Pushrod adjustment - bleeding hydros

Bowhunter · Apr 14, 2012

The "Bleeding down" of the lifter occurs when you have put the pushrod adjustment in approximately the middle of the lifters adjustment range. After you adjust the lifter and waited the 15 minutes for it to "Bleed", you should be able to turn it freely with your fingers.
If you cannot spin it freely, you have gone past the middle of the adjustment range and the rocker arm has the valve still raised from its seat. Stop here! Do not proceed until you have the first valve properly adjusted! You will now need to back off the rod until you can turn the rod freely, then take 1 additional turn off the rod. It will be loose at this point but it will "pump" back up when the engine is ran. From here you proceed to the next lifter with your adjustments. As said before, DO NOT START the engine until you are sure you are correct on the adjustment. Numerous threads on adjustment, also a "How-To" on YOUTUBE.
Just type in: "valve adjustment on big dog" and many will come up, the video by 1easycruiser is step by step and easy to understand.
GOOD LUCK!

avdhunter · Apr 14, 2012

Ok... put the bike in 6th gear and rotate the tire several times with your pushrods backed off. I think you have the sequence correct... so just follow what the threads say to do. For clarity... when you begin extending the desired pushrod by hand... as SOON as it makes hard contact betweek lifter and rocker STOP.. this is the zero backlash you are looking for!!!! From there you will put the 3 to 4 additional turns of adjustment (extending) on your pushrod. Once you have done that.. STOP.... wait 15 min and you should be able to turn the pushrod by hand (this was the bleed down). If so then move on to the next one... It sounds like you are getting the Zero lash confused or are looking for it at the wrong time. Zero lash again will be on the initial extending the pushrod by hand. I hope this helps!

Sven · Apr 14, 2012

EOIC Bleedown 101

This is the way to figure out all this whack bleedowning. Procedure is to remember to die with this, as are your 3wV, your 3gaymigos, this is now your bay sick, don't throw up on me, this is too easy in step.

EOIC:

E = Exhaust.
O = Open.
I = Intake.
C = Close.

Concept says:

I want to watch my EO. Once I see my EO move > STOP!
I now adjust my intake's pushrod to the same cylinder.

This sends you on the lowest point of the base circle of the cam so you know, once a valve moves, you gotta stop or you climb off the base (lowest point to set the intake).

Where do I start? I know if I watch my intake push the valve open, I know this is the intake stroke. Once I see the intake's valve;

Intake Close = EYE STOP!

I now set the exhaust valve on that same cylinder. Eyes are keen. Stop is paramount. Now, if you had bleedown and the spin of the pushrod threads are whatever turns; Did not the twisting into the bleed, sort of bleed that oil down and out of the lifter? It needs pressure to hold that rod open to max lift. Go to the next valve, or wait ha half a day?

This make it any easier :whoop:

stlmikie · Apr 14, 2012

Dumb question.
How are you looking at the valves?

Sven said:
This is the way to figure out all this whack bleedowning. Procedure is to remember to die with this, as are your 3wV, your 3gaymigos, this is now your bay sick, don't throw up on me, this is too easy in step.

EOIC:

E = Exhaust.
O = Open.
I = Intake.
C = Close.

Concept says:

I want to watch my EO. Once I see my EO move > STOP!
I now adjust my intake's pushrod to the same cylinder.

This sends you on the lowest point of the base circle of the cam so you know, once a valve moves, you gotta stop or you climb off the base (lowest point to set the intake).

Where do I start? I know if I watch my intake push the valve open, I know this is the intake stroke. Once I see the intake's valve;

Intake Close = EYE STOP!

I now set the exhaust valve on that same cylinder. Eyes are keen. Stop is paramount. Now, if you had bleedown and the spin of the pushrod threads are whatever turns; Did not the twisting into the bleed, sort of bleed that oil down and out of the lifter? It needs pressure to hold that rod open to max lift. Go to the next valve, or wait ha half a day?

This make it any easier

minermark · Apr 14, 2012

pknowles said:
Morning Sven.

X2

V · Apr 14, 2012

Germanbiker said:
Hmmmmmmmmm,

I try tp put it into a few words:

1. I adjusted all pushrods according to the instructions + video I found here.
I had a stiff zero lash at every pushrod. After bleeding down I could turn the push rods with my fingers - so everything was ok.

2. I tried to adjust one pushrod again, why doesn't matter here

3. As this is the second!! adjustment on specially this pushrod, I did NOT have that stiff feeling for zero lash: Because the hydraulic lifter already bled down???

