I had the engine upgrade kit installed and have put about 500 miles. I now have a ticking coming from the top end, have been back to the dealer 3 times. Each time they have a different answer 1) I wasn't riding the bike right (not keeping the engine at right RPM levels). Checked the manual (no reference to RPM level but recommended shift speeds per gear) 2) Took manual to dealer and they said the manual is wrong. So I rode per manual and never got over 2600 RPM, dealer says engine should be driven and shifted at 3000 to 3500 RPM. So I rode to their specs and never got out of 3rd gear until over 50 MPH. I'm not riding a two-stroke dirt bike but a Touring bike. On the freeway the speed limit is 60 MPH and shifting into 4th gear takes the RPM's to 2500. 3) Had mechanic who did engine upgrade ride bike and he said he didn't hear anything but maybe a transmission whine. I round tripped this bike to Sturgis and never had this ticking sound and as a truck driver for over 30 years I know when there is a change in sound to an engine.
Has anyone else experienced this??
YES!! Here is another noise report. Bought my '07 Ultra-SE2 in July '08 with only 650 miles on it. Rode it for 600 miles before noticing oil at base of rear cylinder. Took it to the dealer and they said they would replace the lower o-ring gasket. Went to pick it up and they told me that there was a factory recall/upgrade for the 110 heads and that they had done the replacement. They never did tell me exactly what got swapped out. Anyway, now I definitely have noises that were not there before. But since I had so few miles on the bike and the 110 engine to compare to, I was not certain that it was not "normal" to the beast. (Traded up (?) from a '95 Electra Glide Classic that was perfect!) Below 2200 RPM the heads have no noticeable noise. At exactly 2250 I have a ticking/tapping noise that starts. It stays fairly constant up thru about 2750. At 2800 it changes to a harder, much more solid tapping that gets loudest at 3000 before backing off slightly. Have not had time to return to dealer.
In the old days I would have said it needed a valve clearance adjustment but this thing doesn't have anything to adjust. All the valve lash is taken up by the hydraulic lifters. Right?
Here are some specific questions for anybody who has time and knowledge.
1. Has anybody had this noise that got it FIXED? If so how?
2. Exactly what parts are swapped out in head recall? and What did they change in the design?
Something inside is not happy and I don't want to have to wait until it breaks to find out what was wrong all the time.
I'm still under warranty but not for long.
Tapping in Alabama!
Added 11-03-08
Follow thread 12405 from Chief "Do you rat-a-tat-tat-tat"
Sounds like the noise problem may be intake valves hitting rocker box cover and/or push rod length.
Good info.