Panhead tappet block

[rick anderson]

I have a cast iron front tappet block that does not have an oil feed hole. Did Harley-Davidson ever use these?

Rick

[koanes]

I'd love to see this mystery solved. I have never seen a cast iron rear. A friend sent me a picture of his early 48 motor and it has iron front and aluminum rear.

[Jerry Wieland]

I too have at least 3 front and notta rear. Kyle and I have talked about these cast ones that were cast in the image of the aluminum ones but have not found an answer. It would be interesting to find out.

Jerry

[bmh]

Curios, does the cast iron version share the same casting number as the aluminum ones?

[Carl Olsen]

That's easy, they are factory replacements for 48-52 hudralic pushrod engines. I have done a few engines with these style of lifter blocks and had some throughout the years, including rear ones. Think on the same lines as late knuckleheads with a small port, the factory made the replacement parts from the same casting as the current production parts.
Carl

[koanes]

Carl, the blocks we are discussing are not later style castings without oil feed holes, they are from the same pattern as their aluminum counterparts.

[koanes]

The front is iron, rear aluminum on this 48.