Knock, Knock....

[trosco]

DaBull (aka Derry) a friend and I bought 2007 Nomads at the same time. At about 900 miles his started to sound like that. I do my own maint and I had done my own oil and filter at 700 miles and used Mobile Full Syn 15w50. (siver cap has no friction reducing additives) he waited till the 1000 the dealer told him and took it back to them. They charged him $60 labor and $36 for 3 qts of 10w30 and a filter. at about 2500 miles his started to sound like that again and was (like yours) looking like it was a little low on oil. To me it sounded like the valve tapet clatter we used to hear on old chevy 6 cylinders when the oil got too thin and the lifters would colapse at idle when oil pressure was low. We did the second change of oil on his bike ourselves and the oil that came out of his bike was like water. It got better with the better oil in it but his bike was noiser that mine no mater what we did. we made a number of ugly scenes at the dealer with the two bikes side by side so they couldn't say his sounded normal. Ultimately they replaced his lifters under warranty. Afterwards both bikes sound about the same. The tapet clatter really dosen't hurt anything as it results from 1-2 thousandths extra clearance but it is anoying as hell. Living in Fl like you (&I) do, you could easily get away with a little heavier oil than the 5w40 (though that is good) and that might help a little more with your noise?

[dabull]

Originally Posted by trosco

DaBull (aka Derry) a friend and I bought 2007 Nomads at the same time. At about 900 miles his started to sound like that. I do my own maint and I had done my own oil and filter at 700 miles and used Mobile Full Syn 15w50. (siver cap has no friction reducing additives) he waited till the 1000 the dealer told him and took it back to them. They charged him $60 labor and $36 for 3 qts of 10w30 and a filter. at about 2500 miles his started to sound like that again and was (like yours) looking like it was a little low on oil. To me it sounded like the valve tapet clatter we used to hear on old chevy 6 cylinders when the oil got too thin and the lifters would colapse at idle when oil pressure was low. We did the second change of oil on his bike ourselves and the oil that came out of his bike was like water. It got better with the better oil in it but his bike was noiser that mine no mater what we did. we made a number of ugly scenes at the dealer with the two bikes side by side so they couldn't say his sounded normal. Ultimately they replaced his lifters under warranty. Afterwards both bikes sound about the same. The tapet clatter really dosen't hurt anything as it results from 1-2 thousandths extra clearance but it is anoying as hell. Living in Fl like you (&I) do, you could easily get away with a little heavier oil than the 5w40 (though that is good) and that might help a little more with your noise?

thx trosco....next oil change i will try the heavier oil as you mentioned...appreciate ALL the help/advice in this thread!

[dogdoc]

yes shifting will improve, but the knocking is still present.

[kawbuc]

Sounds like my 08 . Thats the first thing i noticed when i bought it new.They make alot of noise. Took mine in and they say it is normal. My brother in law has a 06 and his sounds the same also. I use a 20-50 Valvaline oil for motorcycle with wet clutch. I change every 2000 to 3000 miles . However , i have never been low on oil. Have it checked to give you some piece of mine , but it is probably just Nomad Noise. Cant hear it so much with my V&H exhaust installed.

[ringadingh]

I can feel when my bike is getting close to oil change time just by the way it shifts. It starts to get a little clunkier instead of a nice smooth click of the shifter.