Cam Change - No Oil Pressure - Engine Rough - HELP

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 9, 2011 | 10:32 PM

#31

uscanuck

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: May 2010

Posts: 1,348

Likes: 52

From: Central Illinois

I didn't take the heads off at all. Just took the rocker covers off to use the stock pushrods. (Stock heads/gaskets etc.) I also did it this way to open the oil return on the rocker support plate as I was getting a lot of oil through the breathers.

I took the front rocker box off and the pushrods were full of oil and there was oil in the rockers. So, oil pump and pressure are okay.

I thought about just taking the lifters out to check before opening the cam chest again but will make that decision tomorrow.

I know the cams were lined up and the crank/cam sprockets as well. I was told that sometimes when you put the cam sprocket on it can shift that rear cam slightly.

Mar 9, 2011 | 11:04 PM

#32

iclick

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 11,615

Likes: 50

From: Baton Rouge, LA

Quote:

Originally Posted by uscanuck

Let it run and no way it is changing. I took a video with my phone but don't know how to post it.

Looks like it all has to come apart again. I'm guessing the cams must be off by a tooth or one of the lifters is shot. My guess is the lifter. Maybe I'll just take the front rocker off and pushrods out and just take a look at the lifters.

When you take it apart, pull each lifter and give it a shot of oil in the hole in the side with an oil gun. That'll pump them up and you shouldn't have any clattering if your problem is a lifter. If you replaced the lifters with new ones that may be the cause of your noise, and I hope that's all it is. I had this happen on my old Evo and it sounded like a hammer clobbering the inside the motor. One lifter wouldn't pump up, or at least I chickened-out before it did, so I pulled them back out for a shot with the oil gun. That did it.

It'd be good to see that video and listen for ourselves. Try posting on YouTube.

Last edited by iclick; Mar 9, 2011 at 11:11 PM.

Mar 9, 2011 | 11:08 PM

#33

johnd5412

Cruiser

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 135

Likes: 11

From: South Carolina

I too have the 54H's in my Wide glide and also have an engine tap at the heads. I've experienced awesome performance gains with this noise as the trade-off so I'm pretty certain it is just some added valve noise from the more aggressive ramp.

My plan is to replace the 54H's with the 255s that I was using before....still great power just not in the midrange and the 255 cam was quiet.

My advice, if you want it is to replace the 54H's with a less aggressive cam to quiet the valve train down; otherwise get used to the tapping.

Or I could be wrong and I haven't figured out what the culprit is if there is one. In which please post your fix if there is one so I can do the same.

JD

Mar 9, 2011 | 11:58 PM

#34

mtclassic

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 3,437

Likes: 15

if you double checked your work you did not get a tooth off as it is pretty obvious that they are not lined up. I would leave the rocker cover off and put the bike in 5th and pull the plugs and spin the motor over by turning the rear wheel. Watch to make sure oil is coming up each pushrod. If you find one that is not pumping oil that is your bad lifter. It also could be that the rocker housing and a valve spring are making contact look for witness marks. with the rocker cover off and turning the motor over by hand you may hear exactly where the problem is coming from. I know it sounds basic but there have been bolts that did not get tightened that rattle. good luck.

Mar 10, 2011 | 06:29 AM

#35

Faast Ed

Banned

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 7,580

Likes: 7

From: The Internet (& Dyer, Indiana)

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnd5412

I too have the 54H's in my Wide glide and also have an engine tap at the heads. I've experienced awesome performance gains with this noise as the trade-off so I'm pretty certain it is just some added valve noise from the more aggressive ramp.

My plan is to replace the 54H's with the 255s that I was using before....still great power just not in the midrange and the 255 cam was quiet.

My advice, if you want it is to replace the 54H's with a less aggressive cam to quiet the valve train down; otherwise get used to the tapping.

Or I could be wrong and I haven't figured out what the culprit is if there is one. In which please post your fix if there is one so I can do the same.

JD

My 54's are plenty quiet. Never had noise from them.
.030 headgaskets, some shaved from the heads, stock pushrods.
No more noise than the stock cams had.

There was nothing to "trade-off" for me.

Maybe the smaller base circle bit you on the ***?

Mar 10, 2011 | 06:53 AM

#36

uscanuck

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: May 2010

Posts: 1,348

Likes: 52

From: Central Illinois

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtclassic

I've already taken the rockers off and when I removed the pushrods they were full of oil. I assume this means the lifters were working.
Also, the rocker box does not look like it has any marks from being hit.