tappet noise
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Stage II
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Gulfport,ms
tappet noise
I have a 2006 softail recently rebuilt, now has 25K miles, and I'm experiencing tappet noise ONLY after a highway speed run and when I come to a stop. Sounds like it is short of oil, but no oil light and I have checked the oil. I've added more and less with same results. Just changed the tappets, same results. Remove the dipstick and the oil is moving in the oil tank so I think the oil pump is working. High volume oil pump. I use 20w50 synthetic motorcycle oil and have tried several brands with same results. Use a bosch 3330 oil filter. Have not changed brands yet but one mechanic said it was not the filter. Have also readjusted the tappets several times same results.
Fresh out of ideas. Anybody had this experience? Please help!
retmar
Fresh out of ideas. Anybody had this experience? Please help!
retmar
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,874
Likes: 36
From: Houston, TX
You can adjust the lifters on a twinkie? Or are you talking about pushrods? Either way, if you have a tapping noise it could be your pushrods tapping the covers, or you may need to do some fine tuning/tweaking after the lifters get pumped up. Need more details really.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Salmon arm bc
See if you can hook a pressure gauge and see what psi you have at idle hot. You should have over 5psi I am not sure how low the pressure has to get before the oil light comes on. If your pressure is good possible pushrod adjustment is in order? The top end of my 103 was noisey I put in S&S premium lifters and adjustable pushrods and it is nice and quiet now
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,874
Likes: 36
From: Houston, TX
You can not adjust a hydraulic lifter with a pushrod... dumbest **** I've ever read.
Adjustable pushrods really only have one purpose over solid pushrods that I'm aware of. They can be removed so you can replace cams or lifters without removing the heads. They need to be adjusted when you replace them. Yes, you are not adjusting the "lifters", just adjusting the clearance out of the valve train. However, if they are adjusted incorrectly you can have a ton of valve train noise. I believe that's what the OP meant.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
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tmanbuckhunter, So let me make sure I understand you correctly. When you adjust the length of an adjustable pushrod it DOES NOT adjust the height of the hydraulic lifter, by compressing it, say one hundred thousandths of an inch or so? Inquiring minds want to know!
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Joe Kucinski
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Acworth
The adjustable lifters on the older engines was to the set the preload of the hydraulic lifter, the adjustable pushrods on the new engines does the exact same thing. People measure lifter preload different ways, most simply count the number of turns the adjuster is turned out from "no clearance". There is a distance range for preloading lifters, my experience has been, changing this distance/preload can /will effects engine valve train noises.
Example: changing from 2 turns out to 3 turns out.
Example: changing from 2 turns out to 3 turns out.
Last edited by Mikey 1450; Jul 10, 2015 at 06:41 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,874
Likes: 36
From: Houston, TX
Well, aren't you the lucky one. I've read much worse.
Adjustable pushrods really only have one purpose over solid pushrods that I'm aware of. They can be removed so you can replace cams or lifters without removing the heads. They need to be adjusted when you replace them. Yes, you are not adjusting the "lifters", just adjusting the clearance out of the valve train. However, if they are adjusted incorrectly you can have a ton of valve train noise. I believe that's what the OP meant.
Adjustable pushrods really only have one purpose over solid pushrods that I'm aware of. They can be removed so you can replace cams or lifters without removing the heads. They need to be adjusted when you replace them. Yes, you are not adjusting the "lifters", just adjusting the clearance out of the valve train. However, if they are adjusted incorrectly you can have a ton of valve train noise. I believe that's what the OP meant.
You're not adjusting the height of the lifter period. You may be putting pre-load on it but it's not adjusting the height of it. The amount of pre-load you put on a pumped up hydraulic lifter is negligible, anywhere from .050-.100. Pre-load is a side effect of adjusting your pushrods properly.