Alright... Need some help, put on your thinking caps...
My EVO was leaking around the rocker boxes so I decided to fix this and while I was there update the cam and bearing. I got my evo back together and also had found out the breather timing gear had some broken teeth. I replaced the cam with an Andrews, new bearings, seal and adjustable pushrods. After I started it up it starting puking oil from the top push rod seals so I pull the covers and pushrods back out and put some new ones in from HD (the james ones I had looked fine, but look a little smaller diameter). Got it back together and it didn't leak, initially. The pushrods are spraying a little oil (any is too much) were the lower pushrod cover and upper pushrod cover fit together, right at the spring cap retainer... right on to the exhaust pipes... why would this be? any ideas? Is there that much oil in the pushrod covers? Are the adjustable pushrods too large diameter for the stock covers and trapping / sloshing oil?

 

Sometimes pushrods will hit the sides of the covers and whack 'em hard enough to cause seals to leak. This happens more frequently with the aftermarket adjustable types, and especially those of larger diameter than stock. If they were trapping oil, I would expect to see excess coming out your breater system as the oil became backed up in the top end, and overwhelmed the breather system.

 

Shazam!!! I pulled the air filter off and started the bike... the blow bye was coming out the rocker cover box tube just like the doctor ordered, and then when I looked very carefully at the front pushrod cover (which was leaking, I could see it moving and am sure that the new pushrods are rubbing on the pushrod covers.... now I need to either put the non-adustable ones back in (grrrr...) or quickly locate some larger diameter pushrod covers... like a Sumax or an Arlen Ness type... Thanks a bunch Skip!!! Anyone have any expierence with larger diameter pushrod covers????

 

Oh, by the way... This is for Skip:

Superman is in the House!!

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IF the pushrod is moving you do not need new tubes you need a new pusrod it is bent!! You broke teeth off a breather, when you replaced it did you time it?? How was the breather gear bore?? In fact you can toss the breather gear it really is not needed. All the new engines( crate motors) are gear less. The timing thing does not work very well, S&S even made a stroker gera once , as well as there are at least 5 types fo updated gears from different timing slots to holes to plastic to metal. But the bent pushrod would have me looking else where for the reason. WHY did the pushrod bend???? Do you have a bad valve guide?? lifter roller loosing the needles?? THere has to be a reson for the P/R bending. Did it get out of adjustment , and bend?? Or did someone install them and perform a incorrect adjustment??

 

Hmmm... I am not sure.... I think the new pushrods are still straight. The previous owner noted that the rocker box started leaking air / oil mist about 3 to 4 years ago and since the amount of oil was so small his mechanic (local HD shop) said not to mess with it... It appeared that the gear hasn't moved in who knows how long... I timed it and it took me the better part of two hours to get the nose cone side off and to put the new gear back in. The breather bore was round and I didn't toss the breather gear, it is bound to be there for a reason!! The engine is quiet, has right at 7,000 miles on it and is smooth all the way to the 5,800 rpm cutout. It had the stock pushrods in before and I did, very carefully, follow the instruction with the installation of the adjustable ones, including turing the engine over by hand to locate each of the fully closed valve positions. I pulled the covers and pushrods out last night and it is a very close fit and it was evident that the pushrods had some of the anodizing removed at each of the hex points where it had been rubing on the covers, but I will find out for certain tomorrow when I get the aftermarket ones installed.

 

Well I have done more than my share of evos and if the tube is being hit by the pushrod there is a problem. If the tube is wobbling back and forth wheil running it is either flexing or bent. Unless the tube is all bent up???? I guess that could happen I have not seen it unless a P/R broke then they will bend the tube. Even with large cams and using 7/16 P/R they do not make the tube move unless bent . One thing is that I refuse to use quick install P/R on any of the builds I do. They flex way to much and have the bending problems. I do use adjustables but you have to remove rocker boxes to get P/R's out. But you dont need that for cam swap. I use 3/8 as well and I have found them to be great fro mild to wild without any problems. Not to mention only need two wrenchs to make adjustment, they are easier to make the adjustment as well.