| Author | Message | ||
     Johnsachs |
Slightly bent valve HMMMM....sounds like being slightly pregnant. Slightly bent,badly bent,or just a poor valve job,will all show up in a leakdown test.Better yet,it will let you know which valve is the problem. John | ||
| Skulley |
I haven't researched the cam threads yet. Future project. Is this a job that can be done in the garage with minimal tools or is this in need of specialty tools? | ||
| Johnnybravo |
i've goy one for u guys, does or did anyone ever have a problem with leaky pushrod tubes (the lower) gaskets it is the second time i replaced them sence i rebuilt the top end and the rear intake side keeps leaking.  | ||
| Rempss |
Johnny, I did after my rebulid. One screw holding the lower retainer in place was cross threaded which left a small gap under the retainer. I didn't catch it until I ran it for a time. Ran a thread cleaner/chaser in the hole, seated the screw again - no leak. The retainer was only out of flush by a VERY small amount, but leaked a lot of oil. All of mine are now flush with the case casting, no gap at all. Hope it's that easy for you. Let us know. Jeff | ||
| Johnnybravo |
its not the screw that is cross threaded double checked that, could it be the dowel pin would that affect it? and after i tried to reseat it i noticed that the o-ring would sqish ( nice technical term) out the side of the retainer | ||
| Rempss |
Johnny, If I remember correctly, when the gasket was put over the top of the cover then the retainer was pushed over the top the gasket was almost completely inside of the retainer. I don't think enough of the gasket should be left sticking out of the retainer to expose itself when seated. My retainers are seated almost flush (metal to metal) on all sides - screw, locating pin and the opposite "rounded" side. No gasket even seen from the outside. My next guess, remove the screw pull up the retainer, seat the gasket into the retainer by had, fits into a recess. Don't let the gasket seat itself while tightening the retainer, it may not let the entire gasket fit into that recess. Jeff | ||
| Johnnybravo |
i did but i guess i just have to press a little harder, i'll try agin tonight hope it works, cause i am bout to drill and tap the block and put the blast cover on  | ||
| Rempss |
S&S sells a 1 piece cover that takes the place of the 2 retainers. Should give a more even sealing surface. Only problem is taking it apart to install. Unless...You could remove the covers/pushrods with bolt cutters replace with adjustable units and 1 piece retainers. Expensive, but no need to disassemle the top end.  Jeff | ||
| Johnnybravo |
dont think i'm gonna go that far  i should be able to ram the gasket into the flange  | ||
| Sportyeric |
I've tightened the things down without ensuring that the locating dowel was lined up with the hole and bent the retainer. If you're cleaning up the threads on the bolt that tightens the retainer down, I think that goes all the way through to the cam cavity. Careful there. If you have to replace the gasket, it might be an excuse to up-date the rocker box gaskets. (The "top end" as in the head, doesn't have to come off, just the rocker boxes.) (As you probably meant, anyway.) | ||
| Johnnybravo |
i dont know how old your engine is but the newer ones do not go all the way through the block, i put a little silicone and fit i in and it worked like a champ, it'll hold till i get to rebuild again yipee  | ||
| Radon30 |
I have a 99 M2, when i removed my lifters and try to compress them, that did not want to compress or had very little movement, is this normal?? | ||
| Blake |
Yes. The leakdown rate, even under 120 LBs of spring pressure is VERY slow. When you reassemble your top end, be sure to slowly seat the rockerbox, gradually tightening the bolts a half turn at a time and waiting until the lifters have bled down enough such that all the pushrods can be manually rotated. Then tighten another half turn. Continue until rockerbox is fully seated to cyl head, then torque the bolts. Do you have a service manual? | ||
| Coop |
I just bought my first buell, a 2002 x1, I love the bike, except for this annoying ticking noise, I have 200 more miles before the first service, hopefully nothing serious, anyone have this problem? | ||
| X1glider |
If you get off the bike with it running (please come to a stop first)  , can you still hear it at idle? From where? You could just be hearing the valves working or it could be the injectors. Have you been breaking it in properly too? When it comes to Harley engines, if you can't hear it, something's wrong! | ||
| Coop |
x1glider, yes I have been breaking it in properly, never been over 3000 rpm, checking the oil after every run, always warm it up before taking off, I'm babying it, it does do it at idle, I didnt know if it was normal or not until someone that owns a harley told me he heard a tick, so I dont think its the normal harley noise, it stands out, not bad, but bad enough where you can hear it, sounds like a lifter tick, I will try to pinpoint where its coming from tomorrow, dont want to wake the neighbors up, thank-you for your response | ||
