Screaming Eagle adjustable pushrods for twin cam
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From: Sofia
Screaming Eagle adjustable pushrods for twin cam
Some 16 years ago (approximately) I did a lot of work to my 2000 twin cam tourer, and one was to install adjystable pushrods from Screaming Eagle.
obviously I lost the original instructions, so now I checked on the Screaming Eagle parts website for instructions, but the new style looks different and it says to adjust them from contact with 2.5 turns to preload them. Off course in the vlaves closed position on each cylinder. This sounds a lot but I really cannot remember how much my original instruction told me to preload them. Does anybody have information about older Screaming Eagle adjustable push rods? Are they the same as the new ones on SE website?
obviously I lost the original instructions, so now I checked on the Screaming Eagle parts website for instructions, but the new style looks different and it says to adjust them from contact with 2.5 turns to preload them. Off course in the vlaves closed position on each cylinder. This sounds a lot but I really cannot remember how much my original instruction told me to preload them. Does anybody have information about older Screaming Eagle adjustable push rods? Are they the same as the new ones on SE website?
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From: Sofia
did you read that on their website??? I missed that, for sure that would indicate the amount of turns if mine are the same. Thanks a ton, I will check that out even though it means removing one from my noisy engine 😶
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From: memphis
yeah...i would measure just to be sure.
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From: Sofia
That is a nice reference table for sure, but do you happen to have the pre load value for a twin cam of year 2000? Without knowing how much it needs you still dont know which value to choose from the chart.
unfortunately my official factory manual does not cover adjustable pushrods, since originals are fixed.
unfortunately my official factory manual does not cover adjustable pushrods, since originals are fixed.
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Joined: Sep 2008
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From: San Diego, CA
That is a nice reference table for sure, but do you happen to have the pre load value for a twin cam of year 2000?
Without knowing how much it needs you still don’t know which value to choose from the chart.
unfortunately my official factory manual does not cover adjustable pushrods, since originals are fixed.
Short answer:
That is a debate with no one "best answer".... IMHO, you won't go wrong adjusting your preload between 0.100" and 0.120", or follow the suggestions of the adjustable pushrod maker.
Long answer:
There are many opinions on best preload....
On a lifter such as used in the Twin Cam, the lifter movement is usually 0.200". The generally acceptable preload is around half the lifter movement at 0.100". That will give the lifter more than enough ability to adjust for the expansion (elongation) of the cylinders when the engine heats up. Many say that 0.100" is all that is necessary for a Twin Cam lifter to work properly.
However there is a bigger acceptable range of preload that won't "hurt" the engine, and many have a preference.... Most use between 0.100" to 0.140"
It is believed by many that a deeper preload can quiet an otherwise noisy Twin Cam valve train.
I know of one very popular, and very competent shop, that always puts adjustable lifters at 0.140" preload. They swear this is the answer to noisy Twin Cam valve trains. They have posted on forums that at 0.140" preload, they have never had a noisy Twin Cam valve train.
Personally, I usually go to approximately 0.125". If 0.125" is noisy, I will re-adjust up to 0.140".
There are even many, with high performance engines, who will use lifters with "limiters" in them. They start adjustments with the lifter movement bottomed out, and adjust up just a flat or two from there.
So as you see, many opinions, preferences, and schools of thought.
Good luck with your mods...
Last edited by hattitude; Jul 29, 2025 at 09:38 AM.
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From: Sofia
Short answer:
That is a debate with no one "best answer".... IMHO, you won't go wrong adjusting your preload between 0.100" and 0.120", or follow the suggestions of the adjustable pushrod maker.
Long answer:
There are many opinions on best preload....
On a lifter such as used in the Twin Cam, the lifter movement is usually 0.200". The generally acceptable preload is around half the lifter movement at 0.100". That will give the lifter more than enough ability to adjust for the expansion (elongation) of the cylinders when the engine heats up. Many say that 0.100" is all that is necessary for a Twin Cam lifter to work properly.
However there is a bigger acceptable range of preload that won't "hurt" the engine, and many have a preference.... Most use between 0.100" to 0.140"
It is believed by many that a deeper preload can quiet an otherwise noisy Twin Cam valve train.
I know of one very popular, and very competent shop, that always puts adjustable lifters at 0.140" preload. They swear this is the answer to noisy Twin Cam valve trains. They have posted on forums that at 0.140" preload, they have never had a noisy Twin Cam valve train.
Personally, I usually go to approximately 0.125". If 0.125" is noisy, I will re-adjust up to 0.140".
