Originally Posted by HeatherC
Update - So he got the new oil pump installed and everything back together and it went well. He checked the cam plate and it appears to be fine (not bent or cracked). Got the adjustable push rods installed and everything back together. The bike fired up and ran great. Then tick, tick, tick, dead. Got it home after a long ordeal which included pushing a 800lb bike for 2 miles. One of the push rods was lose. So he readjusted them and tried again. Same thing but this time it's a different pushrod. Then same thing agian. The first failures were on the the rear intake..one failure on the front intake, last fail was on rear intake and exhaust. He says he thinks the lifters are not staying charged with oil? And ideas?
Originally Posted by HeatherC
Update - So he got the new oil pump installed and everything back together and it went well. He checked the cam plate and it appears to be fine (not bent or cracked). Got the adjustable push rods installed and everything back together. The bike fired up and ran great. Then tick, tick, tick, dead. Got it home after a long ordeal which included pushing a 800lb bike for 2 miles. One of the push rods was lose. So he readjusted them and tried again. Same thing but this time it's a different pushrod. Then same thing agian. The first failures were on the the rear intake..one failure on the front intake, last fail was on rear intake and exhaust. He says he thinks the lifters are not staying charged with oil? And ideas?


Heather and HDWG when I did my cams I left the oil pump in situ on the back of the camplate and reinstalled the same way no problems (just like in the video).

Anyway -- about those adjustable pushrods loosening up. I had the same problem after my install using the SE adjustable tapered pushrod kit. After 3 of the 4 lock nuts backed off 25 miles from home I used a little RED locktite on the lock nuts which worked out fine.

Later in the year when I changed the lifters the pushrod lock nuts all came free just nicely with a little bit of grunt using the same wrenches I installed them with.
Hope you get it sorted out!

 

Not having issue with the lock nuts coming loose..they stay tight...it is the bottom part that comes loose where it hits the lifter..still with cam plate looking like it needs replaced..hope to go right together after that.

 

My apologies to you if this sounds like I'm being rude (not intended) but let me break this down to individual elements for my understanding:

Are you your using SE adjustable pushrods?
You tightened the lock nut which is meant to lock the upper and lower sections of the pushrods, and your finding that the lower segment is loosening up and the pushrod is failing safe, i.e. collapsing (shortening)?
Did you use 3 wrenches being 1 to hold the upper section and 1 to hold the lower section, and the middle one to lock the nut down tight?

If that's the case the only way that can happen is if the lock nut comes loose allowing the bottom segment of the pushrod to turn.

I would still use red locktite, do it again and after you think you have the lock nut tight put your tools on the upper segment of the p'rod to hold it and the lower segment to see if you can turn the lower segment of the p'rod.
If the lower segment still turns you haven't got the lock nut tight enough.

 

Using S&S adjustable push rods.

What I do is, finger tight the rod, no slack..I then turn it 4 complete turns, wait for at least 20 minutes...check to see if I can twist the rod with fingers, all nuts twisting with the rod..some lag in the twist then, back off one complete turn, tighten the lock nut...

 

http://www.sscycle.com/product/Twin-...it-p20789.html

 

HDWG I hope it works for you this time.
When my SE adjustables backed off it was 3 out of the 4, and fortunately I had the tools to readjust them on the side of the road - using a found soda straw to determine TDC on the pistons.
When I got home I did them again on the lift properly and decided to use the locktite. Do let us know how it goes.

 

If the pushrods are coming loose but the locknuts are still fastened properly, then it sounds like the adjustment was made when the cam was not on the base circle part of the rotation.

 

I also use a little lock tite and also use a little brake parts cleaner on the treads first to get a good dry oil free surface for the lock tite. I use a rag soaked wiith brake cleaner to clean the threads.

 

Okay.. I got it!!! I had been tightening the flipping lock bolt backwards..top instead of bottom..did not make sense to do it at top but, following instruction paperwork....It had three different things in the instructions, not separated..quickie push rods and regular adjustable are not the same...and do not tighten the same..All good though....Took it all apart and started all over..new cam plate, oil pump...started at 630 pm done at 11pm last night..started, sounded good..rode around today auto tuning and checking it out!!

Thanks for all the assistance..!!

Notice....the motor seems alittle cooler running..smoother running, shifting..sounds alot different..I likey!!!

 

Glad to read it all worked out for ya! Congrats!!