Way Close On The Harley Knucklehead, Finishing Pushrods and Top End Oiler

We really are close on this now. Just about everything is hooked up and adjusted. Making sure that topend oil line is not going to leak is always a pain, but we'll get it. And we'll get the feel right on those valves.

[@charlescastell4638]

Mike, you are in inspiration in patience. I work with small bits and hand tools in the aerospace industry, and when some widget doesn't want to fit and I start to get frustrated, I remember your videos and your calm demeanor. Thanks for your efforts!

[@pacificmike9501]

Wow, thank you!

[@pacificmike9501]

Wow, thank you!

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@kjellblomstrand2497]

Hello Mike and cameraman Mike. Thank you for todays lesson👍👍👍. Have a good day/weekend. Kjell Blomstrand🇸🇪.

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank You and you too.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@patriciawalsh3493]

Love , when a plan comes together Mike !

[@pacificmike9501]

Amen. Thank You.

[@arthurleino]

Enjoyed this video! Know they aren't motorcycles, was watching my old American Flyer Train. Your Dog showed up on video my Tuxedo cat jumped on train table. Been a good day!

[@pacificmike9501]

Sounds like fun to me.

[@cameramanmike2072]

🙂

[@ardyrides834]

I bought a set of those Craftsman wrenches many years ago at Sears. I believe the package said on it "Tappet wrenches".

[@pacificmike9501]

I believe it did.

[@sheilabare5677]

Mike, im 64years young, i would love you to go thru my 2012 ultra limited, and film it, retired, disabled & broke , HELP..., ARKANSAS STYLE LOVES Y'ALL. Sir you can explain things very good, keep it up. God bless

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank You. But, I am retired. I'm just keeping up with my own projects now.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@whizkeyman2022]

It's nice to see even the professor can have one of those days!

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank You. It's honest.

[@donquijote1141]

The old motorcycles are great, I looked with pleasure, thank you.

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank you too!

[@jameskelly7003]

One of my least favorite jobs. Gotta do it, though. I put some Sifton solids in my pan recently and the locknut turned out to need an 11mm wrench, while the pushrod took a 1/2" wrench. WTF. Anyway, I just installed a mousetrap and used your video from 5 years ago as my guide. It was the best step by step instructions I've ever come across for that and now I understand the functionality completely.

[@pacificmike9501]

11mm is very close to 7/16" Look again.

[@DOMAPOI]

In the old day, that's what the city would do. It would spray oil on all the dirt alleys and roads (at least to or three times a year) to keep the dust down.

[@pacificmike9501]

Funny how times change.

[@williamrenner2504]

Started streaming your videos on my 4 k high def TV . Definitely quality work .👍

[@pacificmike9501]

Wow. Thank You.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@whip-its_dad4239]

Mr.K you have some awesome toys to " play "with . Thank you guys for your efforts to educate us on what it takes to keep these beautiful machines running and the proper way of doing it .

[@pacificmike9501]

Glad you like them!

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@mikaldene7146]

Good Video Fellas. Didn't realize Knuckles had a split locking nut on the pushrods. Learn something new everyday. Mike you have the same problem I had when I was still machining, my tools always walked off even when I was working on my own. I would get focused on a job and lose tools literally right in front of me. I'll never forget one job I was using a 1/2 inch socket and sat it down in front of me and it disappeared. I found it in my toolbox 60 feet away and to this day I don't know how that happened. Whatever that phenomena is called, it's real and it always seems to be the tool you need most to get things done. I call it wrenchicus lostis because it's aggravating as hell...

[@pacificmike9501]

I use the excuse that everyone is watching me and I can't deal with the pressure. Whoa is me.

[@swn7440]

Tool gremlins! 😳

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@tommylitchfield3450]

Greetings and Salutations, kind sir. Closer and closer to the glorious music being made!

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank You. We'll get her to clear her throat and sound off, any minute now.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@apaulothegreat1581]

😊 Thanks you two.😊

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank you too!

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@darrell3368]

Thanks Mike and Mike

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank You.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@user-lv2kd6od6d]

I really thank you for sharing…. REALLY …….. 😎🇺🇸🔥your outstanding……. Carry on …

[@pacificmike9501]

Thanks, will do!

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@mikescanlon6439]

Thanks for another great video, Pacific Mike, camera man Mike and the dog.

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank You.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@stevebumstead9840]

I'm with you Mike on the throttle. I want to be able to let go of it when I want.

[@pacificmike9501]

You bet.

[@magic4221]

Snap On also calls them tappet wrenches.

[@pacificmike9501]

It's because they are used for adjusting tappets.

[@brianvandemortel6710]

I thought you would get the tank on oh well next time thanks for the video as always

[@pacificmike9501]

Just two bolts holds it on. I put it on today.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@shupshekitty]

Good lord, this makes want to get out to the shop and work on my shovel. But I know better than to work on it when I'm sick. I make too many mistakes that I'll have to fix later.

[@pacificmike9501]

I know that one.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂 feel better soon

[@KraeseRepairs]

It's definitely a beautiful motorcycle. Can't wait to hear it run.

[@pacificmike9501]

You and me both! I've always loved the sound of this thing and I've made a little change here and there to get the "perfect note."

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@daledahlman9629]

Beautiful machine Mike thank you for sharing this information

[@pacificmike9501]

My pleasure!!

