My 2017 Low Rider S was built to a 124 by Hillside Motors a couple of years ago. Been running great, but has had an annoying tick that I wrote off and attributed to the stupidly aggressive ramps and lift of the Wood TW9F cams in it. Until @98hotrodfatboy showed me a video of the annoyingly silent top end on his bike also using Wood cams. I'm using Vulcan Engineering "Shaft-loc" rocker supports which lock the shafts and eliminate rocker shaft ticking that is solved by various doo-dads, so its not that noise. I've listened to pretty much everywhere on the motor with a mechanics stethoscope and can't track the damn tick down. Seem like its coming from everywhere... Have a listen:
Note that I'm not talking about the cam noise that sounds like your banging two coconuts together, coming from the throttle body, that's perfectly normal. It's the rapid tick in the background
I only used redline 20w-60 since the first 1k oil change, but a friend suggested I try Amsoil 60w to quiet it down. Which I did, and I guess subconsciously I thought it helped. Until I decided to switch back to RL 20-60 as a test, which proved really no difference. So I tried re-adjusting the pushrods a little deeper in the lifters to see if it made any difference, which it didn't.
However while doing that, I did notice a couple things. One lifter bled down as quickly as it took me to adjust the other, which for Wood lifters using 20-60 should have taken waaay longer. So after adjusting the pushrods down to .160, and running it again I heard no difference. I then pulled the rear lifters out (the rear exhaust was the one that bled too quickly). They looked ok, but when I popped off the C-clip the plunger slid right out. While the on other lifter the plunger was held in by vacuum and had to be slowly pulled out over 10 seconds or so. Clearly an issue (in my mind at least) with the "loose" lifter. I also noticed a little rub on the inside of the top of the pushrod tube. So i picked up a 5/8" reamer and have been slowly taking off some diameter of the top of that tube. I'll probably do them all for the hell of it.
So as it stands now, I'm waiting on a new set of Fueling Race lifters. Decided on short travel based on both Fueling and recommendation from a few trusted members here, because of how rough those cams are. Should be here on Thurs. I'll clean them up with mineral oil, soak them in the same redline for a bit, pump them up with the handjob oil can I have, slather a little assembly lube on the exteriors and rollers and I should be ready to test them out on Fri/Sat. I'll clean and blow out the pushrod bores also. Once its back together I'll do like I always do and run the starter with the plugs out for a few 5 second bursts to get oil flowing.
Yes, it’s a different cam, but you heard my video, that’s not normal.
It does sounds like one bad lifter.. I think you found it.. Either way with the new travel limited lifters, you can adjust them my way if the recommended way don't work..
If you look at one of my posts, I did the same thing. I had that annoying tick. I was using S&S quickies, the large collar on the pushrod was hitting the push rod tubes. You could see the witness marks on the pushrods.
I reamed my pushrod tubes out, shortened the length on each end by .35 and used just straight adjustable S&S pushrods. Problem solved. S&S 570 cams.
Last edited by Harley1004; 10-04-2023 at 03:57 PM.
If you look at one of my posts, I did the same thing. I had that annoying tick. I was using S&S quickies, the large collar on the pushrod was hitting the push rod tubes. You could see the witness marks on the pushrods.
I reamed my pushrod tubes out, shortened the length on each end by .35 and used just straight adjustable S&S pushrods. Problem solved. S&S 570 cams.
I did see your post, that’s what led me to the 5/8 reamer, thanks. Question, when you say you shortened them, that was on the bottom edge? To prevent a h contact with the adjustment nuts? I’m using FuelMoto pushrods which are pretty linear (not as wide at the adjusters, and thicker overall). I only saw mark on one tube about 3/4” below the top.
On the end of each pushrod tube top and bottom where the O-ring sits against lifter block and against the head, I shortened the ends about .35 of an inch. I left just enough on the end of each pushrod tube to hold the O-ring in place. I found what this does, is leave more room for the pushrod itself as it moves, laterally back-and-forth inside the tube at the top and bottom so if you’re using the S&S quickies, the larger collars will not hit the tubes.
I did see your post, that’s what led me to the 5/8 reamer, thanks. Question, when you say you shortened them, that was on the bottom edge? To prevent a h contact with the adjustment nuts? I’m using FuelMoto pushrods which are pretty linear (not as wide at the adjusters, and thicker overall). I only saw mark on one tube about 3/4” below the top.
10-03-2023, 10:49 AM
Tick tock
