When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My bike is a 95 Dyna Superglide FXD. Im putting my engine back together after having the cylinders bored (but not trued) and installing an EV27, which replaced the EV46 I put in a couple years ago. My dilemma is this, I slid the rear rocker box on 1st and there is a gap of about 1/8 - 3/16 between the rocker box and the head and Im reluctant to screw the bolts in due to the box breaking, warping or bending the pushrods. As you can see, the rockers and shafts are in the lower box already. Ive rebuilt 2 other engines and I dont remember having a gap before when the piston is at TDC on the compression stroke. Im using stock pushrods, the head gasket is .030 and the heads werent decked, lifters are S&S that were in the engine from a rebuild 3 years ago. Somehow that gap doesnt seem normal. Is something amiss here or is this normal? Thanks in advance
Last edited by roadkingharry; Jan 9, 2026 at 04:41 PM.
Reason: Add parts
1) Did you double/triple check your cam timing to make sure you're on TDC compression stroke?
2) Are the lifters completely bled down and empty?
3) How much have you had to drink?
1) Did you double/triple check your cam timing to make sure you're on TDC compression stroke?
2) Are the lifters completely bled down and empty? 3) How much have you had to drink?
1) Did you double/triple check your cam timing to make sure you're on TDC compression stroke?
2) Are the lifters completely bled down and empty?
3) How much have you had to drink?
1) yes
2) I did not bleed down the lifters, so Ill give that a shot
3) no alkeehol was involved in the assembly of this engine, although afterwards, absolutely 🍺
That looks about right. Pull the 5/16 bolts down alternating.
The lifters are at the top is why it looks like that.
Yep, that did the trick. Snugged the 5/16 bolts down, let the lifters bleed for 10 minutes, snug down the bolts again, lifters bleed, one more time and then finally tightened the bolts to 17 ft/lbs 👍. After torquing the bolts, I was able to spin the pushrods. Thanks everyone for your input, I love this forum!
Last edited by roadkingharry; Jan 10, 2026 at 11:31 AM.
Reason: Add step
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Rocker Box Install Question
