valve lifter/tappet roller bearing failure .
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
valve lifter/tappet roller bearing failure .
1990 FLT ex. Police with 70,000 miles .
New to HD. Ex. Big Wing wrench.
Newly purchased , have not ridden yet . Runs very good in driveway.
Changed the oil to 20/50 and it seems to smoke from both sides now.
Have learned that the Big Evo can use oil if it feels like it etc., ok .
Im learning that the valve lifter / tappet needle bearing rollers in the EVO can fatigue and fail resulting in a major **** storm of $$$ .?
Have seen many differing opinions about this and i am now wondering if a consensus can be offerd by those in the know .?
So... does anyone out there actually know how long a EVO will go before a rebuild is advised ?
New to HD. Ex. Big Wing wrench.
Newly purchased , have not ridden yet . Runs very good in driveway.
Changed the oil to 20/50 and it seems to smoke from both sides now.
Have learned that the Big Evo can use oil if it feels like it etc., ok .
Im learning that the valve lifter / tappet needle bearing rollers in the EVO can fatigue and fail resulting in a major **** storm of $$$ .?
Have seen many differing opinions about this and i am now wondering if a consensus can be offerd by those in the know .?
So... does anyone out there actually know how long a EVO will go before a rebuild is advised ?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Lifters are due now, smoking may go away if its been standing a while.
You rebuild the motors when they explode or they use so much oil you can't go for a decent ride without a spare can.
Evos don't use oil when they feel like it, they use it when they are either overfilled or worn out.
You rebuild the motors when they explode or they use so much oil you can't go for a decent ride without a spare can.
Evos don't use oil when they feel like it, they use it when they are either overfilled or worn out.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,586
Likes: 6,435
From: Honah Lee
Spanner, can he here the rollers with a stethoscope at the bottom of the guide tubes. I know on my TC, all I here is a steady smooth hum with no click or erratic type bearing tic but I have see a lot of roller lifter on here with the roller bouncing around. Just seem like you would hear it or is it the shaft is worn and the little rollers still in good shape?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
Likes: 127
From: Middle of Kansas
If it were mine I would change them out to the later "B" lifters like Spanners says. She will be good for another 80,000 if you treat her right. Many go well over 100,000 without a rebuild if the little things are done. Yours still has the good cam bearing, so that should not be a problem.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,376
Likes: 36
From: Round Rock, TX
Do a compression test. If it fails, do a top end. If it's good, it's probably valve seals/seats. Like Spanners says.... it may stop anyway. I'd probably just ride. She's old enough to smoke.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Lifters can grenade with no warning, even if they are still working its too late once they are noisy as the cam surface gets all chewed up. I recommend lifters at 40-50K miles as a precaution....even on TC's.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,873
From: Upstate New York
From personal experience, by the time you can hear the lifters, the damage is already done. That means the needles have already fractured, and pieces of hardened 6150 tool steel are circulating in the motor. The results will not be pretty. I had one fail at 46,000 miles, and it ended up costing me a motor.
Current motor runs like a champ at 85,000 miles. Good compression and negligible oil consumption. I change lifters at 40,000 mile intervals. Maybe it's overkill, but it DID happen to me once, so....
Current motor runs like a champ at 85,000 miles. Good compression and negligible oil consumption. I change lifters at 40,000 mile intervals. Maybe it's overkill, but it DID happen to me once, so....
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
lifter choices.?
Ive found an apperantly reputable HD approved shop and have decided to do a top end rebuild including a mild mid range cam " Andrews EV 27 or such " and maby a head shave to bump up the compression slightly. Im a little confused about the choise of replacement lifters .? After much trolling through the sites etc. im down to what i believe to be HD " B " lifters or the Johnson lifters found on the " toys for boys " site .?
Im getting on and this ole girl will probably be my last bike purchase .
Any advise is appreciated .
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