Shovelhead Engine - Noisy Lifter Troubleshooting and Adjustments

[@maddog3080]

Had a hot knock on the rear cylinder after an overheat condition quite a few years back, tore the engine down, checked the bearings and crank pin, found the cam had a questionable lobe. Put a new cam into it and cam rollers, put it all back together, fired it up and the knock was gone. Until the engine warmed up and the knock returned. So I rebuilt the rocker boxes, put it back together and the same result, knock when hot on the rear cylinder. Switched the lifter locations and the knock moved to the front cylinder. One of the lifters would bleed down when hot, so I replaced them with solid lifters and haven't had a bit of trouble with it since

[@garyhopkins6337]

Nice, clean-looking bike. Now I have had Shovels for the last 40 years and after collapsing the lifter and back the pushrod 1 1/2 turns has worked for me and for solid lifter conversions snug the pushrod down and back it off till it spins with no drag, it's that easy. Good video, this should help a lot of new shovelhead riders who just get told that shovels leak oil and have noisy motors.

[@ArmeroPR]

Excellent video. Love watching guys work on these older bikes and giving them the love they deserve. Subscribed.

[@Ed-ty1kr]

The sound of that Shovelhead is enough to put a smile on my face, except if its ticking and tapping. Funny thing is I don't even mind a dry clutch, but if I hear any lifter noise it's like a thorn in my right ear. Like that Star Trek episode where the bug crawls in the guys ear kind of annoying.

[@mikerapp8163]

Wow. Great diagnostics. Just fired up my rebuilt 1970 Shovel engine today. Adjusted the push rods to hydraulic lifters 4 turns. Valve train noisy as hell. Scary how they hammer. I like your 1.5 turns from the bottom idea. Anxious about clashing the valves though. Thanks for posting.

[@pb68slab18]

Jim's Power-Glide tappets! I have them in an 80in Shovel with Andrews B cam and 93in stroker Pan with C cam. Been running them over 20yrs. No problems.

[@chrismiller8421]

Would have saved a lot of time by just replacing all the lifters once one was bad. Great video brother

[@kurtfoulke5130]

I always go with 1 1/2 turns from bottomed, it is very important to separate the lifter and clean any residual oil with brake cleaner. Sloppy rocker arms or misshaped pushrod contact areas can create unwanted noise.

[@stevenpaydon7175]

Great video. Very clear and easy to follow. I'm struggling with this problem on a Panhead. Unfortunately, new S&S lifters and tappet blocks haven't solved that constant ticking on my front exhaust valve! I was curious about the different oil weights you mentioned at the beginning. I wonder if the new lifters are struggling with the old 60 weight oil I am using???

[@dirankoroghlian4202]

Check your Pushrod ends I've had one come loose and spin inside the tube. Made a bunch of noise and it was the last thing I thought of, easy fix new Pushrods and tada all better. 30yrs ago

[@martinwall7297]

had same prob;em on my 74ci.. stock liftersd , one went bad ,no matter what i did it would't work. so i installed solid lifters, problem solved, and their easer to adjust.

[@MoeLarrycurly1]

I have a 1980 shovelhead it has been said to me to be a stroker with Delcron cases. Head has solid lifters and it is noisy of just lift her several times.. what I heard from your electronic representation listening device just sounds like mine like scraping metal.. now I hear it in all of the little pockets of the lifters where you put it on the right hand side..

[@jakejames1977]

That's a cool running shovelhead under 200 degrees oil temperature. On a 80-90 degree day my shovelhead oil temperature can get up to 230 degrees sometimes touch 235. On a cooler day oil temperature only gets 205-215 degrees. No oil cooler. Shovelheads do make a lot of mechanical engine noise. Mine when up to temperature sounds like sowing machine .

[@delorean1]

As a rule engines shouldn’t make mechanical noise. That’s called wear…. Also I have an oil cooler installed

[@hunterfontana5688]

interesting ive been struggling with my front cylinder having some serious noise, after new hydraulic lifters starting worrying it was in my cam bearing, still possible I guess however going through I after some test rides I found that all my other lifters were pumping up adequately however front exhaust was sloppy, where most of my noise was coming from, I have roller hydraulic lifters, yanked off my front tappet block, tried priming this front exhaust valve, I went for a 60 mile ride give or take prior hoping this would clear it up, however no luck. after soaking and pumping I still got give on my front exhaust lifter, wasn't pumping up solid like the rest. keep in mind my lifters have spring internal, different from your s&s lifters. I pulled off the snap ring tore it down cleaned it out still no luck, I decided to take the intake rod which was fine, tore it apart bled it out and tried to prime that one, however I was surprised this one pumped up the same as the exhaust lifter. not a ton of play but I was expecting it to be solid as a rock. had me scratching my head, thought maybe it would pump up better. my pushrods are a 32 pitch, calling for a 10 flat adjustment upon making contact with the tappet. I did so and still plenty of noise on start up, however I think im gonna take it for a ride and get it to running temperature. I did heat cycle it for a while just idling with no difference. Considering reaching out to the folks I got the lifters from and trying to get two replacements for the front cylinder since they're brand new, but considering after a ride if the problem hasn't settled, running all pushrods 2 more flats before hand, but again concerned about my cam gear bearing

[@Savage-lx5yj]

Excellent! Thanks for sharing sir! Ya nailed it!

