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[wnogood]

Let me tell you my story, and hopefully someone can lend a hand (Idea) with my problem....

2006 cvo  ultra....had 33000 miles. Did hydraulic cam plate, andrews 48n cams, new lifters, cam bearings adjustable pushrods. Quiet when cold, loud clatter when hot. Replaced lifters and pushrods several times. Adjusted pushrods every depth imaginable, still noisy when hot. 

Fast forward to  40000 miles (yes, I rode it for 7000 miles making noise) New pistons, jugs (107") new lifters,  axtell bypass, dual piston tensioners, same 48 cams.  Heads worked by Kirby.  Bike runs like a raped ape.  For the first 1000 miles after the build, its totally quiet.  Very very little valvetrain clatter (no more than normal) I leave out for a trip, and the engine starts making that same old loud clatter around 3000 rpm. Went ahead and finished the trip. Returned home and swapped lifters (s&s premium) and the noise is still there. Sent the bike back to the shop and they completely went back through the build. Found nothing out of place and put it back together. Still noisy. Replaced cam plate with SE plate and high volume pump.  Still noisy. 

Keep in mind....the engine sounds perfect when its cold. But within 10 miles it sounds like a pea thrasher.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated...

[Scott7d]

I would recommend Rockout Rocker Lockers, but I don't know if that's the typical clatter that they are supposed to cure. They are however only 15 bucks, so not a huge investment if that isn't it (plus if your rockers may be ticking in addition to that clatter, at least you can get rid of that).

I understand some cams can be noisier than others by nature. Has anyone commented about that on the 48's that you know of?

[wnogood]

I would recommend Rockout Rocker Lockers, but I don't know if that's the typical clatter that they are supposed to cure. They are however only 15 bucks, so not a huge investment if that isn't it (plus if your rockers may be ticking in addition to that clatter, at least you can get rid of that).

I understand some cams can be noisier than others by nature. Has anyone commented about that on the 48's that you know of?

Good suggestion, they are already in there

[FLTRCVO]

With all the lifter change outs are you absolutely sure the engine case(s) is / are not damaged where the lifter(s) travel (bores), thus a bit sloppy. Had that happen to me my last rebuild. Noise was worse when hot prior to rebuild with new engine cases. One lifter had a catastrophic implode, however, 2 bores were damaged.

[wnogood]

With all the lifter change outs are you absolutely sure the engine case(s) is / are not damaged where the lifter travels, thus, a sloppy fit. Had that happen to me my last rebuild. New cases ordered. Noise was worse when hot.

Have I measured the lifter bores? No. But they look and feel perfect. None of these lifters had catastrophic failure. To start with, I could change lifters and the noise might go away for a thousand miles or so, then return. I could change lifters again, noise would go away, then come back. Now, the noise is always there once the engine gets hot. It sounds perfect when the engine is cold. ...

[Para Bellum]

Have you put a mechanical oil gauge on it to see what the actual oil pressure is?  The HD sender and gauge aren't accurate, and low oil pressure can lead to lifters getting noisy.  If pressure is low, troubleshoot entire oil system.

Also check oil temp to be sure it's not thinning out too much at high temp.

[wnogood]

Have you put a mechanical oil gauge on it to see what the actual oil pressure is?  The HD sender and gauge aren't accurate, and low oil pressure can lead to lifters getting noisy.  If pressure is low, troubleshoot entire oil system.

Also check oil temp to be sure it's not thinning out too much at high temp.

I have not tried a mechanical  gauge. The old cam plate that was in there a week ago had the axtell bypass valve in it and oil pressure sometimes exceeded 50psi and the engine was still noisy when hot.  The new cam plate and oil pump are SE parts which lowered the oil  pressure slightly, but its more predictable. 35 psi hot at 2500 rpm and about 15 psi at hot idle. The engine has  always run cool (for a harley) and even when I got stuck in some stop and go traffic recently at 95* the noise was not much louder than usual.

