After installation of a set of T-Man 555 Torqster cams in my 2014 FLHTK I developed a tappet issue. The front exhaust would start clattering after any hard riding until the bike was parked and restarted. I checked pushrod adjustment and found everything within spec. I finally tired of the clatter and ordered a set of S&S Cycle Premium High-Performance Tappets with HL2T. Once I got them in the clattering went away. So I took the 1 suspected tappet into work and stripped it down. This is what I found:



You can see the dark rubbing on the top of the inner tappet surface. That is where the pushrod cup rides in the tappet. In relation to the flats on the sides, the rubbing is also in approximate relation to the angle that the pushrod travels towards the upper cylinder head. That leads me to believe with the higher lift of the T-man cam that the lifter started to fail in that area. Upon measuring the parts the pushrod cup OD measures .613 while the tappet bore ID measures .616 except in the rubbing area which goes as high as .6175 at the base of the rub. So it indicates that the cup started to create a depression in the tappet body which caused the lifter to fail and start hanging up. After sitting and cooling it would refill and appear normal. I wish we had a Rockwell hardness tester where I could compare the hardnesses but since there is no wear on the cup I'm assuming it's the harder of the 2 parts. I should also strip down the rest of them and see if there were similiar conditions developing amongst the remaining tappets.
So in a nutshell, IMO the OEM tappet although recommended by many as sufficient for operation with aftermarket cam installs, while you are in there you might as well replace them.

 

Those are the "C" lifters that were outsourced to Mexico in the '12 model year. Many quality issues with those lifters but mostly related to the rollers. Quality is hit/miss with those lifters; some are fine for stock application and some are not. Anyone upgrading performance should replace them with a better lifter but the travel limiters are not needed for most applications; just a decent set of lifters. YOu may have been able to solve the problem by replacing the offending lifter.

 

True I could have went the warranty route and gotten a replacement lifter but I would be hard pressed to have confidence in that part anymore and that's no way to build an enjoyable ride. It's a weak link so out it goes.
And the lifters were a great post-xmas deal on Amazon through a 3rd party vendor for

 

Yes, Mexicali lifters.
Good choice on the S&S units.
Do not overlook the std lifters from S&S either, if a next time comes.
Scott

 

Think I just had a Johnson go bad on me. I'll take a look later today or later next week.

 

I've had my Johnson go bad on me before too..........
Scott