2001 Carby model 88CID fatboy. Sitting on bike there is a noticible whirring sort of noise hard to describe but sort of like the sound you get when its real windy and the wind whistles under the door is the best i can describe it, Using a big screwdriver and holding my ear to it  ,it appears to be loudest  from the timing case area , very loud using this method like a screeching sound,  hard to comment i know but does this seem normal or maybe the tensioner? or some other thing, I just changed the oils on the weekend , if i pull the cover to have a look do i lose oil?and what am i looking for anyway? Any advice much appreciated Cheers  Rob

 

 

I take it this is a new noise.
Of course, hard to say without hearing, but cam bearings do whine (in various tones) when failing.
As do the early tensioners.
Well worth a look.

sorry should have mentioned,  not long bought the bike, it has 15k on it , only thing i know about its history is that it has had the air cleaner upgraded and must have been retuned because the plug has been drilled out of the idle mixture screw,  apart from that i know little about it, i have a fatbob 09 as well and it doesnt make this noise ( it makes lots of others tho lol)

Rob, shouldn't be an issue with 15k, but it could be Cam chain tensioners, or Cam bearings.
Not hard to check visually by pulling the cover, but if it's bearings, you will need to remove the Cam's/ Cam plate.
Not much oil in the Cam chest. Either way, sounds like it should be checked.
Hasn't got gear drive Cam's fitted ??

i did wonder about that, it certainly runs strong, i will pull the cover tomoroow and have a look