Insane vibrations on this new motor

[HotRodShovel]

The only different elements put into this engine were the L51 cam and hydraulic lifters.  The bike ran very smooth before.  Flywheel assembly was balanced and nothing changed there.   The vibrations are off the charts.  Headlamp glass cracked from it!!   
Any ideas? 

Oh..96" Shovelhead

[fbn ent]

Have it out of the frame? Shimmed correctly? Loose mounts?................

[Ohio HD]

Cam is timed correctly?

[HotRodShovel]

FBN,Did not take it out of the frame.  Just a new top end in the frame.

Ohio: You mean lined up correctly with pinion & breather?  yes, I'm positive however if that's what you mean, its worth checking.

[Ohio HD]

You can take a compression test to see if the cylinders have equal pressure. If the cam timing is off, they'll most likely be very different in pressure. Then there's always, was the cam timed correctly in relation to the gear when they pressed it on. Compression check should show all of that.

[HotRodShovel]

Its a Leineweber cam so Im giving ol' Jim the benefit of the doubt that he pressed it on right.   Ill do a compression test though and see what's happening.  Ill also take off the cam cover to do a visual on the cam timing.

Thank you, Ill report back in the next few days.

[Harpo]

Check your top motor mount - either hardware loose or a broken weld.

[black]

Check your top motor mount - either hardware loose or a broken weld.

:up:If it is a two piece mount find where you like it and weld

[HotRodShovel]

Ill recheck the mount!!  For sure.

[HotRodShovel]

AND HARPO WINS THE DOOR PRIZE!!!

Top motor mount bolt was gone altogether!!  out of sight out of mind.  The tab from the frame to the top mount was missing the bolt.  I remember tightening down the head mounts to the cross piece but never tightened the top one it seems!!.

Good call Harpo, its now calm and back to its old reasonable vibration.  No wonder my feet were vibrating off the pegs!!.  Checked that no engine mount boss was cracked.  That would have sucked.

Thanks all.  But Ohio, just for sh1ts and giggles Im going to do a compression check anyway.   My old gauge went DOA so I ordered a new one and will give it a go.

[fbn ent]

That'll do it...Wait! See first response 

[Ohio HD]

That'll do it...Wait! See first response 

Absolutely, and that's why I went to the last work performed. You had the initial checks covered.     

[HotRodShovel]

Sorry fan ent...I stand corrected.  YOU WIN THE DOOR PRIZE!!   Yes sir you certainly did nail it right out of the gate.  My apologies and thanks. 

[fbn ent]

Just what I need.....a door! 

[motorhogman]

I'll never forget the time when I was riding up in the Berkshire Mountains in Western MA on my old Shovel and that top mount broke.. The vibration was so bad I almost had to towed home the 100 mi.. After looking at the cost of the tow I just ran it home slow. But I'll tell ya I thought it was gonna shake itself to death at certain rpm's.

[hotbo]

I have had the mount break off the frame before,ive lost countless bolts that bolt the 2 piece together! we were in Telluride about 22 years ago and i was pulling a long mountain climb on my 98" dresser shovel and all of sudden it started vibrating like hell! pulled over and was like WTF  Dad said check top mount BINGO! went to a parts house got a bolt... Glad you found it. Travis 

[sandrooney]

Had it happen to me on several shovels. First thing I checked when vibes would start and just about every time it was something with the top mount.

[sprinkman]

My bolt keeps backing out of the head do you guys use red locktite here.

[HotRodShovel]

Blue Loctite everywhere, almost.

[topcat3815]

I use Locktite 246 on those bolts its made for high temperature applications

[fbn ent]

Make sure you use thick hard washers on them too..I use Caterpillar..helps.

[kd]

  #2 on the washers