Solid Lifter Noise
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 339
Likes: 138
From: Bay Area/Valley, California
Solid Lifter Noise
First time running solids. Swapped out the hydraulics with an S&S conversion kit. My question is how do I recognize solid noise vs a loose rod slapping? Assuming solid noise would come from the lifter block and a loose rod knocks in the rockers?
Any tips or tricks would help. Thanks.
Any tips or tricks would help. Thanks.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,664
Likes: 184
From: Indiana, USA
I ran solids many years on 81 FXS. I would set the lash clearance tight for cold using my thumb and index finger as the gauge. If setting loose lash I found the pushrod noise was excessive after warmup. WIth tight lash the pushrod noise was only marginally less but sounded better to me. Just dont set tooo tight and burn a valve where it is leaking before it fully warms up. You want just enough lash to seal the valve when cold. Also note that when you tighten your adjustable pushrod you will create more lash. So get a feel for just enough friction when spinning pushrod between your fingers that will result in just enough lash when the adjuster is locked.
Solid lifter noise will be at the top end, rod noise will be at the bottom end. Rod noise is deeper tone while pushrod lash is higher pitch. Rod bang is in time with crank, pushrod noise is at 1/2 speed.
Solid lifter noise will be at the top end, rod noise will be at the bottom end. Rod noise is deeper tone while pushrod lash is higher pitch. Rod bang is in time with crank, pushrod noise is at 1/2 speed.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Slack tappet on solids is distinctive, a high-pitched tap, whereas background noise for solids is more of a mechanical thrashing with no distinct tap emerging from out of the general scrap metal in a blender sounds that solids make when the motor is warm.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 83
Likes: 53
From: Kentucky
Harley’s make mechanical noises . Gear drive cams , give the distinctive whine . Solids will have clearance sounds , rod knock , tough one .I have had some lots of hard miles no rod knock . They are roller rod bearings , really tough to trash
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 926
From: Squamish, BC
Yup - had to replace one of my rocker arms this year as one of the pockets was worn, enabling the push rod to slip out if it wasn't tightened up goodntight in the perfect position. When it wasn't in that perfect position, it popped out on first fire and made a heckuva racket.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 146
Likes: 170
From: chicagoland
I also have the S&S solid kit that came with chromoly pushrods, and they sound like a sewing machine at 2k rpm around 30 mph with more distinct tapping at idle. The noise is no louder than the airhead BMW's and Norton I've had. There are many ways to get the lifter on the cam base circle for pushrod adjustment. I've been getting the lifter at max lift then mark the bolt holding the ignition advance unit (which of course is the end of the camshaft) and turn the engine over so the cam moves 180 degrees to put that lifer in the center of the cam base circle, then adjust that pushrod to feel.
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,114
Likes: 51,398
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Shovel engine grows over 060” when hot, that’s how much slack solids have banging around at running temp at the minimum. The common cheap fat aluminum pushrod kits all rub the inside of the tubes, usually at the rocker box and some in the middle which adds noise. This is the **** nobody tells you about solids and shovels.
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 146
Likes: 170
From: chicagoland
One of these days I'm going to count how many turns the pushrod needs to take up all play on the hot engine to see what the clearance actually is, as it is also expanding in the hot engine. According to the coefficient of expansion charts aluminum expands roughly twice as much as iron. The math says .034 growth at 300 deg on a Shovel cylinder and head and the pushrod would have less clearance after it comes up to temperature.
Last edited by 84 Shovel; Sep 27, 2024 at 10:37 AM.
