I bought this 1990 Electra Glide last week.
The P.O. had all the reciepts from when he got it back in '95, I mean Everything.
I was making a time line of what was done when and found some intresting tid bits. besides this poor guy getting the run @ for an oil leak.
It had a Harley Re-man motor done like 14,000 miles ago. (He told me rear main seal went).
About 6,000 miles later it had 0 compression in 1 cyl.
A different shop, (not a Harley dealership he had been going to) did the work.
It had a top end done, the work order said "Tight Valves".
I just assumed, (and we all know when we ***-u-me) it was too tight-meaning, adjustment and burned a valve.....
But I got to thinking on the way to work today, then it hit me, "wait! these are hydraulic lifters and non adjustable"???????????
I went through the Haynes manual I've been reading at lunch here and there is no valve free play adjustment for this motor.
It's weird a tight guide after a few thousand miles????
He told me from mile 1 he's only used Harley oil, I can see it was done regularly.
Is there something I'm missing here?
Joe
"See Doc, it's my brain. Ever since I was abducted my aliens and had this micro chip implanted in my privates. Yeah, abducted. I woke up 3 days later naked in a field with this new tat of a cow smiling on my arm, and now I've been acting weird"

 

Adjustable pushrods? I don't know,but If I didn't know better I would say your suffering from the "new bike blues." Symptoms include,but not limited to; Worrying about oil use,worrying about motor noise,excessive concern over previous owners problems w/bike. I know these symptoms simply because I personally suffer from them anytime I but a used bike. I don't blame you for your curiosity,but hey-you get the honor of finding all the problems in the fall riding season. You will have lots of time this winter to fix them. Enjoy your bike-sounds like she found a good owner. Most of all relax....

 

My old 84 Sporty had tight valves, and it would run fine for a while, until it got hot, then it would just quit. It would cool off and start running again before it came to a stop. It was running to lean, and after opening up the carb jets, it did not do it anymore. When I had the engine rebuilt at 30,000 because of a flaked off crank pin, they opened up the tight guides, and I never had any trouble after that.

 

When I changed my Cam I put adj. push rods in. With the work that has been done on your motor I wouldn't be surprised if someone didn't install them. Is the bike running alright? You could call the shop if they are still around and ask if they remember what that refered to.

 

I am just guessing, but I think they meant the guides were to tight. Not the push rod adjustmernt.

 

Insufficient clearance valve to valve guide can result in a stuck valve. That will give you 0 compresson on 1 cylinder and need head work, at a minimum.

 

Seems likely.

 

Thanks!
I don't think it's "Used Bike Blues", more like "**** bike owner", and mechanic trying to learn all he can.
Comming from 45 years of racing off road motorcycles, having more than a few old BSA, Royal Enfields, old jeeps, I've learned that each bike has it's own "nitches" and I'm trying to learn "what's the scoop" with this EVO motor.
It's intresting to see the history, not too many times you can go back to when the bike was purchased and get ALL the work orders!
As a mechanic, you gotta look at what was done and more importantly WHY. Is it a 1 time thing?? A chroinc problem, and if so, what's the cure, (that's why I LOVE forums like this, I get tons of advice from other owners)
I just sold my '07 Ultra that I bought new, and that was a gas and "forget bike".
The shop that did the head work on this baby installed some sort of aftermarket push rods, (the name excapes me here at my desk).
It just seem weird, I can see- they installed the reman motor, 100, or 1000 miles later a valve hung up in the guide, (actually the first few miles), but 5000 miles later??? Seems the guide should have been "polished" to let the valve open and close?? I can't see where he installed anything that would have leaned the engine out, (air filter or pipes) to make the valves heat up. I can't say if her "hammered the motor" or it was hot out and that was the cause. But SOMETHING hung up the valves after what should have been a good break in mileage....
Looking at the shop manual the 80's H.D. had adjustable valves.
If they are too tight, as the motor heats, things expand, hence the valve opens, You get "runs great cold, til it get's hot, then dies or is hard to start.
That's why you always see the intake clearance is smaller than the exhaust, cuz that valve train get's hotter, (I have a TEE shirt- "Loud Valves Saves Lives"
Joe
Curious bike owner
"See doc, when I go pass a micro wave that's running, I start to shake and **** my pants"

 

Evo's never left the factory with adjustable valve train. That is, no adjustments on the valves, push rods, etc. The adjustable pushrods are aftermarket, either HD aftermarket or someone else's. Yes, pre-Evo (80's back), there were adjustable lifters, but that's a different motor.

 

Well, I guess it's just another case of "WTF"!
I'm always courious about the cause after seeing the effect.
The bike goes on the road today. I greased everything that moves, checked, adjusted all that can be adjusted and checked, lubed what needed to be lubed.
Now the REAL fun begins! If only it'd stop raining, cuz I just spent all last night polishig it up nice!
Joe
"Doc do you hear that? There are voices telling me to strip naked, smear CRUNCHY peanut butter in my hair and run @ singing Beatles tunes"!