I have a 1953 Panhead that was rebuilt when I purchased it. I have only put around 100 miles on it and have a problem, the rocker arms are freezing up and it has ruined the brass housing, at least one in each head. They are only getting lubricated on half of the rocker shaft. I see one oil hole in the bottom of the housing on the one side that is getting oil. The rocker shaft has two holes in it, one in the center and the other one which is on the side that is getting oil. I see nothing to lead oil to the other side of the shaft and it is completely dry. Could the rocker shafts be in wrong? Am I missing something here? I cannot see a way to ream this, as it is brass on the top and steel on the bottom, so is the only way to replace with a J&P new assembly? Any help appreciated.

 

theres a small hole in the bottom half of the block, (the cast iron one) and a valley in the top half (the brass one) those two line up, (the valley over the hole) and those two go to the valve side. allso if your not running the original hydraulic pushrod, your probley loseing alot of oil out of the pushrod end of the rocker arm, take them to a machinist and have them pined to restrict the oil flow comeing out of the end. read the (very low oil pressure) in this forum. hope this helps. and if you do use theJ&P aftermarket rocker arm assembley make sure you have them pined. i don't know if it works or not, but i do know they wear out to fast, so it must be because that i did'nt have them pined and i wore them out from lack of oil. i'm running JIMS solid lifters. i have my rocker arms in the shop being pined, should get them next week. i'm not going to use the J&P blocks, i have some original harley blocks with the J&P rocker arms. I hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the response. If you pin the rocker hole will the push rod still be getting oil? Also I understand the hole in the bottom part of the housing mating with the trowel in the top, but how does the oil get over to the other side? Is it just from the 1 - 2 thousandths clearance. I thought maybe the rocker shaft was incorrectly installed, as it has two holes but one is in the center and the other is on the valve side of the shaft. Does that sound correct to you?

 

the machinist is either drilling a .030 thousands hole through the pin,or he may shave the pin so it lets a small amount of oil to the top of the pushrod. the holes in the rocker arms feed the hole you want to pin. you should be getting oil to both sides of the rocker arms. did you check the tappet screen ? how much oil pressure ? (running temp800-1000 rpm.) make sure yourcylinder gasketsand head gaskets have all the oil holes lined up and arenot obstructing the oil passages.

 

DO NOT PIN!!! Fix your low pressure / blockage problem! Pan motors need no oil modifications to work. Check head gaskets, are the oil holes blocked? How about the base gaskets. Do they have the right ones. What about the oil pump gaskets, aftermarket or original? Please call me at 262.569.8500.

Cass Kuzba
Wisconsin Harley-Davidson.

 

I gotta agree w/the no pinning.I cant tell ya the times I heard its just been rebuilt.Doesnt mean the person knew these motors as much as his ego does.Do the easier things first,check the screen,check the pump for condition,if its scratched up,replace it.Does oil return to tank?You gotta fix what damage has been done to the top end,ask around because the aftermarket isnt created equal.Good used HD units is always perferred.Checking for something like blocked passage,or gasket is good idea.These engines didnt need alot of oil pressure to survive

 

whats wrong with pineing them ? you don't need all that much oil to lubricate the pushrod without the hydraulic pushrod, would'nt the rocker arm and block benefit from it ?

 

Here's 2 things you may want to consider.You'll get better,cooler lubrication by running top oilers....it took the motor company until 1963 to go this route!!!!! Also(although by no means nessessary)I went with baisley roller tip rocker arms on my pan.They claim that it improves rocker arm geometry.
I know the top oilers are a better alternative to the way oil gets up to the cylinder heads.....those cylinders get REAL warm and the oil is damn near useless on a hot day...your oil runs through the cylinders and it's ability to still lubricate by the time it gets to the top of the motor is questionable at best.

 

panheads need oil pressure...... at least 3 to 4 lbs at1000 rpm.running temp. and 12 to 15 lbs at approximately 2500 rpm. if your running solid lifters, when the engine gets to running temp the cylinders grow taller leaveing you with oil pumping out the end of the rocker arm. hydraulic lifters is not going to have that extra clearence so it keeps the pressure. so i gotta say, if your running solids, pin the rockers. right ?

 

I am with Bibs on this one. Do you really think pans had low oil pressure and no one ran solids back in the 50's? I have more than one brazed early pushrod. FIX THE PROBLEM!! It is caused by something not done right, or over looked. My stock 51 has been through 107 degree heat in Kansas, and 99 degree heat in Nashville and never did the light go on. I run 60w HD oil and the motor was done 14,000 miles ago. Never doubt the guys that rode these bikes new beat the crap out of them. Find the problem, and make it right.