Time To Tear Down

Yes, and it's not a huge issue with small it cams either. Keep in mind that I do not have stock HD cylinders on either.

Is it possible it is just fluid bonding the lifter to the bore? Maybe brake kleen bores and blow nozzle it dry, then try to remove? Or is there a solid thump or click when lifter fetches up in bore?

Can you post the link?? Can't seem to find it....

http://www.hammerperf.com/ttxlcaminstall.shtml#disassembly

There is a definite sound of it hitting something. No I don't believe that the oil is binding it. If that were the case then it wouldn't fall back down the bore freely.

True, it would likely slip down to the bottom a bit more slowly than a gravity drop.
When it does finally come apart it should be interesting to see what it is.
So 1 came out, three are stubborn? You should mic the one you have for taper on each end and see if they are the same or if it flares out a bit.
What if you slide hammer the bushings out of the case and let the lifters fall out the bottom? Would that be faster than head/cyl removal? Snap on has a nice small slide hammer set.

BaggerPaul suggested something similar for removal but again, going in a downward direction is not an option. I guess I look at it this wsy, I am not that worried about removing the heads and cylinders as it will give me an opportunity to look at everything else. Not how I think it should have gone but oh well.

Guess if you look at it that way I'm glad its a lifter removal issue and not a prostate exam!!!
Once you get to the bottom of things post some pics, now I am getting curious.

Thanks...Hmmm.... sticky wicket you got going on there JB...Lifter won't drop down because of the bushing lip and lifter blocks are part of the case...Don't think I'd want to force them up through the bores...fubar the bores you might end up needing a new case half,I have no advice for you on this,but do you think it may be easier and safer to pull the cam bushing to drop the lifter....I've never been into a Sporty cam chest,so this is all new to me....

Well, that is absolutely worst case scenario. Mark my words, if it does come to needing a new case half, this sportster will be an 88 c.i. soon.

Here are some more pictures. The first one is attempting to show where the lifter hits on the bushing.

The second one, if you look towards the front and to the back on the bushing, you will see that the lifter hits right there. This is why I can't remove it going downward.

Yes. I have tried pulling them out many different ways. Yes, I have thought about using the dremal but just don't want to do it with the jugs on. Just a preference. I want to look at everything on the top end anyways.

One thing that I am impressed with is that the cam chest is really clean.

Went and bought another torque wrench yesterday. I needed a 3/8 drive so I picked up a Craftsman. Nice wrench. Today is when I complete tearing the bike apart. Easy job. My plan of attack here is that once the cylinders are off and lifters are out, I will install the new lifters, put the cylinders back on and see if they catch as well. If the do, then I will mark the areas and use a dremel and sand down the troublesome areas. This isn't going to happen again.

Is the reason the lifters wouldn't lift out is because they hit the cylinder fins??

Man I hope so. This is my last option. If they don't come out with the cylinders off, 88 c.i. here I come.

Well, I finished taking the top end apart and the lifters came out with no problems. This means that yes, the lifters were hitting some place on the cylinders.

Remember me saying that if the lifters wouldn't come out I would have to go to an 88 c.i? Well, that isn't the case. However, I WILL have to go a bigger displacement anyway. Take a good hard look.

The circlip