[CDNIndianrider]

Took my 2014 Classic into the dealer yesterday to ask the service manager to ride my bike and see if he hears the clack that I hear. He said sure and took the bike into the shop, gave it a wash and returned 10 minutes later with this explanation: He had talked to the area Indian representative and he calls them "Thunder Clackers".
He was told by his mechanic that all Indian 111 engines make a noise at 2100-2400 rpms under light load and Indian says it's piston slap. No fix.
When I said that all Indians do not make this noise he just stared at me with a blank look on his face and said I was the only person to complain of any noise from an Indian engine at the dealership. I asked him to put in a ticket with Polaris to document the problem so when the piston comes through the cylinder wall after warranty is over I will have some documented proof that there was a problem.
He then stated that the only way Polaris will look at a problem is if they get multiple tickets placed on the same problem from different dealers. In other words, no ticket, no problem.
So I'm wondering if all the people with clackers and are not "OK" with it have placed a ticket (this is what they call it, not my word) with Polaris? Has everyone on this forum complaining of engine noise contacted the dealer and had them notify Polaris of the problem or are most just living with it and complaining here?
I think if Polaris is inundated with dealer tickets with the same problem, they will be compelled to do something about it. Until then I guess I will just have to live with the noise.
When I was leaving the dealership, the last words of advise they gave me was to trade in my bike on one that doesn't clack as a clacker is really annoying. Had to laugh at that.

 

[Rugger]

I thought we were done with new clacking threads

 

[TN1WR]

Took my 2014 Classic into the dealer yesterday to ask the service manager to ride my bike and see if he hears the clack that I hear. He said sure and took the bike into the shop, gave it a wash and returned 10 minutes later with this explanation: He had talked to the area Indian representative and he calls them "Thunder Clackers".
He was told by his mechanic that all Indian 111 engines make a noise at 2100-2400 rpms under light load and Indian says it's piston slap. No fix.
When I said that all Indians do not make this noise he just stared at me with a blank look on his face and said I was the only person to complain of any noise from an Indian engine at the dealership. I asked him to put in a ticket with Polaris to document the problem so when the piston comes through the cylinder wall after warranty is over I will have some documented proof that there was a problem.
He then stated that the only way Polaris will look at a problem is if they get multiple tickets placed on the same problem from different dealers. In other words, no ticket, no problem.
So I'm wondering if all the people with clackers and are not "OK" with it have placed a ticket (this is what they call it, not my word) with Polaris? Has everyone on this forum complaining of engine noise contacted the dealer and had them notify Polaris of the problem or are most just living with it and complaining here?
I think if Polaris is inundated with dealer tickets with the same problem, they will be compelled to do something about it. Until then I guess I will just have to live with the noise.
When I was leaving the dealership, the last words of advise they gave me was to trade in my bike on one that doesn't clack as a clacker is really annoying. Had to laugh at that.

PII CS does not fear customer complaint inundation.

 

[Hawgrunner]

I thought we were done with new clacking threads

Nope, unless yours doesn't clack.

 

[steveg56]

I ended up selling my cheiftain and went back to HD as the clacking was too bothersome to me. I could tell I was going to have to just deal with it, so I sold it. Might bother some, but some can live with it...not me.

 

[chiefdano8]

Scout 60 clacks or knocks or whatever too

 

[Tat2ace]

Scout 60 clacks or knocks or whatever too

Not mine.

 

[chiefdano8]

And thus we have returned to the conundrum of the clack

 

[chiefwannabe1]

Louder pipes fixed mine........

 

[rodhotter]

not all ****** clack, only the ones with inefficient oil pumps, + Polaris may be quietly addressing the issue on the newest engines built, hopefully!

 

[Hawgrunner]

I ended up selling my cheiftain and went back to HD as the clacking was too bothersome to me. I could tell I was going to have to just deal with it, so I sold it. Might bother some, but some can live with it...not me.