There are even many, with high performance engines, who will use lifters with "limiters" in them. They start adjustments with the lifter movement bottomed out, and adjust up just a flat or two from there.
So as you see, many opinions, preferences, and schools of thought.
Good luck with your mods...
That is a debate with no one "best answer".... IMHO, you won't go wrong adjusting your preload between 0.100" and 0.120", or follow the suggestions of the adjustable pushrod maker.
Long answer:
There are many opinions on best preload....
On a lifter such as used in the Twin Cam, the lifter movement is usually 0.200". The generally acceptable preload is around half the lifter movement at 0.100". That will give the lifter more than enough ability to adjust for the expansion (elongation) of the cylinders when the engine heats up. Many say that 0.100" is all that is necessary for a Twin Cam lifter to work properly.
However there is a bigger acceptable range of preload that won't "hurt" the engine, and many have a preference.... Most use between 0.100" to 0.140"
It is believed by many that a deeper preload can quiet an otherwise noisy Twin Cam valve train.
I know of one very popular, and very competent shop, that always puts adjustable lifters at 0.140" preload. They swear this is the answer to noisy Twin Cam valve trains. They have posted on forums that at 0.140" preload, they have never had a noisy Twin Cam valve train.
Personally, I usually go to approximately 0.125". If 0.125" is noisy, I will re-adjust up to 0.140".
There are even many, with high performance engines, who will use lifters with "limiters" in them. They start adjustments with the lifter movement bottomed out, and adjust up just a flat or two from there.
So as you see, many opinions, preferences, and schools of thought.
Good luck with your mods...
next will be an oil cooler (different thread) and to seperate the breathers out of the air filter.
Thanks again.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: San Diego, CA
Many thanks for the long answer, it explains it perfectly. I just did the 2,5 turns as per screaming eagle instructions and I can still hear them, especially at higher revs. I will ride it like this for this week and in the weekend I will take the pushrods out and count the tpi and adjust them first to 0.125 and see what it does. The mods happened a long time ago, I simply put new cam chain tensioners in but forgotten the amount of pre load these wanted.
next will be an oil cooler (different thread) and to seperate the breathers out of the air filter.
Thanks again.
next will be an oil cooler (different thread) and to seperate the breathers out of the air filter.
Thanks again.
Just to share a little more valve train info with you...
You will hear many tales of the crappy Harley "C" lifters. Many consider them to be substandard at best, some will be less kind in their assessment of them. Most will swap them out for better lifters any time they go into the cam chest for any reason, due to their reputation. I am one of those people.
Luckily for you, the crappy "C" lifters didn't become the OEM lifter until 2010. The early Twin Cam lifters, (ie: the no suffix part number and up through the "B" suffix HD lifters) are considered by many to be a very high quality lifter. Today those original good HD lifter designs are being offered by Topline Automotive as the #2313 Hylift Johnson lifters.
So if you hear people talking about the crappy HD lifters, you can rest comfortably knowing you have the high quality HD lifters before they switched to the crappy "C" lifters...
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 52
Likes: 17
From: Sofia
Just to share a little more valve train info with you...
You will hear many tales of the crappy Harley "C" lifters. Many consider them to be substandard at best, some will be less kind in their assessment of them. Most will swap them out for better lifters any time they go into the cam chest for any reason, due to their reputation. I am one of those people.
Luckily for you, the crappy "C" lifters didn't become the OEM lifter until 2010. The early Twin Cam lifters, (ie: the no suffix part number and up through the "B" suffix HD lifters) are considered by many to be a very high quality lifter. Today those original good HD lifter designs are being offered by Topline Automotive as the #2313 Hylift Johnson lifters.
So if you hear people talking about the crappy HD lifters, you can rest comfortably knowing you have the high quality HD lifters before they switched to the crappy "C" lifters...
You will hear many tales of the crappy Harley "C" lifters. Many consider them to be substandard at best, some will be less kind in their assessment of them. Most will swap them out for better lifters any time they go into the cam chest for any reason, due to their reputation. I am one of those people.
Luckily for you, the crappy "C" lifters didn't become the OEM lifter until 2010. The early Twin Cam lifters, (ie: the no suffix part number and up through the "B" suffix HD lifters) are considered by many to be a very high quality lifter. Today those original good HD lifter designs are being offered by Topline Automotive as the #2313 Hylift Johnson lifters.
So if you hear people talking about the crappy HD lifters, you can rest comfortably knowing you have the high quality HD lifters before they switched to the crappy "C" lifters...