Readjusting pushrods
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 570
Likes: 4
From: New Mexico
Must be a little more going on than adjusting the push rods will fix. Thats the reason for having hydrolic tappets. You should be able to put between .020 and .200 thousandths preload and they self adjust. I think the .150 preload is to make sure there is preload when the engine is hot and fully heat expanded. You never have to mess with auto engines. Maybe most of the ticking is coming from the rockers and not the lifters. There should be no reason to add preload like fast air is suggesting. Not saying that it dosen't work just saying there is no logical reason for it.
Now a question for the OP. Do you already have the preload at .125" or 3 full turns? I think you may be going a little tight at .146" or 3 1/2 turns. That only leaves .054" cushion in the lifter and that is assuming that everything you do is spot on. I think if you are already at .125" that Jim's advice, although time consuming and probably not really pleasant would be a good choice. If you are making the adjustments hot then you do have to add to what you have and not start from zero. Just be careful when you break the locknut, you want to use three wrenches as you do when you lock the nut to assure that you don't move the adjustment from where it is set.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 7
My best results were at 1/2 turn off the bottom. And yes, the hydraulic tensioner are bad to cause chain slap, especially with fast ramp cams like woods. The zippers tensioners are a worthwhile upgrade, and when I go back into mine, I will be doing that as well.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 69
From: Near Myrtle Beach, SC
Where I said "factory" I meant dealer. I was thinking that maybe the dealer had installed the adjustables for you initially.
So at 3 turns on a 24 pitch rod, you are already down .125" with your current preload. I wouldn't go past .150, but that's just me. What's the point of largely eliminating the functionality of the hydraulic lifter by going so deep? Remember a piece of paper is .005" thick, so at a preload of .150, you will have the equivalent of the thickness of 10 sheets of paper worth of lifter travel remaining in a .200 bore. Stack ten pages up and take a look, not very thick is it? And that is the amount of lifter travel you will have left if those woods lifters have a .200 bore length.
There are going to be noises, ticks, pecks, putts, rattles, and such with these motors. I have come to accept that and forget about most of what I am hearing. If it breaks, then I'll fix it.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Joe and Stone Cold, I am at .126 preload now (3 turns). The reason for the pushrods/lifter change was to eliminate the noise from the top end and I thought that I would do the cam as well. I think the biggest change has been the RPM that the noise is at, at least the highway speeds are quiet now. I have had three HD's and this is the only one that I have had the noise with. The fact that it is intermittant makes me think that I can fix it but I am wondering now if I just blew $ 850.00.
I think I will try a quarter turn more this week and see if it helps. It will tak me to .136 preload. Thinking the way a hydraulic lifter works I have my doubts but it will not take that long. My other bikes were Dynas and a sporty and the side exit pipes may have drowned the noise out.
I think I will try a quarter turn more this week and see if it helps. It will tak me to .136 preload. Thinking the way a hydraulic lifter works I have my doubts but it will not take that long. My other bikes were Dynas and a sporty and the side exit pipes may have drowned the noise out.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
Ah yes, the front exhaust! I have chased this noise and spent hundreds of dollars trying to quell this noise. My latest attempt was to install Gaterman lifters. Not much difference from the much less expensive V-Thunders that I removed. The one thing that has seemed to do the most to quiet the valve train noise is to install the Zippers / Redshift dual piston cam chain tensioners and the Axtell Oil by-pass system. I capitalized oil because they do. I can't tell you which one actually did the most to alleviate the noise because I installed both of them at the same time, but I can tell you that when I did it made a noticeable difference in the noise level from the valve train. Bob Wood told me years ago that the chain slap in the Twin Cams causes a lot of what we think is lifter noise. Of course he was trying to sell me his cam belt drive system at the time, but I really do believe he was correct.
Now a question for the OP. Do you already have the preload at .125" or 3 full turns? I think you may be going a little tight at .146" or 3 1/2 turns. That only leaves .054" cushion in the lifter and that is assuming that everything you do is spot on. I think if you are already at .125" that Jim's advice, although time consuming and probably not really pleasant would be a good choice. If you are making the adjustments hot then you do have to add to what you have and not start from zero. Just be careful when you break the locknut, you want to use three wrenches as you do when you lock the nut to assure that you don't move the adjustment from where it is set.
Now a question for the OP. Do you already have the preload at .125" or 3 full turns? I think you may be going a little tight at .146" or 3 1/2 turns. That only leaves .054" cushion in the lifter and that is assuming that everything you do is spot on. I think if you are already at .125" that Jim's advice, although time consuming and probably not really pleasant would be a good choice. If you are making the adjustments hot then you do have to add to what you have and not start from zero. Just be careful when you break the locknut, you want to use three wrenches as you do when you lock the nut to assure that you don't move the adjustment from where it is set.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,335
Likes: 5
From: CT
Must be a little more going on than adjusting the push rods will fix. Thats the reason for having hydrolic tappets. You should be able to put between .020 and .200 thousandths preload and they self adjust. I think the .150 preload is to make sure there is preload when the engine is hot and fully heat expanded. You never have to mess with auto engines. Maybe most of the ticking is coming from the rockers and not the lifters. There should be no reason to add preload like fast air is suggesting. Not saying that it dosen't work just saying there is no logical reason for it.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
One thing I heard before was it was optional to use red loctite on the jam nut. Has anyone ever did that before with these Adjustable rods? I know the FM ones they recommend it. Just wondering if it is necessary with the SE ones.
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The set I've got is 3-4 years old, I just snug the jam nuts down good, I've never had one back of yet. I would be afraid I wouldn't be able to get them loose with red on them.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
Blue Loctite probably would be a better alternative. It would still hold them in place and allow you to break them free easier if you needed to. I'll probably just put a small drop on there just for peace of mind.