Sound advice. Everyone who posted are knowledgeable. Thank you so much. I would have never thought of a straw for TDC but that's genius. Thanks folks

 

Years back while doing a cam replacement I got real hungry so grabbed some leftover hamachi fresh from the pacific I had from the night before. Maybe it was the wasabi kicking in but between bites I stuck the chopstick down the cylinder, found tdc marked the chopstick and been using it ever since.

 

Info at about the 42 minute mark

 

What about the power stroke?

 

OK, to put a finer point on it "at TDC at the end of the compression stroke and the start of the power stroke".

 

The biggest problem I had was turning the engine over in 5th gear using the rear wheel while finding TDC. I quickly discovered that this is NOT as easy to do as they make it look on those videos, and especially with a new engine! I kept checking the lifters until the intake opened and closed and then put the cylinder at TDC.

 

Maybe it’s me but, I would use the old screwdriver as a stethoscope trick and try to identify where the noise is coming from first. The noise can come several different areas from the rocker shafts to the cam chest. Just saying....

 

I will add to load the lifter to .140".
Scott

 

Turning the rear wheel to turn the engine while fingering the tappet holes to find the baseline is a ****...

When I am just adjusting them, I leave the pushrods alone and turn the engine until the intake valve opens and closes and then find TDC...I used a wooden chopstick to feel for the piston the last time. When I was at TDC on the compression stroke, I loosened up the pushrods 5-6 full turns and took a break to let things settle and then adjusted them to take up all the vertical slack then another 2 1/2 turns and then took another break to let things settle out and then checked to see if I could spin them with my fingers. Then I repeated the process with the other cylinder. I usually start with the front cylinder...but it really doesn't matter. If I were going to cut the old ones out and put in adjustables, it seems to me that you would only want to do one cylinder at a time so there would be no reason to be turning the engine over without the pushrods in...

 

with the bike jacked up and in 5th gear with the plugs out and a straw in the cylinder im working on I lay on the ground on the spark plug side and spin the wheel with my foot while watching the straw. once it hits tdc it will spit out of the hole. then I put the straw back in and just turn the tire a tad either way to ensure the piston is all the way up. works every time.