Yep, can relate to this, IF mine ever got where I could no longer enjoy my ride I would've done same, but with me, am on my third Indian, 16 Scout in Dec of 15', 16 Springfield in April of 16', 16 Chieftain DH in Dec 16, last try for Indian before I go back to HD myself, and to be fair, the Scout is a Great bike, I just choose a too small a bike for what I want to do the first time around, the Springfield was just a lemon. Just trying to have faith in the product.

 

[SSHardball22]

Took my 2014 Classic into the dealer yesterday to ask the service manager to ride my bike and see if he hears the clack that I hear. He said sure and took the bike into the shop, gave it a wash and returned 10 minutes later with this explanation: He had talked to the area Indian representative and he calls them "Thunder Clackers".
He was told by his mechanic that all Indian 111 engines make a noise at 2100-2400 rpms under light load and Indian says it's piston slap. No fix.
When I said that all Indians do not make this noise he just stared at me with a blank look on his face and said I was the only person to complain of any noise from an Indian engine at the dealership. I asked him to put in a ticket with Polaris to document the problem so when the piston comes through the cylinder wall after warranty is over I will have some documented proof that there was a problem.
He then stated that the only way Polaris will look at a problem is if they get multiple tickets placed on the same problem from different dealers. In other words, no ticket, no problem.
So I'm wondering if all the people with clackers and are not "OK" with it have placed a ticket (this is what they call it, not my word) with Polaris? Has everyone on this forum complaining of engine noise contacted the dealer and had them notify Polaris of the problem or are most just living with it and complaining here?
I think if Polaris is inundated with dealer tickets with the same problem, they will be compelled to do something about it. Until then I guess I will just have to live with the noise.
When I was leaving the dealership, the last words of advise they gave me was to trade in my bike on one that doesn't clack as a clacker is really annoying. Had to laugh at that.

 

[hdknuckle]

I ended up selling my cheiftain and went back to HD as the clacking was too bothersome to me. I could tell I was going to have to just deal with it, so I sold it. Might bother some, but some can live with it...not me.

Of course one wants to trade in what they do not like to hear operating for the silent Harley M8 Grenade that blows up when it gets into the death wobble. But if you chose to not go M8 and you got the twin cam you can get the cam tensioner surprise where the tensioners shoes grind down to metal and destroys bike if not seizing up first and throwing its rider into the street!! Pictures enclosed HD M8 then the twin cam

 

[hdknuckle]

 

[Bwana6]

Took my 2014 Classic into the dealer yesterday to ask the service manager to ride my bike and see if he hears the clack that I hear. He said sure and took the bike into the shop, gave it a wash and returned 10 minutes later with this explanation: He had talked to the area Indian representative and he calls them "Thunder Clackers".
He was told by his mechanic that all Indian 111 engines make a noise at 2100-2400 rpms under light load and Indian says it's piston slap. No fix.
When I said that all Indians do not make this noise he just stared at me with a blank look on his face and said I was the only person to complain of any noise from an Indian engine at the dealership. I asked him to put in a ticket with Polaris to document the problem so when the piston comes through the cylinder wall after warranty is over I will have some documented proof that there was a problem.
He then stated that the only way Polaris will look at a problem is if they get multiple tickets placed on the same problem from different dealers. In other words, no ticket, no problem.
So I'm wondering if all the people with clackers and are not "OK" with it have placed a ticket (this is what they call it, not my word) with Polaris? Has everyone on this forum complaining of engine noise contacted the dealer and had them notify Polaris of the problem or are most just living with it and complaining here?
I think if Polaris is inundated with dealer tickets with the same problem, they will be compelled to do something about it. Until then I guess I will just have to live with the noise.
When I was leaving the dealership, the last words of advise they gave me was to trade in my bike on one that doesn't clack as a clacker is really annoying. Had to laugh at that.

Your service manager has more shit in him than a baby robin does. The piston slap is ridiculous and those who believe this are either very naive toward mechanical guts in an engine or just not carrying a full sea bag. Polaris is very informed about this issue with or without this joker of a manager you speak of. RUN from this guy. Seriously/

The last word on clacking comes from a well established member who posted ( and I posted his cause half a dozen times so please use a search here for clacking ) and its simply the fuel metering. He changed to a fuel controller that many have here and the clacking drove him nuts. Taking it off cause no clacking.

