(thought I'd posted this, but just in case, here goes again..)

My '06 model Night Train (Sept 05 build) has developed an engine vibration, present at idle and getting worse as revs build until it is most severe at about 100kmh in top (5th) gear.

Checked engine mounts, primary drive, compensator, cam drive, clutch.

anything obvious I've missed (apart from flywheels 'slipping', but I never lug my motor....so hopefully it's not that)

Thanks Glenn

Hi Stix, unfortunately this vibe is present when stationary.

 

Maybe check exhaust baffles, especially if yours are Hookers. LOL.

Mine were loose causing a vibration from idle all the way to top gear. Drove me mad till I found it!!

The thing with mine was that tightening them didn't fix it, the vibration only went away when I removed and refitted each baffle.

 

 

i have seen the counter balancer slip and cause a twin can softail to go out of balance, i think it slipped on a dyno they backed off after a WOT with clutch out , but this was a 2000 model, have the counter balancers changed since that year?

 

I gotta say I've also noticed a very slight vibration in the bars/mirrors/footboards. Used to be silky smooth, but at about 100k's she does shake a little. Not too worried, could be the new tyres?? Here's hoping!!

Thanks everyone, I've slipped the baffles out of the Hooker Troublemakers, sounds crap now...but unfortunately not much change in the vibe. Going to put the stock pipes with S&S slip-ons back on at the weekend to just eliminate that. Am also wondering about the balancer set-up, but would think any 'slip' or failure would result in more than a vibration?

Thank's S&F's, Evertrue, the counter balancers just turn opposite way to balance the motor off, they do a good just, when they slip out of line just puts balance out. and you get vibration, but the old Harleys were ridgid mounted no counter balancers they just vibrated, just got loose nuts n bolts, cracks and so on. but was used to it. the rubber mount models probably vibrate too but the rubber mnounts do a good job at isolating it. my 01 dyna has always felt smooth to me, probably because i was used to ridgid mounted HD motors in the past. even when it twisted the flywheels i did not notice a vibration, i just noticed my times went to high 11's not mid to low elevens & speeds in the speed trap got slower. everyone blamed me LOL

good luck, you could find a good dyno operator give it a run see what they think and also a problem would show up in power down, but a good operator with HD experience would know straight away if its vibrating more than normal.

S&F will be good to see how your motor goes with balancers removed, you won't be the first to do it, just looking at them and feeling the weight, it's not hard to see you will get a gain. also i was told the twin cams come from factory with a balance factor of 52%, the older HD motors always came @ 62% i had my old stroker shovel dynamically balanced @ 52% seemed a bit smoother but you never stop the vibrating a bit. but who cares.

cheers

ok, so how do we check if the balancer is operating correctly, or if it has 'slipped'? Vibration isn't super-alarming, just noticeable since the motor was silky smooth before

Scotty, appreciate your input very much. The vibe is very noticeable, but I'm going through all the things one at a time, as a Diesel Mechanic I'm used to the process of elimination when trying to diagnose problems but this Harley is a different beast to a cummins or cat motor. I've checked the primary and all is perfect. I was advised by a local harley mech that it 'had to be' the cam or cam drive assembly. Checked all, has the orange type tensioners and is spotlessly clean in there. Pulled the exhaust to remove the cam cover and took notice of the ex valves and combustion chambers - very white, almost 'porcelain' in appearance. Plugs are the same. Put this down to the really short Hooker headers, am changing to the stock head pipes and slip-on S&S mufflers this weekend. (Hookers have developed a bad leak on the front pipe that cannot be sealed, even with a new clamp and maybe a crack behind the chrome shield - don't dare to hope this is the source of the vibe?) The vibe disappears completely if the clutch is pulled in and the throttle backed off, indicating it is a reciprocating vibe from within the motor. The vibe is directly relative to engine speed, becoming almost unbearable at over 140kmh.

yep, was also told by a shop that a cam bearing is about to fail...but performance has not missed a beat, and no metal in the oil, and no wear on the cam chain tensioners and....it seems just an expensive exercise to pull the cams, replace the bearings, and possibly a gear drive? All just to ensure that this isn't the problem? Shops I've spoken to up here are like all shops, only interested in tearing a motor down and rebuilding it, hoping that cures the problem. No-one isn interested in diagnosing problems anymore it seems.

yeah thanks Hilly and Skulls, have actually taken the cam cover off, checked the tensioner faces, visually inspected it all, no sign of any wear or metal, but not actually pulled the cam plate. I've read Scotty's cam change story, haven't got the time or tools at home to do it so it may be going in to the shop. Then we shall see.

It's raining non-stop up here in sunny Brisvegas at the moment, so only had a chance for a quick test ride but....took the bike to a shop yesterday, Geof the mech took it for a test ride, came back, got off the bike and pointed straight to the loose top motor mount! Yep, I had checked the mounts, but not the top one for some reason! Doh!
Thanks for your input guys, happy ending this time

Hilly, it's those brain-storming sessions with all sorts of suggestions that helps to sort problems out. If I'd actually slowed down, checked the mounts thoroughly I would have picked the loose one, instead I was fearing the worst and looking for all sorts of expensive dramas. Now to sort out my Hooker Troublemakers once and for all, need to source some really good 2" clamps, probably will use turbo clamps, to seal them to the head pipes. Then to paint them black (chrome is stuffed on rear pipe).