| Author | Message | ||
     Jcs64 |
Hey guys, going nuts here over the thought of replacing my lifters. I Thought I heard that it should be done around 30,000 miles and ive now got 33. What exactly is the recomendation now days. Also what are the thoughts on the best way to do it? Buy the gaskets ($200)and lifters($100 each x 4)and do it the "Harley way". Or go the Adjustable way and just cut the old ones out? Is the a cheaper gasket "kit" somewhere to just do the necessary parts for a lifter change? (also, American sport bike has the complete gasket sets listed w/ either .03 or .04 thick headgaskets, which one is stock? thanks, Jeff | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Why would you replace your lifters? Are they making more noise than normal? I would just leave them alone. Mine has 87,000 miles on them. Never been out of the case. Many others here have more than me too! | ||
| Jcs64 |
not really, but since I was told they are a part that is replaced around 30k, now im starting to listen even more. And of course if you listen for a noise, you hear it. I know the twin cam Harley engines had a problem w/ the lifters and I could swear I read that the buells were recommended to replace them @ 25k to 30k. Is there a mileage number that buell recommends? jeff | ||
| Jcs64 |
And of course theres the fear that if its recommended and you don't do it, then you will drop the hardened needle bearings out of the roller and they will jamb up all the gears just before it blows out the side of the case! jeff | ||
| Jolly |
three Buells, two of them over 30k and have never replaced the lifters.....two of them bought used though so no idea of what was done before I bought them...I have replaced the push rod tubes though, but kept same lifters, rockers and push rods....not an expert though so don't go by my service records, I had just never heard of that before... | ||
| Jramsey |
LaFayette E.Jenne aka "Buellistic" has over 120,000 miles on his S3 and the top end has never been off. | ||
| Zenbiker |
The lifters in your bike are good until they are no longer good. The lifters had some quality problems in the 99-02 years due to the supplier not getting along with their union (that is another story). The motor company moved to a better supplier and the quality issue disappeared. So if the lifters have lasted to 30k, then they are probably good for another 30k at the very least. At this stage, PM is the key, keep fresh synth oil in the tank and enjoy. | ||
| Sparky |
I would say based on my experience that lifters should be replaced every 100,000 miles whether they need it or not. Believe me or not, it's cheaper doing that than replacing lifters and cams when a lifter f's up and it's roller jams. | ||
| Rick_a |
Better to be safe than sorry. Generally, when they start getting loud replace them ASAP. My original lifters at just over 15K miles had the chrome flaked out of ALL the bores. One of the replacement lifters at just 25K of use (new style) did this:    I think 30-40K is reasonable for replacement of the stockers. I wouldn't trust them much after that. Regular high rpm use really shows the weaknesses of these engines...all of them, eventually. If you ride it like an HD cruiser, no worries. A quality aftermarket replacement, such as Jims, should be more durable and last longer, though the cost is a bit prohibitive. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
>>If you ride it like an HD cruiser, no worries. Guilty as charged. (Mostly) I romp on mine from time to time but on the whole, I just ride it like I own it  | ||
| Buellistic |
"i" must have the record for LIFTER LIFE, 111,819.6 miles as of the last ride on OEM lifters ... | ||
| Kevmean |
My X1 has about 60000 on it's original lifters. | ||
| Harleyelf |
If you are determined to replace them, there is no need for all those gaskets. Take the upper rocker covers off, remove the rocker assemblies, pull the pushrods out, and remove the pushrod tubes. Then a magnet will lift the lifters right out. No need to break into the cam cover or remove the heads or the lower rocker boxes. I changed mine at 30K, but I was sick for a few years and didn't drive the S3 for over a year and they dried out and no longer compressed. I soaked the old ones in a jar of motor oil and took them apart and rubbed the gunk off with a shop rag and they would work fine if I re-installed them now - they got noisy when they were gunked up but the gunk cleaned right up. If the noise from yours is the same as it always has been, you are fine. | ||
| Oldog |
I have 51K on mine and I don't baby it I warm it up and change the oil regularly | ||
| Jcs64 |
thanks guys, I appreciate your help. I think im going to just ride it and pretend I don't know what would happen if they fail (ignorance is bliss, right?) I called the local HD dealership and just played stupid when asking them if there was a suggested milage to replace them at? And they said Nope. I would have figured they would say yes just to see if they could get in my wallet :-) And is that right what Harley elf said? All you need to do is pull the rocker boxes to get the pushrods and tubes out? For some reason I thought the heads had to come off? jeff | ||
| Sportyeric |
Sportster ridden hard for 90K and Buell treated better with 85K. Stock lifters. | ||
| Jolly |
I just did a push rod tube replacement, took advantage of the time to do the xb style rocker box covers and gaskets as well. see thread with full write up on procedure.. heads do not need to come off, pull rockerboxes, pull push rods, remove single bolt at push rod tube base, lift up base and push rod tube swing out from motor and remove. (thanks to folks here for answering those questions for me!). note, exhaust will need to be pulled to provide enough clearance to remove tubes so buy exhaust header gaskets as well as push rod tube gaskets...or...think about the conversion I did..very happy with the billet single bases and collapsable push rod tubes with stock solid push rods...no leaks...Ill even loan you the motion pro tool if you want to go that route! | ||
| Fahren |
I think synthetic oil makes for louder lifters. Not that it affects function, just the sound level. Anybody else notice this? | ||
| Oldog |
All you need to do is pull the rocker boxes to get the pushrods and tubes out? Yep that about covers it} | ||
| Kellenbm |
I have a set of brand new lifters. That I bought assuming mine were bad. I will sell them to you. | ||
| Jcs64 |
great info guys, jolly, im headed to look at your write up right now. 'and Kellenbm, I just sent you a PM thanks again, jeff | ||
| Kellenbm |
714 213 1619 kellen | ||
| Jcs64 |
on a somewhat related note:-) As I was worried about the buell eating a lifter I started using my '72 FLH more. Huh, how ironic that it seizes a lifter roller and wipes out the cam right around the corner from the house. $500 in parts and a weeks worth of dicking around and were good to go again. old harleys never die, they just keep getting rebuilt! | ||
| Reepicheep |
I did mine with the autozone lifters. I can dig up the info, I posted it somewhere here. They are the old style lifters, which I think most people feel are better than the new style HD lifters. $12 each or something. |
