Noisy Tappet

By Dennis Santopietro

Question I have a 02 Road King and it seems to have a noisy tappet, sounds like when you were adjusting the lifters on a old Chevy, a clacking sound. The Harley dealer says some make more noise than others, doesn’t sound normal to me, it is louder at higher rpms when I am riding at 55 and higher mph it seems to get louder, no noise at idle or when it is under a load. The noise seems to be coming from under the gas tank and it is very hard to pinpoint. I was thinking to try adjustable pushrods and maybe new tappets, I know you can cut the old pushrods out, how big a job is it to do the tappets and should new lifter blocks be used? The bike has 33,000 miles on it and I use amsoil 29/50 and amsoil filter every 3,000 miles. Can you make some suggestions.

Jim D.

Via Email


Answer Some motors are louder than others
Every single motor has a R.P.M. where the valve train is at it’s loudest point. This is usually at 60 to 75 miles an hour depending on model
Models with windshields and wind screens especially will have concerns because every single noise will be amplified dramatically off of the inside of the windshield.
Take the windshield off and then listen for level of noise




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8 Responses to “Noisy Tappet”

  1. Benjamin E

    added bushing kit for my top end rocker assembly bolts on air cleaner side easy install bought them on amazon for 16$ quiet now

  2. Scott diamond

    Have a 05 roadking, seems to start coughing sputtering like lack of fuel or vapour lock , replaced fuel pump, filter , regulator all lines in tank. Replaced front injector last yr. thought it might be fuel cap so replaced that . Took fuel line from tank yo injectors off blew little are threw it . Seemed to run better after this ran injector cleaner threw it. Started coughing and sputtering again after 300 km no error codes. Could it be the line from tank to injector going bad? Any help will be great

  3. joseph

    Do you have any experience with "rocker locker" kit regarding noisy rocker box? Thanks for help.

  4. Curt Whittaker

    I have a 2004 twin can pulled it down to replace breadbasket and now it has load tapet nose it didn't befor

  5. Brian

    I'm ready to bring my Harley back ! 2016 Road Glide. My first American motorcycle. Was told it was a acceptable amount of noise. Being a Automotive machinist I know better. I saw rocker lockers online. Without taking this 3500 mile engine apart it sure seems to be a possibility. Synthetic oil did not cure it either The dealer gets it back in 2 weeks for another try

  6. Kevin

    I have the same noise I've changed my push rods to to justable ones and change the hydraulic lifters but not the blocks and it still makes the same noise I'm now considering that the noises coming from the big aimed

  7. James

    My 2015 Road King is making the same noise I have had the dealer look at it and I'm told the same thing all bikes are noisy. I think I'll change to adjustable pushrods

  8. dirk

    Had the same problem. went to adjustable pushrods and adjusted like your chevy, noise is gone. . piece of cake to do also