clanking noise from somewhere

[tuck75sporty]

Hi all. It's been a while since I' posted. I'm a full time student and I just got my ironhead put back together after a year of a semi-restoration. I will try get some pics up if I can. It's been running for about 3 weeks now and running good. Yesterday on my home from school it started to make a clanking sound somewhere in the engine, but louder on the cam cover side. Kinda of like clank....clank...clank...clank...its in sync with the engine and gets louder as throttle is added to a point until the pipes are too loud to hear it. I pulled everything off the motor except split the cases when I restored it. I'm going to start with pulling the pushrods and checking their adjustment along with watching the tappets move up and down to make sure the cams seem okay before pulling covers off. Wondering if anyone hear has ever had a similar noise before to give me some direction on where to look?? thanks in advance and keep this forum going, it is great.

[SpringerSam]

I had a similar problem and the primary chain tensioner broke causing the primary chain to "flop around". My noise was primarily on the primary side and not the cam side...sometimes, though, it's hard to tell where the noise originates from.

Sam

[IronMick]

If it is not the primary chain then it is the rear chain banging around in the sprocket cover. Note that if the chain is worn it is not possible to adjust it so that it does not bang around.

Get the rear wheel off the ground, tranny in neutral. Find the master link. Position a ruler or tape measure so that you can measure the looseness of the bottom run of the chain, just behind the sprocket cover.

Rotate about 8" of chain at a time, measure the looseness; find the tightest spot. At that spot adjust the chain so that there is about 1,1/4" of looseness - then with the rear wheel on the ground and you on the bike it will be about right [3/4"].

Then check looseness at various other spots on the chain. You will probably find that it is much too loose at various spots and that you need a new chain.

[Hopper]

It's the sound of your credit card fighting to get out of your wallet.

Process of elimination will find where the credit card will end up.

Like Mick says, try jacking it up and turning the back wheel. If its not the chain, you might try turning it over with the sparkplugs out in about second gear and listen for the clanking.

You can use a piece of rubber hose or even a screw driver as a stethoscope, one end on the engine, the other end in your ear. Sometimes you can track the noise down like that.

[tuck75sporty]

It doesn't just do it when i'm moving. It was doing this while its at idle sitting in its parking space at my aprtment. I will check the primary chain though, thanks

[the cowboy way]

I would bet its a roller on the end of a tappet , all the little roller bearings have come out

the stethascope method works great to determine which tappet it is
{ my wife is a nurse & she gave me one [stethascope ] I keep it in my toolbox }

with my collection of tools { its big } 3 boxes full }

however I would pull the cover and clean out all the little pieces of bearing and hope there aint any in your oil pump { if ya think there is then pull the motor and check the oil pump }

man you are gonna have some FUN