So the 74 flh I have built over last winter runs nice, and looks awesome. I thought getting this bike would be quite a difference from the 65 ironhead I have. That bike runs like the wind and is incredibly fast however it sounds like a typewriter with the solid valve train. The shovel I have heard are awesome motors and relatively quite as far as internal noises. Well NOT. Starting it up cold its awesome but once hot it chatters and ticks like the ironhead. I hate that sound. Yes Im running solid lifter and 60wt oil. The first five miles are quite then after the oil heats up well, it tick and clicks. Shut it down for 15 min and its quitter again although not as if it was cold.

I know oils thin out when hot so I guess the only other thing I can do is perhaps go to hydraulic lifters. The previous owner just installed brand new solids just before I bought it. How hard is it, expensive and quieter would it be if I went that route? Yes I know a 1974 flh has far looser tolerances than say an evo but why such a difference when hot. Valves are set dead on "cold".

randy

 

check first and see if it has the stock camshaft or an aftermarket one - if stock just buy a set of hyd lifters and push rods -- Vthunder makes cams that are hyd and really work good for more power. most of them require valve springs and spacing (.485 lift)

rocker arms need to be set up to keep them from moving side to side as this makes noise also - do not use the wavy washers they brake and wind up in the engine - have the thick spacers machined.

the stock cam is a hyd cam solids with this cam are really noisy -- I run a leinweber L3S cam its noisy but makes the most power of all the cams - noise doesn't bother me at all --

Adjustable Pushrod
Installation Instructions

Proper pushrod adjustment is often overlooked as an important procedure but many times it can mean the difference in having a quiet running engine or a hammering valve train. Not to mention that improper adjustment can lead to poor running conditions and in some cases catastrophic failure. Here are some helpful specs and detailed instructions.

Popular Pushrod Manufacturers Threads Per Inch:
Revolution Performance Chromoly – 32 tpi
Jims Pro-Lite – 24 tpi
Slim Jims – 32 tpi
Andrews – 28 tpi
Andrews – 32 tpi
Crane New Time Savers – 28 tpi
Crane Old Time Savers – 24 tpi
Crane – 32 tpi
H-D – 32 tpi
S and S – 32 tpi
Screaming Eagle – 32 tpi
Rivera Taper Lite – 40 tpi
Rev Tech – 36 tpi

Pushrod adjustment procedure for the following tappet brands:
Revolution Performance Hydro-Rev (All)
Jims Powerglide
Comp Cams Hydraulics (All)
S and S Hydraulics (All)
Crane Hydraulics (All)
The whole idea in adjusting pushrods is to set the tappet plunger in approximately the middle of its range. Most lifters range is .200" from top to bottom so approximately .100" of depression is ideal.

Start by rotating the engine over until the front two cams are on their base circles (be careful the engine is not in the overlap cycle).
You have to make sure that the pushrod adjusters are exposed at all times. An easy way to accomplish this is to bend a paper clip into a hook on one end and connect a rubber band to the other end. Stretch the rubber band up and connect it somewhere in the rocker box area. You can even do this to all four tubes before you start.
With the lifters on the base circle and the pushrods installed, extend the pushrod until zero lash is achieved. This means that there is no up or down movement but the lifter plunger is not depressed.
Make sure that the jam nut is loose and mark the pushrod with a marker so that you easily see when a full revolution has been accomplished.
At this point refer to the manufacturers specs for threads per inch and use this as a reference. Insert a decimal between the threads per inch number and that is how many full revolutions or turns that the pushrod needs (i.e. 32 tpi = 3.2 full turns).
You absolutely need to make sure that the lifters are bled down before rotating the engine over or valve damage can occur. This process can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. You should be able to rotate the pushrods with your fingertips and feel a slight drag on them.
Repeat this process on the rear cylinder and replace the clips. Our pushrod tube clip installer makes this process a snap.
Pushrod adjustment for Jims Hydrosolid Tappets:
The Jims Hydrosolid Tappet is unique in its design in that it has approximately half the amount of plunger travel than most lifters. This design characteristic means that you must take the normal adjustment specs (32 tpi = 3.2 full turns) and reduce them by half. For example, if you would normally adjust the pushrod out 3.2 full turns you would now only extend it 1.5 turns or run the risk of holding the valve open. Other than this unique feature the process for adjustment is identical to a standard lifter.

 

Ok when you take this apart to convert to hyd lifters you need to know a few things

the oil passage for the lifter blocks is modded by blocking the oil to the lifters, this is done one of 2 ways

first way - the gasket has no hole in it so oil cant travel to the lifter < good idea but usually you end up woith oil leaks from the lifter blocks

second idea - in a shop we will drill and tap the oil feed hole in the lifter block and then plug it so oil cant enter the lifters - than the weep hole in the lifter block is enlarged so a good drain off happend SOOO the push rods dont leak

having said that most will run drag pipes and the noize is gone well one would think anyway --

you need to picture up all of the parts i have listed and this will be so you can be correctly instructed in how to reverse what was done to the system

sucks but if you follow all what needs to be done you will be on a quiet shovel and they make shims for the rocker boxes rocker arms but caution to small a gap will burn up a valve guide --

 

exactly what john said -- turn the lifter block over and see if the PO installed set screws in them in the oil feed hold - most don't as it really doesn't matter - if done remove them-- also check the tappet screen hole - that cap on the upper left of the cam cover - some remove the screen - and check how the lifter is in the block the oil holes have to face the oil holes in the block