| X1glider |
I don't know if this applies to Sporty engines, but I'll relate a Twin Cam problem I had. The TC has an H shape rocker arm retainer that holds down BOTH rocker arms. My front one was cracked in the middle from being over torqued at the factory and it made a ticking sound. The sound was the rocker arm shaft slapping up and down when the push rods acted on it. If the noise is down lower, disregard my useless post! Like I said I'm not sure if the Sporty top end is built the same. I'm learning too. G'night all, going home!  | ||
| Blake |
Yes, the valvetrain can be NOISY. It's tough at first, but you'll soon relish the cacophonous harmony of things mechanical. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Blake, My M2 now has about 12K on it. About the last 1500 or so the valve noise and the rest of the symphony has gotten louder. Nothing bad mind you but now it sound like it's just about broken in! I'm amazed at how much noise comes out of the cam side. Sounds kind of cool! Brad | ||
| Blake |
It will increase in volume as temperature rises and things expand towards the loose end of design tolerances. On cool days my engine stays tight and relatively quite. On warm days a little ticking can be heard at idle. On hot days, the ticking is impossible to ignore. My engine's top end and valve train was torn down with 13K miles (for Nallinization). Everything was in FINE shape. Now it's freaking beastly! | ||
| X1glider |
Ok Coop, I read my manual and found my TC88 top end is much different in design and in a way where the problem I had with my TC88 will never apply to you. So ignore the post if you haven't done so already. I'll do my best to refrain from making TC88 references so as not to confuse the Buellers who might not know any better. Yep, the gear driven cams are much noisier (but happily more accurate). EPA noise regulations forced HD to go to chain drive on the TC88 to tone it down. (Oops, so much for my promise) | ||
| Coop |
ok, I feel a little better now that I know its common, I have this d&d slip on muffler waiting to go on, maybe I wont hear the noise as much when its installed, as long as I know its not something ready to break the tick wont bother me as much now, love this bike though, thank-you for the feedback. | ||
| S1blackie |
Have a new Tstorm top; jugs,piston&rings, heads w/mild port & valve job. after the breakin find it smoking when you let off the gas. Sounds like a bad valve guide maybe?. Took the bike back to the shop that did the work.  The mech performed comp test = 195 and leak down 4% front 10% rear he said 4 is normal is that right? | ||
| Radon30 |
Has anyone seen cam lobe wear like this? Is this cause from lack of lubrication or improper type of oil? The cam bushings and lifters seem ok.  | ||
| V2win |
Its hard to tell from the pic. Usually you will see quite a bit of discoloration (blue, purple) if there was no lube. It will get very hot and turn color. Are you running the stock lifters or solids? If solids then you might have had the valve adjustment too tight. | ||
| Radon30 |
I have stock lifters, with no oil in the lifters i cannot move or get very little movement when i force the cup in. I know automotive lifters you can pump until they get some oil in them. It seems to me like my hydraulic lifters are acting like a solid lifter. Blake metioned earlier this was normal. | ||
| Chuck |
Rich . . . do all your cams look worn . . . or just the one? what were you doing when you found the problem? | ||
| Sportyeric |
Rich, I don't think Blake really answered your question, as his response is more for the case of when the lifter is in the bore. I seem to remember, though its been a long time, that if you get somebody to hold the lifter upright on the workbench and push down on it with a pushrod, it will move in about a quarter inch (?)with application of maybe 70 pounds pressure. (The lifter has a tendency to roll away,causing the friend's hand to get speared with the pushrod, so pick a good friend.) | ||
| X1glider |
Rich, Did you check to see if the roller on your tappet actually rolls or is seized up? Maybe it seizes under pressure but turns freely without a load. Just a possibility. | ||
| Radon30 |
All the lobes show some sort of wear, #2(pictured) being the worst. Bike started to smoke when decelerating. Cams making a little more noise then usual. Decided to do some upgrading this winter/spring. Stumbled on the cams and lifter problem. I guess when i'm claying the engine ill try to investigate the lifter roller problem. I really don't have new lifters in my budget, need to get a new ignition. Thanks Rich |
