engine noise
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,782
Likes: 1,202
From: river
ok took apart and reassembled and have came across new problem... now I can not get the bike back in neutral as well as can no spin the back wheel with clutch pressed or released.... before I put valve covers on I was able to spin wheel in 5th gear and everything seemed to moving working correctly went to shift into neutral to start and never found it and now cant spin wheel at all... any ideas?
what did you take apart and reassemble? You have to be very specific on details for us to help you out.
took apart entire top end again, checked all the gaskets etc the head gasket in the rear was the wrong one thankfuly it didn't rip apart and drop down etc didn't look like any damage now I am able to turn wheel and swith gears however as soon as I put spark plugs in I can only turn for a small rotation then seems like the spark plug is stopping it not sure how this would be possible though all the gaskets same size as before and in correct spot... only thing I can think off is maybe I did install of push rods wrong as far as TDC I did that with piston as far down as possible on front then rotated and did back and other thing was something about be able to turn the push rod???? don't really see how that is possible... also all was done with bike in 5th gear
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,664
Likes: 184
From: Indiana, USA
Valve lash if pushrods are adjustable must be made with lifter stool in full down position on the cam circle. 4 Stroke is Intake, Compression, Fire, Exhaust. You will see the exhaust lifter rise and fall then see the intake lifter rise and fall for a cylinder. after the intake lifter falls the cylinder is buildiing compression for the fire stroke. Ifyou adjust both pushrods for the same cylinder after the intake lifter goes down and before the piston reaches Top dead Center, the lifter will be on the low part of the cam and ready to adjust. (Both valves must be full down for compression stroke)
Loosen the adjusters on that cylinders pushrods, screw the ends up until there is room to lift the end out of the lifter pocket. Slowly screw the end back down into the lifter pocket and stop at the point the pushrod is just seated in the lifter pocket and is fully seated on the other end in the rocker arm pocket. Now adjust the prescribed number of turn for your pushrods and lock it down. Do the same for the other pushrod and lock it down. THIS IS IMPORTANT - WAIT for 10 minutes before you rotate the engine over to adjust ther other cylinders. You have oil trapped in the lifter that needs to bleed down and iff you don't wait you risk bending a valve or pushrod because the standing height of the lifter is expanded with trapped oil. Let the lifters bleed down before you repeat the pushrod adjustment steps for the 2nd cylinder.
Pushrods are color coded for length and position
Purple, Blue, Yellow, Green from back cylinder to front......***** Bought Yields Gonnerea
Loosen the adjusters on that cylinders pushrods, screw the ends up until there is room to lift the end out of the lifter pocket. Slowly screw the end back down into the lifter pocket and stop at the point the pushrod is just seated in the lifter pocket and is fully seated on the other end in the rocker arm pocket. Now adjust the prescribed number of turn for your pushrods and lock it down. Do the same for the other pushrod and lock it down. THIS IS IMPORTANT - WAIT for 10 minutes before you rotate the engine over to adjust ther other cylinders. You have oil trapped in the lifter that needs to bleed down and iff you don't wait you risk bending a valve or pushrod because the standing height of the lifter is expanded with trapped oil. Let the lifters bleed down before you repeat the pushrod adjustment steps for the 2nd cylinder.
Pushrods are color coded for length and position
Purple, Blue, Yellow, Green from back cylinder to front......***** Bought Yields Gonnerea
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
are they the stock push rods??....also the wheel is quite difficult to turn with the plugs in because of the compression....if I understood correctly, the motor could be turned with the plugs out???...so, back ot the noise issue...when youfound the gasket wrong, was it the head gasket or the rocker cover gasket that was in wrong??
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
took apart entire top end again, checked all the gaskets etc the head gasket in the rear was the wrong one thankfuly it didn't rip apart and drop down etc didn't look like any damage now I am able to turn wheel and swith gears however as soon as I put spark plugs in I can only turn for a small rotation then seems like the spark plug is stopping it not sure how this would be possible though all the gaskets same size as before and in correct spot... only thing I can think off is maybe I did install of push rods wrong as far as TDC I did that with piston as far down as possible on front then rotated and did back and other thing was something about be able to turn the push rod???? don't really see how that is possible... also all was done with bike in 5th gear
it was the rear head gasket and as far as the TDC that's what I thought but I asked mechanic at local Harley shop to make sure and he tells me to do it other way and yes rear wheel can be turned without spark plugs in and push rods the stock kind none adjustable however the manual states something along the lines of being able to turn the push rods before cranking engine in one of the notes on page 3-23 if you have manual,
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
it was the rear head gasket and as far as the TDC that's what I thought but I asked mechanic at local Harley shop to make sure and he tells me to do it other way and yes rear wheel can be turned without spark plugs in and push rods the stock kind none adjustable however the manual states something along the lines of being able to turn the push rods before cranking engine in one of the notes on page 3-23 if you have manual,
it sounds like you did everything ok, the noise may have been the gaskets not being right or just the lifters not being pumped up....I say try and start it.....with the stock push rods, you can install them with the pistons at the bottom (or near) so that they don't push the valves into the pistons before they bleed down the lifters, just make sure and wait a good while before you turn the motor to where the pistons are at the top...
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