and no commission on parts.
Same scenario with HD, the dealer can only get so many hours diag time and the tech only gets flat rate hours out of a book. 

They all do it doesn't mean it's right, just that it's common.

[Cowboy2]

So, has this "crank runnout" problem be sorted on the 2011 110's???

Or is this a very rare problem, like one in a hundred, and don't worry about it?   

My 103 is a happy motor, smooth, happy on the low end and happy on the high end.. My new FLHXSE 110  is coarse but in fairness tight and hot and not broke in yet at only 2000 kms...  It does not have my confidence yet...  

I am not up to selling my happy 103 yet Dresser yet, and considering the options... But I must admit, the FLHXSE does LOOK really cool
!

Best regards from Oz (Australia).... 

[2018_FLTRXSE]

My 09 SERG made this funky rattle between 2800 and 3500rpm... from day one.

All the dealership techs heard it, and yes, HD said it was "normal" I said OK, I'm gonna run it till it goes BOOM...

While I didnt ride it till it blew up, the lifters were the cause of this failure, (the roller needles failed, causing the roller wheels to stop and wear flat spots on both them and the cams, with the metal carnage working its way into the oil system)

My contention is that it was bad lifters hammering away at the cams all this time, until I finally encountered my flock of angry birds trying to get out of the cam chest. Pisses me off that I just changed the oil the night before everything went south...

Maybe I should have rode it for a few more days to make sure everything was all jacked up... then I'd have a new motor....

I hope to get her back before new years (christmas is very doubtful) and enjoy a night ride.