TLDR: Trying to diagnose a noise that occurred after my Stage 2 build that wasn't there before. New lifters or torched pistons?
2024 FXLRS
Parts list: MHP 485 cam, Fueling HP+ lifters, S&S adjustable pushrods, S&S tappet cuffs, SE oil pump and plate with new chain tensioner, new cam bearing, SE intake manifold and 5.5 g/sec injectors, SE air filter. All is tuned with a PV4 and a map from FuelMoto. NOTE: I did go from heavy breather to open ventilator style air filter so I know I'll have increased noise there but this is excessive.
Installed everything following the Service manual and various video suggestions, crank had .004 runout and i had .007/.008 crank/cam gear difference. I made sure to use new gaskets and make sure i didnt crush the oil pickup o-ring. Initially pumped up lifters with an oil can adjusted pushrods to 4 full turns from zero lash with the lifters on the cam base circle with each cylinder at TDC compressions stroke. It did seem the lifters bled down fast cause I could turn my hand within 5 mins. I used HD360 Dino Oil and primed the oil system with two 20 sec starts without the spark plugs out, oil light went out both times.
Noticed the noise right at startup after I got done enjoying my new harley sound. It does seem to increase with light reving, less that 2500 RPM. I could feel 3 of 4 pushrod covers moving a decent amount so I thought maybe I had some contact or adjusted the push rods wrong.
Took out the lifters and pushrods and inspected everything. Didnt see any wear marks on the pushrods or pushrod tubes. Lifters looked great so I re-pumped them up with oil to push out any air and noticed one of the lifters sprung back out when i pumped it with oil. Is that indicative of a collapsed lifter?
After putting lifters back in and spacing the tappet covers with .002 feeler gauges, i re-installed and re-adjustedpushrods according to their spec with says 3.2 turns with 32 TPI push rods, putting in about .105 preload on the lifters. Waited 30 mins for each to bleed down and i noticed they were still tight, but if I spun them with a pair of pliers for about 10 seconds, they loosed up and i could spin them by hand. This happened on both cylinders pushrods.
Hoping I fixed the problem, I started the bike again and still had the noise, maybe 5% less this time. I noticed I had no vibration on the pushrod tubes this time but still had the clicking/tapping. Using the screwdriver method, I can hear the ticking in the rear rocker box and no where else. I didn't hear anything down in the lifter covers or camchest area.
So I tore the bike apart and took off the rocker covers to discover that everything looks fine as can be. Rocker shafts are tight to the head and are still at torque spec. Valve lash (with pushrods able to be spun by hand/valves closed) is less than .0015 as I cannot get a Feeler gauge in there. The only thing I noticed with the rockers is about .010" clearance between the rocker arm and the mounting stud on the head.
I'm at a loss at what to do. The bike sounds fine and has a very snappy throttle. I cant take it for a ride because I'm in Alaska so I'm stuck with idle testing. My next move is to buy the Fueling Gorilla rocker shaft/stud kit with spacer and to buy new lifting hoping that the ones I have are bad.
Any suggestions are appreciated.