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[kona76]

In a flashing moment of wisdom, I decided to take my SE FatBoy up North (CA) to see my daughter. I loved the ride last time, plus I won some money at the local Indian Casino. Great trip all around.

Not this trip. 280 miles from home, farm country in Central/North California I lose engine power while doing 85MPH. A quart of freshly changed oil blows out from a Pushrod up front, soaks my whole right side in oil, covers the bike with the smokey fluid and I bog down to barely rolling without incident. The rear wheel is soaked, my clothes, boots and everything I cleaned hours before are now consumed in smoke and dripping oil.

Got lucky, no problems on the highway, but had to push my ride with a full pack of travel gear up hill and off the highway. Nearest HD Dealer is 14 miles north. No towtruck for 3 hours. and my SEFB is bleeding, oh, the shame.

Dealer says they will take a look Sunday (Wow, Sunday is unheard of in my  town) and estimate exactly how much damage is done.

Did I tell  you my SEFB engine builder who upgraded my ride for a mere $9,000.00 plus CLOSED THEIR DOORS  after 3 years of doing business? I am so fxxxed with no support and no warranty or service warranty from the "World Thunder" people. Spending all that money may have been a total waste now, depending on what else is wrong.

OK, done crying for today. Oh, except I am stranded in a small town until tomorrow. That is the easy part. Trying to sleep with a bleeding bike is difficult. Could somebody say a prayer for our SE FatBoy please. I need all the help I can get with this.

Kona76
Mike K.

[MikeD]

Good Luck brother, if yours flat lines, come buy mine!

[Screamin]

Major bummer. Hope the fix isn't too $$$$$$$. Good luck w/ it.

[Boatman]

Hopefully it's just a pushrod oring.  Good luck.

[MikeD]

whats the verdict?

[kona76]

whats the verdict?

Verdict held over until Tuesday.  We're waiting for the engine builder guy to come to work Tuesday. But, for sure it is the "adjustable Push Rod" that stressed. You can see the bend right by nut and threads. I wanted harder rods, like ones cut for my cam but got adjustable instead. Hopefully, no further damage had taken place.

[Twolanerider]

Verdict held over until Tuesday.  We're waiting for the engine builder guy to come to work Tuesday. But, for sure it is the "adjustable Push Rod" that stressed. You can see the bend right by nut and threads. I wanted harder rods, like ones cut for my cam but got adjustable instead. Hopefully, no further damage had taken place.

Kona, it's water after the dam of course, but there is at least one set of adjustables that do seem to avoid this weakness (at least as much as it can be avoided).  If you're looking for a replacement product that is still adjustable take a look at the part offered by Zippers.

I can't stand the company.  Their service and support are all too often abominations.  I've personally seen supplied machine work from them so bad it had to be redone before installation.  They've supplied machined packages guaranteed to work toghether; that don't (at least not well).  But their Pro-Taper pushrods seem to be very stiff and very stout.  At least worth a look if you're in search of an alternative product. 

One note though.  They're aren't a quick install.  Rockers will have to come off to install them.

[AUSSIE_FLSTFSE]

Kona,

Sorry to read about your troubles, but at least you are OK. Bugger about your builder as well. Lets hope the all is well inside your engine. For what it is worth I am running a set of the Zippers push rods in mine! Probably didn't even shoot out a quart of oil. Its amazing how much mess a small amount of oil can make.

Cheers
Aussie

[kona76]

Kona, it's water after the dam of course, but there is at least one set of adjustables that do seem to avoid this weakness (at least as much as it can be avoided).  If you're looking for a replacement product that is still adjustable take a look at the part offered by Zippers.

I can't stand the company.  Their service and support are all too often abominations.  I've personally seen supplied machine work from them so bad it had to be redone before installation.  They've supplied machined packages guaranteed to work toghether; that don't (at least not well).  But their Pro-Taper pushrods seem to be very stiff and very stout.  At least worth a look if you're in search of an alternative product. 

One note though.  They're aren't a quick install.  Rockers will have to come off to install them.

Twolanerider,

I know little of the push rod world, however I was under the impression that a push rod "cut for the actual size required by the cam" was the way to go. I also heard "the adjustable rods are for ease of install, not much more".

I will look into the Zippers Pro-Taper Push Rods tonight. Should I also look into a rod from the same manufacturer as my Cam (Woods)? Or from Feuling, (the majority of performance parts came from Feuling)?

[kona76]

Kona,

Sorry to read about your troubles, but at least you are OK. Bugger about your builder as well. Lets hope the all is well inside your engine. For what it is worth I am running a set of the Zippers push rods in mine! Probably didn't even shoot out a quart of oil. Its amazing how much mess a small amount of oil can make.

Cheers
Aussie

Aussie,

Thanks partner. I appreciate your good wishes always.

Hey, do you think my SE FatBoy's push rods are upset because I purchased a brand new 08' SE RoadKing?

God, I hope not. That would be too weird even for us.

Thanks Again,

Kona76
Mike K.

[AUSSIE_FLSTFSE]

Aussie,

Thanks partner. I appreciate your good wishes always.

Hey, do you think my SE FatBoy's push rods are upset because I purchased a brand new 08' SE RoadKing?

God, I hope not. That would be too weird even for us.

Thanks Again,

Kona76
Mike K.

The thought had crossed my mind!

Cheers
Aussie

[Hoist!]

Twolanerider,

I know little of the push rod world, however I was under the impression that a push rod "cut for the actual size required by the cam" was the way to go. I also heard "the adjustable rods are for ease of install, not much more".

I will look into the Zippers Pro-Taper Push Rods tonight. Should I also look into a rod from the same manufacturer as my Cam (Woods)? Or from Feuling, (the majority of performance parts came from Feuling)?

Kona. look at the Feuling .120" Racing Pushrods.

Hoist!

[Twolanerider]

Twolanerider,

I know little of the push rod world, however I was under the impression that a push rod "cut for the actual size required by the cam" was the way to go. I also heard "the adjustable rods are for ease of install, not much more".

I will look into the Zippers Pro-Taper Push Rods tonight. Should I also look into a rod from the same manufacturer as my Cam (Woods)? Or from Feuling, (the majority of performance parts came from Feuling)?

Mike, a pushrod exactly the right length for whatever your valve train is might be ideal.  Many (many many) times that's not an option though.  There are some good adjustable rods to be found.  That being said, what you're describing as the likely problem in yours is a failure that is heard of occasionally.

[Twolanerider]

Aussie,

Thanks partner. I appreciate your good wishes always.

Hey, do you think my SE FatBoy's push rods are upset because I purchased a brand new 08' SE RoadKing?

God, I hope not. That would be too weird even for us.

Thanks Again,

Kona76
Mike K.

Mike, just be glad if jealousy between bikes is all you've got going on.  Think about all that poor Aussie has to deal with everyday.  Down there down under in the southern hemisphere everything is upside down so he's probably like holding on to parts and pieces just to keep them from falling out going down the road.

[erniezap]

All I know is when I decided to get the pumpkin, a pushrod broke on the cherry...

Coincidence?