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Valve Train Noise - '10 Ultra

ChopperDoc

ChopperDoc

Active Member
A friend of mine purchased a '10 Ultra last year. He has 18K on it and started getting valve train noise on warm starts. Held good oil pressure but just seemed like the lifters were losing their pressure. The first repair job the dealership put in a Baisley spring. Didn't fix the problem so they were going to replace the cam plate. He asked if he could get the SE Plate and pay the difference and they agreed. Anyway, got the bike back Friday night and it was quieter than it had been even when new. That lasted about 50 miles and now it hammers all the time, worse than ever. He drove it back to the Dealership and they checked everything on the cam side and now have the engine down to the lower cases. They will pick up again Monday morning.

Question: Anyone else had this problem and if so, what was the cause and fix?
 
It used to just be on warm starts and sometimes on cold starts, but it would come and go. Now it just hammers all the time. He uses Amsoil Full Syn in the engine and chaincase and Red Line in the trans. Changes filter and all fluids every 2,500 miles.

He runs nothing lower than 91 octane gas and tries to always use Shell 93 unless he gets out somewhere and can't find a Shell station.

That's the other thing. They tore his engine down Saturday and it is just caked with carbon - Top of the pistons and all over the combustion chanber and valves. They asked him what oil and fuel he was using. He told them and they said, "never mind" we thought maybe you were using 87/89 with ethenol. They sent the heads out to be redone and they will be back on it tomorrow (Monday), but as of today, they have no idea what is wrong with it. New SE Cam Plate and SE High Flow Pump put in last time. Lifters all test out OK.

Looking around on the net and on Consumer Complaint sites, the valve train noise is a common complaint. A couple posts were really upset because the dealer has tried and tried to fix it, but they also blocked the bike's VIN's from buying any more extended warranty.

He asked me to go to the Dealer with him tomorrow, he and his wife have decided to maybe make it the Dealers problem and trade it for a '12 Street Glide. He will trade if they meet his price and also put in the SE Cam Plate and Gear Drive Cams included - Lots of early bad press on HD's new "Wet Bearing" in the '12's cam plate, which is no bearing at all, just a hold in the plate with oil ports cut in to keep the shaft in a bath of oil. Better keep them oil filters changed and don't go cheap on the filter micron size or the holes will plug up. I wonder what kind of bearing they call it then?
 
I suspect Problems with the cam plates on many bikes that WE don't hear about.....
Hopefully when I get my New cam plate Ordered and on back order, It won't be the one you described... I like the bushing in the crank hole and won't install the one like described.

The "stock" cam plates HD had in their parts stores have all gone and Now on Backorder and an "A" at the end of the Stock cam plate replacement part number means ???? change of some type.. Hopefully it isn't modified on the bushing as that isn't the problem I was having.. I suspect the Pressure Relief Valve as My culprit...

signed....BUBBIE
 
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