I'm just baffled.  So much has been changed, yet the noise really hasn't. Other than that first 1000 miles after the build. All this started when the hydraulic cam plate was installed about 10,000 miles ago.  Whatever it is apparently isn't going to grenade, but its aggravating to have such a nice bike that runs so well and sounds like a pile of junk. My 22 year old evo bike is silent in comparison...

[FLTRCVO]

I have not tried a mechanical  gauge. The old cam plate that was in there a week ago had the axtell bypass valve in it and oil pressure sometimes exceeded 50psi and the engine was still noisy when hot.  The new cam plate and oil pump are SE parts which lowered the oil  pressure slightly, but its more predictable. 35 psi hot at 2500 rpm and about 15 psi at hot idle. The engine has  always run cool (for a harley) and even when I got stuck in some stop and go traffic recently at 95* the noise was not much louder than usual.

I'm just baffled.  So much has been changed, yet the noise really hasn't. Other than that first 1000 miles after the build. All this started when the hydraulic cam plate was installed about 10,000 miles ago.  Whatever it is apparently isn't going to grenade, but its aggravating to have such a nice bike that runs so well and sounds like a pile of junk. My 22 year old evo bike is silent in comparison...

July 10,2016 bring my bike to the dealership, for lifter noise, gets louder as the motor gets hotter; dealer has the bike 4 days. Tech World Renowned Engine Builder states pinging no mechanical issues whatsoever 1000 miles later lifter implodes in the case $6300. plus. Just my story, my recent experience. 

[coloradotom]

I have not tried a mechanical  gauge. The old cam plate that was in there a week ago had the axtell bypass valve in it and oil pressure sometimes exceeded 50psi and the engine was still noisy when hot.  The new cam plate and oil pump are SE parts which lowered the oil  pressure slightly, but its more predictable. 35 psi hot at 2500 rpm and about 15 psi at hot idle. The engine has  always run cool (for a harley) and even when I got stuck in some stop and go traffic recently at 95* the noise was not much louder than usual.

I'm just baffled.  So much has been changed, yet the noise really hasn't. Other than that first 1000 miles after the build. All this started when the hydraulic cam plate was installed about 10,000 miles ago.  Whatever it is apparently isn't going to grenade, but its aggravating to have such a nice bike that runs so well and sounds like a pile of junk. My 22 year old evo bike is silent in comparison...

Have you tried a different brand of oil in it yet?

[wnogood]

Have you tried a different brand of oil in it yet?

Yes.  I dumped the syn oil and went with valvoline VR1 conventional and it seemed to  help enough to notice a difference..

[HD Street Performance]

That is a ticky cam sorry to say. Fast ramps.
That combined with high spring pressure is a formula for high noise. Consider no axtell bypass as a test and if the noise is still there change cams. A 57n will work with less noise. Review the spring setup. The stock cvo springs with dampers are not my favorite.

[hrdtail78]

The axtell bypass was added with new cam plate or was it in the old plate as well?  If it was in the old plate as well.  That is a constant between the two and should be replaced for a check.

[wnogood]

The axtell bypass was added with new cam plate or was it in the old plate as well?  If it was in the old plate as well.  That is a constant between the two and should be replaced for a check.

I DID NOT install the axtell bypass in the new plate.  The stock cvo springs were changed  out for beehives when the heads were done...

[wnogood]

That is a ticky cam sorry to say. Fast ramps.
That combined with high spring pressure is a formula for high noise. Consider no axtell bypass as a test and if the noise is still there change cams. A 57n will work with less noise. Review the spring setup. The stock cvo springs with dampers are not my favorite.

You know....I'm ok with that.....these cams work  well enough that I can probably tolerate the noise as a trade off....on the flip  side...if I were to change cams and the noise was still there....I'd be pretty upset to  have given up a superb running sled and still have this irritating noise.... Have you installed many 48's? If so, how many would you say were "Noisier than typical"?

[Para Bellum]

What weight oil are you using, the usual 20W/50?  Last year when we went to Sturgis I changed to AMSoil's straight 60 weight  in case of very high temps, and I noticed the engine was quieter than w/ AMSoil's 20W/50 I normally use.  Others have reported same.