Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

Top End (cylinders pushrods etc.)
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Fred
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Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#1

Post by Fred »

Hi! Hopefully someone on this board is able to help me out here. Seems that I have lost my service manual, and the only hd shop in town didn't have it in stock.... I'm itching to ride, but I need to adjust my valves on my 1959 duo. Have searched the web, but I was not able to find any info about how to do it! I would be grateful if someone could tell me the procedure on how to adust the tappets (it would have been easy if there were solid lifters, but "unfortunately" they are hydraulic).

Thxs in advance!

Fred B.
Oslo, Norway
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#2

Post by sleeper »

Fred, Assuming you have stock pushrods.
Here we go. Motor Cold. Rotate the motor forward, till the valve tappet to be adjusted is at it's lowest position[heel of cam]. Turn the pushrod adjusting screw up or down till the pushrod has "NO" slight play, & still turns freely [no binding]. Any tighter & you feel friction turning the pushrod. Then:
Mark the screw, And turn it tighter "Exactly 4 full turns", & secure the lock nut. Allowing each lifter time to "Bleed Down", after adjusting. Repeat on the other 3 lifters. & you are there!! ;) close the tubes & try her out!!
That's it!! ;)
Fred
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#3

Post by Fred »

Hi Billy,

Your help is much appreciated, in fact you just made my day :-)

The sun is shining, and I'm on my way to my garage!

again, thxs for the tip!

Rgds

Fred
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#4

Post by sleeper »

Fred, let us know how you make out...
Panzer
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#5

Post by Panzer »

Hi Billy,

As you can see, I have now joined this great forum!

Well, at last I got the bike running again. Had to adjust the tappets, and rebuild my S&S Shorty. The local dealer did not have all parts needed, so it took some time....

The engine runs great now! Took her for her first spin (this year) yesterday, just to notice that the clutch is slipping..... Hopefully I'll get away with adjusting it! ;)

Almost a happy ending, he he.
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#6

Post by Rainjester »

Lets see a picture of this bike!

jester-
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#7

Post by sleeper »

Panzer, Cool name, Thanks for the update, glad all is well.
On the clutch you can try turning the 3 or 5 nuts on the pressure plate a 1/2 turn tighter each, & see if that lessens your slipping. But you already know that... ;)

That's cool that you joined as well.!! ;)

Now as Jester said, we need a picture!! for the gallery..
Panzer
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#8

Post by Panzer »

As soon as I get my digital camera up and running again, I'll take some photos and post them :)

Billy, you're right about the clutch. It has been a couple of years since I last inspected the clutchplates (which are very worn), but I'm going to try and give the three bolts another 1/2 turn. Hopefully I'm able to get some ekstra milage....

Don't know what I have to pay for new clutch plates here in Norway (will check later today) but I had to pay $ 95.60 for a package containing the 4 lower pushrodcovers. I guess that is expensive, since I saw them listed for $30 at ebay.com.

Any thoughts about that?
panhead
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#9

Post by panhead »

Jan Willem Boon sells them for Euro 45
weezeo
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#10

Post by weezeo »

PANZER..Is your scooter a PANzer? Just wondering friend of mine just bought one and was wondering if anyone else had one out there.
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#11

Post by weezeo »

Never mind I just re read it and seen the "59" should have read it right the second time...... :-/
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#12

Post by 57pan »

Assuming you have stock pushrods.
Here we go. Motor Cold. Rotate the motor forward, till the valve tappet to be adjusted is at it's lowest position[heel of cam]. Turn the pushrod adjusting screw up or down till the pushrod has "NO" slight play, & still turns freely [no binding]. Any tighter & you feel friction turning the pushrod. Then:
Mark the screw, And turn it tighter "Exactly 4 full turns", & secure the lock nut. Allowing each lifter time to "Bleed Down", after adjusting. Repeat on the other 3 lifters. & you are there!! ;) close the tubes & try her out!!
That's it!! ;)

Billy,
I was going thru some old threads about hydraulic lifters. I have solid converters in it now and, based on the concerns that were raised in some of those threads, I am thinking of going back to the hydraulic units.

What is the thread pitch on the stock push rod adjusters? I really don't know if mine are stock or not so if I know what the stock thread pitch is I can calculate how many turns to adjust mine if my thread pitch is different than stock.
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#13

Post by sleeper »

57pan,I would be more concerned about how many TPI=Threads per inch.
A hyd. lifter has a .250 cushion, you want to be adjusted to the middle of that. In other words from "0" lash to + .125 so just count threads or measure how many turns it takes to adjust out + .125
That's all. ;)

Too many different brands of pushrods. Measure & know for sure!!!
57pan
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#14

Post by 57pan »

Billy,

Thanks, that is precisely what I really wanted to know - just how much the hyd. unit had to be compressed. I can calculate the number of turns based on the number of threads on my push rods now.
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Re: Adjusting hydraulic tappets on a 1959

#15

Post by lownslow »

Billy wrote:Fred, Assuming you have stock pushrods.
Here we go. Motor Cold. Rotate the motor forward, till the valve tappet to be adjusted is at it's lowest position[heel of cam]. Turn the pushrod adjusting screw up or down till the pushrod has "NO" slight play, & still turns freely [no binding]. Any tighter & you feel friction turning the pushrod. Then:
Mark the screw, And turn it tighter "Exactly 4 full turns", & secure the lock nut. Allowing each lifter time to "Bleed Down", after adjusting. Repeat on the other 3 lifters. & you are there!! ;) close the tubes & try her out!!
That's it!! ;)
Didn't want to start a new thread so I hope it's OK to tag along with one in the Knowledge Base.

The SM and the poster above both say 4 turns down and allow bleed down time after adjusting. I want to take the lifters out to inspect, clean, check and reinstall. One older mechanic advised, "for dry reinstall", run lifter in until it just bottoms out...GENTLY, then loosen it one and a half turns. This should give you the correct adjustment.

Would this basically be the same as 4 turns down when oil is present and the engine previously run? Obviously next day, engine cold. I'll work on this tomorrow night as I hate to waste a perfectly good Sunday not riding.....Thanks for all help in advance. John
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