Lotsa pressure
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Summerville,SC
yum!
My furnace got another possum! Bout 10 inches long without the tail! now I ain't gotta go ta tawn fer dinner!This should be the last. Found where they were gettin...I hope! Well, got a little evening left. Wish me luck! And good news! When I was gathering up tools for my early evening entertainment,I couldn't resist but to tap on the fuel bowl, and turn on the fuel....so far so good!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
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From: Houston Texas
My furnace got another possum! Bout 10 inches long without the tail! now I ain't gotta go ta tawn fer dinner!This should be the last. Found where they were gettin...I hope! Well, got a little evening left. Wish me luck! And good news! When I was gathering up tools for my early evening entertainment,I couldn't resist but to tap on the fuel bowl, and turn on the fuel....so far so good!Possum......Who-Wheeee! Better than a skunk though. For some reason I thought it was going to be a squirrel. But they are quick enough to get out of most anything......... pg
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Summerville,SC
Cold start after bendix work.
Funny you should mention a skunk. Last spring, one got my neighbors dog, then hid out..you guessed it...in my basement!
Well thanks! The float seems to be working as it should.
It Started on the 3rd kick!
Still running rich and popping, but after I set the timing with a light, I can check the pushrods. I'll check the other threads. If I recall correctly , I remember you and Mick giving some tips in one or two. I'll read up in the manual. But I imagine I'll still be asking for some advice at that time.
Thanks again!
Well thanks! The float seems to be working as it should.
It Started on the 3rd kick!
Still running rich and popping, but after I set the timing with a light, I can check the pushrods. I'll check the other threads. If I recall correctly , I remember you and Mick giving some tips in one or two. I'll read up in the manual. But I imagine I'll still be asking for some advice at that time.
Thanks again!
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Summerville,SC
Oh ya, and guess what. The breather wasn't puking profusely, now that I'm not , oh say a GALLON over full! Generator light goes out over 1000 rpm and the oil light goes out as soon as she fires!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
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From: Houston Texas
That is all good news. The running rich and getting rid of the popping will come in due time as you work out the other stuff and come to that.
I would suggest though that you set the pushrod clearance first, before you run the engine too much.
Then set the timing. If it starts easy and runs, the timing is close enough for now.
The reason checking the pushrod clearance first is because if the adjustment is tight, you do not want to cook a valve. So set that first.
You need to do this with a stone cold engine. If you need any pointers one of us can give that to you.
Basically...... When a pushrod is at it's highest point....... The similar pushrod on the opposite cylinder is in position to be adjusted.
Example: Rear intake valve fully open = adjust front intake pushrod. Front intake fully open = adjust rear intake pushrod. Same for exhaust valves.
pg
I would suggest though that you set the pushrod clearance first, before you run the engine too much.
Then set the timing. If it starts easy and runs, the timing is close enough for now.
The reason checking the pushrod clearance first is because if the adjustment is tight, you do not want to cook a valve. So set that first.
You need to do this with a stone cold engine. If you need any pointers one of us can give that to you.
Basically...... When a pushrod is at it's highest point....... The similar pushrod on the opposite cylinder is in position to be adjusted.
Example: Rear intake valve fully open = adjust front intake pushrod. Front intake fully open = adjust rear intake pushrod. Same for exhaust valves.
pg
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Summerville,SC
Thanks. I kinda wondered what order to time/adjust pushrods in. How do I know where the valves are, in their travel without pulling the rocker boxes. Will I be able to see the pushrods going up and down ,once I pull the pushrod covers. Uh, tell ya what. I've got some reading up to do obviously. Thank you so much! I'm sure I'll be talking to ya soon!
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Houston Texas
Thanks. I kinda wondered what order to time/adjust pushrods in. How do I know where the valves are, in their travel without pulling the rocker boxes. Will I be able to see the pushrods going up and down ,once I pull the pushrod covers. Uh, tell ya what. I've got some reading up to do obviously. Thank you so much! I'm sure I'll be talking to ya soon!
What I do is this:
Put a stand under the bike frame to raise the rear wheel off the ground.
Remove both spark plugs and put the transmission in 4th gear. The reason for doing all this is we will use the rear wheel to rotate the engine. This will allow you the greatest control in moving the engine internals to where you want them to be for the pushrod adjustment.
Now get 8 paper clips and 4 rubber bands.
Bend the clips into an S shape. Hook one end of each clip to a rubber band. These will hold the pushrod tubes up out of your way.
Remove the holding clip from each pushrod tube. You do this by prying down with a screwdriver (See your manual)
Collapse all 4 tubes and put the rubber band/clips.... one on each tube with the upper clip hooked onto the rocker box. This holds the tubes up and out of the way.
