clatter clatter

[stewdogg]

So I know that these "engine noise" posts come up often and are hard to pinpoint without hearing the sounds first hand but...
I have this clatter from the front of the engine when I first start the bike. It is also present when down shifting and holding my speed in town at certain lower RPM's. I think I notice it a bit more now that I have the lowers installed form John. I don't hear it at all when I'm giving her throttle. Even if I'm putting through town and settle to a steady cruising speed it starts ticking. If I give a little throttle it goes away and as soon as I let the RPM's settle again the sound comes back.
I'm going to listen around the engine with my stethoscope tonight to see if it's around the cam chain but at my mileage I wouldn't think so.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

This is how I have the bike set up:
2004 1500FI
7,400 Miles
AMSoil synthetic 10w-40 (had the noise before I switched to the syn oil)
V&H baggers
Stock intake
TFI- Pot #1@ 2.5ish... pot#2@ 2ish... pot#3@ 1... pot#4@ 8
Idle Control Solenoids unplugged and taped up.

[macmac]

Ain't got a gremii living in the head lamp bucket do ya?

[trosco]

Stew;
does the noise frequency match itself to egine RPM or is it sync'd up to bike speed regardless of gear you are in?

[stewdogg]

Originally Posted by macmac

Ain't got a gremii living in the head lamp bucket do ya?

I don't think so... sounds a little more prominent around the front jug when I get down there and listen. I got out of work late tonight and didn't get a chance to pull out the stethoscope so I will do it tomorrow. It does seem to have gotten a little quieter when I unplugged the ICS's

[ndbigfish]

I had a problem with the gasket around the speedometer and rubber dampeners under it. When you hear the noise, just put your left hand on the face of the speedometer and press lightly down. That thing made a hellacious racket.

[stewdogg]

Originally Posted by trosco

Stew;
does the noise frequency match itself to egine RPM or is it sync'd up to bike speed regardless of gear you are in?

It is matched to the RPM of the engine and doesn't matter what gear I'm in.
Maybe it's just a sound I need to get used to with the Nomad? I can always just turn the music up...

[ivan]

Loose chains make Nomad engines very noisy. But chains get noisier with higher RPM.
Hearing clutter noise is normal (IMHO) when you first start it. Mine does it too. Loading your engine at low RPM may cause similar noise. Many people tent to set idle RPM too low to make it sound cool. But it's very bad for the engine. Maybe try to raise idle RPM and see if the noise goes away?

[Cajunrider]

Not a loose heat shield on your front header?

[AlabamaNomadRider]

My Nomad makes a clatter sound when I first start it up especially if it has been sitting for a couple of days. But, it goes away within 5 to 10 seconds. I'm not sure what is causing your problem. If it hasn't always made the sound I would definitely find out what is causing it. Could do some damage to your engine.

[trosco]

Stew,
I concur with the recomendation that you check your exhaust system. Rattles there will vary with engine speed. And because parts of the system are rigid conected to the motor and other parts are rigid conected to the frame, accelerating will "torque" the system and change rattles.
These rattles "telegraph" so the loose or rubbing pieces don't have to be real close to where you hear the noise.
Good Luck
Ross

[macmac]

Gene, that might be bledd out hydralic lifters. Over time they loose oil psi. A cold start may leave them working to fill up again. This is normal. If that's what it is. My 06 does this, and it comes out f it in neutral backing out of the barn,m when the bike is in the barn.

Right now the bike is outside my bedroom window, and starting it there cold i cna't hear as well since my hearing bites, and there is no walls to bounce the siund off of.

I give the bike around 4 minutes time before I roll out the 1/2 mile dirt drive to the 1/4 mile busted up paved road, then I can go better, and rpms mean oil psi...

These massive engines carry cold a while. Pistons are not round, but oval, and warmed well become round. If they were not made this way they would seize. All other engine parts change in a measurable way with heat too, and fit best warmed well.

I know it doesn't seem like it but everyone here including the gals are strong enough to bend a jug with ease.

Anyone is in general, strong enough to bend a in line 6 chrystler engine block too by hand..

Not much, but bend it you will.

Say on that old cast iron 6 i9n line, all you do is place a inside mic fore and aft, then squezze the right and left sides of the bore the mic is in, and that mic will fall. If you try it, put a rag below the mic to catch it, or you could damage the delicate tool.

[dantama]

Originally Posted by macmac

Gene, that might be bledd out hydralic lifters. Over time they loose oil psi. A cold start may leave them working to fill up again..

I had a lifter bleed down on my 06 Nomad, and it made a clatter that fluctuated in sinc with the RPM's. A new one was put in under warranty, but the engine had to be pulled in order to do it.

[stewdogg]

I did buy this bike last Feb. with only 1,400 miles on it. I believe it did sit for a good amount of time before I got to it. So I wonder if the lifter bleed down idea would pertain to this?
I'm going to listen around the motor a little closer tonight.
I don't think it is a rattle due to a loose part on the bike. I put my ear right by the front jug and it seems to be coming form there. The sound is lighter in the rear jug and more aparent in the front.

[zoom45]

I agree with Trosco. I had a rattle develop that led me to believe I had a serious motor problem. I finally found a loose clamp on a heat shield. I even took it to the dealer and they couldn't figure it out. Sometimes a simple thing can cause you a lot of troubleshooting.
Zoom45

[Cajunrider]

Originally Posted by zoom45

I agree with Trosco. I had a rattle develop that led me to believe I had a serious motor problem. I finally found a loose clamp on a heat shield. I even took it to the dealer and they couldn't figure it out. Sometimes a simple thing can cause you a lot of troubleshooting.
Zoom45

That's why I asked about a loose heat shield. On the way back from Custer, one of the shield clamps on the front header pipe loosened up and it sounded like the engine was coming apart. Snugged it up at a lunch stop in Colorado and it was all good for the rest of the trip.