SE pushrods set lifter preload at 3.25, good or bad, instructions say 2.5 turns

[les]

S&S says, 4 full turns (32 TPI) which comes to @ .125. That's where I run mine.

This, again, confuses me.  It's the lifter manufacturer who should specify where they want it set at...not the company that makes the sticks.  Are you talking about the lifter or the pushrod instructions?

For example, I had a set of Fueling lifters and their instructions said to set them at around .095".

[gabbyduffy]

                I just want to throw something out there and see if anybody else has ever experienced something like this........ After I tore down my rocker boxes, drilled out rocker support oil return, I put the rocker back together and adjusted PR to 3 turns.....
                The bike never ran so well before, the motor runs stronger, motor vibrates less or maybe just vibrates different. (Is it possible that I could have changed the geometry in the motor by putting the rockers back together slightly differently.) ..................or is this all in my head! .........be honest 

[No Cents]

 
Here's a little trick I learned a long time ago on the rocker arm supports...which you may have done this without even knowing is:
Push and hold the rocker arm supports as far right (to the cam side) as they will go, keeping them straight...then torque them down at this point. It will help keep valve geometry more in line...which = a more smoother, quieter valvetrain.
Just my 2 cents...from No Cents

117" darkhorse build...all smiles !!!

[Ancient]

S&S says, 4 full turns (32 TPI) which comes to @ .125. That's where I run mine.

This, again, confuses me.  It's the lifter manufacturer who should specify where they want it set at...not the company that makes the sticks.  Are you talking about the lifter or the pushrod instructions?

For example, I had a set of Fueling lifters and their instructions said to set them at around .095".

I don't know the total stroke in your Fueling lifters but with cylinder growth from cold to operating temp, you are not going to have much preload left. I like .150" in the "B" lifters. It's worked well for me.

[WhipLash96]

What is wrong with setting at 0 lash??

[smoserx1]

What is wrong with setting at 0 lash??

Remember another person posting on here that the engine can expand vertically up to 0.060 inches when hot?  If you set them at zero lash (no preload) then there is going to be actual slop when the engine heats up and youi will have noise and wear.  A valve train that starts off quiet and gets loud when hot may be caused by insufficient preload.

[No Cents]

What is wrong with setting at 0 lash??

running at 0 lash???    are you kidding? 
You have to preload a hydraulic lifter...if not the p/rod would be bouncing off the top of the lifter and it would be slapping at the rocker arm...before you knew it the thing would go "kaboom". Ugly results would follow.
Just my 2 cents...from No Cents

117" Darkhorse build...all smiles !!!

[Horizonmech]

doesn't anyone remember solid lifters..........goood god you guys are pups ........

[WhipLash96]

What is wrong with setting at 0 lash??

running at 0 lash???    are you kidding? 
You have to preload a hydraulic lifter...if not the p/rod would be bouncing off the top of the lifter and it would be slapping at the rocker arm...before you knew it the thing would go "kaboom". Ugly results would follow.
Just my 2 cents...from No Cents

117" Darkhorse build...all smiles !!!

http://www.ehow.com/about_5102025_valve-lash.html Really? The hole point of hydraulic lifters is to eliminate the process of setting valve lash.  If enough pressure exists, there really should not be an issue.

[No Cents]

doesn't anyone remember solid lifters..........goood god you guys are pups ........

Yep...been around quit sometime...I remember solid lifters, had them, ran them. Correct me if I'm wrong on a solid lifter...the pushrod length was the proper length to get the valves to open at the desired lift. Not a hydraulic lifter...a totally different animal...it needs preloaded for the valvetrain to work properly...not 0 lash.
No Cents

[hrdtail78]

Solids on my old 78 were also set to zero lash.  Nothing to preload.  Preload equaled non shutting vavles.  This is a real power robber.

I don't understand the statement of PR length.  A customer was talking about it with me the other day.  He couldn't understand why his 258 with .224 TDC lift was affecting his piston to vavle contact because he had .030 shorter SE PR's.

[Admiral Akbar]

He couldn't understand why his 258 with .224 TDC lift was affecting his piston to vavle contact because he had .030 shorter SE PR's.

Max

[HotRock]

Never heard so many theories.   Hydraulic lifters are very tolerent of preload adjustments.  A lifter really doesn't care where it operates as long as it's within it's hydraulic range.  Remember the purpose of the hyrdraulic lifter is to compansate for heat changes and well as wear and to keep valve lash at 0.  There are however, some issues with starting if you have a leak down of the lifter which can cause increased cranking compression and then starter kickback.  I like to do what one post said and just set the things one turn from the lifter bottomed.     As a side note, when running solid lifters you must also run cams that are ground for solid lifters.  They always have a valve lash setting with clearance for heat expansion.  You cannot run solid lifter on a cam ground for hydraulic lifters because they are ground to run at 0" lash.   If you run solid lifters, at say .018" lash, they will be extremely noisy because hydraulic cams do not have 'clearence ramps" ground into the cam profile.  Additionally, duration and lift would suffer because of the added lash.  I'll get off my soapbox now.

