Does anyone know how to adjust the valve lash on a 2007 Heritage or if they are adjustable at all? I need to get a lower rocker box gasket replaced and the dealer said you don't adjust the valves. It is done by correctly torquing the rocker box bolts and that if engine is noisy afterward "I've" got problems. That sounded a little hinky to me so I thought I'd ask you folks...

 

Your bike has hydrolic lifters so there is no valve adjustment needed. The noise you are hearing could be one of your lifters not holding pressure or the over sized holes in the rocker plate. I had a lot of chatter in my rocker boxes so I installed rock outs which shut them up

 

My engine isn't making any noise. It very quite in that respect. But, it really bothers me that the dealer would take in a bike with no valve train noise and say that after the repairs, if it made noise "I" have a problem. Sounds to me like they don't have confidence in their work and it's my problem if they screw it up by not reassembling it right.

I kind of thought it had hydraulic lifters, but wasn't sure. I still don't know what they were talking about with the sensitivity of the rocker box torquing. There should be a simple torque sequence and that's the end of it. None of this hocus pocus stuff that they were spouting..

 

I'd tell them that if I hire them to fix the gasket, and when I get it back it's making more noise than when they got it.... THEY have a problem!

If they won't agree to stand behind their work, take it somewhere else. Absolutely no reason you should be on the hook for something they screw up!!!

 

The dealer was alluding to the rocker assembly bolts (4 of them and 2 breather bolts). If they were loose the rocker plate/arms would have slop where the pushrod meets the rocker arm and where the rocker arm meets the valve stems. Not to mention the rocker plate would be making a racket as well.

They're full of sh*t.

 

Unless he has adjustable pushrods which are quite common to use with aftermarket cams.

Otherwise stick there is no adjustment. Each pushrod is a slightly different length, so you need to put them back in correct hole after engine disassembly.

You are only getting a rocker box gasket replaced. It is very simple. You should do it yourself. It is not like you are tearing apart the engine.

It's equivalent to changing a valve cover gasket on an old car.

 

Educate yourself & buy a HD Service Manual. Good luck.

 

What do you mean by lower rocker box? Replacing the rocker box gaskets shouldn't require removing rocker arms, pushrods, etc.. So no pushrod adjustment, even if you have adjustables. If your motor is stock, or has non adjustable pushrods with hydrolic lifters, then no adjustment of anything. Are you sure you don't need the lifter cover gasket replaced, and not the rocker box gasket?

 

There is that Prot. I may have made and incorrect assumption that he has solid push rods.

 

There are two parts to the rocker box itself, upper and lower. The rocker assembly is contained by the lower rocker box. Both have gaskets. The upper gasket is between the lower rocker box and the upper; the other gasket is between the lower rocker box and the head.

So to replace the lower rocker box gasket you have to remove the rocker assembly. Replacing the lifter block gasket would involve removing the push rods and push rod tubes (or at least lifting them) as well as the lifter block itself.