I did a much needed valve adjustment on a Flathead Harley Davidson 45 motor. Since the bike was electric start and a three wheeler (Servi Car) I had to roll it back and forth to get to valve that you set the lash on. With that in mind and considering I had to work from the garage floor since the bike lift was out, it took a while to get it done, but all needed adjustment and came back into spec after the hoop jumping. Then came the fun part, screwing the two part valve tubes back into the tappet base, very fine threads, easily stripped that you need to hit just right to make them bite. At the end of the first evening after trying for hours to get the last and most inaccessible front exhaust tube to screw down I walked away. As I have aged I believe my patience level has increased. Laying the tools down, going in having a good dinner, researching how others had approached the issue, and yes even saying a little prayer, made me have a new attitude the following morning. I went back out with a hot cup of coffee, rechecked all the settings, and screwed all but the last uncooperative tube down. After trying again for over an hour and I was just about ready to give up and look for ways to jury rig a clamp and rubber piece around the tappet base to prevent some of the leaking, the threads bit with just the right amount of pressure from a screwdriver and the tube locked down. To me that is a feeling of accomplishment, sitting back and having the feeling, yep I won this one, and yes I did thank the man up stairs for his help. Probably going to take a while though for him to forgive the curse words that came forth on the two day ordeal. It is sometimes the little wins in life that make you really appreciate the big ones.
