Bad Lifter?
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 239
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From: Canton, OH
Bad Lifter?
Hello all. Last ride, I started hearing a mild rattle sound and it appeared to come from the front cylinder head. Not entirely sure, but it seems to be more prevalent when maintaining speed. Not a loud rattle, but more like when you run over some pea gravel and get the light-sounding chatter under the front fender.
I have the HD SE adjustable push rods. I thought maybe one came loose, was bent or broken, so I pulled the push rods and they're fine. When re-setting, no problems with the rear cylinder. Up front, the intake push rod went in as expected. However, when installing the exhaust push rod up front, the lifter didn't bleed down like it should. All three other push rods, I turned by hand until zero clearance, then 2-1/2 more turns. Waited 15 minutes and the push rods would easily spin by hand after the lifters bled down. The front exhaust push rod, however, didn't work out. Tried three times. When I tighten by hand, the lifter seems to bleed down very easily. When first at zero clearance, I can continue to turn by hand for several more full revolutions. Then, when it would finally get snug by hand, I turn 2-1/2. Wait 15 minutes, and it stays very tight like it's not bleeding down. In summary, it seems like it bleeds down too easily (just by turning the adjustable push rod by hand), and that's why when I go the extra 2-1/2, it's too much and won't loosen up after 15 minutes. Hope that all makes sense. Here's the specs:
2007 Fat Boy
Lifters - original
Push rods - HD SE adjustable 18404-08
Andrews 54H cams (about 15k on these)
103" Big Bore SE (about 15k on this engine)
Original heads (but bored about 15k ago)
30-tooth belt drive sprocket (about 15k on this)
V&H Big Shots Long
PowerVision w/ AutoTune and Wideband O2 sensors
Thanks, everyone. As always, I appreciate your help!
- Stephen
I have the HD SE adjustable push rods. I thought maybe one came loose, was bent or broken, so I pulled the push rods and they're fine. When re-setting, no problems with the rear cylinder. Up front, the intake push rod went in as expected. However, when installing the exhaust push rod up front, the lifter didn't bleed down like it should. All three other push rods, I turned by hand until zero clearance, then 2-1/2 more turns. Waited 15 minutes and the push rods would easily spin by hand after the lifters bled down. The front exhaust push rod, however, didn't work out. Tried three times. When I tighten by hand, the lifter seems to bleed down very easily. When first at zero clearance, I can continue to turn by hand for several more full revolutions. Then, when it would finally get snug by hand, I turn 2-1/2. Wait 15 minutes, and it stays very tight like it's not bleeding down. In summary, it seems like it bleeds down too easily (just by turning the adjustable push rod by hand), and that's why when I go the extra 2-1/2, it's too much and won't loosen up after 15 minutes. Hope that all makes sense. Here's the specs:
2007 Fat Boy
Lifters - original
Push rods - HD SE adjustable 18404-08
Andrews 54H cams (about 15k on these)
103" Big Bore SE (about 15k on this engine)
Original heads (but bored about 15k ago)
30-tooth belt drive sprocket (about 15k on this)
V&H Big Shots Long
PowerVision w/ AutoTune and Wideband O2 sensors
Thanks, everyone. As always, I appreciate your help!
- Stephen
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,956
Likes: 437
From: florida
Youve extended the pushrod too far. DONT rotate the motor Sometimes the lifter if not pumped will stay soft after zero lash so dont start counting your flats when the adjustment feels stiff by hand. Find zero lash (no up down play) then count flats from there. 3.5 turns would give more preload and a quieter valve train.
Last edited by ntraindavefl; Aug 26, 2019 at 07:27 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,048
Likes: 990
the best way to bleed down is use the spring. with lifter up, the spring will bleed out the oil, leave it there for awhile, then drop the valve down and do what you have to do. sometimes when you collapse the lifter via the p/r and then let it loose, residual oil in the gallery and etc will make its way into the lifter as the internal spring pushes up on the plunger.
not everyone's cup of tea but s&s lifter spacers takes a lot out of the equation, i run mine more solid than not, just enough clearance to quite the valve train.
if the noise follows rpm, could be a lifter issue or in your case, a stem clearance issue.
not everyone's cup of tea but s&s lifter spacers takes a lot out of the equation, i run mine more solid than not, just enough clearance to quite the valve train.
if the noise follows rpm, could be a lifter issue or in your case, a stem clearance issue.
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