Valve Adjustment

I have a 1999 Electraglide Classic with the stock 88. We went for a ride in the city (SF) and because all the traffic I had the radio turned down and it sounded to me like there was alot of valve noise...

How do I adjust/check the valves I have the service manual but it does not say anything in the maintenance intervals... so I am confused...

if it is truely stock , you cannot adjust the valves, they have hydraulic lifters, and the push rods are a certain lenght, how many miles are on it maybe the lifters need to be replaced? Todd

I agree
How many miles ya got?
What mods have been done?

motor is "truly stock" with the only mods being air cleaner and pipes.. and rejet. it has 97K... so sounds like a replacement might be in order?.. What type of testing do I do to determine if I am just paranoid...?

with 97 k you did real good to get that many miles out of them I would replace them, also how many sets of tensioners have you put in there? I would take it apart inspect the tensioners and replace the lifters and as long as you are in there look at upgrading the cam, in 99 they had a cam bearing upgrade but Im sure that has already been done or it would have probably grenaded as heard of some going as soon as 10 k, you may also look at going to adjustable pushrods and then you wouldnt even have to take the top end apart. The noise you are hearing could also be the tensioners so I would just reccommend taking it apart and inspect. Todd

I found these lifters Would these be a good replacent or should I just use stock? What pushrods would you suggest?

If it were me..... I would check the compression after warmed and see what it read IF low or uneven.... I would go for a full top-end rebuild... 97,000 is a lot of good miles and I feel it would be nice to freshen a bit.....

MY WAY

rebuilt heads or exchange...(manley valves and springs)
bore with new pistons to 95"/teflon HD pistons 10.25/1
replace the stock cams with 570 SS gear drives
adjustable pushrods/new hyd-lifters (fueling makes them special with their oil pump)
maybe a delcron cam support plate
fueling oil pump(good unit increased flow into and back out)
scrm'n eagle air/slip-on exhaust or choice
Programable electronic single fire ignition ???
Jet carb to handle improvements/modifications

then go for 100,000 miles with a BIG GRIN and maybe an empty wallet BUT WHAT A BIKE!!!

I have a 2000 dyna done up like this and more...... YOU couldn"t get me to trade up or $$$ I'm glad I built me a keeper!

JUST MY WAY.... signed REDHEAD

I would just go with stock

I would not go back with stock lifters as they've been known to fail in 25,000 miles & although I have no experience with the V-Thunder lifters you posted the link for, they appear to be good. IMO, Jim's Powerglide lifters are the best for an application like yours & Crane also makes good ones which are less expensive.

Stock pushrods are fine & you can check the ones you've got by rolling them on a flat surface like a pane of glass to see if they're still straight. Check the tips for wear too. I have to use adjustables in one application (engine taller than stock, radical cams, solid lifters) but they are a pain & in a basically stock street/road bike engine, totally unnecessary. I would never use adjustables with hydraulic lifters.

I plan on getting that gasket and checking it out over the weekend. I am the second owner so I know that those have been looked into previously but I am thinking that might be the issue.

Thank you for all the responses and direction.

Thanks !! Went out of town for my son's wedding !!

The extended warranty was probably a real good idea - is it one of those that pays you back if you don't use it?

I mentioned the approx. 25,000 mile failure of stock lifters because in 2000, H-D started using the smaller Twin Cam lifters in Sportsters too & we've seen a lot of 'em go bad. Of course Sportster riders tend to run higher rpms than BT riders, but the Sportster's valvetrain is also a better design - 4 cams (gear drive) & the cam lobes / lifters / pushrods are in the same vertical plane.

Not everyone with a 2000-up Sportster has had the problem, but enough have that when the lifters quit pumping up all the way & you start to get clatter in the valvetrain, that says go aftermarket & be done with it. Jim's & Crane hydraulic lifters will handle 6500 rpm no problem & last for years.

I understand the change from a manufacturing standpoint - reduce your inventory, use the same parts in more applications & you'll cut production costs. But it is interesting to note that the best Sportster lifters were in the '86-'90 models which also had tappet blocks you can replace. '91-'99 model Sportster lifters aren't bad but they are smaller & as of 2000, smaller still - same as in a "Twinkie".

I picked '86-'90 style cases for the race engine because of the better lifter / tappet block design & while not everything which applies to racing applies to the street/road, the valvetrain in a Harley engine is the "weak link" & using the best parts there always pays off in the long run. And I figure if you can't kill the part @ Bonneville, you can't kill it on the street/highway either.