Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[JoeVibe]

A good friend of mine bought a 2010 CVO Ultra with only 1,800 miles on it a few months back. Now, at 3,200 miles it sounds like she might be hearing lifter noise. Would it surprise anyone that lifters are failing at such low mileage?

[r0de_runr]

No surprise at all.

[mark]

Just curious, can you describe the sound and where is it located? 

[JoeVibe]

Just curious, can you describe the sound and where is it located?

I haven't heard the noise but she said it sounded like it's coming from the right side, lower end of the front cylinder.

[r0de_runr]

Valve train noise is common.  So are valve train failures.  Many folks will recommend change out the lifter soon, especially since your friends bike is out of warranty (presumably).

Sometimes changing the oil to a good grade of dino 20w50 works to quiet the motor for a couple of thousand miles, then change it again.

Sometimes the pushrod will tap against the pushrod tube because the rocker arm isn't set for optimum clearance.  Here is a quote from the install instructions for the tapered adjustable SE pushrods:

NOTE
Due to the large number of heads and cams available for Twin
Cam engines, check for contact between the pushrods and
upper pushrod covers. Check by rotating engine slowly until
both valves are in closed position on the cylinder you are
checking. If contact occurs, the rocker arm supports should be
shifted toward the engine's cam side.

Lifters will start ticking, especially at startup but soon pump up and quiet down.  Once the bike is fully heat soaked, there may be quite a bit of valve train noise that is just normal and harmless.

Lifter rollers may fail and result in a screeching sound of metal on metal.  At this pint the roller is galling the cams and metal is being released into the motor, shut it down immediately down and call a tow.  Major repairs necessary.

Some folks have chased the ticking and tapping down rabbit holes and never fixed it and have many thousands of miles on their bikes.

I'm no expert.  But I recommend changing the lifters soon and ride it like you stole it.

[HD Street Performance]

Others have suggested these lifters should be considered a maintenance item. I have heard the number thrown around of a suggested checking interval at 10K miles as part of a major service. That seems reasonable to me considering the carnage that happens when a lifter fails. Last go around I am helping a guy get his 120r back on the road and this 1 lifter took out the crank with metal shavings, the one lifter bore is toast therefore a new case is needed, and of course many other items. Plus the whole system needs to be thoroughly cleaned including the oil pan removed and oil cooler flushed. Bad news for sure.

Prevention can be just changing the lifters in a new bike to start. My dealer told me, and I am sure others every day, the noise is "normal". I asked why they do it, certainly knowing why myself but just wanting to hear their rationalization. He said these are a big motor with a big camshaft (LOL). Just because all the bikes present with high valve train noise does that make the condition "normal"? Can we accept they all are screwed up from the inception? That may be they all present noisy but that is not normal for a hydraulic lifter motor in an OEM application unless there are design deficiencies which may include sub-par parts.
Anybody can contact me offline for details how to fix these issues.
 

[JoeVibe]

I can't swear to it but, I do believe she was told the noise is "normal". 

She's concerned (as she should be) because it's a new noise that wasn't there when she bought it. She did say that she bought an ESP with the bike but doesn't want to wait until failure. I suggested she talk to the dealer about changing the lifters and paying an upcharge to get aftermarket lifters.

[HD Street Performance]

I sit in the same place
To be proactive and dive in and fix mine or play the dealer game.
Based on what I know and have seen over the years I will just get mine fixed and do that on my dime.

[muddypaws]

Hard a loud tick and after disassemble found a broken lifter. Will post picture when I get her back yomorrow.