Lifters and tappets are one in the same right? If so, mp...what do you have to say about this?

Clip taken from here.

 

I called him today and said maybe we shouldn't use HD tappets or tappet parts. He said, and you're saying this because you only got 100,000 miles out of them? And I said, uh, well, yeah, I was going to take the whole bike back to Harley and try to get my money back. And we had a laugh. He said he hasn't had problems with Harley tappets.

 

Been 2 1/2 years since last post, but feel compelled to reply...

My '96 lowrider suffered the same fate. Tappet rollers fried, killing my cam, eating my S&S oil pump and sending metal all thru the engine. Original owner had tappets replaced twice which should have been a clue to me to keep a better eye on my gearcase.

I love that bike and have made it mine over the years and kind of relished the thought of getting to know it better by rebuilding the engine myself.
But, once I got into it I found I needed to make a decision. Either do the rebuild right and replace all the worn parts including the right side case and outer gearcase cover using better than oem parts or I could replace only whats necessary to get it running and sell the bike or the motor. If I sell the whole bike, I have to buy another one. I don't really want anything newer, so not really any point in selling the bike.

A total good rebuild doing all but the machining myself was estimated at $2500+ just for parts not counting my questionable cases. That's using good parts. Mostly S&S. Alot of money, but that's ok if it'll last. If i skimped on a couple things like standard instead of roller rockers, maybe a little less than 2k for it.

A brand new evo motor from several HD dealers advertising on ebay goes for between $2500 and $3000. Can't beat brand new.

The reman program is currently about $2000-$2300 depending on finish, but you have to fork out the extra money for the dealer to do the labor for the warranty to be valid. On top of that, you have a reman instead of new.

The problem you get with both those ideas is you have a stock motor. Mine's had some mods over the year. Wiesco, Branch, Crane, S&S, Andrews, etc..

A cheap rebuild of my engine can be done for about $700 dollars I think. (Remember my mention of ebay). Cam, lifters (tappets), tappet guides, rings, valves, gaskets. I'll still have pitted rockers, re-used pushrods, piston pins, etc.. and forget the case, I'll only flush it out. Basically a motor that will run, but won't have a long life. Long enough to break it in and sell it to someone who will have to do it right eventually. Most running evo motors bring about $1500 on ebay.

Which brings me to yet another idea I'm considering. A crate motor from someone else. For me the only someone else I'd want on my bike would be S&S. Pricey? You bet, but there again you can find deals on brand new ones. Rebuilt ones are just about as much. The only decision then would be sell old motor or keep it in case I ever do decide to sell the bike.

I like the evo, but apparently you should change lifters every 10k if you use oem.

Anyone want to throw their 2 cents in. I'd like to know what you'd do.

 

moblue

I read some recommend changing the lifters every 25 thousand miles, and the Harley "B" lifter still seems to be the most popular. However, the big inch Ultima engines seem to work pretty good with the Ultima lifters so that is an alternative to consider as they are a lot less expensive.

Several of us have Ultima crate motors, they come complete with carb, ignition, manifold etc usually delivered to your door for less than $4000 - I think the price is the same for the 100",107",113" and 120" EPA or Non-EPA (competition) models. I do like the S&S with their advanced anti-knock , self adjusting ignitions, that ignition sounds like a really great setup.

 

You can get new OEM cases WITH the original numbers thru a dealer for about 800.00 or can get Delkron cases with MSO for about the same or any number of aftermarket cases.

Unless the scraper reservoir boss (where the rear mount is) is cracked bad or it's outright busted from a wreck, it likely only needs the pinion bearing case race replaced and properly re-fitted. I don't know why so many people and shops are scared of doing that - I've done dozens. The pinion race is about $50 and, the cam cover is only 165.00 new OEM with bushings already installed and fitted plus the cam seal. '96 is a 3-piece flywheel and if the pinion shaft bearing race is messed up, that's another operation altogether but no biggie. Just an R&R of the race and a machine shop to grind the new one to 1.250

Just depends on what you want when you're done... an original type engine that will be historically correct for the most part and allow the machine to hold it's value or a "custom" machine that has value appreciable only to the person who built it like they wanted it to be...

 

t150vej Look at the orig posting Pococj Thought that some idiot used sheet metal screws to hold the stator wires to the engine block ! Could that be HD ? Those bastards !

 

Yeah, I wonder how many hundreds of thousands of Evo engines accidently left the factory with self-tapping sheet metal screws holding the stator clamp?

LMAO...

 

What year are you talking about lifter problem and if so is there a easy way to check on them thanks

 

Yeah, what he said. No one has ever mentioned this issue to me and mines a '96 Low Rider. What do I need to do, check, whatever???

 

My shovel had sheet metal screws holding the stator clamp, also. They have been doing that for a long time. A bit of glyptol seals it right up. On the last rebuild before I sold it, I welded up the holes and blind tapped them 4-40 and used machine screws to stop the seep. I don't think the MOFOMOCO cared if it leaked as those bikes scavenged the oil out of the primary through a rats nest of tubing meant to get clutch material in the engine oil! But it kept the primary chain lubed!