Yes...I am obsessed with lifter noise and have come to a conclusion, at least on my bike, in regards to lifter ticking. As you know, I have been playing around with the preload on my lifters trying to quieten them down. Ive read that preload should be everything from .100"-.150". Factory spec with my 24 tpi push rods is 2.4 turns from zero lash. Because of all of the monkeying around that I have done with the push rod tubes, the 10 year old O rings started to leak so, I replaced them. Having nothing better to do last night , I decided be ridiculously precise when adjusting the pre-load. The bike had sat for 24 hours without being started so, it was nice and cool. I rotated the engine and, using a dial indicator to put each lifter at the exact center of the cam base circle, I set each push rod to 2.4 turns from zero lash. Not 2 1/2 turns, but 2.4 turns. The engine has never ran quieter. It still sounds like a noisy Evo but, the ticking is drastically reduced. Ive only ridden it about 10 miles because of rain today though. It will probably get noisier when I get it really hot. 2 of my lifters are weaker than the others and , I will be replacing all of them soon.
So, here is my theory and I may be way off base. You tell me. I think if you put too much or, more preload that the manufacture calls for on these lifters, the inner piston bottoms out inside the lifter bore causing the tick. I do not think there is enough oil left in the small resorvior to cushion the blow of the piston under load. I noticed that my ticking was louder under acceleration, especially at highway speed when going up a hill or passing someone. This may also be why some people find that a thicker oil reduces the noise. I have obsessed so much about this that I can hear the difference between the rockers and lifters ticking and can tell you that, on mine, the rocker noise was practically eliminated after setting less preload. Maybe less strain on the rockers? I dont know. Like I said, this whole theory may be wrong but, its the only thing that seems logical to me. I read a GM service bulletin on some of the 90's Vettes that had lifters ticking and the fix was to reduce the preload on those lifters . I know its apples to oranges but, most hydraulic lifters are based on the same relative design. So, whos up for some popcorn?

 

I think you should modify your Evo to use desmodromic valve action.

 

That would be cool!

 

Bit early in the morning for seafoam ain't it??

 

Depends on when your morning starts....

 

He can't sleep. Every time he closes his eyes he hears the dreaded ticking lifters.....;-)

 

Throw the adjustable pushrods into the scrap can and install one piece pushrods.

Don`t rule out excessive backlash between the cam gear and pinion gear as the source of your noise.

 

THC recommended S&S lifters to me and also suggested I use one piece standard HD push rods although that was late in the evening and he had already had 3 cans of Seafoam. That is the plan.

 

Check this out, same for Evos

I drilled and tapped the rocker supports and used 1/2" long 10-24 set screws on the pushrod side on my Twinkie, it worked
Next time I'm in the 111, it's getting the same thing done

 

The problem with that method is that on a softail it's useless unless you pull the motor every time!!!!
To get the rear rocker boxes off in frame you have to take it apart like a jigsaw puzzle.
Without going into the complete procedure you have to take the shafts out before you can get the bottom plate off the motor.
Those things would prevent that.