Hi All,

I've had my 02 Road Silverado for a couple of weeks; I love the looks of the thing, but I have to say, it's the noisiest motor I've ever heard! On start up, there's a small chain or gear sound coming from low down by my right foot, but this seems to go away after warm up.

The really interesting sounds seem to eminate from the left side. The one that bothers me most is a fairly high-pitched sound not unlike your auto fan belt if it's slipping and squealing just a little. It's kind of a wavering high whistle (the only way I can make a sound like it is to whistle and hold that high quavering note that a loon makes--that sound from spooky movies). Ululating, I think is the birder word for it.

This sound doesn't stop whether I'm in gear, rolling, or whatever. Along with the clatter from the top end, I sorta feel like a one man band rollin' down the road.

My mechanic tells me "motors make noise -- there doesn't seem to be anything wrong". But you know, even quiet Harleys and other big twins don't make this much engine racket.

Has anyone located the cause? Am I going to be vapourized by exploding engine bits?

Thanks,

Whipper

Whiplash wrote:
Hi All,
Am I going to be vapourized by exploding engine bits?
Thanks,

Whipper

Well, so far everyone else that had that noise has so I would say Yup.

If it does it while you're setting there at an idle get your ear down by the motor and try to pinpoint the noise.

My 2006 1700 does the same thing. Kind of a whiny, whirring, squealing noice that changes with RPM. Pretty much normal, I think. (I hope!)

sjh55 wrote:
Pretty much normal, I think. (I hope!)

Ummm...no?

I've got an '04, and I've got no noise like that. Do you have a nice, heavy synthetic oil in your bike? By most accounts, that seems to quiet the engine down a bit. It did mine, but I don't recall ever hearing a noise quite like the one you gents are describing...

Then again, the HK 3" pipes made a lot of the bike noises go away.

If (when, I should say) you figure it out, please share and let us know what it is!

RK

Thanks for the input, lads. I did go through old posts and found some references to 'whining noises' (from the bike), but this doesn't sound so much like a whine, which I usually think of as the sound something spinning very fast makes. My dad had an old combine that slipped a belt which sounded a little like this.

I'll try to pinpoint it again. It's hard to find it, really. I'll check and see if the chap I bought it from used synthetic. He also had an 04 which I rode, and it had its own sounds but much quieter and certainly not like what I have described.

Pipes are all I can think of when riding it, since my Shovelhead Harley days proved that you can make anything sound normal if it's buried under decibels.

Just had first valve check and set at 42K. Former owner never did anything but change oil and tires and ride the thing in the BC rain. It's looks just like new. Remarkable machine.

If you never hear from me again, Musky was right--I've been vapourized.

It's tough to advise if the noise is 'normal' or 'not' sitting here at the keyboard.

If you haa come from a water-cooled engine then I'd say that you are just not used to the noises an air-cooled engine makes.

Having ridden an HD I suspect you may be used to 'noises' so ...

Get yourself a stethoscope. Listen to the top end. Even thought the valves were 'checked' they may still be out a bit (you said it clatters) and that's where the majority of the 'non-regular' noise comes from. Check the lifter (bottom of V, right side) and alternator (right side, by foot) areas.

A high pitched sound from the left side may be the belt .... it's too tight. Grab the bottom of the belt (halfway between the pulleys) and give it a turn; you should be able to turn it about 1/8 - 1/4 of the way. Try backing off the axle adjuster 1/4 of a turn and see if it goes away.

Doc

Whip - As far as the bike making bird noises, that might be worth checking out, but what I would suggest (as suggested before), would be to find out from teh previous owner whether he'd run synthetic in the bike or not. I can also confirm the fact that the 1700 makes a LOT of noise on dino oil. After break in, I switched to Synthetic, and it was literally a difference of night and day. Now, w/out having to ask which Synth is best, you will find posted here, a good numbers of debates on that subject. But, ask if you will, and we'll gladly debate again.

Could be out in left field on this one, but I seem to remember that the AIS made a sort of "whistling" type sound always, could it be that?

Thanks again for all the ideas, gents. Seems I'm not alone in the bird world.

I'm waiting for my friend who sold me the bike to get back to me re the oil blend and weight he was using, and I just got my plugs in the mail today, so I'll be ripping the AIS stuff off; then, I'll be letting folks know the resulting change in noise, if there is one.

The Roadhouse Classic looks to me like it'll take care of any noises.

The sound is there when the bike is stationary, so it's not the drive belt.

Cheers,

Whip

Well, it wasn't the AIS that was causing the whistling. I got rid of that last night. The plugs I got, by the way, from Dynamic Imports, only went in about 1/2 way (about 3/8&quot and then they seemed to bottom. I was a little annoyed, as I thought they would go in until the bottom edge of the mushroom cap was flush with the rim on the hole.

The former owner says that the bike has 1/2 & 1/2 Motul Synthetic Blend 10/40 in it. Not super thick oil, but we are in the Pacific NW, so it's cooler in summers here. Next change, I'll pour in 5/20, and then head south. Planning a trip to Southern Midwest.

Big Bear--did you get the personal message I sent you re: your pipe? I realize now that it's a Roadhouse Classic with a slashcut end. Any discolouration? Nice deep rumble? What baffle? I love the look of your bike. Simple and beautiful.

Thanks,

Whip