Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[wnogood]

Hello all. I have been fighting a valvetrain noise for quite a while now. It all started when I upgraded my cam plate and changed to 48N cams. I initially installed comp cams 875-1 with limiters. They did pretty good for about 3k. Started getting louder and louder, then the dreaded hot bleed down started. Swapped them out for some GM chevy lifters, did pretty good for about 4k, as before, gradually got louder and louder, then the hot bleed down after a short stop, so i figured they are done. This past weekend I upgraded to gatermans. After I reached operating temp, they got a bit "chattery" but I can live with that. Occasionally, I would get a single cylinder tick, very discernable from the typical chatter. And, I have a single cylinder tick when hot at idle. Not obnoxious mind you, but its easily heard above the typical chatter. Also, all of the lifters I have used were very quiet when the engine was first started, and progressively get noisier when they got hot. I have not had a hot bleed with the gatermans (only had them in there for about 300 miles) Also, I am using S&S adjustable pushrods. In case that plays into the equation. Im out of options at this point. Any help or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

[lilcoot]

Sorry to hear you're having problems, too.  Welcome to the ticking club. 

I'm taking mine to an independent mechanic today to see about the same problem.  I'll let you know what he finds.

Dan

[longlast]

Just a thought, but would your lifters be slapping do to your oil thinning out to much when it's hot
maybe try a different oil grade, again 

If ,..or I should say when you find the cause, would be interresting to know what you found.

Good luck!! hope you sorted it sooner then later.

[wnogood]

Just a thought, but would your lifters be slapping do to your oil thinning out to much when it's hot
maybe try a different oil grade, again 

If ,..or I should say when you find the cause, would be interresting to know what you found.

Good luck!! hope you sorted it sooner then later.

Im finding alot of people that are having issues with the 7/16 diameter adjustable pushrods making contact with the tubes. Crane actually makes a 3/8. Im thinking about trying a set. As far as why? Maybe when the engine heats up, valvetrain geometry changes, pushrod swells a few thousanths, HELL I DONT KNOW!!?? It makes sense I guess....

[zeflash]

Funny that just the day before I'm calling my dealer to tell him to change the lifters & pushrods to S&S ones, someone says that they might be the cause of the ticking.
Most of the ticking stories on this forum were solved by installing adjustable pushrods (and maybe proper lifters).
It would seem that in most cases, the engine dilatation is higher than the (unadjustable) pushrod's, and therefore when the engine gets hot, they start getting a bit lose, enough to tick? That's what I picture anyway.

Changing the pushrods to adjustable ones sounded like the perfect solution. Until your post 

Have you tried to extend the pushrod a bit more? I found this youtube video to be extremely helpful to understand the whole concept of hydraulic lifters & adjustments on the pushrods:

[longlast]

Don't know if you've done this be for ? But have you ever put a screw diver (the flat on the engine) and the handle to the ear bone just at the back of your ear. If you've never done this it my sound funny or I'm winding you up,.. but I'm not. Try it, with the motor running. You can pin point exactly were the noise is comming from, top bottom etc. It will allow you to hear the inner motor at work when you put the screw driver on to different parts of the motor, bearings, rods, ring slap, etc. it's just a mater of identifying the sounds.  

[wnogood]

Don't know if you've done this be for ? But have you ever put a screw diver (the flat on the engine) and the handle to the ear bone just at the back of your ear. If you've never done this it my sound funny or I'm winding you up,.. but I'm not. Try it, with the motor running. You can pin point exactly were the noise is comming from, top bottom etc. It will allow you to hear the inner motor at work when you put the screw driver on to different parts of the motor, bearings, rods, ring slap, etc. it's just a mater of identifying the sounds.  

I am a dealer tech, so I actually have a mechanics stethoscope. Its actually hard to opinpoint other that the front cylinder more up top. Cant really hear much on the tubes, but right at the base of the rocker box I can pick up a faint tick. Its puzzling for sure. If I had it to do over again, I would have went with the 3/8 pushrods to start with...

