Push rods and lifters

[ChopperFred]

I'm coming up on 10K miles on my Chopper and I'm hearing a rattle that I think is coming from the rocker box area. It increases with engine RPM. I'm trying to learn enough about wrenching in order to do the maintenance myself. So I have a question for the Forum wrenches. If I check the push rods and find a little too much end-play, how do you know if it is due to:
1) a little wear on the push rod - requiring an adjustment (lengthening) or
2) a bad lifter that isn't pressurizing?

Thanks in advance,
Fred

 

[dingo]

Search is your friend :2thumbs: !!

Lots of posts already exist on how to adjust pushrods and leak down tests....

 

[Dakotabos]

Rods

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/463-pushrod-adjustment-how-pics.html

 

[ChopperFred]

Maybe I wasn't clear... I know how to adjust pushrods. My question is what are the symptoms of a bad lifter? So if the pushrod is loose, how do you know if it's a lifter problem or a pushrod needing an adjustment?

 

[Little-Boo]

Maybe I wasn't clear... I know how to adjust pushrods. My question is what are the symptoms of a bad lifter? So if the pushrod is loose, how do you know if it's a lifter problem or a pushrod needing an adjustment?

If you have a bad lifter you will have a miss fire. Sometimes hydraulic lifers will stick and can cause a misfire on any engine. If you have noisy lifers with adjustable push rods they can be adjusted. If you have noisy lifers with none adjustable push rods than I would replace the lifter and push rod. My two cents worth

Carlos

 

[Firestream]

Fred,

Do you know if you have TP or S&S rocker boxes? My 05 chopper had the TP set-up and caused valve guide wear and BDM replaced the heads, cylinders, pistons and rocker boxes (S&S) I noticed increased noise in the boxes to the point I could hear the racket over my pipes at highway speed. Very poor oiling of the top-end with the TP set up. No problems with the new S&S set up and much quieter...

 

[ChopperFred]

Fred,

Do you know if you have TP or S&S rocker boxes? My 05 chopper had the TP set-up and caused valve guide wear and BDM replaced the heads, cylinders, pistons and rocker boxes (S&S) I noticed increased noise in the boxes to the point I could hear the racket over my pipes at highway speed. Very poor oiling of the top-end with the TP set up. No problems with the new S&S set up and much quieter...

I have S&S rockers. I did open the front rocker box this past summer to replace a compression release that had stuck (rusted) closed. I torqued everything to spec, but could be something a little loose. I'll check the push rods endplay first and adjust them if necessary. I hear that the locking nut on the pushrods are on very tight. Thanks.

 

[Raywood]

I'm coming up on 10K miles on my Chopper and I'm hearing a rattle that I think is coming from the rocker box area. It increases with engine RPM.
Thanks in advance,
Fred

Have you cleaned out the tappet screen lately?

 

[lee]

good point Raymond

 

[RVH]

Not to hijack Fred's thread but I think I have a lifter thats sticking. Just crank up and noticed it missing a little with a faint tapping sound from the heads. Finally warmed up and started running right. Figured it was just cold.(about 58 here right now) Got about 2 miles down the road and it started missing again and I could hear a tapping sound like maybe a pushrod was loose. It would act up for a few minutes then level out and run good again for a few minutes. Got home and put the old wooden dowel stethoscope to the heads. Definately sounds like its the pushrod making the noise. I can hear it at the rocker box and at the tappet housing...... How much trouble is it to pull the lifters to check them out?

 

[V]

Maybe I wasn't clear... I know how to adjust pushrods. My question is what are the symptoms of a bad lifter? So if the pushrod is loose, how do you know if it's a lifter problem or a pushrod needing an adjustment?

I had one go bad with about 4000 miles. Would start up and take longer than normal for the lifter to pump up and made a heavy tapping sound until it did. Replaced it with new and no more problem. Always changed the oil but I took the lifter apart and it had shit in it that looked like mud. Screen was always clean.

But as Ray said check the screen first:2thumbs:

 

[ChopperFred]

Have you cleaned out the tappet screen lately?

I cleaned out the tappet screen at the last service, but not recently. I plan on doing the 10K service very soon and will definitely do that. I just wanted to get all the ideas out so I can plan on what items to do first, etc. Thanks for the suggestion.