Does this plan make sense?

[KevH]

I have a 2003 FXDX with 25k miles I picked up this last November. It's a bit of a mystery bike.



It came to me with rotten/cracked tires and old gas in the carb and tank. The older gent I bought it from said it "sat for a few years." It looks like the few years is probably closer to a decade. It's had three owners before me with the last one owning it since 2007. As weird as it sounds, he wasn't much of a bike guy and didn't know if anything had been done to the engine or what modifications may have been made before he owned it. I've tried tracking down the original owner, but can't find him and the dealer where it was originally sold nor HD could tell me much about the bike other than it was sold 9/3/02.

Looking at the bike without pulling the engine apart it has an SE Air Cleaner and SE Slip-Ons (and an SE fork brace). I lifted up the push-rod tubes to take a peek and can see what look like SE adjustable pushrods. It has the stock ignition module. Based on the adjustable pushrods, I'm guessing it has a SE cam in it, but I won't know until I open it up and look. I suppose there is no way to know if it has a 95" kit or not without pulling the heads off, which I would rather not do right now, but based on all the SE stuff I'm assuming the original owner probably had it kitted out right after he bought it and it hasn't been updated since.

So not knowing whether the bike has a 95 kit or not and assuming it still has spring cam tensioners in it, my plans are this:

-   Pull the rocker box covers off and clean and update the rocker breathers and add Rocker Lockers to the rocker support plate
-   Update the cam chest to a 2007 (bronze bushing) hydraulic tensioner factory cam plate with a Baisley plunger and spring, new roller chains front and rear, and the newer style oil pump
-   Replace rocker box, camchest and pushrod tube gaskets with HD factory
-   Change the inner cam bearings
-   Run "conversion" cams
-   Install a new Thunderheader (I already have one)
-   Install a Dynatek TC88 ignition module

I talked to Bob Wood a few weeks back and based on that conversation I was thinking:

-   Wood TW-6-6R Conversion Cam
-   Wood Alpha Lifters
-   Dynatek set to 32A ignition curve
-   My spare CV40 jetted to 190 main and 48 pilot

I think I'd like to clean up the carb the bike came with and send it to Bob Wood to do his magic to it while he's still working on them.

Does this plan make sense?

Am I missing anything?

[calif phil]

Check for peeling tank liner, have seen quite a few with pieces of factory liner floating around. 

[KevH]

Check for peeling tank liner, have seen quite a few with pieces of factory liner floating around. 

It's bubbled and peeled in a couple spots that I can see, but overall not too bad.

[Hossamania]

I like your plan. You might be able to find out if it is a 95" by measuring volume of the cylinders. I'm sure someone here has the procedure. The fact it still has stock ignition leans toward not a 95", and maybe not a cam, but I don't know if using stock ignition with new cam was a standard procedure. I always changed them to at least an SE ignition.
Once you get into it you'll know.

[calif phil]

It's bubbled and peeled in a couple spots that I can see, but overall not too bad.

GTL in North Hollywood Ca is the place to send the tank to if you want it fixed right.  They do amazing work, I have sent several 2003 tanks to them. 

[speedzter]

Depending on how much carbon, you may be able to try an endoscope through the spark plug hole .

How much does Bob charge for reworking the CV ?
I would put my money into a Mikuni.

[KevH]

Depending on how much carbon, you may be able to try an endoscope through the spark plug hole .

How much does Bob charge for reworking the CV ?
I would put my money into a Mikuni.

A lot, but he probably won't be building carbs much longer. I can pick up a Mikuni whenever.

[KevH]

I stuck a borescope down the spark plug holes and this is what I found:





Can't read anything due to carbon build up. I think both the stock 88 and SE 95 pistons pretty much look the same if memory serves. 

I'll work on doing a cold engine compression test later this week. 

[Mi Infidel]

It wouldn't surprise me if you already have gear drive cams or a hydraulic conversion plate in there. If not there's really no reason to spend the extra money at this point just get the Cyco shoes and update the spring tensioners and use the money saved for headwork if they're not already done.

[-deuced-]

Edit; post deleted, just realised date.

[smoserx1]

Those borescope pics of the piston tops look worlds better than mine did as far as carbon goes (I had a ton more mileage when I did the top end though).  Just pull the cam cover off & you  will be able to see if the tensioners are stock & if you are doing the rockers & breathers you can take out the pushrods from the top and not have to worry about readjusting them if you bag & tag 'em so they go back where they came from.  Seeing how it is a 2003 it may have one piece plastic breathers.  Definitely replace those if you find that.  I have a 1999 that I am running Andrews 21 conversion cams and I made into a 95 inch motor when I did a top end rebuild and I still use a stock ignition.  As long as it doesn't ping on pump gas I see no reason to change that.  I also use the original CV40.  It came with a 42 pilot jet which I changed that to a 45.  The mixture screw was 3/4 turns out from the factory, I changed that to 1.5 turns and the main needle was changed from a NOKM to a NOKK.  Other than that the only thing I have had to do to the carb is replace the vacuum piston diaphragm a few times, put one rebuild kit in (which I don't think I needed) & replace the plastic fuel inlet with a brass one.  That carburetor is easy as pie for anyone to work on.  You have a nice looking bike and probably don't need to do too much to it.  Replace your fuel lines while you are at it.  I recommend Gates Barricade fuel hose.  Good luck & have fun!