Maybe 3, Possibly 4 Bent Pushrods?
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 7
From: North Atlanta Area, GA
Well, I went with an entirely new SE rod set as I couldn't get a straight answer from 3 shops on whether they were bent or not. As for the lifters, I know that one of them were bad, but I went ahead and replaced the entire set with VThunder lifters as I didn't know what brand the old ones were, and I didn't know how long they had been in there.
Got everything together about a week ago. I still have some very noticeable valvetrain noise, but I have heard that any setup with an EV-27 in it will produce noise. Unfortunately, I have no idea how much it should be producing. Since it was loud, I threw on my "Look at me" loud pipes. All in all, I'm happy I did the work and got the experience, but wish the valve train were a little quieter.
Got everything together about a week ago. I still have some very noticeable valvetrain noise, but I have heard that any setup with an EV-27 in it will produce noise. Unfortunately, I have no idea how much it should be producing. Since it was loud, I threw on my "Look at me" loud pipes. All in all, I'm happy I did the work and got the experience, but wish the valve train were a little quieter.
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,122
Likes: 51,434
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Well, I went with an entirely new SE rod set as I couldn't get a straight answer from 3 shops on whether they were bent or not. As for the lifters, I know that one of them were bad, but I went ahead and replaced the entire set with VThunder lifters as I didn't know what brand the old ones were, and I didn't know how long they had been in there.
Got everything together about a week ago. I still have some very noticeable valvetrain noise, but I have heard that any setup with an EV-27 in it will produce noise. Unfortunately, I have no idea how much it should be producing. Since it was loud, I threw on my "Look at me" loud pipes. All in all, I'm happy I did the work and got the experience, but wish the valve train were a little quieter.
Got everything together about a week ago. I still have some very noticeable valvetrain noise, but I have heard that any setup with an EV-27 in it will produce noise. Unfortunately, I have no idea how much it should be producing. Since it was loud, I threw on my "Look at me" loud pipes. All in all, I'm happy I did the work and got the experience, but wish the valve train were a little quieter.
I would also do a leakdown test on the cylinders , get the motor at TDC one cylinder at a time and put air pressure in through the plug hole and listen for air escaping either through the carb , the pipes and the crankcase breather . If you can hear it no problem you have tired valve or rings . Should be able to rent one at a auto parts place if you don't know a mechanic to borrow one .
An EV-27 has very aggressive ramps, and will produce noise. That's why I went with a V-Thunder EVL-3010 cam. It has less aggressive ramps and so produces less valve train noise, produces performance very similar to the EV-27 in the same torque band, and delivers excellent fuel economy.
Last edited by TwiZted Biker; Oct 8, 2011 at 01:58 AM.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
Back in the days of less aggressive cams you could get away with adjusting both valves at TDC. With the ramps on todays cams, you will get more noise that way. The EV-27 has .18"2 and .166" lift at TDC I believe. The average lifter has .200" and the adjustment that your pushrod manufacture reccomends will give you about .100". Now when the engine gets warmed up the cylinder will grow .040" , this will leave you.060". If the lifter is slightly on the ramp you can end up with either zero preload or even some clearance between the lifter and pushro along with lifter noise
This is why we do one lifter at a time ensuring we are on the heel of the cam. You may still have a little noise but, you can be assured that it couldn't be any better adjusted. On certain setups we may even go 1/2 of a turn tighter. Hope this helps.
This is why we do one lifter at a time ensuring we are on the heel of the cam. You may still have a little noise but, you can be assured that it couldn't be any better adjusted. On certain setups we may even go 1/2 of a turn tighter. Hope this helps.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
Back them off until you have free play. Then SLOWLY extend them until you can no longer move them up and down with gentle force, then adjust them out the required number of turns. Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: NW FL
Well, what I wound up doing was just giving each of the front rods an extra quarter turn. I wasn't sure how I should get them to pump back up, and based off of some of miacycles and others' posts that called for a little extra turns on the rods, I just gave a little extra instead of completely resetting them.
I did notice something else yesterday though. I checked my oil, and I was quart low... After re-adjusting the rods, and adding the oil, I let the bike get warm. It seemed that the noise was less than before, but I didn't ride it anywhere, so we'll see once I get it back on the road.
I did notice something else yesterday though. I checked my oil, and I was quart low... After re-adjusting the rods, and adding the oil, I let the bike get warm. It seemed that the noise was less than before, but I didn't ride it anywhere, so we'll see once I get it back on the road.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: NW FL
OK, so....
I gave still have what I believe to be significant valve/rod noise after giving the front two rods a quarter crank more. So two new questions.....
How do I go about completely readjusting the Rods? Do I need to take the lifters out and soak them in oil again?
Also, what else might be making this noise? I've heard that the rockers can produce this noise if they have too much play or are not getting enough oil. I remember a rubber plug being in the center piece of the rocker boxes - perhaps i put that on the wrong side and have cut the oil off to - what side is it supposed to go on?
I gave still have what I believe to be significant valve/rod noise after giving the front two rods a quarter crank more. So two new questions.....
How do I go about completely readjusting the Rods? Do I need to take the lifters out and soak them in oil again?
Also, what else might be making this noise? I've heard that the rockers can produce this noise if they have too much play or are not getting enough oil. I remember a rubber plug being in the center piece of the rocker boxes - perhaps i put that on the wrong side and have cut the oil off to - what side is it supposed to go on?
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Novice
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 19
Likes: 2
From: Miami
I just found this Thread.
I've bought 3 set of these Quick Install Pushrods but no more. They are made in China for Harley, I think they are made out of Tin because they have all bent.
This is how the Chinese work and you should be calling Harley, complaining about them. Harley's Exec are Stupid when it comes to dealing with the Chinese, they think they are like their long gone American suppliers. So the Chinese will screw them in a Heart beat with the savings on materials, then laugh all the way to the Bank. The trouble is you get stuck with the Garbage and can't figure out why this happened to your Bike.
I've bought 3 set of these Quick Install Pushrods but no more. They are made in China for Harley, I think they are made out of Tin because they have all bent.
This is how the Chinese work and you should be calling Harley, complaining about them. Harley's Exec are Stupid when it comes to dealing with the Chinese, they think they are like their long gone American suppliers. So the Chinese will screw them in a Heart beat with the savings on materials, then laugh all the way to the Bank. The trouble is you get stuck with the Garbage and can't figure out why this happened to your Bike.
