Newbie.....help with odd engine noise???

Hi all,

I've just bought an '00 883, Stage 1 Screamin' Eagles etc..
It's a spotless machine, only 4,000 miles on the clock - a real
beaut!!! Always wanted a Harley, now I'm a very happy man

However, it's making an odd noise, and whilst it's not causing any
problems at all it's puzzling me. Everytime I start her up, after about
10 minutes the engine will make a single banging noise. Then that's
it. There was once when it made the noise twice, but again that
was it - no engine probs to go with the noise. Is this normal??

The best way to describe the noise is like hitting a very large saucepan
very hard with a metal ladel. It happens more readily when the engine
is revved hard after warm up, but again, it's just one clang, then it's over
- but it is a startling noise! Is this simply metal expansion and the engine
warming up??

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Riffter.

Is the noise from the carb area. Like a backfire from this area.
If so we call this a carb fart. Does the noise go away ? Does the engine die slightly when it makes the noise ?
PS yir gona love that sporty Welcome !

Hi mate,

Cheers for the insight ;) to be honest, I've only had the Sporty
for 5 days, and because the noise is really startling, I haven't yet
been able to directly pinpoint where the noise is coming from.

I've been out on it a lot (10 rides from cold) and all I can say is
the clang/bang is short and sharp, and yes, in hindsight the engine
does die - ever so slightly - but not very noticably. Yes, the noise
does go away - it usually happens once only.

I was just well paranoid, as I've been after a Harley for ages, and I
thought I'd dropped on a real good 'un for a very reasonable price
(3 grand). Lo and behold, when it first made this noise I thought "Shit!
I knew it was to good to be true - she's gonna blow!!!" But as there
were no noticable engine problems, it's just become a puzzle.

But if it sounds like 'carb-farting' and this is normal, I'm a very
happy man!! I've had plenty of bikes in the past, but never a twin,
and never anything American - so reckon I've got a hell of a lot to
learn.

Cheers.

Hi Rif
I think thats what it could be. Try to get her warmed up first also.
If you just bought the bike, I would change oil plugs and filter ASAP.
Also first thing on the list is a service manual if you want to do your own service.
If you go to your local harley dealer or even better at your local HDRC meeting talk to the people with sportsters, to let them hear the noise.
If you are up this way in Scotland give us a bell.
There are a lot of people in here that know a lot more than me though.
When I first got my sportster the carb fart worried me.
Also sometime you may see a slight discharge of oil discharge from the
SE airfilter at higher revs, which ends up on your oil tank.(This worried me)
Don't worry about this also, as I did. Don't overfill with oil and make sure the airfilter is on tight. There are a few other reasons for this also,
which can be fixed with a breather kit.
Ride safe.
ps I guess you will be doing a 5,000 service soon.

Cheers Win!

Yeah, 5,000 service will be ready shortly - would do it myself, but
I want the golden stamp in the service manual, although it'll no doubt cost an arm and a leg.

Right on the oil/filters too! I was going to ask what the best oil is
for Harleys - I assumed fully synth would be a bit too much, but
then again it is tuned I've read a million different verdicts for
oil in 'Easyriders' and 'American Iron', but I'd appreciate some advice
from Blighty, as all the aforementioned suff is Stateside only.

Not quite in Bonnie Scotland though unfortunately - I'm in Dear 'Ole
Stoke-On-Trent, and I'm looking to get into the scene as soon as it
kicks in! Would love someone who's 'in the know' to have a scan of
my Sporty, as you say - would put my mind at rest - as this bike acts
like no other scoot I've had before!

[Tones]

Hi Riffter,

try this site, I haven't looked for your problem on it, but it's a good site for getting some good tech tips and a section on oil. ;)

http://www.sportster.org/tech/

I spend some of my time working in Shrewsbury so may meet up later in the year.

cheers

Tones

[Strawhead]

Not sure, does not sound like a carb discharge.

usually seems to happen when bike not fully warmed up and you open up the throttle a bit too much. you then get a small cloud of unburnt petrol i asume coming out of the carb. sort of makes a loud sputht sound if that makes any sense not a clang

happens less on the mikuni but still happens. let it warm up for a reasonable amount of time, longer than 5 minutes in temperatures like this or damp weather.

but definately get a service and have the timing checked

SH

Cheers Folks -

In hindsight, the noise definitely comes from the carb area
and is now more clearly sounding like a backfire.

I was taking her out for a spin this evening and she was doing it loads.
I sounded like an old banger going down the road!! It even did it at one
point when I shut the revs off??

Again, the backfiring ceased when it had warmed up adequately. I thought it was warm enough, but obviously not. BTW she doesn't half stink of fuel with the choke out - fumes everywhere too. I had a supermoto like this, and it was perfectly normal (it was tuned to buggery with a massive pipe on). I'm assuming this is normal for the Sporty too, as it's fine when off-choke.

Anyhow - is there any way to stop these 'carb farts' or is it a permanent quirk? I'm definitely booking in for a service this week - I'll phone 'SHD' for a quote, they're only down the road.

Thanks Again,

Riffter.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Riffter

BTW she doesn't half stink of fuel with the choke out - fumes everywhere too.

Hi Riffter!

In nearly 7 years spent living with a Sporty like yours, I have never smelt neat petrol like you have reported. It would be worth checking this out.

Another tip is to be aware that HDs take much longer than fours to reach correct operating temperature and it best not to gun the throttle until warm up is complete. The exact warm-up time is, as usual, dependant on conditions.

Anyhow, good to see you on board!

Pete

[dpb-RK]

A couple of things I have picked up from 'the boards'.

In this cold weather your carb can't vapourise all the fuel that is being sucked thru the carb, oddly, in spite of all the fuel sloshing about, the engine runs too lean because it will only burn (properly) the vapour. The extra un-burnt fuel gets binned out the exhaust and makes a stink. This problem should clear as the weather warms.

A tip for warm up is to place your hand on top of the rear cylinder, when it's too hot to keep your hand there it's ready to rock and roll. This can take a suprisingly long time.