[@matthewswartz5864]

Couldn’t watch whole vid as my plan is the cheaply , will try Ltr. Can’t wait for baby doll to get out of surgery . Go Mike Go!!!

[@pacificmike9501]

BabyDoll is my Panhead. She's fine.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@thatsmrharley2u2]

We always called the long thin wrenches 'tappet wrenches'.

[@pacificmike9501]

Me too. It's because they are designed to adjust "tappets."

[@everettcalhoun8197]

In '53 they were actually pushrod hydraulic lifters which were on top of the pushrod and did not work well. Also fan wrenches were thin long wrenches for taking the fan and fan clutch off of the water pump. Keep up the good work Mike. Later.

[@pacificmike9501]

The hydraulic pushrods were used from 48-52. Hydraulic lifters came out on the 53 models. The 53 Models also had passages in the crankcase to supply oil to the new hydraulic lifters. I've seen some of the old hydraulic pushrods, usually, to remove them and replace them with the solid lifter setup..

[@everettcalhoun8197]

@@pacificmike9501 Thank you for the clarification. I never understood how they were supposed to work I have seen them out of a motor but never in a running motor.

[@pacificmike9501]

Strange as it seems, like I said, "I only see them when they're being replaced with solids."

[@everettcalhoun8197]

@@pacificmike9501 So Harley engineers thought it was a good idea to send oil up the cylinders past the combustion chamber making sure the lubricate was at it's lowest viscosity run it through the rocker arms to pressurize a lifter at the top of a pushrod. What can possibly go wrong with that? We had a term for that at work "striped hat engarneers". Later my friend.

[@pacificmike9501]

Good stuff. Thank You.

[@daviddaniels6473]

I swear I fight with valve adjustments more than anything else

[@pacificmike9501]

Do it more. You'll get better at it until you wonder why it was difficult.

[@kingsoutdoors4379]

Those thin wrenches are great for getting the old carburetor to intake stud nuts onor off old vehicles

[@pacificmike9501]

You have to be careful. Since are are thin, they have a low "torque rating."

[@kingsoutdoors4379]

@pacificmike9501 yes they do .. Love seeing ya work on the knuckle. I'm 53 and been drooling over that motor since a kid. Thank you for the knowledge ,videos and tips even if I'll never own one... you're one Kool dude, much respect from P.a

[@59jaguar]

Spanner wrench , no ? I thought that’s what my machinist dad called them .

[@pacificmike9501]

"Spanner" is the word the British use instead of "wrench." Nice word. I hear a lot of people using it.

[@closertothetruth9209]

Either way theyre nice long wrenches

[@pacificmike9501]

The main thing is they are very thin to fit on tappet nuts. Before I could afford three of those wrenches, I ground down a set of old cheapo wrenches I had. It was a big day when I got my real tappet wrenches.

[@user-ll9zd2dh6h]

Miguel Pacifico ayuda los pobres.Hee help the poor people!

[@pacificmike9501]

We all start out as small children.

[@stanleyroberts4381]

Any long sleeve......and a pocket?

[@pacificmike9501]

Sorry, not yet.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@stanleyroberts4381]

@@pacificmike9501 I'll put that on my wish list 😁

[@ronnym1977]

I have always heard that the older Harley Davidson (knuckles, pans, shovels) leak oil. Is there a way to make then not leak?

[@pacificmike9501]

Sure. The early bikes had chain oilers. On my kick start bikes, I shut off the chain oilers and install a belt drive. But, the early bikes don't stay sealed up real well and you'll be chasing leaks around once in a while. A lot of this is just old technology.

[@chuckasarus]

Hi Mike I follow your videos. I’m working on a 79 shovel. I’m putting forward controls on it a would like to know does anyone make a plug for the inner primary shift shaft hole?

[@pacificmike9501]

I don't remember the size. I think I used to use a 1/2" pipe plug. Use a pipe tap to thread the inside.

[@chuckasarus]

@@pacificmike9501 thanks for the information 👍🏻

[@Zen-sl7de]

Wonder if the old bikes have nanotechnology like the new ones

[@pacificmike9501]

Got me.

[@peterkowalsky6597]

Why do the lifter nuts have a split in them?

[@pacificmike9501]

It makes into a "locknut." They are tapered and split and spread when they are tightened.

[@vk7408]

Did you wrap red tape over your quart of oil so that no one saw the brand? What am I missing about why that's important?

[@pacificmike9501]

I don't advertise most things. I experiment with some things I don't wish to discuss. Mainly, if I'm not qualified.

[@vk7408]

@@pacificmike9501 Thanks I appreciate your point of view. You provide great knowledge in videos helping us stay running & learning so there is value in learning what products work, even things you are testing, and the hows & whys and though process. If a product or brand works, or doesn't work, I'd like to learn about it just like us hanging in the garage. We're smart enough to see a blatant ad from a You Tuber (well most of us are) And if you do get an advertiser just tell us straight up...nothing wrong with that if you believe in the brand. Thanks again. Looking forward to seeing everything about the nuances of knuckles and pans

[@MicahBell_1860]

I'll go rhythm

[@pacificmike9501]

Thank You.

[@cameramanmike2072]

👍🙂

[@darrell3368]

What year model knucklehead engine is it

[@pacificmike9501]

It is a 41-47 FL with NOS cases.

[@user-lv2kd6od6d]

P.S you helped me rebuild my evo top end a few years ago now .. run like a beast still …. 🦾😁THANK YOU

[@pacificmike9501]

Glad to help.