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[rayz1951]

I've been hearing, what I think, is excessive top end noise from my 2008 cvo with 30,000 miles, tappets etc.This started about 6 weeks ago.  I brought it to the dealer for an inner primary seal leak today, and told him about the noisy top end.  They said they were told by MOCO to switch to standard 20-50 motor oil rather than syn oil because the dino HD oil has noise deading properties and the amsoil or other syn oils does not.  The service manager had the same experience with his bike and he switched over and it cured the problem.  He said syn oils don't provide the necessary qualities needed that a bike with, (his words), higher miles and looser tolerances. 30,000 miles, high miles?  The tech will make the call when he starts it and listens to it when cold.

My 2008 has always had regular service and never been short oil, I check it regularlly.  The noise usually went away before I left my driveway, now it takes a couple of miles for it to quiet down. 

Any recomendations or has anyone experienced this.

[grc]

I've been hearing, what I think, is excessive top end noise from my 2008 cvo with 30,000 miles, tappets etc.This started about 6 weeks ago.  I brought it to the dealer for an inner primary seal leak today, and told him about the noisy top end.  They said they were told by MOCO to switch to standard 20-50 motor oil rather than syn oil because the dino HD oil has noise deading properties and the amsoil or other syn oils does not.  The service manager had the same experience with his bike and he switched over and it cured the problem.  He said syn oils don't provide the necessary qualities needed that a bike with, (his words), higher miles and looser tolerances. 30,000 miles, high miles?  The tech will make the call when he starts it and listens to it when cold.

My 2008 has always had regular service and never been short oil, I check it regularlly.  The noise usually went away before I left my driveway, now it takes a couple of miles for it to quiet down. 

Any recomendations or has anyone experienced this.

That guy is FOS.  And there are no "noise deadening properties" in dino oil versus synthetic oil.  I don't know where these clowns come up with the stuff they try to BS customers with.  Ask him to show you that info from Harley in writing and watch him backpedal and then come up with another lie to cover the first lie.

If the noise only started about 6 weeks ago, it's highly unlikely that the engine suddenly wore enough to make the same oil no longer adequate.  There is no line scribed in the sand that says at 30,000 miles your engine is now worn out.  If this noise started suddenly and recently, it's much more likely you have a valve train issue.  And a leading candidate considering recent Harley history is the lifters.  Don't let them just blow it off, it's got nothing to do with syn versus dino oil.

btw, if Harley really believed that crap was true, I doubt they would continue to push SYN3 as hard as they do.  Sounds to me like someone is just trying to avoid ESP work (I assume you have ESP, otherwise they'd be happy to tear it down and sell you all sorts of stuff whether you need it or not).


Jerry

[Midnight Rider]

Your dealer is full of chit.  Ask them for something in writing that states the MOCO has instructed them to switch bikes over to Dino oil (your bike came with synthetic oil in all three holes) when the bike gets XXX number of miles on it.  Another totally absurd remark from a dealer who does not want to properly diagnose a problem that is not normal for your bike.  A sudden change in how the engine sounds when warmed up is indicative of a problem.  Good synthetic oil is superior to Dino oil in almost every respect.  It never ceases to amaze me hearing the crap that comes out of HD service departments.

I'm not saying this is your problem, but your motor has the mileage on it where lifters start failing due to piss poor design of the parts.

Do you have the extended service plan?

[Midnight Rider]

Mine and Jerry's posts crossed in the mail...

Jerry expressed things better than I did, but we were both getting at the same point. 

[Fired00d]

Mine and Jerry's posts crossed in the mail...

Jerry expressed things better than I did, but we were both getting at the same point. 

Yea, what they (Jerry/TC) said... that ain't nothing but...

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[willyB]

As with most, if not all, HD dealers they try their darnedest to get out of things. It's a typical HD problem. HD puts pressure on their dealers to reduce warranty cost. So much so that they make the dealer call HD to see if they will even cover it. I had a pretty good conversation with my service manager (he has since left becuase of the problem) and he described in painful detail the process he had to follow. HD is simply reducing warranty cost. Warranty costs are pure profit losses (Period)

My suggestion and it has been very successful for me is to call HD Customer service and describe to them in painful detail the problems you are having. If you do have an extended warranty then it is always helpful to let them know that if you crash and injure yourself because of potentially catastrophic failure them explain to them that they will be liable.

This has worked for me with HD and several other companies where they would not resolve the issue.

Just my two cents!

[Midnight Rider]

It would be cheaper for them, in the long run, as with so many other defective products, to do it right the first time and forget about it.  But, I understand completey what you're saying.  Most HD riders may not put 5K on their bike in 3 years, and HD is playing the odds.  They've probably got some bean counter figuring all that out, the same as insurance people pay actuaries.

[rayz1951]

Yes I do have ESP exp. 12/31/12.  I couldn't beleive it either when I heard the service mgr. explanation.  The mech. is going to start on it tommorrow so we'll see what he has to say.  The ser. mgr. said the tech will start the bike cold and make the call on whether or not the lifters or something else is the problem. I'm thinking the same as you guys, MOCO is looking at every possible penny to save.  I will insist they fix it the right way!

Thanks for your input, I'll keep you informed.

Ray Z

[Z10]

They said they were told by MOCO to switch to standard 20-50 motor oil rather than syn oil because the dino HD oil has noise deading properties and the amsoil or other syn oils does not.  The service manager had the same experience with his bike and he switched over and it cured the problem.  He said syn oils don't provide the necessary qualities needed that a bike with, (his words), higher miles and looser tolerances.

This used to be a common statement "before" MoCo began pushing their SE syn oil.  A little surprised they're throwing it out now

Sounds like you have a lifter or two that's bleeding down and taking a little longer to pump up.

[rayz1951]

Dealer said the noise was within the acceptable limits for a 110 with 30,000 miles.  They compared it with similar bikes at the dealership.  What you said sounds right, it seems to take longer for the oil to reach the lifters causing the " chatter" to last longer.  They also said NOT to change the oil type.   May be time for that orange and black 2012!

[Thermodyne]

My 11 FLTRX 103 rattles so loud that I can't hear the radio.  Dealer says it's normal.  In hot weather, 95f>, it pings just rolling down the road at highway speeds.  Really hammers at stoplights when the temp management kicks in.  Dealer says it's normal, "they all do it, try higher octane gas".  It already has 93 in it.  Dealer say to let them put a stage one on it.  I don't need any additional performance, I just need it to run as a new scooter should.  Letter to the MoCo requesting a review by a factory rep has gone unanswered for almost three months now.

As to the switch to dyno oil, I'd have to give that a big fail.  With the oil temps I see on mine, I'd have to drop the dyno out and replace it about every 1000 miles. 

The shot callers at the MoCo need to turn the stock tickers off and think about what almost put them under back in the 70's.  Then they need to regain control of their vendors and address the quality of their product.  For what these scooters cost, they should be more than just paint and chrome hung on a bunch of imported parts.

[spydglide]

How many miles before it started all the 'noise'?  spyder

[FLY-DOG]

rayz1951,

This should be fixed under your extended warranty, otherwise what good is an extended warranty?      When you buy a new CVO and they push a new warranty they make it sound like they'll fix anything that goes wrong and all your worries are over, yah right.