| Author | Message | ||
     Marksm |
I switched to Mobil one two oil changes ago. This noise, sounds like an out of adjustment solid lifter cam from the 60's, has gotten louder. Can anyone tell for sure what it is from this video? https://www.dropbox.com/s/8jkltckrq8iz2yx/2012-09- 18%2019.21.56.m4v | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
Sounds like valve train. Lifter? | ||
| Hughlysses |
It does sound like a lifter. | ||
| Marksm |
I will be unable to do anything about it for a couple of months. The bike is my primary transportation right now. I hope it isn't causing permanent damage. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
If it is a lifter worst case could lead to catastrophic failure. grab a shop manual and start checking. | ||
| Brumbear |
Then it looks like you better spend a weekend home and get it sorted or the bus may be your primary transportation.Whatever it is won't fix itself.First check the obvious like oil pump gear and primary chain weather by looking or listening don't just rule em out. Pop the rocker boxes check the valve operation if ok or not traveling enough. Get a manual with a timing gear line up on it pull the cover off and check the cams and bushings as well. Make sure you got all the gaskets you will need to get it back together and I see no reason you couldn't do it in a day. | ||
| Sifo |
Take a listen with a "mechanic's stethoscope" (or the poor man's version - a screwdriver with your thumb on the end and your ear on your thumb) to listen to different areas of the engine. It will really help you to identify where the offending noise is coming from. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
Sounds too slow for a lifter(but....engine videos suck)....................seems to be more in sync with crank shaft speed. Listen to the heads,then listen to the crank case.....and HOPE it's predominate in the head. | ||
| Two_seasons |
Check your primary chain. 3/4" on the tight spot, when at operating temperature. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Well, XB9's are normally pretty immune to crankshaft problems. I tend to think it's a bad lifter. For comparison, this is what a known bad crank sounds like: (My 2007 XB12X; disassembly revealed badly trashed rod bearing/crankpin.) | ||
| Kenm123t |
Mobil one leaks at a faster rate that other oils. your lifter is leaky change back to dino oil and see what happens | ||
| Panhead_dan |
""Mobil one leaks at a faster rate that other oils. your lifter is leaky change back to dino oil and see what happens"" I agree with this statement. My experience with american made v twins is that synthetic oils are too thin and cause a lot of lifter noise and cost too much for no good reason. I think the oil pump won't pump the watery stuff at proper pressure either. Save money. Save your engine. Use the recommended lube. did i just post on an oil thread? vodka Seriously, why waste the money? Do you use a better filter? Do you extend the oil change duration without using as better filter? Do you understand what happens when you extend oil change intervals without changing the filter? Did you know that regular oil is so much better than it has ever been that there is no comparison? Did you know that several manufactures have gotten away from recommending synthetic oil? | ||
| Thumper74 |
I got some non-synthetic last oil change and noticed that the bike got quieter at idle... A mechanic's stethoschope is less than $15 at most parts stores and should be able to help you pin point the noise. A screwdriver works, but the stethoscope is much more sensitive. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
A screwdriver works, but the stethoscope is much more sensitive. So just be gentle with it or it'll complain to the ACLU, & then where will you be? Oh, sorry, I'm getting my threads mixed. | ||
| Marksm |
Thanks guys. I've stopped riding it until I can look into it. Someone else told me it sounded like piston slap. It is due for an oil change so I will go back to dino oil and see what that does before I do anything else. | ||
| Etennuly |
Check your manual for the recommended oil for the temperatures you will be riding in. I switched to Mobil 1 for about 100 miles a few years ago at around 26,000 miles. My engine was making very unhappy noises with it. I went back to dino in weights according to the book. It has been happy and smooth since. It is at 59,000 miles now. My past few oil changes I have been running Rotella non syn 15-40 or 10-40, which ever they are stocking at Wally World. It has been as good as the HD oils. I stopped buying theirs when they started printing the labels with gold.  I have not found 60W at other than HD for hot summer use, but the Rotella is working well for that also. | ||
| Kenm123t |
In the LT5 Zr1 vettes mobil 1 would seep out of the oil cooler hose crimps we had the replace them with welded Aeroquip braided hoses. The other issue was it was always in the sump not much stayed up top in chain tensioners etc So we added pre lubers 30 psi before start up . AV 1 was pulled from the market because or lead build up in prop governors the small screens clogged up oil has more functions in an engine than just reducing friction. | ||
| Swampy |
This morning I thought I had a rocker or cam follower going. But getting down and looking up under the fly screen revealed a wildly vibrating horn at idle! | ||
| Aesquire |
My buddies old 440 make a lot more noise after switching to Mobile 1. Then again, the stuff was like water compared to the dino oil the car came with... Early Mobile 1 was pretty light oil, on purpose. The idea was that you could run lighter weight oil, with the same protection, with the synthetic... and get better mileage... Not quite. But that was decades ago. Engines with smaller oil passages and clearances can run lighter weight oil.. if they are designed that way, Our Sportster based engines, are not. What weight Mobile 1 are you running? I favor synthetic in most of my engines. I've run synth in the Cyclone, or at least Castrol Syth, ( technically not true synthetic, I'm told ) since break in, and the heads had no deteriorated oil coked up in the rocker boxes at all last I looked. All the cars I've run synth in never had to have the engine opened, they all died from rust or other causes. I usually keep cars ( vans mostly ) near a decade, and since moderate priced synth came out... never a problem. ( seats collapse, bodies rot, front ends, deer, mice eating wires... name it, but not engines. ) And, the VW TDI is a synth only motor, by the book. Nothing like a small 4cyl turbo diesel to beat on oil. I've never had good luck with Mobile 1. For every guy I know who swears by it, 3 hate it. It's probably unreasoned dislike on my part, and I admit it. ( I also unreasonably dislike Pennsoil and rationally dislike Fram filters... ) Try Castro Synth in the right, 20/50 or 15/50 weight and see is my suggestion. Or the Pricey HD Synth, which is what I run in the chain case/trans, with no issues. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Swampy, I had that one too on the TT, scared the hell out of me. As it was a crap horn anyway I took it & it's bracketry out & wedged a bigger & better one in with some foam rubber. | ||
| Thumper74 |
Honestly, I have never had an issue with an oil before. Or filter for that matter. I choose not to run cheap oil filters because of the information I have read. |
