Cam Install Problems
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,593
Likes: 6,435
From: Honah Lee
On vehicles like my Jeep which depends on valve height and the rocker arm bolt just bottoms and torque it. I dropped all the lifters in a small short jar. Topped off with oil.
Then I pushed the plunger down with a pushrod . Interesting but if you pump it it takes longer then just bottom it and maybe come up a tad. Even with 30W oil, it takes about 40-50 seconds but then that little fill hole will start bubbling. When it stops, you let up and pump a few times and it will lock at the top just pushing by hand on a pushrod. Of course if you exert bleed down pressure , it will slowely go down and bottom in a calibrated time if to spec since the valve spring is strong enough to set valve and override excess.
Then I pushed the plunger down with a pushrod . Interesting but if you pump it it takes longer then just bottom it and maybe come up a tad. Even with 30W oil, it takes about 40-50 seconds but then that little fill hole will start bubbling. When it stops, you let up and pump a few times and it will lock at the top just pushing by hand on a pushrod. Of course if you exert bleed down pressure , it will slowely go down and bottom in a calibrated time if to spec since the valve spring is strong enough to set valve and override excess.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 7,323
Likes: 11,762
From: Omaha,NE
All lifter manufacturers have their own instructions that should be followed. My Wood Prowler lifters, for example, expressly stated to NOT inject the lifters with oil since they do so from the factory, with lighter oil to enable faster bleed-down during the pushrod adjustment phase. In addition, the lifter should have a preload spec that you can use to determining the correct number of turns for the pushrod adjustment. In my setup, 3.5 turns was the proper setting for the Bender Cycle pushrods I used. It will very depending on the pushrod tpi. I assume that you cut your old pusrods out, yes? If not, there have been cases of pulled threads on the rocker pedestals due to an incorrect torque spec in the manual. I experienced that first-hand. I really doubt that you have an issue with the oil pump/cam plate install, since it's pretty straight-forward. I will also assume that you have the exhaust and intake pushrods in their correct locations. Beyond that, perhaps you didn't run it long enough to get the lifters pressurized. That's all I can think of.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 49
Likes: 13
From: Florida
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,237
Likes: 61
From: Albany, OR
All lifter manufacturers have their own instructions that should be followed. My Wood Prowler lifters, for example, expressly stated to NOT inject the lifters with oil since they do so from the factory, with lighter oil to enable faster bleed-down during the pushrod adjustment phase. In addition, the lifter should have a preload spec that you can use to determining the correct number of turns for the pushrod adjustment. In my setup, 3.5 turns was the proper setting for the Bender Cycle pushrods I used. It will very depending on the pushrod tpi. I assume that you cut your old pusrods out, yes? If not, there have been cases of pulled threads on the rocker pedestals due to an incorrect torque spec in the manual. I experienced that first-hand. I really doubt that you have an issue with the oil pump/cam plate install, since it's pretty straight-forward. I will also assume that you have the exhaust and intake pushrods in their correct locations. Beyond that, perhaps you didn't run it long enough to get the lifters pressurized. That's all I can think of.
You're right, probably didn't let it run long enough too. I'll ping Larry and see what he says about injecting or just soaking the Johnson lifters.
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,237
Likes: 61
From: Albany, OR
Put it back together today, except for exhaust.
Injected and soaked the lifters. Bubbles came up through the top at first, and then nothing but oil. I then left them in an oil bath until I could get back to it later in the day today.
Adjusting the PRs was much more like my other bikes, good resistance as I was lengthening them right from the start, except for one of the lifters. One of them was pretty light until I got 2 turns in. The rest were resistive from the start. Perhaps a bad lifter, or maybe it just leaked down more before I got to it's adjustment.
I'll get the exhaust on this weekend and do a fire up in the next day or so. I'll post back with the results.
Thanks to all you guys for the great ideas and discussion.
Injected and soaked the lifters. Bubbles came up through the top at first, and then nothing but oil. I then left them in an oil bath until I could get back to it later in the day today.
Adjusting the PRs was much more like my other bikes, good resistance as I was lengthening them right from the start, except for one of the lifters. One of them was pretty light until I got 2 turns in. The rest were resistive from the start. Perhaps a bad lifter, or maybe it just leaked down more before I got to it's adjustment.
I'll get the exhaust on this weekend and do a fire up in the next day or so. I'll post back with the results.
Thanks to all you guys for the great ideas and discussion.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,158
Likes: 11,249
From: San Diego, CA
I used a set of Larry's lifters in a cam change for my twin cam engine. I soaked them for about two days in a jar of oil...not intentionally, it just worked out that way...
When I started it up, the lifter rattle was very unnerving. I was ready for it, but thought because I soaked them that maybe I'd avoid the first start rattle noise. I shut it down
I guess unless using a syringe, or one of those vacuum jars, it's probably not possible to totally fill the lifter by just soaking...
After realizing it was only running for about 20 seconds....I knew that wasn't long enough, so I started it back up. It seemed like an hour, but was only a minute or two, and the lifters quieted down.....
I just couldn't take the rattle noise during that first start up...!
When I started it up, the lifter rattle was very unnerving. I was ready for it, but thought because I soaked them that maybe I'd avoid the first start rattle noise. I shut it down
I guess unless using a syringe, or one of those vacuum jars, it's probably not possible to totally fill the lifter by just soaking...
After realizing it was only running for about 20 seconds....I knew that wasn't long enough, so I started it back up. It seemed like an hour, but was only a minute or two, and the lifters quieted down.....
I just couldn't take the rattle noise during that first start up...!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,432
Likes: 290
From: FL
Its your lifters, just let the bike idle for several minutes … it'll work out. From what you've reported, you've done everything right.
Last edited by CSMHOG; Feb 23, 2019 at 04:27 AM.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,925
Likes: 8,027
From: poway
IIRC the lifters Larry sells are not primed. They will rattle for a while. Larry says they don't need priming.. As CSMHOG says let it idle for a while.. Maybe Larry will see this and speak up..
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,237
Likes: 61
From: Albany, OR
Yeah, I'm a dumbass. Started it up this time and zero valve train noise right from the start. The noise probably would have gone away eventually, but I panicked and didn't give it enough time.
Thanks again for all the discussion.
Thanks again for all the discussion.