I have a long list of things I want to do to my new shovel head and wanted to start with leaky rear head gasket.

i have the bike stripped like the book says. I have 5 head bolts removed and head is loose, piston is at lowest point, I think, pushrods are adjusted all the way loose.

i can't seem to get the pushrods out. I can lift the head above the jugg and it looks like there is room to slide out the head if pushrods were out of the way. Also the pushrod tubes are different than the book. They are tubes that screw together and have a jam nut.

how do I get these pushrods out?
can I loosen the tapper guides and slide them up without causing any difficulties?

Also the 2 rear head bolts are oily and head gasket is pretty oily

 

Bike is 79 flh
motor is 76
the book I'm working with is HD service manual 78 1/2 - 84

 

My pushrod tubes that screw together
The bottom of pushrod adjusted up as much as possible and I'm pushing it up
This is the bottom of pushrod tube on the 79 motor that belongs in bike but needs 100 rebuilt This is what inexpected to see

 

Also this is my first shovel so I am learning as I go. Thanks for the advise in advance.

 

I would not loosen the tappet blocks - make sure the rear piston is coming up on the compression stroke - this will move the lifters to the base circle of the cam - you then should be able to tilt the head and get the pushrods out - you showed a stock pushrod (the second picture with the rod that is not collapsed) and some other style of pushrod which I think is the rear - those look like Evo pushrods to me - lifters are different than stock shovel as well in that pic - does not matter - just try what I suggetsed to gety the stuff apart - looks like the front pushrod covers are stock - show a pic of the side of the motor with all 4 tubes/covers shown

 

The stock pushrods picture is a second motor that the guy gave me. It is the matching number motor that belongs in the bike (a 79 flh) but it is not installed and needs to be rebuilt.

the non stock pushrods are the ones that are installed on the motor in the bike. This motor came out of a 76.

Before i I took out head bolts I turned the motor with the kick starter till both pushrods were at their lowest and I could spin them by hand.

Does this sound like the cam is in the correct position?

 

should be - if the rear piston is down - and lifters are down - your at the bottom before compression stroke - it is odd that you cannot tilt the head enough to get the pushrods out - you can remove the nose cone - this will allow the cam to be removed and then the pushrods will come out - lifters will fall lower - but collapse the front pushrods as well before doing this - there are some guys on this board that have run the Evo pushrods and lifters so maybe they will join in here - I have a set of those pushrods and lifters sittin in my tool box - but I have not used them yet.

 

yes it is a totally different lifter. the pushrod goes all the way down to a cup that is pretty far down in the tappet block.

 

that is not normal looking you have something else going on - its a shame you not have product experience it leaves you guessing all the time

needle nose plyers long ones will give you mechanical advantage to pop the push rod out by collapsing the valve spring as you pry it up and pop it out

don't stop take the lifter blocks and the cam cover off and post pictures the guys will help re installing need to see whats up inside what did they do

 

So I can pry them out if I push them against the rocker? With the heads loose and lifted it would have to pry @ 1/4". I wasn't sure and decided against it. And then just pry them back in there?