Thanks for your Help Nate! I was the shovelhead guy that e-mailed you. The previous owner did a poor job of adjustment and the bike started hard when cold, now it pops right off and she runs like a Dream. Thanks!

Follow this guys advice as far having the Tappet at its lowest point, but on the Hydraulic Lifters, instead of waiting around for 15 minutes (the Bleed Down Method) pull the hydraulic lifter and stick a drill bit into the end of it while compressing the spring side....the oil that is inside of it will bleed out (this is called the Dry Method) . You could also take the lifter apart and dump the oil out. Look at it closely for rub marks and when you put it back together push down on it to see that it's seals tight, doesn't bottom out quickly. Put the lifter back in and screw the pushrod down until it bottoms out...don't forget to put your covers back on in the proper order....now turn the pushrod adjuster upwards 1 1/2 turns (if oil residue is suspected of being left in the lifters bore) or according to the manuals 'Extremely Clean and Dry Method' of 1 3/4 turns (don't forget to mark a flat side of the adjuster)...lock it down and move on to the next pushrod.

like your attitude son important to remember we're in this togetherpeace

Great vid, Bruv! Very clear explanation and demonstration. Appreciate it!

Thanks a lot brother !! Greets from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Good job Nathan....very helpful!!

Nice, informative video. Very well done! Thanks for sharing!!

Very Well done video Nate! Sweet looking bike!

Nate, very nice vid, good presentation and very helpful.

helpful video. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything.

Tks for share your time and your knowledge!

Very informative video, thank you very much!

Great video , makes it very easy !

Very informative and helpful video. Well done sir. Thank you.

So good pal, brilliant, not many like this keep it up..

Thanx Nathan,love your bike men!!!

great vid, I think I met you in Oakland a while ago... recognize the bike.

Great video, thank you for sharing!

Much obliged man, I just rebuilt my bike and had a little bit of lifter noise. I'll tighten my lifters up a tad

Thanks brother, saved me some money there...

Hey Nate, how about a clutch adjustment video? Your pushrod video was excellent. Thanks a lot !!

Great video brother!

Nice bike,Great very helpful video. Thank-you for sharing this important bit of information. Ride Safe!!!

Thanks for the very helpul video...

thanks man! Great video.

Thanks for posting. I'm a V2 newbie so I benefit greatly in my FXWG build from the info. The previous owner put solid conversion lifters in it and I had no idea which way to go.

Great video!

Thanks for the info and thanks for sharing

Nice video bro, thanks!

Big thanks for the video.

awesome video! thanks

that is one hell of a bad ass video man! one question...why solid lifers over hydraulic? I can see how not having to wait until the hydraulic one sets to be an advantage and quicker, more accurate adjustments.

Thanks a lot brother !! Greetsz from Holland.

Nathan... This is an outstanding video. Excellent job. Don't see many guys your age riding a Shovel. Definitely don't see them maintaining them. I just subbed... Hoping to get more videos of your work. "T"

Good advice...thank you!

Excellent job explaining the process! Thanks! You make it look easy.

DUDE! That's my idea - from the first time I tackled these adjustments - wire and bungee cord! One problem I have (with solids), is tightening causes the adjustment to increase pressure on the pushrod, hence, harder to turn. I hate the micro backing off the nut to compensate this - PITA...

Nice job. Use two paper clips per pushrod and a rubber band between them hold pushrods up. Clip it to the rocker box.

Thank you Nate, Ride Safe - Ride Hard - Swifty

I absolutely needed this video and how it is explained. I will use it again. Can you please tell me what wheel you used for the back. I love it.

Thanks what with the lifting the rear wheel and in 4th gear. Makes the job much easier.

Great Video! When installing brand new hydraulic lifters, do I put them in dry or soak them in oil firs (together or apart)? Thanks for the info.

Awesome .. Thank you

nice vid man! very informative! 1 thing I got a question on; Why do you have your oil pressure gauge on the lower end? wouldn't it serve a better purpose on the top end on the #2 rocker box? I have a 1982 FLHS Shovel and I put mine on the top end under the premise that we all know we have oil in the lower end ( gravity helps keep it there, right?) but I wanted to make sure oil was getting to the top end. Or, is it just a matter of preference?

thank you!

i like the video but with my years with these old shovels is leave a hair of up and down play on the push rod so when the motor gets hot the metal expands and then there perfect but everyones different whats your take on that cause i always like to try different ways the old school chopper way

With Hydro , you get the push rod down until the spring on the hydro lifter is fully bottemed out ( and the push rod turn while turning the adjust nut.) then you UNSCREW the push rod adjusted nut 1 and 1/2 turn.

Do you have a video beyond static timing? Id like to use a timing light after timing my points.

Awesome.

I pull my spark plugs, I use my Kickstarter to get each pushrod and adjust at lowest point.

if u have delkron heads , what lifter would u m8st likely have

I just did an Upper end redo on a 1984 1000cc HD Sportster , is there anything I am missing in regards to matching the piston with the proper valve during adjustment? I.E., checking fly wheel dots, or something else like that when starting to reassemble the piston rods and adjusting them with proper valve alignments? THANKS! Paul

should the jam nuts have cracks in them like that? mine do as well

How do you keep it from throwing the adjustment when you tighten the retainer nut?

