Forum

[Mickey]

Hi Balf, if its any consolation my inlet push rod rotates when the engine is running too on my 350 (tappets usually adjusted cold-ish). The tappet noise on my 535 was really excessive when engine warm so, on advice of of a knowledgeable mechanic in India I have always adjusted when hot (well, enough to burn fingers). After 15 years of Bullet riding no problems yet as the engine still starts o.k. & is quickly up to running temp. before any real valve damage can occur. Mick

[Mickey]

Hi Balf, if its any consolation my inlet push rod rotates when the engine is running too on my 350 (tappets usually adjusted cold-ish). The tappet noise on my 535 was really excessive when engine warm so, on advice of of a knowledgeable mechanic in India I have always adjusted when hot (well, enough to burn fingers). After 15 years of Bullet riding no problems yet as the engine still starts o.k. & is quickly up to running temp. before any real valve damage can occur. Mick

[Mickey]

Sorry I keep repeating myself!!!!!

[Leon Novello]

One must be careful with settings; things can go horribly wrong.
Scenes from the Devil`s workshop.

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[Leon Novello]

Oh! I forgot to add: On long trips around Australia, always carry a spare piston.
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[PeteF]

I've come across spinning pushrods on all sorts of engines over the years. I always thought it had to do with the rockers as they change their angle on the pushrods in motion.
Anyway, I've never known a problem caused by this.

[Balf]

Thank you all for your replies. The following site gives info on follower design. The flat follower as in the bullet I think is supposed to be square with the cam but as it was made in India is not dead accurate and thus causes it to spin. I think this is probably an unintentional good thing, spreading the wear across the surface of the follower. The effect, I think, is marginal.

I wasn't concerned about it, just interested to know if it were designed that way.

http://www.mechengg.net/2016/06/types-o ... owers.html

[papasmurf]

On many pushrod engines there is a slight offset the rocker end of the pushrod so the pushrod moves slightly around, when the engine is running.
This give an even wear.

[Nettshubby]

Balf, hazzarding a guess here, because your original description wasn't totally clear, but when you say tappet square to cam, I wonder if you mean CENTERED on the cam. As indeed many engines use offset followers so that they do turn in use to even out wear. Also, when I read your original post I assumed, now probably wrongly, you were talking about the pushrods being able to turn when adjusted, with no clearance, not spinning when running which I now believe is what you meant. By the way, I don't see that your post has caused any arguing!

[Balf]

Yes,Nettshubby, you are absolutely right! I have just re-read my ambiguous first post.

The inlet push rod is spun by the engine when it runs, not by my hand whilst adjusting. The design for spinning would be offset or it may be the rocker end as Papasmurf suggested.

Perhaps I should have said discussion instead of argument!