I’m trying to adjust my lifters. Not sure if I’m doing it right. I’ve pulled the tappet and guides bleed the lifters. Now do you put the front cylinder where the piston is at the top of its compression stroke? Does that mean when the piston is at the bottom of the stroke or am confused, and do you do the same on the rear cylinder. Just not sure if this is right. Can someone give me some pointers? I know how to adjust just want to make sure of the position of the piston front and back. Or just the front has to be top of compression stroke.

 

The way I've always done it is to do it cold. First of all, pull the plugs. Bleed the lifter and replace it. Roll the motor over till the lifter is all the way down. Replace the pushrod and turn the pushrod adjuster until it bottoms out (you'll be opening the valve at this point, you can tell the difference in resistance when you bottom out) adjust it back 3 1/2 turns, lock it down. Go to the next on and do the same. When you start the motor, it'll rattle for a moment till the lifters pump up. Go get a beer.

 

If you don't understand what "adjust it back 3 1/2 turns " means get back to us

 

"Bottoms Out," means when you first feel resistance (when the lengthening pushrod starts trying to open the valve). If you are doing the lengthening with oily fingers you will know when this happens. I just wanted to clarify "bottoms out." I know a guy (it wasn't me} that was adjusting his clutch. Directions said to tighten until it bottoms out and then back it off a little. And that's what he did. He bottomed it all the way and then the clutch wouldn't work. That's when he called me.

 

The shop maual says bottom it out and then back off one & one half turns.

 

Yep, 3.5 from the bottom, 2.5 from the top - assuming it's got stock pushrods.

Easiest and quickest way to position things is to rotate the engine till the front exhaust is open (up) then adjust the other 3. Then get the rear intake open (up) and finish with the front exhaust.

Adjusting from the bottom is tricky unless the lifters have actually been disassembled and dried. It takes very little oil to hold one "up" any amount. If you're not confident with that method, with the tappet guides installed and the plugs out, hold a rag over the tappet guides and turn the starter over about 15 seconds. Remove the rag and you should see a pond of oil on top of them. Then you can adjust from the top down. Allow time for them to bleed off before turning the engine for the next adjustment position.

 

Ive already cleaned and bled the lifter. The book says to turn the engine until the front piston is at the top of the compression stroke. then bottom out and turn 1 1/2 turns on the front push rod one at a time. then it says to turn engine till the rear piston is at the top of its compression stroke and repeat as above. so im confused on the whole top of comperession stroke. does that mean tdc or does it mean when the front piston is at the bootom of the cylinder. I have a dvd that say rotate the engine till the front inside lifter goes up then when it goes down then that when adjusting.. so im alittle confused on where the pistons need to be and do you have to do it like the book says as far as rotating each pistion for for each set of push rods.

 

The pistons go up and down together, however by design, they are 45 degrees of rotation apart in relation to TDC. The text you reference means TDC of the piston being adjusted. The other cylinder will be "in the process" of finishing the exhaust stroke and beginning the intake stroke.

But trust me, if you'll get the front exhaust lifter up (valve open and that's the very front one) then adjust the other 3. Then get the rear intake up (it's the next to rear one, closer to the carb) and adjust the front exhaust, you'll be just right. But certainly nothing wrong with doing it "by the book"

 

Should there be any play in the pushrod before the lifter pumps up?

 

Info from another forum along the same lines...

http://www.hydra-glide.com/phpBB3/vi...php?f=5&t=7433