Hey Fellas....Went for a long ride last weekend and when i got home there was a funny tapping noise coming from the front cylinder. Just adjusted the pushrosd and the tapping is still there with small puffs of black smoke from the exhaust. When I adjusted the pushrods, I noticed the front rocker arm had some play (it had been shimmed). is it possible that a shim **** itself and is giving me valve problems or is it deeper??

 

Check the rocker shaft nut and make sure it hasn't loosened a bit that will give you play , unless you have those wavy washer shims they very rarely go bad . Also roll the pushrod and see if it's bent a little .

Do a compression check , if one side is smoking and you have a knock that isn't loose valves could have spit a ring .

 

Just went out to re-check the pushrods. Ran the bike a week ago, and sat cold ever since. All pushrods were good except the front exhaust, which was WAY out. Blown lifter perhaps??

 

perhaps the valve guide is moving in the head -- little puffs of smoke and lifter adjustments -- just maybe --

 

Update....pulled the lifters. cleaned lifters and block. re-adjusted push rods. Seems to have fixed it......