Preparing to refresh my first top-end, pics and questions

[SixShooter14]

beats me, but I figure the bolts with the arm might be longer than without and I don't have a set of shorter, stock, ones, so I reinstalled it. I don't think it hurts anything, except it makes it a pita to remover the cam cover.

[hbkeith]

    , im quite familiar with the arm , just thought it was something you added , i would probally reinstall also if already had it

[Hossamania]

A friend of mine got some new lifters for his twin cam, (not sure of the brand) and they came with instructions to NOT soak them in oil before installing. Of course he read this after having them in oil for a couple hours.
No problems it seems.

[Pete_Vit]

"Any point to measuring the lengths before I shorten them?"

None at all.

Anything that changes the height of the stack will affect pushrod length.
Base gaskets
Head gaskets
Rocker box gaskets
Cylinder length
Heads milled?
Cam base circle
Lifter length

thanks...It all changed except the cam

annnnddd, you have no idea how the previous guy did it. I'd go with a fresh adjustment too.

after a new cam and cam bearing install at a reputable shop we (old Crow and I ) found mine were probably measured and not readjusted after the new cam install, makes a big difference and you'll thank yourself for doing it right the first time

[Racepres]

Early FXR and FLH had troubles with the trans to motor mount.
The Carlini brace helped take some of the load off the crap method they used to join the motor and trans together.

97 is a 10 year later model though not sure if it was still needed.

I will respectfully Submit, That I have seen more than a few very High Performance FXR's at the Drag Strip... very Few with the Carlini arm...and none Broken in the Suspect area... But... our guys keep up on Maintenance... including checking All Fasteners Frequently...
BTW; My Bought Showroom new 1982 FXRS has Not had an easy life, yet no problems without no damn Carlini Arm... Oh!! andf the '83 with a somewhat hotter than stock '93 EVO in it has no such Band-Aide either... and I sometime take it down the Strip... Just for Giggles!!!!

[Burnout]

And my 87 FXR doesn't have a brace and has not been treated well.
2 trans mainshafts and clutch hubs failed then 2 belts were snapped.
It now has a splined mainshaft, bandit clutch and a chain final and the time spent on the rear wheel can be measured in miles.
No Carlini brace.

Another thing to check on these models is that the front mount is in good condition and shimmed if needed to keep the cases from hitting the frame when stunt riding.   

[Hossamania]

I don't think Six is doing any stunt riding on his RK, but I don't want to speak for him, he might just be a lunatic that I did not suspect!
I also agree with him that if it's there, reinstall it.

[SixShooter14]

I don't think Six is doing any stunt riding on his RK, but I don't want to speak for him, he might just be a lunatic that I did not suspect!
I also agree with him that if it's there, reinstall it.

I've been called worse things.....lmao

IF you only knew why I was in the garage at 12:30 last night putting the heads and cylinders back on.....nevermind, I'll stop there   

[Hossamania]

No need to know why, in fact no reason needed at all! I've actually gotten out of bed to go do something on the bike so I could finally relax and go to sleep.

[kd]

   Back on???   OK, fess up. 

[SixShooter14]

alright...alright...

Ya know those little 'C' clips that hold the wrist pin......There's supposed to be one on each side for a total of 4...not 3!! Oh, but which one did I forget??? uhh, idk, guess I better check them both...sure enough, the front had only 1.


It's never good to find leftover parts sitting on the floorboard. I spent 10 minutes digging in the trash to make sure I had all 4 old ones and that the one I found was actually a new one.... Oh well, sure glad I found it before I had the tank on and was ready to fire it up.

[kd]

Good for you Six.  Your organization payed off.  There'll be several people on here reading this that can identify with your dilemma.
  Other's may be lucky enough to learn something before they feel the pain.   

[Pete_Vit]

alright...alright...

Ya know those little 'C' clips that hold the wrist pin......There's supposed to be one on each side for a total of 4...not 3!! Oh, but which one did I forget??? uhh, idk, guess I better check them both...sure enough, the front had only 1.


It's never good to find leftover parts sitting on the floorboard. I spent 10 minutes digging in the trash to make sure I had all 4 old ones and that the one I found was actually a new one.... Oh well, sure glad I found it before I had the tank on and was ready to fire it up.

so the first time was just a practice run, yeah been there - 

[Hossamania]

It's like you were watching me put things back together. And apart. And back together.
Good catch!

[JW113]

For those of us that are not professional Harley mechanics and only do this on our personal equipment (like me), this happens all the time. No matter how many years you been doing it. My most recent FUBAR was maybe a year ago doing a top end on my '92 softail. All back together, fire it up, and.... whoa. That sure is a lot of smoke coming out the exhaust. After riding around for a while and the 'rings not bedding in', I made a quick consultation with my machinist who did the bore job. He said make sure the rings are installed the right side up. Should be marked. I did recall that when I put them in, the 2nd rings had no mark, so I put them in as instructed if no mark. Well, I tore it all down, pulled the rings, and sure enough, 2nd rings were upside down. I flipped the rings, put it all back together reusing the gaskets, fire it up and exhaust is clean as clean can be. Lesson learned!

And the list goes on and on, hence the motto: What's worth doing, is worth doing over. And over. And over...


-JW

[SixShooter14]

Alrighty fellers...

Pushrod adjustment,...right now, they are set to just touching the lifter when on the base circle...

How do I know how much further to go? I don't know for sure the brand.

[Ohio HD]

Count the threads per inch, and figure out how many turns to get 0.100" to 0.110" depth.

[SixShooter14]

Count the threads per inch, and figure out how many turns to get 0.100" to 0.110" depth.

thanks, I can do that.

[SixShooter14]

How believable is 24 TPI?


Leading to 14.4 flats? Or 2.4 turns? For 0.1" 16ish for 0.11"

[Ohio HD]

Very believable.

[SixShooter14]

Great, I'll split the difference with 15.

Thanks

[SixShooter14]

Got the pushrods adjusted and exhaust mounted (another one of those PITA jobs) and refilled the fluids last night. Except the primary....as apparently my primary fluid is in my other truck 120 miles away, along with my stubby wrenches and low profile socket set.... Hopefully I can find some locally without having to run to the city.

next steps are: Intake and VOES and getting the tank back on.



anyone happen to know the size of vac line for VOES? I read somewhere on the internets that it was 3/16" but the local AZ only has 5/32 and 7/32.....I grabbed 5ft of 7/32 and some hose clamps, if it leaks, I'll try the 5/32 or call around to see if anyone stocks 3/16.

[Hossamania]

The 7/32 vac hose should work fine. By my calculations it's 1/32" bigger, so same size. Good luck measuring that difference.

[SixShooter14]

The 7/32 vac hose should work fine. By my calculations it's 1/32" bigger, so same size. Good luck measuring that difference.

that was my thought. I'd rather go a C-hair over and clamp it down than heave-forbid break off the little nipple on the switch or carb trying to force the smaller hose on.

[Hossamania]

And if you're really worried, put a dab of silicone around the end of the hose when installed. It's pretty low pressure, so you shouldn't have any problems, just don't overclamp it and break a plastic barb if present. I often just twist some wire on small vacuum hoses as a clamp instead of an actual clamp.