Tappet Screen Cleaning Question
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis, IN
Tappet Screen Cleaning Question
So I did my first oil change on my bike by myself. When I read the manual it said to clean the tappet screen. I had never heard of it, so I had to some more reading and research and learned where it was and what to do, no big deal. When I pulled it out everything looked good, showed my son (he's 13 and actually did about half of the wrenching, really cool moment for me), explaining to him what it did and regurgitating what I had learned from my research. When I went to put it back in I noticed that the oil level had risen and was flowing out of the hole. Not a lot, maybe a teaspoon or so. Is this normal or should I be worried about a problem? Per the manual I hadn't removed the filter yet, but the drain plug was out and the oil flow had slowed to the dripping every 3-4 secind phase before I pulled the tappet scrren.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,196
Likes: 3,086
From: NW AR
Back in shovelhead dazes, the primary was fed by the same oil as the engine. Little bits of clutch material would get sucked out and pushed back into the oil tank, where they might or might not be caught by the filter. The screen kept these (and other) bits out of the tappets. You just checked and cleaned it every oil change. When I bought my Evo (new), it didn't share the primary oil. I checked the screen a few times and never saw a thing there, so stopped checking it. I think I have checked it maybe twice in the last 70K miles. Never found anything.
So, yeah, feel free to check it.
So, yeah, feel free to check it.
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 206
Likes: 5
Yes, oil flow out of there is normal. Also, one of the most common mistakes is putting it back in upside down! If you want to know an old biker's saying to avoid that, it is "Put the witches hat back in with the crown up." Obviously, you probably remember the shape of it and why it is called an old witches hat... 
Your son would like that too.
Your son would like that too.
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 139
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From: Beaver, OK. (No mans land)
I pull mine at each oil change just for a piece of mind ( Does'nt hurt ) and I believe that the oil coming back up through the hole is caused from the lifters, When a valve is open the pressure from the valve spring puts more pressure back towards the lifter and with the screen plug out it lets the oil back flow as the lifter bleeds down. Perfectly normal.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
There is probably a tiny amount of pressure in the oilways, left after the motor last ran. The oil is trapped between the pump and lifters, IIRC. You just gave it a rest by taking the cap off!
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