My "87 has started making new noises. Low end knocking on the left side when accelerating, valve noise, loud whining whenever on the throttle at all, and when I spread my legs away from the gas tank when moving, 10-45 mph, it sounds like a REALLY LOUD sewing machine. Engine noises are becoming louder than the Harley exhaust. Seems to be loudest when clutch is engaged.
Also, It's still getting that random high idle, when the valves make more noise and the exhaust gets quieter.  Almost as though the timing has somehow skipped a tooth. Or the slider is seriously sticking, thus flooding the motor. I have about 22,000 miles on it, OE timing chain, verslavy installed.

Any thoughts?

P.S. This is the motor that took the damage from the BIG rock 2 years ago.

drums1 wrote on 07/25/12 at 18:04:24:

I was gonna' suggest,.. checking the front pulley... When it's loose, it goes from a tick to knock as it loosens...
... but, that big rock is a big clue...
I suspect bad news...

It might be time to hunt for a donor... ...

Ya, the whining has gotten steadily worse over the last year or so. Once, when I put vaseline on the belt, I thought the noise went away some, but now it doesn't seem to make much difference. Clutch engaged, on throttle, whine. Let off gas or clutch in, whine gone.

Jog, when starting cold it starts right up, but then jumps to high idle all by itself. Rev it up and sometimes it goes back to normal idle, sometimes not. Once warmed up it seems to run ok, for the most part. Until I stop at a store or something for a few minutes. Then it gets stuck on high idle, and I have to back off the throttle stop screw to get the idle back down to normal.

Verslagen....low mileage singer, as in new bike??

Well,, Im curious about why it would jump to high idle, but, based on Versys post,, Im gonna say it is no big deal right now,, he is focused on the whining, & like The Boat says, a big rock encounter could have been the beginning of the end., You mita got some tiny bits in the sump that got in the oil pump & startrd its decline, Id have to have a look at the oil & filter, mite be revealing.,

The idle jump sounds like a fuel metering problem... sticky slide or something...
I'd go ahead and check that front pulley for tight... to stop the knock. (just in case)... (don't trust looking or feeling with fingers, go ahead and flatten the lock washer, crank it down big time, and refold the washer to lock)...

Are you raptored?... If not, check that, too... ...

Serowbot, can I do the pulley tightening right through the timing cap, or do I gotta remove that side cover altogether? And if so, I assume there's a gasket there? And...is this the nut that's bassackwards threaded?

Is650v, I tried the seafoam thing twice--no positive results. I was thinking stuck slide too, but it has done this for quite a while actually.....ever since the guy worked on it 1 1/2 years ago. I think Imma finally pull the carb and see what's up. I've been trying to avoid that, since it's a biotch to pull the carb.

Thanks guys, I'll keep you updated.....

drums1 wrote on 07/26/12 at 06:27:08:

I'll answer for Serowbot -
The front pulley has its own cover separate from the timing cap/generator cover. And you WILL have to remove the pulley cover, the one directly rear-ward from the generator cover; as well, you will (or SHOULD) have to flatten the locking washer under the nut. The nut tightens like any regular nut - clockwise.

verslagen1 wrote on 07/25/12 at 19:13:14:


Some of us did actually get the Singer (as in sewing machine) reference.