THANKS for the video. Just picked up an 83 80" Shovel and it was backfiring when I test drove it. Dude said that he just put adjustable pushrods in and he thinks one is too tight. Did a compression test and its 120psi back cylinder 90 psi front. I'm fairly new to this keep in mind but confident I can tackle this. Gonna check them but first. How do I identify if I have solid or hydrolic lifters? Could one being too tight cause this weak compression? Thanks in advance.

Do you use blue Loctite on your tappet screws ,as I have heard bad storys when these screws ever let loose.

I bent my push rods tonight trying to adjust my valves. I did exactly what the manual said....lowest point, 4 full turns. I broke one of the lock nuts too. it's a 51 FL. Maybe I went to fast on the adjustment and did not let the lifters bleed down.

@knucklehed34

6 жыл бұрын

Scott Miller . Ouch yeh you didn’t wait. Would love to see the 51 though!

I recently had to change the "o" rings on my pushrod tubes, so the adjustable rods had to come right out to fit them. It was an easy job to pull the hydraulic lifters out and insert a small hex key into the bleed hole to bleed them immediately. Adjustment then was as for solids. 1982 FXR Shovelhead motor. Also, don't understand why you didn't just remove the spark plugs right at the beginning?

7 years later do you still have that bike ? BTW good vid !

insteaad of the bungee cord and wire, use a clothespin on the pushrod under the tube

Who made your foot clutch set up

I wanted to do the same today but know i have leaky pushrods and no oil pressure anymore. What have i done wrong?

I always have leaks when I use the blue seals in my panhead

Thanks, love this video. I’m getting ready to adjust 1970 Shovel hydraulic lifters. How do you know that you’re on the compression stroke or TDC? Does that matter? Or just get the lifter on the lowest part of the cam? Thanks for posting.

@IdleHands

10 ай бұрын

Put your finger over the spark plug hole on the front cylinder. When you feel air pushing out your on compression stroke.

@mikerapp8163

10 ай бұрын

@@IdleHands more to the point. I don’t have the pushrods in yet. Without the valves opening and closing wouldn’t it feel like all up strokes are compression? Maybe I’m over thinking this. Thanks for the help

whats that rear wheel called? been lookin for that exact one

If you have hydraulic lifters and you adjust them then start the bike and oil comes out from the middle of the two front pushrods. .what did I do wrong ..

Why is there no case bolt between the cylinders?

What if I have hydraulic lifters but don't know what brand? Just do 3 turns and let it bleed down and check for up/down play And how freely they spin? Then keep going till it just barely can be spun?

@cravinbob

9 жыл бұрын

Danr234 Do the 3 or 3 1/2 turns but mind that you don't get it too tight as it will just lift the rod and start opening the valve. Wait for the oil to bleed out 15 minutes and check for up and down play. If there is play tighten again until the rod spins but snugly. Wait for the bleed down. You should be good by this point. If you rotate the engine once the lifters will pump up so you have to bleed down again. Hydraulic lifters sometimes at high speed will bleed out if you twist the throttle as if you were going to pass a car.. That will cause loss of power for a second or so. Be aware of this so you do not take chances and pass a car at high speed with oncoming traffic too close. Solids will not do this of course.I forgot, check your manual for the reverse number of turns after the tighten bleed down is done so it has the proper freeplay spin during operation. They pump up when the engine runs and you need to have freeplay or it will pound the lifters too hard and may even bend the push rod. Check the pushrod top to ensure it is in the rocker arm cup also. Too loose during the procedure can cause the rod to tip sometimes. Rare but it can slip out.

Nat... I got a shovel that is a real problem child. It dollars me to death! First front calendar needed rebuilding now had to change all rear gaskets. It was smoking in rear exhaust. The rear lifters (exhaust) is very sloppy needs to be replaced. Probably should replace front and rear but money is kind a hard to come by these days. So I threw it back together now it started to smoke by the lower rear cylinder looks as it is where the lifters are. Would sloppy lifter cause smoke?

No need to tighten the clutch to change gears....

Hydraulic lifters pushrod adjustment... one guy on KZread says 4 turns down, another comment on here says to bottom out the lifter and turn it back 1.5 turns. My Clymer says the same as the commenter, except that it should be 1.75 turns for 66 to early 78 and 1.5 turns for later models.

@dutch385

3 жыл бұрын

This is what is confusing me as well... my HD manual for my 67 says to seat the pushrod ball to the cup,, then 4 full turns down... ... others have said to bottom the springs out and then bring it back 3 1/2 turns.. and like you said I've had others ays 1/5,, I'm confused don't wanna fuck it up

Wood clothes pin works better to keep those up....

And we were to old for each other! LOL

Is still a bit hazy with the hydraulic ones he will know what he means but it don’t quite come over to us but good

Anybody else notice the case half stud that indicates the case halfs is missing off of his bike

good man, share your know age, A fool that hides his folly is better than a wise bike mechanic that hides his wisdom.

