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Thread: clanging noise at idle

  1. #1
    Just wondering if any of you guys experience this noise, it is sort of like an offbeat clanging or pinging while the bike is idling and at very low rpms... say less than 1500. as rpms increase it smooths out and this noise goes away leading me to believe this is a buell characteristic and not an engine knock which usually would be all the way through the rpm range. I just bought this bike 2 months ago and have already replaced everything else I don't need an engine rebuild right now. it has 23K miles on it and was maintained religiously. Rode it 300 miles this weekend and it cruises just fine, but like I said makes this noise at very low rpms.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    I do

  3. #3
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    What is your primary chain tension like?

  4. #4
    Senior Member konarider94's Avatar
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    i would check the primary chain tension like mentioned. if your bike is jerky on and off the throttle when going very slow as well than im sure this is the issue.

  5. #5
    Ill check it when I get home later this afternoon and see how it does. thanks for the advice.

  6. #6
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    My primary tension nut back out on me and it loosen a lot.
    Dealer set it up again properly. Warranty.
    Only cost me the $20 buck for the dyno run since it was dyno day too.

  7. #7
    I hope my nut isn't backing off I was just in there replacing the clutch 6 weeks ago

  8. #8
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    Check the front engine mount right below the steering head. I had a similar noise and tracked it down to one of the bolts in there working itself loose. I tightened it back down and the noise went away.

    These V-twins can practically shake a bike apart.

  9. #9
    Sorry for the late response, school and things have gotten really heavy for the last few days and I have had no time to devote to this until now.

    Today I finally got around to checking, and I tensioned up the chain with absolutely no reduction in noise. The front engine mount looks fine, and the noise is definitely coming from what sounds like the bottom end. The noise is pretty damn horrible, like a hammer tapping on metal, but it just flat out goes away at 1700-2000+ rpms, and then I hear nothing more than the usual harley whirring and ticking noises, and the exhaust. Even when I let off the throttle, the knock is gone until it stabilizes at low rpms. Could a loose sprocket nut be causing a knock only at idle? From my experience with cars, rod knocks usually stay steady or get louder up through the rpm range. Am I wrong to associate the same behavior with a harley?

  10. #10
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    check the compensator nut at least; 200 ft lbs of torque shouldnt come loose very easily but who knows,

    check ur oil pump/pressure too. the oil pressure psi varies with the idle, if its not getting thru somewhere it could be causing the knock ur hearing.



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