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[beerman]

Friends riding next to my bike have noticed a ticking sound, as have I.
It is most noticeable at 35 MPH in Third ( 2000 RPM) although you can hear in in 4th and 5th but wind noise tends to overshadow it.
Hard to tell where its coming from other than the top end of the motor, but the bike needs to be warm to happen, and it lessens significantly if you slow down to 1800 RPM / 31 MPH or speed up to 40 MPH and 2400 RPM.
I've had the head gaskets done once at roughly 3000 miles. Bike has 7500 now. Stock except for mufflers and a HD race Fueler.
I know this will sound kind of stupid but - if you slide up on the saddle and put your knees against the tank like I sit when I'm on my 1997 Heritage Springer with floor boards, it muffles the sound to barely noticeable levels. But this is a Springer with Forward controls and the noise coming up from between your knees is obnoxious, and loud enough to hear if you're riding along side me at 35 MPH.
thoughts??? Lifters, pushrods, rockers,??
Of course the dealer says its normal - now there is a surprise !
It appears to be RPM related since it can occur in a couple of different gears and the bike needs to be under power - not just idling - to hear it clearly
I'm going to try a different dealer tomorrow if I can
The good news is that the bike is running pretty strong right now. the Race Fueler is dialed in OK and the heat issue has gone down to around 225 even on long hard hot rides. The head gaskets are leaking again - this time down the bolts and weeping out the base area just a little
Thanks for all the help guys - Summer's over time for Fall riding !
-Beerman

[Gav]

I had somewhat of a similar problem, more of a tinking, the rocker boxes on mine needed to be ground? dremeled? they did it when I had the new cyl, pistons and gaskets done.
everything seems to be fine now.
Gav

[Unbalanced]

First thing I would do is check all your heat shields, then if that turned out clear I would have the dealer look into making sure that your rocker boxes were sufficiently clearanced.

[Chief]

The RPM range you mention is indicative of the problem many of us had with intake springs hitting the side of the rocker boxes. Mine was most noticeable from about 1,800 to 2,600 RPM.

Once the boxes were clearanced, like Harry said, 80% of the top-end noise vanished. The difference is startling.

[Rhino]

The head gaskets are leaking again - this time down the bolts and weeping out the base area just a little
Thanks for all the help guys - Summer's over time for Fall riding !
-Beerman

Hey Beerman,  it is okay to ride a little bit, but you need to have the fix done, whereas now the oil is getting into the combustion chamber, and diluting the fuel. You are losing compression and makes the front work harder, can ultimately take crank out of alighnment, then oil pump will trash. New motor. If you do the fix soon, make sure they check the runout anyway, and when they put in the new gasket, MAKE SURE they perfectly center the gasket around the dowel, which is where the gasket tends to get pinched slightly off center, and allows the leak.

Sorry to hear of this, Hope this helps,
Rhino

[Jacktrician69]

Hi Beerman..I had the same problem with my Dyna, and posted about it....I thought it was the clearence issue with the valves and rode it anyway, only to find out myself that it was a SCREW in the AIR CLEANER !!   the thing wa so loose, and one was bouncing around in there....I figured it out by mistake....my leg was muffling the sound as it hit the air cleaner cover ( sounds like how you ride when you mount up ??)  Anyway....CHECK FOR THIS !!!   I thought I would be in for top end work this winter, but was very pleased to hear the noise go away, after putting the missing screw back in, and tightening the other two!!!!  F'Kin AYYYY    good luck man...I hope this is the same problem you're having !!      let us know 

[beerman]

Well, just got back from the Dealer in the next town. I hope you're sitting down - the Head Serv. Tech said "That's not normal" "better bring it in"
I don't think I've ever heard that before.
He thinks it's lifters/pushrods/Rocker. All of the above or just some.
It goes in on Friday when I can get a lift home and we'll know something early next week. In the meantime - I'm on the 1997 Heritage Springer and wondering why I bought a newer bike?
-Beerman

[Rhino]

Well, just got back from the Dealer in the next town. I hope you're sitting down - the Head Serv. Tech said "That's not normal" "better bring it in"
I don't think I've ever heard that before.
He thinks it's lifters/pushrods/Rocker. All of the above or just some.
It goes in on Friday when I can get a lift home and we'll know something early next week. In the meantime - I'm on the 1997 Heritage Springer and wondering why I bought a newer bike?
-Beerman

Glad to see it's going in. Don't let the dealer lead you around, make sure that they check the runout, takes 5 minutes once cover is off, all of this only because of the leaks you mentioned earlier.
Rhino

[beerman]

Fixed they say !
Went a few miles down the road to a different dealer and the "normal" ticking/rapping sound was actually lifters ! They replaced all 4 and said it sounds a lot better. Dealer 1 hasn't been told of this revelation yet - but I will let them know. Picking it back up tomorrow after work. I'll let you know if it's still quirky.
Also, (remember it's a Springer) the steering always seemed kind of tight. When I asked dealer #1 they said (all together now...) "Don't worry, that's normal"
Well it seems it's not normal - the head bearings were too tight.
I'd never had a bike with a 21 inch front tire so I just accepted that was the case. Dealer #2 fixed them as well.

BTW - Have you ever noticed the HDforum section on 2007 Tranny problems !! It's a 60+ page novel now !!
Maybe we need a separate section on Drivetrain?
-Beerman