hey everyone im wanting to adjust the pushrods my manuel is rather vague ive had two people tell me two different ways to do this now id like to find out the corect way anyones help would be great this is my 76 1000 xlh

 

This is what I recommend:
Raise the rear wheel off the ground and put the bike into 4th gear.
Remove both spark plugs.
Raise the pushrod covers. I use two bent paper clips connected with a rubber band to hold each tube up and out of the way.
To begin the adjustment:
1) Using the rear wheel, rotate the engine forward watching the rear exhaust valve. As the lifter raises (opening the valve) raise it up to it's highest point. Stop moving the engine.
2) The front exhaust pushrod is now ready to adjust.
3) Rotate the engine forward watching the rear intake lifter go up. At it's highest point stop moving the engine.
4) The front intake pushrod is now ready to adjust.

Do the same for the other two pushrods. Always raise the given valve on a cylinder to it's highest point and then the same valve on the other cylinder is at it's lowest point and is ready to be adjusted.

The proper way to adjust a pushrod is to loosen the lock nut on the adjuster and back off the adjuster bolt until play is felt.
Then slowly tighten up the adjuster while rotating the pushrod with one finger.
Tighten until the pushrod stops rotating. Back off until you can just roll the pushrod with that single finger.
This is the correct adjustment. Tighten down the lock nut making sure the adjuster bolt does not move.

OH, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, before I forget...... DO THIS WITH A STONE COLD ENGINE. Sitting overnight is best....... pg

 

Here's my notes. Essentially the same as PG's ...

Do this procedure with the engine stone cold. I usually do it first thing in the morning.

1. Remove the spark plugs. Remove A/C to make room to work.

2. Using a flat blade screwdriver pry the spring keeper off of each push rod; the bottom of the keeper pops out first, then the top. Alternately, use a 3/4" open end wrench to push down on the top of the spring retainer, then pry out the spring keeper with the screwdriver.

3. The lower push rod covers may be stuck tight against the bottom o-rings, but they can be loosened by pinching between thumb and finger [or carefully using a shop rag and a pliers] and twisting or rotating. Lift these up and secure each with a tall-S-shaped piece of 12 or 14 gauge household wire [not cable] [or a long piece of Plumbers solder such as 95/5 hooked over the rocker cover and under the push rod cover.

4. Jack up back end of the bike so that rear wheel is off the ground, shift to 2nd gear, rotate wheel until it clicks, repeat until you get to 4th gear. Now by rotating the rear wheel you are rotating the engine. Almost impossible with the plugs in; very difficult in lower gears.

5. To adjust a particular push rod, its valve must be fully closed [the valve spring is relaxed]. Valve position for a particular cylinder is determined by observing the corresponding push rod of the other cylinder. For example, when the rear cylinder intake valve tappet is raised [valve fully open, spring compressed], the front cylinder intake valve is fully closed, and the front intake push rod can be adjusted.

6. Check [and adjust if necessary] the push rods:

[a] using the rear wheel rotate the engine so that the rear cylinder exhaust push rod tappet is fully raised. The front cylinder push rod is adjusted correctly if it has no vertical or horizontal play, and you can just rotate the push rod between thumb and forefinger with no trace of binding or dragging.

[b] to adjust if needed: hold the adjusting screw in place with a wrench; with another wrench loosen the split locknut. Then turn the adjusting screw using fingers only until the pushrod's ball end is seated in the tappet with a "slight amount of play". Then tighten further as follows:

Option 1: Adjust on the tighter end of the range: There should be no vertical or horizontal play, and you should be just able to rotate the push rod between thumb and forefinger with no trace of binding or dragging.

Option 2: Adjust on the looser end of the range: Set the adjusting screw to finger tight so that you cannot turn the push rod between forefinger and thumb. Undo it a tiny bit so that it is just barely loose. Then loosen it 1 "side" for an exhaust or 1/2 "side" for an intake. "Side" refers to one side of the 6-sided adjusting nut.

EDIT: Experience here is that Option 2 is the better and most likely the correct choice.

[c] hold the adjusting screw in place with the one wrench; with the other wrench tighten the locknut.

[d] recheck the adjustment; it is common for the adjustment to go out as you do step [c], in which case [b] and [c] must be redone.

[e] repeat for the other push rods.

7. Use a flat blade screwdriver to push the upper push rod covers up, and seat them into the upper o-ring or cork washer.

8. Install the spring keepers, top end first, by prying them in under the bottom with a flat blade screwdriver.

 

hey mick and piniongear i read i think or saw this done at the hd shop they adjusted the pushrods with the adjusters but checked for play and shake at the top of the pushrod.saying this is where you should do it.it does make some sense in a way

 

I don't think there really should be any play or shake. They (especially the exhaust, as IronMick says) should just spin easily - no up & down play.

 

They may do it that way, but I do not. First off, the pushrod is not going to be adjusted to where it 'shakes' or has play. That is way too loose!

You do the adjustment just like I described.
You tighten up the pushrod to the point it will no longer rotate using one finger.
Then you back off until the pushrod will rotate. That is the correct setting.
There is no play, no shaking the pushrod involved in any way.
If that is the way you saw a 'Harley mechanic' do it, then I do not want that guy working on my machine!
pg

 

ok thanks pinion ill do it your way best advice so far they are not making any noise really but i dont know when the last time it was done want to do it for my own peace of mind i was told i had to remove the tappets and callapes them then adjust that didnt make sense to me

 

Well, if they make noise they are probably too loose. If no noise then they may be a bit tight.
But don't go by the noise (or lack of) of the pushrods to tell you if they are adjusted.
Check the adjustment. This should be checked every 3 months after that if you want to keep the adjustment right on......and you do want that.
pg

 

well got it done warmed her up and took her around the block everything seems to be good thanks

 

Great! Glad you got 'er done...... pg