I clearanced one pushrod tube (The front exhaust) because of some very faint witness marks. Everyone says that the front exhaust is the main offender due to a steeper pushrod angle. Im gonna drop the tube down tonight and see if its making contact still....

[wnogood]

Funny that just the day before I'm calling my dealer to tell him to change the lifters & pushrods to S&S ones, someone says that they might be the cause of the ticking.
Most of the ticking stories on this forum were solved by installing adjustable pushrods (and maybe proper lifters).
It would seem that in most cases, the engine dilatation is higher than the (unadjustable) pushrod's, and therefore when the engine gets hot, they start getting a bit lose, enough to tick? That's what I picture anyway.

Changing the pushrods to adjustable ones sounded like the perfect solution. Until your post 

Have you tried to extend the pushrod a bit more? I found this youtube video to be extremely helpful to understand the whole concept of hydraulic lifters & adjustments on the pushrods:

The whole idea behind lifter preload is to be in the center of the travel. Typically a lifter without travel limiters has .200 travel. Optimum is to center the pushrod at .100, mine are set at .135, and still have a mild chatter. The tick tick tick is what im fighting now.

[zeflash]

The whole idea behind lifter preload is to be in the center of the travel. Typically a lifter without travel limiters has .200 travel. Optimum is to center the pushrod at .100, mine are set at .135, and still have a mild chatter. The tick tick tick is what im fighting now.

I was trying to educate someone way more experienced than me  sorry!

I wish my french dealer was trying to find answers on forums. His only answer about my ticking issues is "it's normal". My ticking sounds exactly like this one:


Except it does it when the engine's hot, and it's in no way settling down. It's getting worse actually. How does yours sound? similar? louder / quieter?

[wnogood]

I was trying to educate someone way more experienced than me  sorry!

I wish my french dealer was trying to find answers on forums. His only answer about my ticking issues is "it's normal". My ticking sounds exactly like this one:


Except it does it when the engine's hot, and it's in no way settling down. It's getting worse actually. How does yours sound? similar? louder / quieter?

OMG! I would not ride the bike in that video. I would be afraid it would grenade just below the family jewels! Mine is no where near that loud. But it's similar in frequency. Normal valve chatter, and a single cylinder tick that stands out. Again, not even in the same ballpark volume wise....

[longlast]

May be there is wear on the center pivot of the rocker in the dead. Not allowing to set the rod.

Just trying to think of things. There must be something that's out of whack that your not being able to be rid of the ticking.

When you find it would like to know what the hell it was, giving you all the grief 

[wnogood]

May be there is wear on the center pivot of the rocker in the dead. Not allowing to set the rod.

Just trying to think of things. There must be something that's out of whack that your not being able to be rid of the ticking.

When you find it would like to know what the hell it was, giving you all the grief 

If, when, I do find it, I will most certainly share the info. Im thinking maybe Im fortunate that mine isnt as bad as some out there...

[3mcam]

Had the same problem. Did the Cams, S&S adjustable pushrods and Gaterman lifters. Same problem only worse. Changed lifters to Black-ops and the problem was still there, no change. Did some more research and decided to try SE Tapered adjustable pushrods with S&S lifters with travel limiters installed. Initial startup was crazy loud. Let the motor run for five minutes revving the throttle and all of a sudden the tapping sound stopped. It even sounds better than it did stock. A long drawn out process and not to mention a little extra cash. Finally some peace of mind.

[wnogood]

Had the same problem. Did the Cams, S&S adjustable pushrods and Gaterman lifters. Same problem only worse. Changed lifters to Black-ops and the problem was still there, no change. Did some more research and decided to try SE Tapered adjustable pushrods with S&S lifters with travel limiters installed. Initial startup was crazy loud. Let the motor run for five minutes revving the throttle and all of a sudden the tapping sound stopped. It even sounds better than it did stock. A long drawn out process and not to mention a little extra cash. Finally some peace of mind.

So do you believe that the pushrods were the issue? Hitting the tubes?

[3mcam]

No. All the research I have done indicated that the likely cause was the lifters. Plus I have a buddy that has the SE tapered pushrods with stock lifters and he has the ticking noise I use to have.