push rods

[2000ultra]

how many turns on the stock shovel push rods? thanks in advance merry x-mas to all and to all aaaaa somethin somethin ..........

[ramcr913]

Stock shovel with factory hydraulic lifters = 4 turns.

[nuts4shovels]

I've read another method--be  sure piston is aT td   --- collapse lifter on heal of cam and raise it 2 and half turns.  Maybe this

ends in the same place.  any  comments appreciated.

Nuts

[Old Crow]

I always count the turns from zero lash to fully collapsed, and back off half of 'em.

[Little Al]

The below came from Samuel, the Shovelhead God of HTT. It still can be found on the msn htt, but I have it on my computer because I need it everytime! lol



Here's how I do it:

1. Remove the push rod retaining clips and the spark plugs. Remove the timing cover.

2. Rotate the engine in the normal direction until you see the intake push rod on the front cylinder go all the way up and start back down. Now watch the points cam and when the points start to open on the narrow lobe the front cylinder is at top dead center and the valves on the front cylinder are closed.

3. Loosen the lock nuts on the front cylinder push rods. Now loosen the push rod adjuster until you get some up and down play. Now turn the adjuster down until there is no play in the push rod. Now look at the lock nut. You should have a slit in one side. Turn it around until the slit is facing out. Turn just the lock nut, not the adjuster. Now using this cut as a guide, turn the adjuster down 4 complete turns. Now, turn the adjuster 1/2 turn more!. Now lock the adjuster with the lock nut. Go to the other push rod on the front cylinder and repeat the adjustment of the front cylinder.

Once you have done both pushrods for the front cylinder, walk away from the bike and get a cup of 40 weight. You MUST let the front cylinder lifters bleed down before going any further. This takes about 15 minutes. When they have complertely bled down you shouild be able to rotate them between your fingers.

4. Now go to the rear cylinder. Turn the engine over until you see the push rod for the rear cylinder intake go all the way up and start back down. Now keep turning until you see the points open on the wide lobe of the cam.

5. Now adjust the rear push rods exactly as above.

A couple of things that helps; 1. hold the pushrod cover up so that you can adjust with an auto carb return spring hooked under the cover and onto the head. It's much better than a clothes pin. 2. The extra 1/2 turn comes out to 4 turns when you lock down the lock nut on the adjuster. 3. Do not forget to let the rear cylinder lifters bleed down before turning the engine over.

Now button up the push rod covers, reinstall the plugs and the timing cover and go ride. Samuel

[FSG]

Little Al that post and many more by Samuel has been in the History Section of the New HTT for quite some time.

Shovelhead Hydraulic Lifter by Samuel  (http://harleytechtalk.net/htt/index.php?topic=911.0)
« on: 10 November 2008, 22:25:16 »

[Little Al]

Thanks!

I hadn't realized they'd been copied over here. I live by some of that stuff and would be afraid to use my memory which is why I saved many of them on my computer. I'm glad they're here.

Although HTT has been absolutely invaluable to me over the years and just about every post gives me some knowledge or insight into my Harley's there are in fact a few guys that for me, have made HTT a can't live without place. I won't mention who they are as I know i'd leave some out and would hate to insult them. Suffice to say, thanks to EVERYONE that contributes to HTT.

Little Al

[67flh]

One more small but important step when adjusting pushrods...... when you are done, roll the motor by hand, wheel off the ground and tranny in 4th.
If you have screwed up, and your engine binds because a valve is hitting a piston, its much more forgiving to find out this way rather than by hitting the start button or the kicker.

[Sonny Munns]

The roller on the front exhaust lifter got wiped out a while back and I've got things back together on my '78 Shovel that I've never had to adjust the lifters in. Stock hydraulic units, and cam, I bled them and followed the book which said to bottom out the lifters with the valves closed and back them off 1 1/2 turns. Did this and the valves were too tight, motor wouldn't spin. why does the book say this?
The 4 1/2 turns here sounds better, but I think I had to back them off more than that for the motor to spin freely. I'll try it again tonight...

[Little Al]

follow my copy and paste of Samual's method or Sir Garfield's link to Samual's procedure, either way it's exactly the same and you will NOT go wrong with that method.