Cam install........problem??
Thread Starter
|
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,556
Likes: 1,844
From: Albuquerque, NM
Cam install........problem??
2007 Street bob. I'm putting in Andrews 48 cams. I also installed chrome lower rocker boxes. As long as I had it that far apart, I installed cometic 0.30 head gaskets. In an earlier thread, someone had contacted Andrews and found out that the 48 cams have a slightly smaller base circle, so if you installed both the 48's and 0.30 HG's you could still use the stock push rods.
So, I now have the rocker arm/support plate reinstalled and torqued down. According to the service manual, with both lifters on the base circle, the pushrods should "spin freely."
Well, those suckers don't spin. They won't even turn by hand. (I admittedly don't have the strongest hands) They will turn using a tiny set of pliers with some rubber in the jaws.
Is this a problem? Do the lifters just need to compress or something?
Thanks.
Crazy
So, I now have the rocker arm/support plate reinstalled and torqued down. According to the service manual, with both lifters on the base circle, the pushrods should "spin freely."
Well, those suckers don't spin. They won't even turn by hand. (I admittedly don't have the strongest hands) They will turn using a tiny set of pliers with some rubber in the jaws.
Is this a problem? Do the lifters just need to compress or something?
Thanks.
Crazy
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Texas Nomad
Was going to tell you but you got it. Learned the same thing last year when i did mine.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Good thing you took a break instead of turning the engine over with the lifters pumped up.
Thread Starter
|
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,556
Likes: 1,844
From: Albuquerque, NM
now what?
OK, I finally got it back together today. Here's what I've got:
Installed Andrews 48h cams.
Installed cometic 0.30 head gaskets.
Installed quiet baffles in my V&H slip-on exhausts.
I'm running a doherty powerpacc intake, and a mastertune TTS tuner.
Compression is reading about 160 per cylinder. (I'm at 5000 feet above sea level)
I tried to fire it up with my old map for the stock cams. It wouldn't run. It would just crank with some LOUD backfires and some black smoke.
I couldn't find an Andrews 48 map on the TTS website. I downloaded a SE 255 map, as that cam is similar to the 48. SSDD. Loud backfiring.
Any suggestions?
Installed Andrews 48h cams.
Installed cometic 0.30 head gaskets.
Installed quiet baffles in my V&H slip-on exhausts.
I'm running a doherty powerpacc intake, and a mastertune TTS tuner.
Compression is reading about 160 per cylinder. (I'm at 5000 feet above sea level)
I tried to fire it up with my old map for the stock cams. It wouldn't run. It would just crank with some LOUD backfires and some black smoke.
I couldn't find an Andrews 48 map on the TTS website. I downloaded a SE 255 map, as that cam is similar to the 48. SSDD. Loud backfiring.
Any suggestions?
Trending Topics
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,404
Likes: 11
From: Southern Nevada (Pahrump)
I'm FAR from an expert but...Did it sound funny when you turn it over? Like timing funny? I may be WAY OFF BASE but it sounds like the timing may be off if it's backfiring.
I could be way wrong & hate to even suggest it but....Are you sure your cams are lined up correctly? In my thinking, backfiring after doing a cam install points to timing in my simple minded book. I hope I'm wrong & I'm sure others will chime in.
Good luck,
Clay
I could be way wrong & hate to even suggest it but....Are you sure your cams are lined up correctly? In my thinking, backfiring after doing a cam install points to timing in my simple minded book. I hope I'm wrong & I'm sure others will chime in.
Good luck,
Clay
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Check for exhaust leaks, they're frequently the source of backfiring. Even a little leak at the muffler to header joint can cause some loud backfires. Make sure everything is buttoned down good.
If your compression is fairly equal on both cylinders, your cam timing is almost certainly correct. If your cam timing was incorrect, you'd have a big variance between the two cylinders. Make a couple of vtune runs and see if it starts to work itself out.
I did a 107 build with tw8 cams this winter, when I first fired up the bike on a map for se257 cams, I was getting all kinds of snorting and bucking, but vtuning worked it out pretty quickly.
These things can be very sensitive to exhaust changes or problems. I got my bike half-tuned with one set of baffles, decided I didn't like the way they sounded, so I switched them out, and it felt like I was starting from scratch on my fuel map.
If your compression is fairly equal on both cylinders, your cam timing is almost certainly correct. If your cam timing was incorrect, you'd have a big variance between the two cylinders. Make a couple of vtune runs and see if it starts to work itself out.
I did a 107 build with tw8 cams this winter, when I first fired up the bike on a map for se257 cams, I was getting all kinds of snorting and bucking, but vtuning worked it out pretty quickly.
These things can be very sensitive to exhaust changes or problems. I got my bike half-tuned with one set of baffles, decided I didn't like the way they sounded, so I switched them out, and it felt like I was starting from scratch on my fuel map.
Last edited by Mike; Apr 8, 2012 at 01:29 AM.