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[SID8D2]

My bike had 32 miles on it and its 32 miles came from my trip home from the dealership on Halloween 2009. The motor had the typical "sewing machine" sound and ran hot.
This winter I did the following:
Pro Street Heads by Dewey
Woods TW408-44
SE Tapered Push Rods
Fullsac X-Pipe
Fullsac 2.25" Baffles
TTS Master Tune with Fullsac's Pipe Download (starting point)

When I start the bike while its cold and it is warming up the motor is quite. Once it warms up and idling the motor starts to make a ticking sound. The sound seems to be coming from the front rocker box area on the left side. If I roll on the throttle slightly the ticking noise goes away but returns when the rpms drop back down to idle.

I have tried a few fixes: Yesterday I opened her up and centered the rocker box base cover and rocker support. I increased all 4 push rods from 2 1/2 turns to 3 1/2 turns (from .100" to aprox .140" preload on the lifters). Still I have the same ticking noise after warm up

I took it for a test ride and the ticking noise can be heard if the rpm is held steady but if I increase rpms it stops temporarily until held steady again.

Just wondering if I should spend more time trying to figure it out and go back thru it today or just take it to my dealer in for a dyno tune/break in. I am not real familiar yet with the TTS so I am hesitant to fool around with changing the tune that Fullsac sent me.

  Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas???

[bulawrench]

Sounds like a great build. I would suspect a lifter has gone away or possible the valve spring keeper hitting the rocker box.
I always try the old screwdriver trick. Touch one end of a long screwdriver to the part of the engine that is making the noise and the other end to your ear.
You would be surprised what you can define down this way.

[eleft36]

Have you listened down at the primary case?

The screw driver  "stethoscope" does work.

You didn't say whether or not the compensator was changed out to the Big Twin Compensator kit in the listed alterations.

Al

[grc]

The screwdriver "stethoscope" will work, but a real stethoscope is a better idea that is easier to control (since you can see what you're doing).  Sear's Hardware and most auto parts places have them, and they're not terribly expensive.

As for the noise, it's difficult to say because there are many possibilities with a Harley engine.  First suspect IMHO would be a lifter that's bleeding down when the oil pressure drops (hot, idle).  If that's the case, adjusting the pushrods tighter won't fix it, it will just make the plunger bottom quicker as it bleeds down.  Next on the hit parade would be the spring to rocker box clearance, but I was under the impression the '09 already came with the new rocker housing with plenty of clearance. 

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00999911000P?keyword=stethoscope


Jerry

[HD Street Performance]

Got off the phone today with a customer that had a noisy stock 2010. He just changed cams and lifters and the noise is gone, very quiet.
The cam TW7, lifters Woods directional rollers. Problem solved and I got the impression the HD dealer that did the work was impressed. On the 2009 and 2010 the boxes are clearanced. Plus if it hits it is noisy all the time not just cold.

google "Harvey Crane Hydraulic Intensity"
On the Buick forum read ol  UltraDyne Harolds write up there for an accurate description of what happens when these cams become a little too quick for the rest of the parts to follow. I know this guy from his General Kinetics days, he is the camshaft design "man"

[SID8D2]

Welp, When I got back from Vegas last nt my Woods Directional Lifters were sitting on the door step. Today I installed them as per the directions and fired it up and.......after warm up the noise was still there; Soooooo, I guess I'll try the stethoscope next and then pop open the rocker boxes and have a looksee.

 From there I guess I'll pop off the heads for a looks see and finally do a piston/valve clearance check. get a new set of Cometic .030" head gaskets and go thru the whole build again and see what results I get this time.

Is it OK to run the bike with the rocker box covers off? How much of a mess will it make?

PS: I wasn't any luckier in Vegas either

[Texas 103]

Welp, When I got back from Vegas last nt my Woods Directional Lifters were sitting on the door step. Today I installed them as per the directions and fired it up and.......after warm up the noise was still there; Soooooo, I guess I'll try the stethoscope next and then pop open the rocker boxes and have a looksee.

 From there I guess I'll pop off the heads for a looks see and finally do a piston/valve clearance check. get a new set of Cometic .030" head gaskets and go thru the whole build again and see what results I get this time.

Is it OK to run the bike with the rocker box covers off? How much of a mess will it make?

PS: I wasn't any luckier in Vegas either

Might check your ACR's I had one back off and it sounded just like  a lifter, check out my post in the TC section tiday

[SID8D2]

Might check your ACR's I had one back off and it sounded just like  a lifter, check out my post in the TC section tiday

Heads by Dewey, he was supposed to tighten them tight.

I removed the front rocker box cover and turned it over with the spark plugs removed but could not see a thing hitting. Put the cover back on with out the gasket and started the bike. I let it run till it got warm and the noise (tick tick tick) was there again. Does not appear to be an interference condition with the cover. Buttoned it up and went for a short ride. The bike seems to pull hard and will be fun/fast but with only 60 miles on it I am trying to break it in gently. I have a new set of head gaskets and will tear it down soon and do a valve clearance check before building it back up. Tomarrow I will try to buy a stethascope and rent a bore scope.

[HD Street Performance]

This noise is just at idle or all the time?
One other investigation to do is to unclip the pushrods and pull down the upper tubes and fire it up. Noise still the same?
Good idea doing the investigative work before pulling it down.
Once the AFR VEs are corrected and the temps are mild out don't be gentle. Get on it once the motor is warm. Better way to seat the rings. No need to hammer the rev limiter but just load and unload the rings.

[SID8D2]

This noise is just at idle or all the time?One other investigation to do is to unclip the pushrods and pull down the upper tubes and fire it up. Noise still the same?
Good idea doing the investigative work before pulling it down.
Once the AFR VEs are corrected and the temps are mild out don't be gentle. Get on it once the motor is warm. Better way to seat the rings. No need to hammer the rev limiter but just load and unload the rings.

The I hear the noise while riding it too. Seems to get louder as I approach 3-4000 rpm.

[HD Street Performance]

Noisier as the RPM rises has the symptoms of interference. The retainers get close to the boxes only at 0 valve lift. As the valve leaves the seat the clearance opens up. The stock rockers are clear of the covers with no issues until roller lifters are added.

[SID8D2]

Noisier as the RPM rises has the symptoms of interference. The retainers get close to the boxes only at 0 valve lift. As the valve leaves the seat the clearance opens up. The stock rockers are clear of the covers with no issues until roller lifters are added.

Don;
  Not sure I understand what your saying, The lifters from Mo Co were roller lifters too, as are the Woods directional lifters I installed.

[HD Street Performance]

My mistake should read "roller rockers".