The feeling on this hydraulic lifter was much softer - may be because the oil pressure was gone and I was only touching the inner spring of the hydraulic lifter?

As I can turn the rear wheel without any odd noise or anything stiff I can feel, I think I will run the engine with the starter only and without spark plugs.
I hope I can get oil pressure into this one hydrulic lifter again and will solve all "problems".

Jochen

You don't need to turn the engine with the starter exspecialy with loose pushrods

anic2:
. As noted above loosen all push rods, remove the engine plugs, put bike in 5th or 6th gear and rotate the rear tire a bit. This will turn the engine and you should get oil pumped up in the lifters.

Brew · Apr 14, 2012

How old are your lifters and how many miles on them. Could be a bad lifter (Collapsed)

avdhunter · Apr 14, 2012

DO NOT crank that engine... from what I am reading you made adjustment to a pushrod... it bled down as was supposed to... then you decided to extend the pushrod some more? Go back and loosen ALL the pushrods... turn the engine over several times with the back tire... this WILL pump your lifters back up. As already mentioned and as in video .... rear cyl valve all way open ... adjust front... go to "Zero Lash" by hand then put your 3-4 full turns of adjustment by wrench. Now let bleed down for 15 min. If at this point you can turn pushrod by hand tighten locknut and you are DONE with that valve!!!! move on to the next one.... do not make anymore adjustments to it!!!

Sven · Apr 14, 2012

G-Morning...

stlmikie said:
How are you looking at the valves?

I sort of guided you to one of the [how to find your specific] strokes. The following stroke is the compression stroke [once the intake closes].

So, I can walk up to any internal combustible, watch my intake open the valve. My 4 strokes read; intake-compression-power-exhaust. I find my intake stroke when setting valves. Once that intake valve begins to close, that is my compression stroke next, meaning, both valves are closed.

This is at TDC. AT this position, I can set the cam timing, plus valve lash. If the engine calls for the valve lash to be set at TDC (top dead center), then your engine calls for the compression stroke to set the valve lash. This is when you set both intake and exhaust together. No chasing valve position, but setting crank to piston position instead. Think of one being set at TDC. The other lash can be set at EOIC.

The same heel is at the EOIC placements. This says, you can get away doing an EOIC adjustment on a multi cylinder; TDC style of valve lash. Either one works. The EOIC is more accurate. That is why the twin is set this way. One's style of killing two birds the same way.

V · Apr 14, 2012

Germanbiker said:
Did what you told me :flag:.

The one hydraulic tappet still feels softer than the others .

Will let it sit until tomorrow. Just left the garage (now 7.30 pm here) and going to have a few of these here:

Jochen

Enjoy the beer!

Yes I have had one go bad at low miles. Front exhaust. Was full of what looked like grease. Would kinda bleed down when sitting and took about 5 seconds to pump back up. made a loud ticking. I had to replace that one.

Little-Boo · Apr 15, 2012

Germanbiker said:
I have a problem understanding the bleeding of the hydraulic lifters .

Just installed my 585 cam and found that the cam cover gasket form S&S does not fit well - so I had to cut and adjust it . The HD gasket also do not fit.....

First I adjusted the front exhaust pushrod, then the rear one.

I became unsure that this was the correct way as the rear pushrod was under (little) pressure all the time when doing the front one.

I thought the hydro could have bled down a little (I had collapsed all pushrods totally!), but there still was a very little pressure......

So I decided to do it again - but:

The rear pushrod did not have a "hard" zero lash point after it bled down completely when adjusting it the first time . In contrary the others all had an easy to feel zero lash point.......

I also could push the spring in the hydraulic lifter with my fingers pretty easily - no hard pressure point.

Is that normal???

Fortunately I still had the marks on the upper and lower parts of my pushrod from my first adjustment. So I took the first very small resistance as zero lash and the marks did fit....
I also could spin the pushrod after the rest of the oil bled down...

Just another question:
How can I get oil pressure into the hydraulic lifters after bleeding down?

I appreciate any help on this as I do not want to break anything on my baby

Jochen

Watch this video

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5KvamRqCis]Cam Replacement on a Harley Davidson Twin Cam, including Pushrod Removal[/ame]

Brew · Apr 15, 2012

Good video Boo... :2thumbs:

erldawg · Apr 15, 2012

very good video. I'm getting ready to do mine so I'll try his method. Well with the exception I have the primary off so I'll turn it with a socket.....

Pushrod adjustment - bleeding hydros

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