Motorcycle Repair: Ticking from my 1988 HD 883., adjustable rods, constant thing

Question
QUESTION: I have a 1988 HD 883 with 29,600 miles on it.  I had a ticking noise that sounded like it was coming from the front cylinder or oil filter area.  It would only happen AFTER the bike was warm and I had ridden it for over 10 minutes at speeds over 50MPH straight.  Then the front cyclinder was not working right.  I took it to a mechanic and he said it seemed like I lost a tappet, and that it may need to have the rods and tappets replaced.  I spoke to a few others who said the same but no one seems to know why it would start only after being warm. I just got done replacing the 4 tappets, and 4 push-rods with Screaming Eagle adjustable rods and Ultima Hydralic lifters.  It seemed to take car out it, but now the noise it back.  Any ideas or should I just give up and junk the thing.

ANSWER: when you said the front cylinder was not working right, what did you mean? Did you check the rockers when you had it apart?
Mike

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The rockers appeared to be OK (no cracks and they moved freely), although I did not mic them.  I only did a quick inspection of them, though.  For the front cylinder, what I meant by not working right was the front cylinder seemed like it would lose power, and I would idle rough.  I would also get a backfire through the carb every once in a while, hence the thought process of mine as it was a tappet and push-rod issue since the timing was set and was OK per the mechanic. The other peculiar thing is that the noise comes and goes. It is not a constant thing.  The mechanic who said that it sounded like a tappet that collapsed, said to let the bike get down to idle for a mintue or two and let the tappet fill back up.  I would do that, and the noise would go away.  At low RPM the noise would go away, but higher RPM it would come back, sometimes.  Does that help any?

Answer
The tappets usually start making a noise when the bike is warm since the oil is hot and thinner. The other thing is they usually tap more at idle, when the oil pressure is lower.

The backfire can be caused by a couple of things. Leaking intake, valve not closing completly, lean condition.

It sounds like to me that you still have a tappet problem since the noise went away for a while . Even though you replaced them they can still tap. Sometimes you can loosen a pushrod a little and let the tappet pump up and the tapping will stop.

Good luck and happy riding
Mike