Lifters: hydraulic vs. solid
Ryan Border
Hello,
Need a little advice:
I'm restoring a panhead motor, which I purchased as a disassembled
basket case. The motor's almost done; I'm at the point where it's time
to bolt the heads back on; which means it's time to get the pushrods and
lifters back in.
The bike came with solid, adjustable lifters (one piece with the tappets),
and fixed length push-rods. I have no idea which brand they are.
My front lifter block was trashed, and I managed to find a stock replacement;
which also included an extra rear lifter block, and a set of (4) stock
tappets.
I am trying to decide if I should:
a) Use the stock tappets, get stock hydraulic lifters to fit, and stock
adjustable length push-rods
b) Just use the solid lifters and fixed length push-rods that I have.
I'm not trying to build a race motor, so the added red-line solid lifters
might offer isn't a concern.
What I figure so-far is:
o The hydraulic setup would be easier to keep adjusted, but is heavier,
can be prone to problems if not kept clean, and at this point costs
me money.
o The solids would require periodic adjustment, at least while the new
seats and valves wear in. They would offer marginally better
performance. And, they're "free" since I already have them.
What other factors am I missing?
Another option would be to get a hydraulic-to-solid lifter conversion kit,
using my stock tappets and new solid lifters and push-rods. That would
only cost about $40. The advantage here is that I'd know exactly what I
had. My machine shop installed new rollers onto the stock lifters and said
they look fine.
Last question: the tip of my pushrods is a little ball which sits in a cup
on the end of the lifter. In other words, there's no way to slip a feeler
gauge between the push-rod and the lifter. How do you adjust (well, adjusting
is easy, what I really mean is measure) a solid lifter setup? Where
to you measure the valve clearance at? Do I need to remove the timing
cover and measure between the tappet roller and the cam? My manuals only
cover the stock hydraulic setup.
Gracias-
Ryan Border.
Please reply to: rbo...@cup.hp.com or bor...@best.com
Panhead
Ryan Border wrote:
> o The solids would require periodic adjustment, at least while the new
> seats and valves wear in. They would offer marginally better
> performance. And, they're "free" since I already have them.
On this note, I can mayhaps say this about that.
Set/break-in will happen rather quickly!
They will indeed require periodic adjustment....but not as night-marish
as you might think.
Don't be scared of these things.Twenty minutes once every two or three
months depending on your use?
There free, there cool, they work!
Flea
Ryan Border <rbo...@apollo.HP.COM> wrote in article
<5d5sqm$o...@hpax.cup.hp.com>...
> Hello,
> Need a little advice:
>
>
snip
> Last question: the tip of my pushrods is a little ball which sits in a
cup
> on the end of the lifter. In other words, there's no way to slip a
feeler
> gauge between the push-rod and the lifter. How do you adjust (well,
adjusting
> is easy, what I really mean is measure) a solid lifter setup? Where
> to you measure the valve clearance at? Do I need to remove the timing
> cover and measure between the tappet roller and the cam? My manuals
only
> cover the stock hydraulic setup.
>
> Gracias-
> Ryan Border.
> Please reply to: rbo...@cup.hp.com or bor...@best.com
>
Ryan,
Go ahead and use the solids that you have.
They work fine on engines with iron cylinders.
Since the pushrods run cooler than the cylinders, you simply set the
clearance at zero with the engine cold (with the lifter on the base circle
of the cam, tighten the adjuster until the pushrod gets more difficult to
spin between your fingers).
When the engine warms up, the cylinders and heads will expand more than the
pushrods and clearance will be established (assuming you have steel
pushrods).
Flea
Jim Fort
rbo...@apollo.HP.COM (Ryan Border) wrote:
Hot dam. Panhead talk. No not you Panhead, the motor (er engine).
>Hello,
> Need a little advice:
>I'm restoring a panhead motor, which I purchased as a disassembled
>basket case. The motor's almost done; I'm at the point where it's time
>to bolt the heads back on; which means it's time to get the pushrods and
>lifters back in.
>The bike came with solid, adjustable lifters (one piece with the tappets),
>and fixed length push-rods. I have no idea which brand they are.
>My front lifter block was trashed, and I managed to find a stock replacement;
>which also included an extra rear lifter block, and a set of (4) stock
>tappets.
By lifter box do you mean tappet stand? If yes, be careful of the
year. Earlier years (thru '50) the tappets had no oil ports drilled
in them to support hydraulic pushrods as hydraulics were at the top of
the rod. So make sure you have matched the year correctly.
>I am trying to decide if I should:
> a) Use the stock tappets, get stock hydraulic lifters to fit, and stock
> adjustable length push-rods
(snip)
Use what you've got. Solid pushrods will be noiser but price is
right.
(snip)
>Last question: the tip of my pushrods is a little ball which sits in a cup
>on the end of the lifter. In other words, there's no way to slip a feeler
>gauge between the push-rod and the lifter. How do you adjust (well, adjusting
>is easy, what I really mean is measure) a solid lifter setup? Where
>to you measure the valve clearance at? Do I need to remove the timing
>cover and measure between the tappet roller and the cam? My manuals only
>cover the stock hydraulic setup.
With valve closed. You should be able to just spin the rod. Takes
jut a couple of minutes to do. Might do once cold and the check when
hot to see if there is significant change.
CT or Flea can you collaborate what I've said. It's been a while
since I got into the engine.
Jim
'50 FL
Flea
Jim Fort <jf...@erols.com> wrote in article
<5d7ka3$k...@boursy.news.erols.com>...
> rbo...@apollo.HP.COM (Ryan Border) wrote:
>
>big snip
> With valve closed. You should be able to just spin the rod. Takes
> jut a couple of minutes to do. Might do once cold and the check when
> hot to see if there is significant change.
>
>
> CT or Flea can you collaborate what I've said. It's been a while
> since I got into the engine.
>
> Jim
> '50 FL
>
>
> Recheck hot only if using aluminum pushrods.
Flea
Helen Barker
Re: adjusting solid lifters. On my shovel, you adjust the lifters to the
point that you can spin the pushrod, and feel a slight drag on it while
you're turning it. Get the pushrod to its loosest point by turning over
the motor, then gradually tighten up the adjuster until you can feel some
drag on the push rod when you try to turn it with your fingers.
Maybe panheads are different, what do I know? <bg>
Chris Troudt
Helen Barker <hba...@jetstream.net> writes:
<snip>
|> Maybe panheads are different, what do I know? <bg>
Hmmm...I dunno...Panhead?...Different?...Nahhh.
He's just a lil' eccentric, that's all.
--
Later,
CT
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Panhead
Chris Troudt wrote:
>
> Helen Barker <hba...@jetstream.net> writes:
>
> <snip>
>
> |> Maybe panheads are different, what do I know? <bg>
>
> Hmmm...I dunno...Panhead?...Different?...Nahhh.
> He's just a lil' eccentric, that's all.
To say the least.
Tom
In article <5dg8bf$11...@watnews2.watson.ibm.com>, ctr...@vnet.ibm.com wrote:
>Helen Barker <hba...@jetstream.net> writes:
>
><snip>
>
>|> Maybe panheads are different, what do I know? <bg>
>
>Hmmm...I dunno...Panhead?...Different?...Nahhh.
>He's just a lil' eccentric, that's all.
>
Nope. Rich people are eccentric. Panhead is nuts.
Tom
Panhead
Hmmm, "The Nutty Eccentric". Now who's gonna play me in the movie?