We all can debate this till the second coming happens. Bu I assure you it is not piston slap or anything close to it. Anything with a slap does not last very long and uses oil en masse especially a long stroke engine and this ******** thinks its like a tire balance that happens only in certain RPM ranges. Really? How does this guy or his tech have a job? Oh wait............its Indian and nobody needs to be certified or vetted. Just promise you will watch a video once every other month and there you go. Even at large Ride Now stores in the Phoenix area. getting techs is hard. MMI and other schools all have certifications and extended schooling ( other than basic ) for getting real jobs after graduation. HD, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Hoinda, BMW all have these but Indian?
Polaris probably will not admit anything here as it would involve a lot of money and huge recalls and huge flat rate hours or whatever. Who knows? From a company that does not release sales figures...............one expects total honesty in service areas?

Bottom line? If it is clacking, then accept it. Nobody has one come apart. Amazing huh? Since piston slap is not a minor thing here. Not one forum post about a scored cylinder wall or smoking tailpipes cause by oil going past the rings. Not one...........

 

[V-Twin]

The last word on clacking comes from a well established member who posted and its simply the fuel metering. He changed to a fuel controller that many have here and the clacking drove him nuts. Taking it off cause no clacking.

We all can debate this till the second coming happens. Bu I assure you it is not piston slap or anything close to it...

As I understand it, there are several causes of clacking. Some may be fuelling related as you have mentioned and PVCX or similar can get rid of the type of clacking.

However, Tom - AMS managed to eliminate clacking on his TS111 by coating his pistons in some kind of slick coating(?). He said it was early days and wasn't sure if the coating will last but it sounded like pistons can be a cause of 'some' clacking.

 

[Cheezyrider]

Dear OP:
Your dealer cannot be telling the truth. The reason I know this is because recently, in another thread I mentioned the clacking of the 111 getting so numerous and out of hand that they were now known as "Thunder Clackers" as described in your account of whats going on. I was told by the Kool-Aid stand operators here (and their word is rock solid gospel) that I was the only one using that term. I am retired and do not work for Polaris as a Rep so you now know your dealer is dishonest..
Also, on one of the other Polaris Motorcycle sites (it has the name Indian in it but I cant recall the complete name - you will have to google it) you can find a detailed exhaustive list that a professional non-biased mechanic developed concerning clacking causes. His methods of testing were very scientific (something not easily accepted by the Kool-Aid stand folk herein), conclusive and enlightening. I would STRONGLY suggest that you locate that data, print it out x2, take the copies to your Polaris dealer, give him a copy and have him sign one for you. Keep the signed copy as evidence for future reference in dealings with Polaris about the issue..
In corporate/business lingo this is called = "documentation".

 

[rodhotter]

Tom - AMS had a great no bull article on the "clack" noting some some don't! issue is with clearances + more so the stacking tolerances in todays engines, like the sloppy tolerances at the worse end of acceptable used by HD to save $$$ but come back to bite you. wondering if the newest indian engines are clacking? if not this would indicate Polaris is addressing the issue, but that don't help the early clackers!! Tom noted that in the long run higher mileage bikes could have wear related to the issue, only time will tell but for most even the extended warranty will be gone leaving you SOL!

 

[hdknuckle]

I would STRONGLY suggest that you locate that data, print it out x2, take the copies to your Polaris dealer, give him a copy and have him sign one for you. Keep the signed copy as evidence for future reference in dealings with Polaris about the issue..
In corporate/business lingo this is called = "documentation".

CHEEZY- How is this for documentation on the Harley M8, no noise just what is described as a death wobble in the counter balance before blowing up like a grenade. Now this is true documentation, lets see what have you Cheezy the maker of the Anti-Kool Aid on PII.

 

[rodhotter]

i read a lot of forums but did not see that posted on the HD forums but there are many pages of issues + a few engine replacements as well. could be sloppy machining or offshore internals used by HD, most never ever see whats inside an engine until something drastic happens!!