Oil change to Synthetic?

NFN can you tell us a little more on the changes you made? I was to cheap to put adjustable push rods in my R/K rebuild when changing to high ratio roller tip rockers, had an annoying tick at cruising speed. Broke down this spring and installed adjustable S/E pushrods as per instructions now is all well.

Basically just swapped rocker boxes, shafts, etc from 04 to 07, swapped cam gear cover from 04 to 07, (pulled my bushing and installed in the new cover), and installed a new chrome primary cover. I'm assuming there is a tic ported over from the donor bike in the rocker box shafts, but my local dealer says that all is normal. I never had a tic before is my complaint, so how can it be normal?

If you swapped rocker shafts, that is the place I would start looking first. Just curious, why didn't you just swap the whole assembly? Was there excessive wear on the originals?

I did swap complete assemblies, went from wrinkle finish gray to chrome on all components. So I now have the donor bike's rocker boxes with their shafts. And now I have a wee little tic noise I never had with my old ones.

Priced up Mobil 1 oil, need to buy by the case, 6 weeks away. Got tired of being told the noise was normal, pulled rocker boxes for further inspection, found this wear at each bushing closest to the pushrod. Seem worn kind of oval when you wiggle the shaft in it.
Thinking of replacing with the Screamin Eagle rocker arms. Anybody use these yet?

I have the SE roller rockers in my FLTR. I like them, no issues, for you there is no need for roller rockers unless you are super anal like me. Does HD offer an SE rocker for Sportsters?

So,you used your original rocker arms but used the shafts from the bike you got the chrome covers ??

This was my question here.

I thought the rockers and shafts should stay with their original boxes due to wearing in, so all moving parts stayed with their original home. When I swapped to the 07 chrome boxes, I also received the rocker arms and shafts, which I used on my motor. In hindsight, I should have checked these bushings while all was apart, and I did not. Noob error, I guess. Sad part is two visits to the dealer later, (thankfully no bill!)and I'm the one who finds the bushings worn a wee bit oval at the end near the pushrods. Is this normal for Sportsters?

I would guess the new bushings have to be reamed after install to ensure all is true? Anybody know where to buy proper sized reamer, or just take all to machine shop and let em at it?

I guess what I am suggesting is that you could have just swapped the entire support plate assembly, rockers and all to the new boxes. Shit happens. Chalk it up as a learning experience.

Or just buy a set of rockers from Harley or S&S and call it a day. How do the shafts themselves look?

No longer have the original parts, swapped with a guy who went all powdercoated black with my old stuff. Left the old shafts and rockers in the old boxes as I was not sure if the arm length and travel height were the same, 07 boxes were a bit redesigned. Turned out all valvetrain geometry was the same, only seals and breather system different.Guys at the dealer say that as far as the tic, some do and some don't. I want one that don't.
Thinking on the Screamin Eagle rocker shafts, but $550 plus 13%(or14%?) sales tax hurts a wee bit. I can get the old bushings out and press in the new ones, just the reaming part I am unfamiliar with.

Shafts look A1. No scoring at the bushing contact areas. Bushings look iffy, and the shaft has noticeable up and down wiggle at the side the pushrod is near. Two of 4 bushings with play are blackened and quite worn, other two with wear and play, Ends near the valves are good. If I'm in it anyway, it will get all bushings replaced.
Checked pushrods, all are straight and clean, with no marks where they might have touched pushrod tubes when hot and expanded.

Found a local machine shop to ream the bushings, they do performance car stuff usually but tackle some bike jobs now and again. Familiar with H-D products. Dropping off all parts next week.

Good.

Check the underside of your top rocker box cover for signs of the rocker arm hitting it and end play on rocker arms...