[No Cents]

Never heard so many theories.   Hydraulic lifters are very tolerent of preload adjustments.  A lifter really doesn't care where it operates as long as it's within it's hydraulic range.  Remember the purpose of the hyrdraulic lifter is to compansate for heat changes and well as wear and to keep valve lash at 0.  There are however, some issues with starting if you have a leak down of the lifter which can cause increased cranking compression and then starter kickback.  I like to do what one post said and just set the things one turn from the lifter bottomed.     As a side note, when running solid lifters you must also run cams that are ground for solid lifters.  They always have a valve lash setting with clearance for heat expansion.  You cannot run solid lifter on a cam ground for hydraulic lifters because they are ground to run at 0" lash.   If you run solid lifters, at say .018" lash, they will be extremely noisy because hydraulic cams do not have 'clearence ramps" ground into the cam profile.  Additionally, duration and lift would suffer because of the added lash.  I'll get off my soapbox now.

Thats exactly what I'm saying. If you take a .200 travel hydraulic lifter and run the pushrod to the bottom...and then backed it off 1 full turn...it would end up around the .140-.150 preload...that's what I've been saying all along. Once the motor comes up to full temp and expands...your lifter will be loaded at almost mid travel...perfect.

No Cents

[Admiral Akbar]

Remember another person posting on here that the engine can expand vertically up to 0.060 inches when hot?

No it cant..
Max

[hrdtail78]

If the engine is growing that much. I wonder how much the pushrods them self grow. How about cylinder studs?

[Hillside Motorcycle]

Why did Iron XL's have aluminum pushrods?

[hrdtail78]

Weight?  Brings up a good point of adjusting aluminum different than chromemoly.

[FSG]

I'm still running a set of JIMs Titanium PR's.

[cody]

I installed Gaterman lifters , S.E. forged rocker supports and S.E. pushrods in my '09 Street Glide. (stock cams)  While doing so I dug up an old thread from 2006 by Blackhills Ken on Pushrod adjustment vs. valvetrain noise, pretty long thread, over 400 posts. He experimented with adjustments from 1 1/2 to 4 turns.
I first set at 2 1/2 turns per instructions, then 3 and then 3 1/2, valvetrain noise did not seem to be reduced. Then I tried 2 turns with noticeable  less noise. This also was Blackhills Ken's observation. Thought being that more oil in the lifter ( because of less turns) makes for more of a cushion.

[les]

What is interesting about cody's post (along side of all the other posts) is that it appears there are conflicting experimental results.  This might boil down to "to each his own".

[gabbyduffy]

I installed Gaterman lifters , S.E. forged rocker supports and S.E. pushrods in my '09 Street Glide. (stock cams)  While doing so I dug up an old thread from 2006 by Blackhills Ken on Pushrod adjustment vs. valvetrain noise, pretty long thread, over 400 posts. He experimented with adjustments from 1 1/2 to 4 turns.
I first set at 2 1/2 turns per instructions, then 3 and then 3 1/2, valvetrain noise did not seem to be reduced. Then I tried 2 turns with noticeable  less noise. This also was Blackhills Ken's observation. Thought being that more oil in the lifter ( because of less turns) makes for more of a cushion.

Do you have a link for this thread?......... Interesting concept less preload = less noise....... sounds like a informative read.

[Admiral Akbar]

What is interesting about cody's post (along side of all the other posts) is that it appears there are conflicting experimental results.  This might boil down to "to each his own".

Not sure I agree with this.. Handlebars, seats, chrome vs black, skulls vs fins are all "to each his own"  Lifter adjustment done for quietness is based on the components.. The components are more than likely what defines the best lifter preload.. Guys that figure they have the ultimate solution for lifter adjustment are just stroking themselves.. It's like the best jetting, best exhaust etc..   This question come up every couple weeks.. And there is no one answer for all..

http://harleytechtalk.com/htt/index.php/topic,54498.msg575283.html#msg575283

I could find more..

Max

[gabbyduffy]

            Thank you Max....... I was listening to my rocker box noise the other night and thought to myself " I wonder how many guys are mistaken rocker noise for reversion noise from the throttle body"........ 
           
            Anybody have any advice on how to distinguish one from the other?...... (reversion -verses- rocker noise) ........ 

[les]

But Max, you have to agree with two things:

1)  Hydraulic lifters have a lot of slop.
2)  There are folks who are posting conflicting experimental results.

1) + 2) = it really don't matter too awful much what you set them at.