Missfiring after lifter bleed / push rod adjustment

I had a guy come over this weekend and adjust my push rods and bleed my lifters. What a bitch getting those damm covers back on. Anyway, he put it all back, we fired it up and now it misfires. Since the rods are intake / exhaust I am thinking one is off.

Do you think he tightened the push rods to much? Did not bleed the lifters right? I dont want to burn through my valves. Its also tapping from the rear rods.

I took a chance with this guy. He had a shop 15 years ago back in NY and had the same bike but he lost allot of brain cells since. I tried to help out a guy living on the street.

I am afraid to start it until I resolve this.

What do you think a shop would charge to look the entire bike over, adjust my carburater, maybe re-adjust my push rods, fine tune it? I am trying to get all I can get done on my own before taking it in for the final tune.

Thanks. You guys really help out. I plan to return the favor and reply to questions after I get this bike all tuned.

I live in Ocean Beach, CA

I guess I am going to have to double check his work, arggggg......

If anyone is near me and want to take a stab at tuning my ride I got cash. I want this to run like it came off the showroom floor.

My number is (949) 689-0449 and I am working from home today.

Jeff

I have the HD Manual

Its a bit vague aon the procedure but I took notes from the posting and other forums.,

oil blow back

I forgot to mession I have some oil blowback as well now. This is the reason I suspect a bad job on the rod adjustment.

Help someone come to my rescue.

I am taking it to the shop this afternoon I think if I cant figure this out myself.

PH: (949) 689-0449
Ocean Beach, CA

Often when pushrods are adjusted that puny O-ring is either damaged (hope not) or just not seated right, causing oil to exhaust in a fine mist that can collect on the carb side of the engine and make one think it is coming from the carb. If it is simply not seated right, one can often get it to seat right by gently (but not too wimpily) twisting and rocking the pushrods while they are still in place. This is a problem that even the best wrenches can't know occurred until the bike has been operated at high load for at least a couple minutes, and most won't test ride your bike at high speeds for a bazillion reasons. Mess with it a bit then take her out for some higher load run and see if it is cured. Good luck!

i think if i were in your situation i'd go find that guy and :rant: and maybe have em end up:injured: but of course thats me:devil:

bent rod / bent covers

I opened all 4 covers to inspect the rods. The one closest tp the rear is bent. Both of the rear covers are bent and the top seat is warped cause my homeless wrench used a screwdriver and mallet to push them up,argggggg. Aluminum bends easy.

OMG! :gah:

I guess you figger'd out now that some folks are homeless for a reason....

Now you've some work to do. If you pay someone else, expect about $300 in labor - at least: depends on whether he's trustworthy. Too many aren't, as this forum attests to. You're already in there, so I'd think you could finish it yourself, if you've the patience and inclination. Sorry to hear that it didn't work out with the wretched wrencher.

Unless someone can tune it perfect for cheap

I have rebuilt engines, my trani on my 87 sporty, just rebuilt a ninja 750r, I am very good butmy time is worth more now. If someone can tune it perfect for under $150 at this point I will pay out or else I will do the rest of the work myself.

end up

I hearc yoi skull but i figure its my fault for trusting him. When he came over at 10am with a beer in hand i shpuld have took it as a sign. I take full blame.

Like the others said, adjusting hydraulic lifters ain't no big deal, you can do it. Get a manual. Make sure the lifter is at its lowest position you can do this by making sure the same lifter (intake or exhaust) is at its highest position in the other cylinder. Loosen the push rod until you get noticable shake, hand turn it down until you get no shake and wrench it down 4 full turns. After the lifter bleeds down (give it about a minute or two) you should be able to turn your push rod by hand. That is one way to do it and will get you close enough. Now then, hope this didnt happen but if your fried brain friend set them too tight there is the possibility that he bent a valve stem. That means the top end will have to come off. You should be able to hear a bent valve stem pretty easy. GOOD LUCK Oh and make sure your telescoping adjuster nuts are wrenched down good and tight. AL

Man, the first thing you need to do is BUY THE BOOK!!!! It is the single most important tool in your box and will save you much money in the long run. If one of your push rods is bent, you possibly have more trouble in the top end of the valve train. You can't straighten out a bent pushrod so you'll most likely need to get a full set. Once you get the manual, read the procedure at least 3 times so it will sink in before you cost yourself more money. And lastly, take it slow, if you can comprehend the book and know which end of a wrench to hold, you can adjust the valve train without any problems.

I have the HD Manual / How do I check my valves

I bought the Harley Davidson service manual the day I took this shovel home. I had someone else do the work is the propblem, never again. I have new rods and covers on there way. The book does not tell how to troubleshoot or check things. Maybe the Clamers version does? How do I check the valves without ripper her apart?

Do you think I need to over new vales as well to be sure? I want to get this all fixed up this weekend if the parts get here in time.

I am thinking maybe I should open the top end and see if any valves are bent as well. Is there a way to check this without opening her up?

I am thinking if I have to replace the valves I might as well open her all the way up down to the pistons and check everything. I dont want to if I dont have to.

Thanks all.

missfiring after bleed

Not sure if you can remove your pushrods without taking the heads off. i have a 93 softail and have tried it to no avail I belive crane, S&S and fueler have pushrods that you can install without removing the heads all ya do is take a pair of bolt cutters and cut out your old pushrods. If your able to replace your pushrods w/out removing the heads adjust them the way it states in the book even before ya put the covers back on ya can do a compression test to see if your valve is bent. Good Luck

I wouldn't pull the heads just yet. I assume you still have your old push rods. Roll them on a piece of glass or mirror to confirm they are not bent. Next put them back in and adjust as I described, oh and you dont have to take off the heads to install push rods. Fire it up and cross your fingers. if you have a bent valve there should be a very noticable noise, like a clank. Harleys shovels are pretty forgiving so Im hoping you dont get a clank clank. If you do and you are not sure which valve it is then take a screw driver (a Craftsman one that is rounded on the end works well) and put the screw driver on the shovel part of the head start with rear exhaust (last push rod to the back jug) put the round part of the screw driver on your ear, like a doctor would use a stefascope and you can hear which valve is making the noise, that way you only have to pull one head. On the other paw if you dont get a lot of bad engine noise it might still be a good time for a compression test you should be within five ponunds variation between cylinder. i recently ran one on my shovel and got 115 psi and 113 psi but Ive seen motors run good on a lot lessDon't wory we can talk you through this. Al

Open Throttle

I am confused about what is an open vs closed throttle. Does open mean full throttle pulled back or is it no throttle? Sorry if this is a stupid querstion.


I got a timing light last night to see if its the timing. I am checking the carburator for leaks then will do a valve bent test. Thanks guys for the awesome advise as usual.


Good stuff