A Few q's after cam install
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,220
Likes: 14
From: chatham il
A Few q's after cam install
Spent the last couple days finding time to install a set of 57h andrews cams in my sg. I used s&s performance lifters and se tapered push rods. It all went pretty smooth, I did have to go to my local stealer for a rear cam gear shim kit though. I ended up needing the .140" shim rather than the stock .130" shim. I installed the se tapered pushrods at 3 turns rather than the 2.5 turns the directions called for after some reading here on the forums. I also used some red lock tight on the jam nuts. Now getting to my question, picking a set of lifters seems to be a crap shoot. Now matter how much research a guy does there is t really a clear answer, there is always someone somewhere that has had a bad experience with any lifter it seems like. So anyway I chose the s&s as I stated earlier and my concern is that when adjusting my pushrods it seemed like they bled down almost immediately. By the time I had my jam nut lock tighted and tightened down I could spin them. Is this becouse they were never pumped up to begin with? I soaked them in a bowl of oil overnight before installing them. I haven't actually started it yet becouse I had to go to work and hadn't got the exhaust back on yet but I did crank it over with the plugs out until the oil pressure light went off. Hopefully I can get it wrapped up tomorrow and Fire it up but the way the lifter bled down I wasn't expecting. Any thoughts?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,566
Likes: 55
From: Londonderry, NH
Spent the last couple days finding time to install a set of 57h andrews cams in my sg. I used s&s performance lifters and se tapered push rods. It all went pretty smooth, I did have to go to my local stealer for a rear cam gear shim kit though. I ended up needing the .140" shim rather than the stock .130" shim. I installed the se tapered pushrods at 3 turns rather than the 2.5 turns the directions called for after some reading here on the forums. I also used some red lock tight on the jam nuts. Now getting to my question, picking a set of lifters seems to be a crap shoot. Now matter how much research a guy does there is t really a clear answer, there is always someone somewhere that has had a bad experience with any lifter it seems like. So anyway I chose the s&s as I stated earlier and my concern is that when adjusting my pushrods it seemed like they bled down almost immediately. By the time I had my jam nut lock tighted and tightened down I could spin them. Is this becouse they were never pumped up to begin with? I soaked them in a bowl of oil overnight before installing them. I haven't actually started it yet becouse I had to go to work and hadn't got the exhaust back on yet but I did crank it over with the plugs out until the oil pressure light went off. Hopefully I can get it wrapped up tomorrow and Fire it up but the way the lifter bled down I wasn't expecting. Any thoughts?
S&S produces quality lifters, but I haven't used them...so I don't know if they are shipped primed or dry. Even if shipped primed, most manufacturers use a light oil to test them and that would probably bleed off quickly.
Be prepared for some noise on start-up. It can take a while for them to pump up.
Last edited by nhrider1; Nov 8, 2014 at 07:49 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 66,948
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From: TOAK western branch
My S&S were oily but not primed. My start up procedure is to put 8oz in the crank case, 1/4 quart in the cam chest and 2 quarts on the oil bag then crank it over with the fuse pulled for 5 seconds 3 times. When I fore it up for real there is no dry lifter chatter.
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,220
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From: chatham il
She fired up nicely and seems to run great. Alittle lifter chatter for 2 or three seconds but nothing major by any means. I think cranking it over with the plugs out to build oil pressure helped a lot. Lifter noise seems to be a lot less than it was stock. That's more than I can say for the throttle body/ breather noise the cams helped increase but I know that's the nature of the beast. So far im super happy. Took a small ride up the street and back seems to run strong, just waiting on a fuel map from fuelmoto and then I will be able to see what it's all about. Once again thanks to all the knowledge on this forum I knew exactly how to do the job and what to look for before even getting to tools out of the box. Cams, bearings, pullers, lifters, pushrods, gaskets, shims....around $650. The knowledge you guys share on a daily basis...... Priceless!!
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,220
Likes: 14
From: chatham il
Yes as a customer they offer unlimited support. I sent a detailed request and they should have a solid basest to me within a few days via email. Then I will load it to my winpv software and load it to my powervision. Alittle auto tuning and it should be real close.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 704
Likes: 45
From: Western Washington
Spent the last couple days finding time to install a set of 57h andrews cams in my sg. I used s&s performance lifters and se tapered push rods. It all went pretty smooth, I did have to go to my local stealer for a rear cam gear shim kit though. I ended up needing the .140" shim rather than the stock .130" shim. I installed the se tapered pushrods at 3 turns rather than the 2.5 turns the directions called for after some reading here on the forums. I also used some red lock tight on the jam nuts. Now getting to my question, picking a set of lifters seems to be a crap shoot. Now matter how much research a guy does there is t really a clear answer, there is always someone somewhere that has had a bad experience with any lifter it seems like. So anyway I chose the s&s as I stated earlier and my concern is that when adjusting my pushrods it seemed like they bled down almost immediately. By the time I had my jam nut lock tighted and tightened down I could spin them. Is this becouse they were never pumped up to begin with? I soaked them in a bowl of oil overnight before installing them. I haven't actually started it yet becouse I had to go to work and hadn't got the exhaust back on yet but I did crank it over with the plugs out until the oil pressure light went off. Hopefully I can get it wrapped up tomorrow and Fire it up but the way the lifter bled down I wasn't expecting. Any thoughts?
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Its been known the stock spring will no longer have enough force and cause clutch slippage. Spring is cheap and other than a qt of fluid and primary gasket it is a good idea to just do it. I didn't even think twice about it. Did it same time I did my cams. Nice thing is the new big twins don't require a spring compressor. 6 10mm nuts and its on and off in no time. The lever pull isn't bad at all yet you can feel the response is significantly improved.