Motorcycle Repair: LIFTER AND ADJUSTABLE PUSH RODS?, crane hi, push rods

Question
HI,
   I HAVE A 1994 FXDL LOW RIDER WITH A 1340. IT HAS A CRANE 316-2B CAM,CRANE ADJUSTABLE PUSH RODS,CRANE HI-4 SINGLE FIRE MOD AND SINGLE FIRE COIL AND STAGE 1 AIR CLEANER. i BELIVE ONE OF THE LIFTERS IS BAD. BIKE RAN FINE THEN BACK FIRED AND STARTED RUNNING LIKE CRAP. I AM A NEW OWNER THAT HAS BEEN A MECHANIC ALL OF MY LIFE BUT NEVER ON A HARLEY. I FOUND THE FRONT EXHAUST PUSH ROD TO BE LOSE AND THAT IS THE ARES OF THE TAPPING NOISE THAT STARED AS SOON AS IT BACKEFIRED. I HAVE THE ENGINE ON TDC FOR THE FRONT CYL AT THIS TIME AND WANT TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE SURE WHEN IT IS ON TDC FOR THE REAR CYL SO WHEN I GET THE NEW LIFTERS AND GASKETS I CAN INSTALL THEM AND FIX THE PROBLEM. ANY HELP WITH THIS WOULD BE GREAT AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL OF YOU HELP AND TIME.

Answer
First thing you need to do is check to see why the pushrod came loose. Usually this problem is from the bearing going bad on the lifter. If it is bad enough it will damage the cam. the other problem is that if the rollers come out of the bearing they go straight into the oil pump and damage it. So I would pull all of the lifters and the cam cover and do an inspection of the cam. If you are missing rollers in the bearing then you need to pull the oil pump ad inspect it.
As to adjusting the pushrods. You dont need to be on TDC. After you have all the parts back together and are ready to adjust he pushrods, start at the front exhaust. Rotate the motor lifter is all the way down. Now adjust he pushrod until its finger tight. Rotate the motor until the pushrod is part way up and its tight. Now leave it like that for around 15 minutes. This will bleed the lifter. Now rotate the motor until the lifter is all the way down and adjust the pushrod until it will just spin in your fingers and its set. now go to the next one and do the same thing, until you have them all done.
Good luck and happy riding
Mike