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[Midnight Rider]

If you hear a strange metallic rattle coming from the left side of your engine, be sure and check the finned head bolt bridges....chit about drove me nuts trying to figure out where it was coming from because it sounded a lot like it did when the comp nut was getting loose, except I couldn't feel anything on my foot, so I knew it couldn't be that.

Why does chit like this happen when you just got through taking both ends of the bike apart, and never touched the headbolt bridge??   Had me thinking I'd done something really stupid....Murphy's law, I guess.  Anyway, take the handle of a screwdriver and tap 'em every once in a while to be sure they are tight...

[STICKMAN]

2002 95 inch SERK.

I just had 570 gear drive cams,
Extensive head work, (port,polish larger valves and decked)
and 10-1 pistons installed.

When I got it back I noticed a clank/rattle coming from the left side just like you described. It sounded like the comp nut and the mechanic that did the engine work agreed. I torqued the comp nut with a butt load of red loc-tight. The sound is still there. I'll check the head bridge but I also have oil leaking from the bottom front exhaust stud. Any ideas on that?  I don't see any smoke from the rear end. 

[Midnight Rider]

2002 95 inch SERK.

I just had 570 gear drive cams,
Extensive head work, (port,polish larger valves and decked)
and 10-1 pistons installed.

When I got it back I noticed a clank/rattle coming from the left side just like you described. It sounded like the comp nut and the mechanic that did the engine work agreed. I torqued the comp nut with a butt load of red loc-tight. The sound is still there. I'll check the head bridge but I also have oil leaking from the bottom front exhaust stud. Any ideas on that?  I don't see any smoke from the rear end. 

Could it be the front head gasket?  No leaking from the exhaust flange on the header, is there?  If there is oil there, it's got to be either coming from the rocker box or the head.  Same heads you had before, just reworked?  I ask that for porosity reasons.

The bridge might very well be your noise though...one other thought just occured.  Did they clearance the rocker boxes, or check them for clearance on the higher lift cam?

[STICKMAN]

When you say "bridge" are you talking about the decorative covers for the head bolts ? or the brace behind the horn connecting the heads to the frame?. Everything seems tight. The heads are reworked TC heads but NOT my originals. I gave the mech. mine as a core. The oil seems to be from the exhaust nut itself. Both of the studs (probably all four) are finger loose. Do they go all the way into the head and if so what do they go into. Should the studs be put in with loc-tite or other thread sealer? And yes I watched him clearance the rocker boxes. I think I answered all of your questions. The head gasket is not visually blown but could something of happened to it that I can't see?

Thanks for getting back to me.

[Midnight Rider]

The bridges I'm talking about are the decorative finned pieces surrounding the spark plugs to cover that flat spot and make the head look as if it has fins across that area as well.  They are bolted on with a couple of allen head socket bolts from the top of the bridges.

The exhaust studs should be seated but not overly tightened in case you ever need to get them out.  Using anti sieze is not a bad idea to ease removal of the nuts later.  The studs don't go all the way into the head's combustion chamber of course.  The oil you are seeing on the stud is coming from somewhere else.  Is it seeping or actually dripping?  A head gasket can be leaking a bit of oil without causing other noticable problems.

If your rattling noise persists after checking all this stuff, I'd let the shop that did the build figure it out.  Sounds like they need to find your oil leak too.

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

If you have oil leaking out of the exhaust port, I would say you have either a bad seal, or a guide is leaking between the head and the guide itself

[STICKMAN]

That's what I thought. There is no smoke out the back and the oil is either normal looking or like black tar depending on how hot the engine gets. The loud clanking only occurs when the engine is at NOT about 200 degrees. I think I hear it in the head (which he worked on) my mechanic says he hears it from the primary (which he did not work on).

Keep the info coming because I want some ammo when I take the bike back to him.

[dsmbagger]

I agree with Steve about the leaking exhaust valve guide. i just read a thread recently in another site where the guy had the exact same problem..Usually if the seals are leaking than it burns the oil not spit it out the exhaust port.

[Boatman]

Rode to the lake on Friday and everything was good.  Took a ride on Saturday and had a strange rattling noise while under way.  Turned the engine off and coasted and noise went away.  Checked for loose motor mount/stabilizer's, horn, fork baffle, etc, etc..  Washed bike today and when drying found the rear finned spark plug bridge loose.  Removed the bridge and also tightened the attachments to the head bolts.  Go figure.  Glad I found it as I hate noises that I don't know what they are.