[@delorean1]

I was happy to resolve this annoying issue.

[@davidortiz173]

Thoroughly enjoyed thus video brother!

[@delorean1]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jasonbruno6084]

Love the attention to details, top notch

[@delorean1]

Thank you.

[@gabetrejo2752]

talk about a thorough video!!!! thnxamill!!!!

[@delorean1]

There is a whole 34 part series on this bike to watch through.

[@ironridermoto]

Really appreciate your attention to detail and your effort to capture as much of the process as possible. I'm so used to the simplicity of solid lifters from my ironhead, hydraulic ones seem like a lot more could go wrong... Is it true that the only correct way to adjust pushrods with hydraulic lifters is to completely take them out, clean and dry everything (lifters and blocks), and reinstall to factory specs? Or is there a method to adjust them without taking them out? Thanks!

[@delorean1]

Im of the opinion that if its bottom up, then they need to be dry.

[@bandit7519]

I got a 94 evo I had to let it sit for couple months I went to take it out the other day I was so proud of her she started right up after second try but then my pants got wet I look I got wet sump I was told to just take her out riding out the wet sump is that true or to get new. Oil pump what else can I do and if I just ride out the oil in the crank case will my bike be ok I never had this happen before to any my other bikes or my dirt bikes I’m just learning how to work on my bike my self you help out a lot a y help you can give is much appreciated

[@FrankF-vp4pt]

Is there a spring rating number to check tensile of spring? Modern day replacement parts have metallurgy issues..

[@brianmcintee6647]

I was just doing the same thing for the past few weeks adjusting the lifters every way from the bottom from the top dry etc . IT has a slight tick when hot I just gave up and run it otherwise it runs great

[@delorean1]

Eventually i found it...

[@dennisgrubbs1929]

Congratulations Ride On

[@delorean1]

Appreciate it.

[@shaguardriver1]

Excellent video 👍

[@GPgman]

I bottom mine and then Shorten 9 flats just as the manual says. I did try 4 turns from zero lash and the bike wouldn’t start. Now I’m chasing an intermittent tick in the front head.

[@EarlGuyton425]

I think that shovel would do best with the roller solid lifters and the yee old 20 thousandths clearance

[@delorean1]

Yeah there are some great alternatives but I really wanted to get original working good.

[@dirankoroghlian4202]

Solid lifters easy just make sure you take up the spring tension on the Solid conversion. Not sure if I said it right but I know what I mean. Been running Solid 45yrs +

[@vicsponjr]

Great video

[@delorean1]

Thanks!

[@denvermullins9224]

Do you have any videos on transmission oil seal replacement ? 1973 flh

[@delorean1]

Transmission oil seal?

[@sebastianclaus7108]

Hi, how long does it takes from the moment you adjust them to the moment they pump up with oil. Just a 10-20 km ride?

[@delorean1]

About 10 seconds

[@FrankF-vp4pt]

Nice work

[@delorean1]

Thanks

[@MichaelWindels-jc8hf]

Adjust them where you can just barely tùrn them with your fingers.not lose cause thats why you hear valve train noise.barely turn them.almost tight but turn .down in to the cam.

[@clintdenman3037]

Hello from Australia can you please let me know where I can buy that tool it would help me out immensely.

[@delorean1]

People are asking and I see them from time to time and dont know why they are scarce right now,.

[@MREARLGREENLEE]

Will this method work in a panhead?

[@delorean1]

With hydraulics yes, be sure to know the correct clearance for your model year, from the manual.

[@BazzyPredPop]

Awesome 🤩

[@delorean1]

Thanks

[@jimhmod]

The front exhaust pushrod should be longer, And yes, the tool doesn't always work

[@delorean1]

A new set has arrived I’ll be unpacking. We’ll see if they are sized differently

[@rcanoli99]

aftermarket for shovels are different length but the originals were all the same size

[@timstull1355]

Your intakes should be the same size.. rear ex should be slightly longer and the front ex should be the longest...

[@KenPaisley]

Run solid lifters and aluminum pushrods.

[@delorean1]

Thanks for the tip

[@kurtfoulke5130]

Aluminum pushrods tend to contact the inside of the covers

[@KenPaisley]

@@kurtfoulke5130 Yes they do. It's up to the engine builder to resolve that problem.

[@jakejames1977]

You did it the hard way , to much thinking. I prime my lifters with oil until hard as a rock then put them back in the lifter blocks . Then adjust pushrods to where you can spin them with your fingers and feel a light drag.

[@jerrybigrig9475]

😎👍😎

[@delorean1]

👍

[@SHOVELEVOCLUB]

top

[@tomgreen4520]

You should call doc harley at low country harley davidson

[@lynskyrd]

you should stick with helping your wife fold laundry.

[@kurtfoulke5130]

​@@lynskyrd Hahaha 😂

[@salvadorhernandez3404]

LoL 🤣

[@delorean1]

M’kay