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Engine Mechanical TopicsDiscussion for motor builds, cams, head work, stripped bolts and other engine related issues. The good and the bad. If it goes round and around or up and down, post it here.
Looking at the pushrods, I can understand why the tubes were moving.. While solid pushrods are not going to flex as much as adjustables, there are some things to note..
1. The pushrods you are using are too fat.
2. There are better adjustable pushrods. Smith makes a good set of adjustable. The ones below are smith even tho they are sold by FM. I've had good luck with them.
3. Are solids better than adjustable? Well they are cheaper. Many think that they are trick because they are lighter. Someone comes to mind here. But are they really? Are you spinning the motor to 8 grand? What lift are you using? What valve spring pressure? On a mild build does it make any difference. An 1340 EVO or TC are not sportsters. I've used adjustables with motor spinning to 7 grand without issue. For me the bigger issue is lifter collapse. In that case it's better to have and adjustable so that one can control the amount the lifter can collapse at High Rs.
If everting that was claimed to make more HP did, I'd have a bike that makes over 200 hp.
Does anyone use Vernier calipers anymore? Like I mentioned in the other tread, Smiths tapered adjustables are pretty good. I run them in my 131.. Switch over to them from SnS 7/16 on my 116 and they were quieter. 131 has a 640 cam, 116 had a 625,, Well see how they do in the 107 with a 9B...
Why yes, yes I do ... I have a couple of them ... One is digital which helps sine the old eyeballs are as great as they once were ... I still get a kick out of asking some of the younger guys to read the scale on the old style ... Some just can't seem to get it and shake their heads :>)
Why yes, yes I do ... I have a couple of them ... One is digital which helps sine the old eyeballs are as great as they once were ... I still get a kick out of asking some of the younger guys to read the scale on the old style ... Some just can't seem to get it and shake their heads :>
Well. if it's digital, it probably ain't Vernier.. I've got a bunch of digital and a few dial calipers around here. Still use the old style 1 ten-thousandth thimble type micrometers. I actually have 2 Mitutoyo metric micrometers that use rolling numbers for the read out.. Don't use them very much tho they are nice for checking valve shims..
I'm starting to wonder about the accuracy of the set I bought, that 12"er.. Thinking it was pretty close to being accurate I gave Manton the measurements based on that set and 2 of the pushrods came back at .003" longer than the measurement I sent them and the other 2 came in at .004" longer according to my new calipers.. I don't think it'll make a major issue but I think I better get the accuracy of them checked.. They said accuracy was +/- .002".. Hmmmm....
Okay so I got the motor all back together and took it for a very small ride Friday and it just seems like the motor top end is louder than it should be. The whole thing is the lifters I have are the fueling race lifters.. They only have a total plunger travel of .123" and I was trying to order the pushrods so they were .015" deeper than what suggested by fueling which is .068" preload. Well it turned out with my vernier calipers being not so accurate I'm actually setting .020" to deeper than recommended which now only leaves me approximately .030" for the lifter to pump oil up to the rocker assemblies. I don't think there's enough oil going up top hence when it's hot it sounds a little rattlely.. Maby going to a synthetic blend might make a difference at this point.. if I have to I'll take them m back out and go back to adjustables.
Last edited by 98hotrodfatboy; Mar 13, 2022 at 10:28 AM.
Okay so I got the motor oil back together and took it for a very small ride Friday and it just seems like the motor top end is louder than it should be. The whole thing is the lifters I have are the fueling race lifters.. They only have a total plunger travel of .123" and I was trying to order the pushrods so they were .015" deeper than what suggested by fueling which is .068" preload. Well it turned out with my vernier calipers being not so accurate I'm actually setting .020" to deeper than recommended which now only leaves me approximately .030" for the lifter to pump oil up to the rocker assemblies. I don't think there's enough oil going up top hence when it's hot it sounds a little rattlely.. baby going to a synthetic blend might make a difference at this point.. if I have to I'll take him back out and go back to adjustables.
Maybe pick up a cheap set of adjustables and get them set to where you want, then pull them out the top (giant pita, I know), measure them with good calipers and then you know what length to order? Im thinking about doing the same thing because Scott really wants me to use adjustables with his impending build. If only we had the time and it wasnt such a huge pain to get my rocker covers off, Id offer to split the cost of a set with you for just this purpose. But I have a feeling once its all back together Im not going to want to disassemble it again to pull and measure
Oh, heres an idea. If you want to do that, lets find a good set, order them, you can use them to measure and then send them down to me and Ill install them permanently in mine. Thats an idea if you want to go through that effort.
I wonder if Smith makes EVO pushrods anymore. I like the FuelMoto TC/M8 rods which are based on Smiths
Okay so I got the motor oil back together and took it for a very small ride Friday and it just seems like the motor top end is louder than it should be. The whole thing is the lifters I have are the fueling race lifters.. They only have a total plunger travel of .123" and I was trying to order the pushrods so they were .015" deeper than what suggested by fueling which is .068" preload. Well it turned out with my vernier calipers being not so accurate I'm actually setting .020" to deeper than recommended which now only leaves me approximately .030" for the lifter to pump oil up to the rocker assemblies. I don't think there's enough oil going up top hence when it's hot it sounds a little rattlely.. baby going to a synthetic blend might make a difference at this point.. if I have to I'll take him back out and go back to adjustables.
Not sure which bike but lifter travel has nothing to do with pumping oil to the top end on TCs. I suspect the same for EVOs but I've really not had Evo lifters a part. On TCs, the oil is metered through the lifter cup which is fed oil directly from the oil passage. I've set lifters deep in the travel all the time. It keeps them from collapsing too much at high Rs. Now if you pulled rockers out of the towers and failed to apply plenty of lube they'll run dry for a while a while before any oil gets to the top end. Had a buddy that failed to do that on a TC, Went for a short ride, When he cam back the rockers were squeaking. Did you make sure that pushrod holes were clear?
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I've got a bunch of digital and a few dial calipers around here. Still use the old style 1 ten-thousandth thimble type micrometers. I actually have 2 Mitutoyo metric micrometers that use rolling numbers for the read out.. Don't use them very much tho they are nice for checking valve shims..
