Heard all kinds of stuff. Best, worse? Pros,cons?
Whatever you can tell me will be welcome.
Ragman

[IMG]local://upfiles/19946/74E6FD3D45F44B9FA117490DA38329C8.jpg[/IMG]

 

Solids:
When properly adjusted = more power.
Need to be adjusted frequently, say every 2000 miles.
Way cheaper than hydraulics.

Hydraulics:
Set 'em up once and forget 'em until one of 'em starts acting up.
Higher cost.
Less efficient.

I ran hydraulics in my Shovel until one of the exhaust lifters started collapsing/sticking. Priced a new one and decided to get the conversion kit. Kit for 4 solids, using stock pushrods, was less than one hydraulic lifter.

 

Thanks for the lowdown.

My shovel has solid lifters. I would like to adjust them myself.

I know how to find TDC on each clyinder. What I don't know is how to move the push rod covers and how to adjust thesolid lifters to the right tolerences.

Will you take the time to give me a description of how to do it?

Thanks
Ragman

[IMG]local://upfiles/19946/011D2ED7CDBC4D9F95F728432A659B53.jpg[/IMG]

 

I'll give it a shot.
I jack the rear end up. So the rear wheel will rotate. If you can't do this, you will need to use the kicker arm to rotate the engine.
Put the trans in 4th gear.
Remove both spark plugs.
Remove clips from front pushrods.
Collapse lower pushrod cover into top cover.
Use a clothsepin clamped to the pushrod to hold cover up. Remember this as you adjust to make sure the clothespin isn't binding anywhere.
Rotate rear wheel in foward direction. Watch front pushrods. As front exhaust closes, watch front intake open. When intake is starting to open, the exhaust valve will be closed.
Grab exhaust pushrod and spin. It should have very slight resistance when adjusted properly. Almost zero clearance. If it spins freely, loosen lock nut on pushrod adapter. Adjust lower portion down until zero clearance is achieved while spinning pushrod.. Tighten locknut. Rotate engine 1 full revolution and check same pushrod again.
Go to front intake pushrod and do the same way. Watch the exhaust valve, when it is opening, adjust the intake valve. When the front cylinder is done, do the rear the same way.
I always rotate the rear wheel a few revolutions before I put the clips back on. Check each pushrod for free spin. Most of the time, after all 4 have been adjusted, 1 or 2 will feel a little loose. If so, adjust them accordingley. Replace all 4 clips. Make sure the top portion seats in the head and the lower seats in the lifter block.
Good luck. It's a pretty simple deal once you have done it a couple of times.


PS...If you think it needs new pushrod seals, this is a good time to change them.

 

Read through this whole thing before you start!

The engine has to be stone cold, so do this first thing before even thinking about taking a spin.

Pull both spark plugs to make it easy to rotate the engine.

Looking at your pushrod covers you should see that there is a bottom piece, a fatter piece about halfway up, then a clip-piece (retainer) with a curved section that looks like you could slip a screwdriver behind and pry out on. Push down pretty hard on the fat middle piece. Under it are some washers, a spring, and some cork or rubber gaskets. When you have it pushed down away from the retainer, slip a screwdriver behind that curved section on the retainer and pry outward. This should release the retainer, and allow the top pushrod tube to drop or be pushed down into the bottom section. Next lift the collapsed tubes upward and use a piece of coathanger or something similar to hold it up out of your way.

Put your front cylinder at TDC. Both front tappets should be at the bottom. Make darn sure they are at the bottom by slightly moving the motor and watching the tappets. You can now adjust both front pushrods.

Look at the bottom area of your pushrods. Just below the actual pushrod you should see the lifter adjusting screw. Below it is the locknut. And at the bottom is the lifter body. Notice the flats on the lifter body. You've now seen three (3) places to put a wrench. You've got two (2) hands. Dexterity helps.

It will help considerably if you have a very slim 7/16" open end wrench. You've got to put that slim wrench on the flats on the lifter body and another 7/16" open end on the locknut, and a 1/2" open end on the adjusting screw. (I think I have the sizes correct. If not, since you're attempting this I figure you'll find out and put the right size where it goes!)

Now to the actual procedure: Loosen the locknut and turn the adjusting screw down into the lifter body until it just becomes free and has noticeable up and down movement. Now slowly turn the adjusting screw up until nearly all play is gone. Tighten the locknut. The lifter is properly adjusted if it has no up/down movement, and you can freely turn it completely around with no binding, using your finger tips.

