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[muddypaws]

Is it normal for the lifters to make noise for the first mile or so after a cold start up? My dealer tells me this it does and that is OK.

[Fired00d]

According the MoCo it is...

Here is a story about excessive noise from my 09 SEUC 110.

Please note,
This is the story and what I did to correct a problem, it worked for me and I'm sure that properly installed it will reduce noise in other 110's.

At around 11000 miles on the 09 I started to hear an excessive ticking sound from the lifters at cold start up.
The odd thing was that the ticking didn't happen at cold start everytime. I presumed that was caused by the position of the pushrods on the lifters at shut down.
The ticking sound was loud enough to be heard over other bikes exhaust but would only lasted maybe 20 to 25 seconds as the lifter began to pump up.
Upon start up the lifters pumped up and all was well, the bike ran good and strong.
At approx. 12000 miles I took the bike to the Harley shop and let them listen.
YES they said, you have a lifter bleeding down to cause that sound.
So I asked, how do you tell which one, the answer was, we don't, we just change all 4.
OK, I'm in with that. All 4 were changed.
A couple weeks later I rode up to Shenandoah Harley Davidson to meet d00d.
Life was good, till I cranked the bike, at 14000 miles and a cold start the ticking sound was back.
I took the bike back to the Harley shop, they called Harley Davidson, the Harley shop was told by the Motor Company to install a external oil pressure gauge to monitor oil pressure at start up. Never could get the excessive ticking sound at start up. But the good news was that at cold start up the oil pressure jumped to 38lbs. EVERYTIME!
The Harley shop started my bike at least 20 times and of that 20 times I was there for 18 of the cold start ups. No Ticking, My Luck.
Knowing that the bike would run good and strong I put another 1000 miles on it and as I approached the time to ride to Naitram's I had the Harley shop check it again to see if they could hear the ticking. Same results, they never could start it and make it tick excessively.
Knowing I had a 2600 mile trip in front of me I talked with a member of this site about this issue. He said to solve the problem I needed to install S&S lifters with travel limiters and the Screamin Eagle tapered pushrods.
I ride to Mass, NH and Maine and by the time I got home it was a 2600 mile trip and I had 17600 miles on the bike.
While I rode with d00d, Naitram and Sue at just about every cold start up We heard the excessive ticking.
When I got home I took the bike back to the Harley shop.
They put the external gauge on it and let it cool off. They cranked it, the gauge shot up to 38 and the lifters were ticking excessively. Finally, they heard it!
The tech called Harley Davidson expecting Harley Davidson to say "change the lifters again." Wrong, he was told he needed to spend the time to determine which lifter was bad.
He did that and told them he thought two of the lifters were bleeding down more than they should. Harley Davidson then asked, how long does these lifters tick loudly at cold start. The techs answer was, about 20 seconds or so. Harley Davidson told the tech to let it sit, till cold and then "time it" to determine how long it ticked excessively.
The tech did exactly that, he called Harley Davidson back and told them it ticks excessively approx 20 to 25 seconds at cold start up.
Now get this, Harley Davidson said excessive ticking on a 110 engine for 30 seconds or less was in spec!
The tech said are you kidding? They responded Sorry, not our problem, it's within spec.
The tech was amazed and told the service manager. The service manager called and got the same answer.
He told Harley Davidson that's unacceptable. He asked, what if we use Screamin Eagle lifters? They said that will not help. The service manager asked well what are your suggestions. Harley Davidson said, you could use the S&S lifters with travel limiters. The service manager asked, will you warranty that? Nope, the bike is within spec as is.
Great! At some point we must do what we have to do.

S&S lifters were ordered.
part number 33-5351  S & S high performance tappets with travel limiters

Screamin Eagle tapered pushrods were ordered.
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/gma_product.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524448771676&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302319517&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302319517&bmUID=1247796574630&bmLocale=en_US

There is good news to this story.
As many have read in the past I have stated that my 110 was a very noisy motor.
Was at mile 9 when I picked it up and always has been.

Not any more!
What a world of difference with the above parts installed.
My 110 now makes no more noise than the 95" SERG, the 95" Classic and the 103" SEEG.
WOW, what a reduction in valve train noise.
IMHO the Harley Davidson Motor Company failed to treat a very faithful and loyal customer properly.
I understand now that doing the right and fair thing may not always be how Harley Davidson chooses to handle their warranty work and plan to address that with The Motor Company in my own way.
How that turns out will be another post!

But for now, the 09 SEUC at 10 months old is running great, strong and quiet.

SBB

That post is from SBB thread when he was dealing w/lifter noise.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Twolanerider]

Is it normal for the lifters to make noise for the first mile or so after a cold start up? My dealer tells me this it does and that is OK.

You don't want hydraulic lifters making any noise when the engine is even first started.  That your dealer says its ok either at start up or for all the RPMs that make up the first mile or so of the engine running suggests your dealer either doesn't like doing warranty.

[Fired00d]

You don't want hydraulic lifters making any noise when the engine is even first started.  That your dealer says its ok either at start up or for all the RPMs that make up the first mile or so of the engine running suggests your dealer either doesn't like doing warranty.

Don I totally agree with you.... but what is an owner to do when the "mothership" says 30 seconds of ticking is normal??

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Twolanerider]

Don I totally agree with you.... but what is an owner to do when the "mothership" says 30 seconds of ticking is normal??

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Bitch more.  And when that doesn't work bitch more.  And when that doesn't work bitch higher up the food chain.  And when that doesn't work find someone who is better at it than you are to bitch for you.  And when that still doesn't work park the bike on the public sidewalk in front of the dealership with a big sign that reads: "Bike With Dangerous and Expensive Problem That They Won't Fix Under Warranty."

[sadunbar]

Bitch more.  And when that doesn't work bitch more.  And when that doesn't work bitch higher up the food chain.  And when that doesn't work find someone who is better at it than you are to bitch for you.  And when that still doesn't work park the bike on the public sidewalk in front of the dealership with a big sign that reads: "Bike With Dangerous and Expensive Problem That They Won't Fix Under Warranty."

then what?   I was always fascinated by story hour...

[Fired00d]

Bitch more.  And when that doesn't work bitch more.  And when that doesn't work bitch higher up the food chain.  And when that doesn't work find someone who is better at it than you are to bitch for you.  And when that still doesn't work park the bike on the public sidewalk in front of the dealership with a big sign that reads: "Bike With Dangerous and Expensive Problem That They Won't Fix Under Warranty."

IMO.... lot of time wasted when you can fix it yourself (like we've done w/so many of the other "faults") and ride on.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Hoist!]

then what?  I was always fascinated by story hour...

HeHe!!! Then say FTW!!!, and fix it yourself!!! THE END!!!

Hoist!

[Fired00d]

IMO.... lot of time wasted when you can fix it yourself (like we've done w/so many of the other "faults") and ride on.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

HeHe!!! Then say FTW!!!, and fix it yourself!!!

Hoist!

Damn... I'm feeling like Fred Sanford..... "Elizabeth, I'm coming to see you"... that's some scary chit right there.... Hoist and I agreeing on something.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Hoist!]

Damn... I'm feeling like Fred Sanford..... "Elizabeth, I'm coming to see you"... that's some scary chit right there.... Hoist and I agreeing on something.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

HeHe!!!

 

Hoist!

[Twolanerider]

IMO.... lot of time wasted when you can fix it yourself (like we've done w/so many of the other "faults") and ride on.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

I would've done it already and then later on my own time found a way to hang it in the dealership.  He talked of it wanting it fixed though.  That being so your wheel has to squeak at the right frequencies and around the right people to the point they don't want to listen to it anymore.