I have watched a lot of video on adjusting pushrods, but they are all on tear downs or builds with new lifters, etc. I'm pretty solid on that part, soak the lifters first, find TDC, take out the slack, adjust by flats for the target area, etc. My questions comes when what about if I want to check adjustment on a working bike in the garage? In all the video I have seen, the engine is cool enough to touch, does this mean it can be done cold? What about the oil in the lifters, won't it/couldn't it be already drained if I grab a coffee and go out in the garage after the bike has been sitting all day? Is there a way to even check the adjustment without backing it all off and resetting it to the appropriate flats?

My 80" has an Andrews 27 cam and adjustable rods. That's all I know about it. I haven't been inside yet.I plan to have a set of lifters from Larry on hand for when it goes back together, I just want to know what is going on with it before I start changing things.

Thanks.

 

Basically, you don't need to unless they come loose, then you usually have a whole lot of other stuff to deal with. Usually, your lifters will not bleed down for many days, years even, (unless worn out).

The only real way of checking the adjustment is this - if it isn't rattling, they are adjusted. For a precaution, you can check the adjuster locknut is tight, from time to time, but essentially, they are fit and forget. The bike will tell you when something is wrong.

 

Forget most things you have seen on bootube, period. I assume you have fully adjustable push rods?

If yes, then coming apart get the covers off and get the front exhaust up. Remove the others. Rotate engine forward until the front exhaust is down and remove it. Oil rollers on lifters, no need to soak anything.

With new lifters in place and spark plugs removed, put a rag over the tappet guides and turn the engine over for 15 seconds by the starter. (it turns very easily with plugs and push rods removed) Look at tappets and see f there is a pond on each with no bubbles. If in doubt or just for giggles turn it over again with the starter till you're satisfied. Twice will do it.

Get the front exhaust up again and install/adjust the other three rods. Now you can have a coffee or two. When the 3 others are adjusted and you can turn the rod easily with your fingers and all the nuts are snug, rotate engine till front intake is up then adjust front exhaust.

Some lifters may collapse when you're running down the rods but no worry. Get each rod so it's snug against the lifter then adjust the correct turns. Have to get it apart it know how many turns or a photo of a removed rod will tell.

 

Nuther Great reason to leave the stock Pushrods in place... adjustable's certainly Not a necessity with an EV-27!!

 

Correct on not a necessity but setting lifter depth @ .150 sure does calm the clack of a EV27 or Woods cam but after riding a Shovel with solid lifters for 2 years there isn't a noise on a Harley engine that catches my attention anymore.

 

Ugh. No, I am not going to forget everything I have seen on youtube, that is just plain ridiculous, period. There are some excellent channels from very experienced and competent builders if you look. And I wasn't asking how to adjust lifters, or what cams need which rods. I am asking about the oil in hydraulic lifters.

Forget what I have, it's not important. I would like to know is: if a bike has been sitting a while with a lifter on a cam lobe holding open a valve all day, I would expect it to be bled down from the pushrod pressure, just as it does a while after you've adjusted it. Isn't this why some bikes tap some when started cold until the lifters pump up? So if it is already bled down, what happens when you put that lifter on a cam heel and take up the slack before putting the proper number of flats on it? This is where I become confused.

If this has already been explained, please tell me again. Can be hard to pull the useful and to the point info from the noise sometimes.

 

And they dont tell you at least 6 different thread pitches have been used on adjustable pushrods and a 40 thread at 3 turns is not the same as a 28 thread in the same amount of turns - in the adjustment in the downward location

plus they dont tell you start with one intake at full lift and adjust the other intake - then do the one you just adjusted at full lift and adjust the other - then the exhaust the same way — note at full lift the other valve is on the cams base circle and that is the correct location to adjust the valves in any Harley engine - the new stuff today i have no idea what they do as they are not aloud in my shop

 

As mentioned stock pushrods work…. However.. if you’d like to eventually try other cams… or if you have a leaking pushrod cover… or if one lifter does give out, if you have stock push rods you have to drain gas, remove dash, remove tanks, remove rocker boxes in frame that is always tight.. you may have to remove exhaust even… all because you don’t have EZ or Quickie collapsible pushrods.

 

"And they dont tell you at least 6 different thread pitches have been used on adjustable pushrods and a 40 thread at 3 turns is not the same as a 28 thread in the same amount of turns - in the adjustment in the downward location"

Um, yes they actually do. All that I have seen anyway. Seems pretty standard.

"plus they dont tell you start with one intake at full lift and adjust the other intake - then do the one you just adjusted at full lift and adjust the other"

That is correct, I have seen no one explain to do it that way because as they all are adjusting with the lifter on the flat part (heel) of the cam by using TDC, which closes both valves and releases pressure on the rods and lifters. I fail to see the difference, the flat spot is the flat spot either way. And if Baxter's Garage, Rap's Garage, Tinkering With Harleys, Delboys Garage, and Pacific Mike all say to do it with TDC, that's how I am doing it.

This would all be helpful if that was what I was asking, but I'm a slow learner I guess.

 

The advantage of doing it John's way is you can do it all from the same side of the motor. No going back and forth trying to line up the mark each time. If you had a kickstarter it's even easier, you don't have to move off your shop chair.