It'll probably take a few go-rounds until you get the hang of manipulating the 3 wrenches, and what it takes to get the correct play.

Simple, right?

Go to the other lifter on the front cylinder, but check its position first. You want to make sure nothing moved and it is still at the very bottom. Do your thing on it just as you did on the first one. When you're done with both front lifters, make sure they're (once again) at the bottom and spin them between your fingers. remember - absolutely NO up/down play, and spin with fingers.

Now rotate the engine until the back lifters are at the bottom. Double check that the lifter you are getting ready to adjust is at the bottom (like lifter on other cylinder will be at the top). Adjust as before, except now you're getting the hang of it and it is easier. Double check it, then move to the last lifter. Repeat the process, especially the double checking!

Once you've got 'em all adjusted it's time to see what damage you've done to the corks in the tubes. Remove your hanger, drop the cover down, slide the top up, press down on the middle and reinstall the retainer. I usually slip the top of the retainer in place first, slip a screwdriver underneath the bottom edge, and then gently pry upward while pushing the bottom of the retainer into place.

Replace your plugs, fire the beast up, and see how much oil leaks out the pushrod joints! If none does, your good to go. If it leaks, go buy new corks or o-rings (your preference), take the covers apart again, loosen the adjusting stuff until you can pull the pushrods and covers off the bike (one at a time so you get 'em back in the same place!), and tear 'em apart. Clean everything up,

 

Great directions!

I printed them out and will adjust them this week. I was tempted to go back to hydralics, but the adjustment looks straight forward and they are, as you know, real expensive,. Besides I like working on this old shovel.

I only have 1 question;
" Remove clips from front pushrods. "
What are the clips and how do I remove them?

Thanks again for your help.
Ragman

[IMG]local://upfiles/19946/D57EA442AECD4258A996546B201B0868.jpg[/IMG]

 

The clips are the parts that hold tension on the lower covers. They are the piece that is closest to the head. If you put a screwdriver between a cooling fin and the cap that covers the lower pushrod cover, apply downward pressure, the lower pushrod cover will move down a little, then you can remove the clip. To reinstall, put the top of the clip in place on the tube, slide a screwdriver between the clip and the lower cap, raise up on the clip, and it will slide rite back in. Do you have a service manual? I think there is a pretty good picture of the whole cover assembly in there. Good luck.

 

I do have a manual and it is good, but they don't explain the clips.

Thanks to you guys. If i cant't do it with these instructions I will hang up my tools.

Great advice from a great site.

Thanks again
Ragman

 

Solids are the way to go. I adjusted mine in an unorthodox way but it worked.
I removed the plugs, nudged the motor and adjusted till I got the slack out.
Then I held the starter down as I readjusted them untill there was just the slightest tick.
Thousands of miles later the bike runs like a son of a gun. The tap goes away in less than a minute as it warms up.

 

Ragman,
As you will find out with practice, there are several ways to set-up your lifters. I don't offer a different way, just a coupla' hints to make any way you do it easier. First, those "skinny wrenches" get 3 of Snap-On part # LTA1416, even at @ 33.00 each, VERY worth it. Now-a-days only in chrome and kinda
slippery feeling even when clean. I sandblasted the shanks for better grip. Or haunt flea-marketused tool stalls for the older style wrench with a black oxide finish, they are slightly skinny-er and a better fit. I warn you though, ALL who see your trick wrenches will covet them and plead to borrow. Next, those *#!@&* clips; especially the front intake which can consume more good cursing than that 3amover-lunged
Chihuahua next door. That said, try V-Twin part# 08-0255, a sort of pliar like device that makes clip wrasslin a breeze especially if you run a carb-n-cleaner what takes up all the space. Lastly, fashion yourself 2 lengths of coathanger wire that will hook under the bottom of the pushrod tube (when raised)
and hook over the rocker box middle or 4 to see them all at once simaltane. Solids ARE the way to go
especially with mild boost cams like an "A" grind. If you can avoid the "drop-in" adaptors, toadstools
we called'em, avoid them for they are hard on the lifter wheels. Nuf' said I reckon, Skip,A&P, Caretaker
of the last production Shovelhead.