Now you can see the bottom of the pushrods sitting in the lifters. The lifters have an adjustment bolt and a lock nut. The lock nut and adjustment bolt will require a set of 'thin wrenches' (open end type) to use for the adjustment.
Now go rotate your rear wheel forward while watching the rear exhaust pushrod. You will see it go up (this is opening the rear exhaust valve) and when it gets to the top of travel it will pause before going down again.
Stop at the pause spot. The rear exhaust valve is fully open at this point. The front exhaust is fully closed at this point too, and that is the first pushrod we will adjust.
Loosen the locknut and screw the adjuster bolt down a bit into the lifter. You will have a lot of slop in the pushrod. Now turn the adjuster out of the lifter and the pushrod slop will start to tighten up.
The correct adjustment to a pushrod is where there is no side to side play, nor is there any up and down play.
The way you get this just right is to lay one finger only against the pushrod. You should be able to rotate the pushrod 360° around using a single finger.
Here is a pic of what I mean. I have substituted a screwdriver for a pushrod, but you get the idea........
The best way to approach this is to have the pushrod where it will only rotate a half turn (or less). That is too tight. It is easy to turn the adjuster in as you roll the pushrod and when it loosens up so you can rotate the full 360° stop! That is where you want it.
Carefully holding the adjuster screw so it does not turn, tighten down the locknut.
The remianing three valves/pushrods are done in the same exact manner. Rotate the engine so a valve is fully open (pushrod at the highest point) then adjust the like pushrod on the other cylinder.
Rear exhaust is up......front exhaust is down and ready to adjust.
Rear intake is up........ front intake is down and ready to adjust.
And vise-versa..... front are up, rear are down and ready for adjustment.
When you are done, remove the rubber banded clips and extend the pushrod tubes into place. Carefull to seat the top of each tube correctly.
The recess in the rocker boxes makes it easy to miss-seat the tubes' which will result in an oil leak. There are 3 cork washers in each tube. Here is a pic of how and where they go..... Oone at the top, one at the bottom, and one in the middle of the tube. You will not see the middle cork because it is hidden by the assembled tube.
The manual will explain this better than I can, but the rear wheel and removing the spark plugs are tips not mentioned in the book.
pg
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Summerville,SC
Holy smokes! You just answered about 30 questions that popped into my head when we first started talking about pushrods. Hopefully I will be able to get out to the garage Saturday. End of my nephews little gridders football season so I've got every evening pretty full til then. Thanks again. Can't wait to get out there and get that ole girl running like she's supposed to!
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 217
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From: Summerville,SC
Gettin ready to adjust my pushrods tomorrow. The seals and gaskets only have a couple hundred miles on them, but have been assembled for well over 10 years. Should I get a seal kit or something before I tear into it? Also, I'm a little unclear on how to remove the cover spring keepers. Any tips?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
Gettin ready to adjust my pushrods tomorrow. The seals and gaskets only have a couple hundred miles on them, but have been assembled for well over 10 years. Should I get a seal kit or something before I tear into it? Also, I'm a little unclear on how to remove the cover spring keepers. Any tips?
Thanks!
Thanks!
The reason is this......
You have to take the entire pushrod and pushrod cover out to install all 3 corks on each pushrod.
And you have to do this for each pushrod. Since the old ones may leak, I recommend you replace them now.
If instead, you choose to use the old ones, adjust the valves and then have leaks you have to everything over again.
To remove the pushrods and tube covers, you must screw the lifter adjuster all the way down into the lifter to obtain enough clearance to get the rod and cover out.
Pull the cover apart and install the middle cork, then put it back together and install the pushrod and cover, with the top and bottom corks back on the bike.
Just screw the adjuster out far enough to hold the pushrod in place. Then go and do the next pushrod.
I suggest you renew the corks in the tubes....one tube at a time.
It is best not to get the pushrods mixed up and install them back in a different place than they were removed from and doing one at a time will insure this.
After all 12 corks have been replaced and all 4 tubes with pushrods are back on the bike..........NOW you can do the pushrod adjustment.
To remove the pushrod tube, take a large screw driver and get the shank under an adjacent cylinder fin. Use that as a fulcrum point by lifting up on the screw driver handle and compressing the tube spring. As done in this pic.......
After you have compressed the spring (while holding it compressed with the screw driver) take a pair of needle nose with the other hand and grab the keeper at the metal split that sticks out. This is why that split is there.
Obviously I needed 3 hands to hold the screw driver..... hold the needle nose.... and work the camera, so I showed this with 2 different shots. I am sure you get the picture though.........
Good luck with it and if you have any questions just ask.
pg