My lifters dont move when I spin my tire

@thatsmrharley2u2

4 жыл бұрын

Put the bike in gear

looks like you are missing the upper case bolt

I have a 77 80",that i dont know anything about. Its supposed to be a 114. Have a super e shorty on it,have springs on the blocks, with normal looking pushrods.. The problem is,i have put a new points plate with new points,condensor in it.i have a 66 main,and 26.5 intermediate jets respectfully. It idles great,but under a load (like pulling out onto the road),it falls on its face. When i hit the throttle hard,it gasps,and sputters a little and then slowly picks up speed. If i hit it hard from off an idle,it sputters. I have an inline filter(1/4"), because the one in the tank is trashed. Ive been on this nightmare for almost a month, and it STILL has the same problem. Flustered,BIG TIME!!! Can you help??? Its giving me nightmares even while sleeping!!

@cdula26

3 жыл бұрын

Check your points timing, intake bands for leaks and your exhaust flanges for leaks. How far out from closed is your air fuel mixture screw on the top.

@arenhoomen5502

3 жыл бұрын

@@cdula26 the front cyl is correct now,and I found the bands holding the intake to be bad,so replaced them. Retimed it,and now the rear cyl sounds like it's popping in the middle of the pipe. (Drag pipes) Cpuld it be the points cam is worn out?

@arenhoomen5502

3 жыл бұрын

@@cdula26 the air mix is almost right now. I have it at around 1 and 1/2 turns out. Still has a minimal lag off of idle yet. My question is now,is the pump not turned out enough?

@cdula26

3 жыл бұрын

@@arenhoomen5502 Pump should be turned in as far as it can be but it depends on your riding style, if your whacking the throttle hard a lot you need more pump

@cdula26

3 жыл бұрын

@@arenhoomen5502 And if it's popping through the exhaust you might have a exhaust leak where it attaches to the cylinder head

why put it on a block just use kicker to spin it can see it way better

Don't know where you got your terminology about Harley clutches. You have a Suicide foot pedal, it operates like the clutch in your car, press to release the clutch and a controlled lifting of the foot to engage. The rocker clutch goes over center to either stay engaged or dis engaged. Your system is either out of set up /adjustment or a poorly designed barn job. Say what ever you want, I learned the rocker clutch on 45" WL and 74" FL Pans 50 years ago and currently have 2 Shovelheads with the Suicide clutch systems.

@thejackel1844

7 жыл бұрын

When he engages the foot clutch it seems to stay in a locked down position, as the rocker clutch would do, however, the term "Jockey Shift '" refers to the clutch lever, not the clutch it's self ...

@redbaron57fl

7 жыл бұрын

Jockey shift is a lever coming off the transmission top cover. Wither it is a hand shift top cover, ratchet shift top cover or 'cow pie' top cover. Tis called that because one is like a Jockey 'on the whip' in Horse racing, left hand down alongside the Horse's flank. In the Harley's situation left hand is reaching down on the left side by the oil tank. Then there is the 'Police shifter' as it was mostly seen on Police bikes and sidecar applications. Lever pivot is clamped on the left down tube. The gate can be either notched for hand shift cover or straight slot for ratcheting type covers usually called a slap shift. Tank shift is earlier with a notched tank mounted gate. Currently have 2 Knuckleheads one with suicide clutch and jockey shift other regular hand clutch and foot shift. 3 Shovelheads w/hacks. One suicide clutch w/slap shift 'cow pie', one with suicide clutch and Police shift, one with hand clutch and foot shift ratchet top. What can I say, those are the terms and definitions I grew up with.

@Rhysmoreton

7 жыл бұрын

To add to this, you can also get a rocket clutch, which is a friction disc and allows the clutch to be "held on" in place so you don't need to find neutral, these were common as with the suicide setup = no front brake, means you have a free foot/hand and don't have to worry about the stall. There's also the 'moustrap' which is a similar setup for a hand clutch, which engages and doesn't disengage without manually being done. My 54 Pan is a full suicide, foot clutch like said car pedal, spool front hub, no brake and jockey shift. Much more involved to ride but much more satisfying!! ride safe and enjoy! P.S great vid, PLEASE BE AWARE THOUGH GUYS, these are solid lifters, Hydraulic need to bleed down once cracked for 30+ minutes (leave an hour if I'm honest, otherwise it gives a false reading as such and may cause you to over tighten valves. This will cause serious engine damage, burnt valves, even worst case a hole in your piston!

I can't pay child support this month. You guys think I should sale my Harley Davidson FXSTC. Lmk...I think the kids mom wants to get her hair n nails did, plus go shopping for her some clothes, with the money for the child

An adjustable wrench ? How about a tappet wrench ? This Guy is a Hack - read the manual

This is not correct mate, I feel you know what your doing but ya message comes across wrong!. its all mixed up!. i do know how this job is done but just vhecked this vid to see the quality of explaining it. Folls welcome to bent rods and shit!.

@lymanfischer3102

5 жыл бұрын

Your right hes got stuff backwards and ive always done 24 flats 4 turns never bend one yet ..

What a bodger! No wonder the pushrod nuts are rounded. You should NEVER use a shifter on an engine.

What’s the deal with that cool air cleaner?