I have a 2017 UL with a 107ci M8. I have installed a Wood 22X-E cam, and Wood lifters. I am ready to install my Fuel Moto Quickie pushrods. All of the videos I have looked at show to adjust the rear cylinder pushrods when the timing marks on the cam shaft gear and the crankshaft gear align vertically, with the cam shaft dot at 6 o'clock and the crank shaft dot at 12 o'clock. Wood Performance inserts a "warning card" with their lifters, which indicates adjusting the rear pushrods when the bike is at TDC on the compression stroke of the rear cylinder. The timing marks no longer align at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock when you are at TDC on the compression stroke. I am attaching 2 photos, #1 - with the timing dots aligned, which is where most videos show to adjust the rear cylinder pushrods, and photo #2 - where the piston has been run to TDC on the compression stroke on the rear cylinder. My confusion comes due to all the videos indicating to adjust the rear pushrods with the with the vertical alignment, and the Wood "warning label" which creates the alignment in the 2nd photo (watch the rear intake lifter rise all the way and go down all the way. Insert a zip tie into the rear spark plug hole touching the top of the piston and continue forward tire rotation until the piston travels to its highest point ( TDC compression stroke) . Which is the correct starting point? The videos also then say to rotate the rear wheel forward (after the back cylinder tappets have bled down), until the cam gear timing mark is at 12 o'clock, and the crank gear timing mark is at 12 o'clock. This is now the position for adjusting the front cylinder tappets. I would assume that the Wood method would also have the timing dots not lining up when TDC is arrived at for the front cylinder. I would appreciate any advice from those who have performed this adjustment previously, I saw a thread on here from 2022 with a guy asking the same question, but with no definitive conclusion at the end. Thank you in advance for your comments!!!

This is the position that most of the videos say to make the rear pushrod adjustments from

This is where the dots align align when verifying TDC on the compression stroke using a zip tie on top of the rear piston. Both rear tappets are at their lowest position here.

 

Are you sure you're exactly at TDC compression in that second pic? Can you move it a little more either way before the piston starts to drop and the dots line up?

 

60 Gunner
Hello, yes, if I move the rear tire in either direction the piston begins to fall. When I bump the tire forward, the dots realign, but the piston has fallen just a bit when this occurs.

 

Lining up the dots tells you that the cam and crankshaft are properly timed to each other, it is not an indication of TDC.

 

Most instructions I've seen say to be sure to "puts both lifters on the base circle of the cam lobe" (frequently called the heel of the cam lobe). But they (S&S and FuelMoto) also frequently mention aligning the timing marks the way you described and that being TDC. But with EVO and earlier engines, the cam cover had to be installed before installing and adjusting the pushrods, so I always look the position of the lifters and when they start to move when rotating (forward direction) the rear wheel. Watch for the exhaust pushrod to go all the way down followed immediately by the intake pushrod to rise and then adjust the other cylinder.

Watch the rear cylinder pushrods or lifters.

Turn the engine over (by hand) until you see the cam overlap for the rear cylinder. That is when exhaust lifter is traveling down and the intake lifter is traveling up (closing the exhaust valve and opening the intake valve). Once you find that for the rear cylinder, the FRONT cylinder will be on its compression stroke. You can now adjust the front cylinder pushrods. Follow the same procedure for the rear cylinder.

Always allow the lifter to bleed down after adjusting the pushrods by confirming you can rotate the pushrods by hand. If you can't rotate the pushrods, something is wrong and you should not rotate the engine or you are risking piston and valve contact. Losen the pushrods and start over.

Knowing when the piston is on the compression stroke and watching the the lobes to be sure they are in the correct location is what I watch for. And the few times (on an M8) I tried using the timing mark, it did not agree with pushrode movement and where I would prefer the lifters to be on the cam lobe. So not saying aligning the timing marks won't work, that's just not how I do it.

Paul

 

GUNS UP, don't worry about the dots, The way pgreer said works.
Another quick simple way is to watch the intake lifter for the cylinder your adjusting, watch it open then close, at that point the piston is on it's way up on the compression stroke, insert your zip tie and continue to TDC.

 

When I installed the S&S 475c cam in my 18' Fatboy 114 I could never figure out TDC so I used the timing mark method. She ran strong and fast with no issues. I used the Dynojet PV3 and a Fuel Moto tune.

 

I think what's going on here is that the cam ramp profile is gentle enough that you can be quite a bit one side or the other of actual TDC and the pushrod adjustment will be fine. The cam timing alignment marks are close enough to go by, and at least ensure you are on the correct stroke. You're adjusting the lifter preload to .100" (some say more to help quieten down your lifters) in a range of 0 to .200", so if you are up on the ramp .005" or so it's just not important. Unless... you're **** like me. I pulled the timing cover and watched each individual pushrod go up and down and ensured the pushrod I was adjusting was on the true heel of the cam within the limits of what I could detect. It's just another reason I would starve to death if I had to work on engines for a living.