Updating a Shovelhead

[GoFast.....]

Hey shovelheads,

I spent all my time on the Twin cam page. Got bored building TCs so I picked up a basket case shovelhead bagger . What updates can I do to stop it from leaking and should I just junk everything but the engine and use updated Evo parts. Go to belt drive ? I was even thinking of going to a rubber frame mount.One thing I hate is oil leaking poor performance Harley's. Do we have a dyno page for these things. 

[79FLH]

  Welcome to the Shovelhead board Gofast !!  I've seen a page for dyno runs on here somewhere,  maybe on Hillside cycles website..  As far as hating a bike that leaves a little oil everywhere you go ...  The Shovel will prove to be a true test of your patience..  I have had a shovel that was leak free, but never managed to get it to last that long, just something I've learned to live with..  Good luck !!

[96flhpi]

Don't think you can just go to a rubber mount w/o a new frame and tranny.

Best upgrades to my '82 FLH - CV carb and ditching the junction box for Deustch connectors.

[76shuvlinoff]

"Updates" over 17 years have taken me into a custom I can't legitimately call a shovel anymore

S&S 93" shortblock dual plugged heads.
5 inna 4 speed case trans.
Cal Products inner primary (and isolated primary from engine oil)
Rivera Pro clutch.
Dyna 2000i electronic ignition.
40mm CV carb.
2000 and up front suspension to get modern dual disc brakes.
RK front rim with 1" axle
GMA 2 piston rear brakes.
Tired of snapping rear spokes so I recently went to all stainless there.
Hayden M6 primary chain tensioner.
Ebay rear chain idler.

.. and more wrench therapy than I can possibly recall.

[Skin]

Welcome to the Shovel board. As far as the leaks, I've got 3 Shovels and they all leak something from somewhere. What year is the Shovel? Best and simplest upgrade is replace the carb and the ignition system.

[GoFast.....]

Welcome to the Shovel board. As far as the leaks, I've got 3 Shovels and they all leak something from somewhere. What year is the Shovel? Best and simplest upgrade is replace the carb and the ignition system.

Well, I kind of own it. A friend is going bankrupt and he had this Shovelhead I saw. So he calls me up and says do you want it. I said yes and come and give him a deposit and we go out the shop to get it and to my surprise it's tore apart. Thank goodness the engine and tranny are together. I say where is the title and he says it was a tow away repossession that his brother got in his towing business and he has application paper work for it. Who knows if I will ever get the title. If not I got a bike in parts for 500.00. I do not know the year. It has a starter and no kick start and has a square oil tank with the spin cap tighting on the top. It is a flh model.

[96flhpi]

Oil tank with filter under the spin cap puts it pre late '82 assuming tank is original.  I'm sure you can find a VIN lookup online.

[easyricer]

Getting the title may prove a bit of a challenge, more for your patience than anything else but it is doable. As far as Having an FLH Shovel that don't leak, keep dreaming.
I much rather stock over a bunch of aftermarket go fast or pretty stuff. Best up grades I've done to Ol'Betsie:
CV carb, trailer hitch, needle bearing advance unit, 99 Heritage Softail wheels, Badlands auto cancelling turn signals, Andrews gears in the tranny with a kicker, 95 Roadking rear brake, White Brothers 1 1/4 inch Roadking handle bars with internal throttle and wiring, 96-up handle bar controls with back lit switches, tank shifter and rocker clutch off my old Panhead project, custom made leather bags, modern touring mufflers.
The worst "up grades" BDL belt primary drive that whines like a supercharger, Accel Hi-perf coil (got replaced with an HD stock coil after it smoked out on me).
Other than the needle bearing advance and CV carb the motor is still stock 1200, still the same pistons she left the show room with, I have 4 different seats, the stock fairing with a radio, a stock windshield, still have the hard bags and tour box, so I can change her up from a boulevard cruiser to a full dress touring rig in a matter of minutes.
One of the best points to Ol'Betsie, I can pull up to any Harley shop, drip in their parking lot, then push the kick start through before I leave!
EASY

[smokedyvr]

Good thread post GoFast....., I to have become a Shovel owner, 79 1/2 80 cuin mill and I don't know about ever plugging the leaks but I am interested in the ignition system easyricer. Where did you get the needle bearing ignition unit? I've been told you can get a ball bearing unit?? My carb is a S&S B which the only down side is the lack of a accelerator pump. I would be interested in any other venues of reliability I can make change too.  Do tell......... 

[easyricer]

The needle bearing advance unit I have in mine came from Bikers Choice. Been one of the better upgrades. I buy my points and condensers at O'Rilies, though.
http://www.powersportrider.com/cgi-bin/zcatjpg
I am a Bikers Choice dealer at my shop.
EASY

[smokedyvr]

Don't wanna steal the thread but my shovel is a 79 1/2 so I have the electronic ignition with spring loaded advance weights, what would you suggest to replace this unit?  Don't care for the weights n springs.

[76shuvlinoff]

If you really don't want springs and weights I have had a Dyna 2000i installed since 03 so that's all I can suggest. Crane makes an excellent unit as well.

If you have a kicker make sure you get one with a kick option.

[Reddog74usa]

I put a CV carb and a Rivera Pro Clutch upgrade in my bone stock 77 FXE and that's it. Bike runs great. Putts the back roads real nice and will keep up and pass modern day traffic on the super slab even with stock 3:42 gearing. I run a Lockhart oil cooler and the oil temp is never over 180 even on the hottest days. Between the CV carb and the Rivera clutch the bike really operates very smoothly and just plain o'l makes it a pleasure to ride.

[bob_e95482]

I've had my Shovelhead over 20 years. It has been extensively upgraded, with too many mods to list. It is a stroker, reliable, and doesn't leak.

[76shuvlinoff]

 

[easyricer]

Smokedyvr, I my opinion the best electronic ignition system out there is the stock system on most Evo Softails. It's all but bullet proof. I've had to replace many aftermarket ignitions because they failed or got over heated, other than a couple of cam position sensors, I've only had to replace one stock ignition module. I keep my points and advance unit because nothing works better with a kicker. If I didn't like to kick start Ol'Betsie, that's what would be in there.
EASY

[shovelbill]

Welcome to the Shovel board. As far as the leaks, I've got 3 Shovels and they all leak something from somewhere. What year is the Shovel? Best and simplest upgrade is replace the carb and the ignition system.

Well, I kind of own it. A friend is going bankrupt and he had this Shovelhead I saw. So he calls me up and says do you want it. I said yes and come and give him a deposit and we go out the shop to get it and to my surprise it's tore apart. Thank goodness the engine and tranny are together. I say where is the title and he says it was a tow away repossession that his brother got in his towing business and he has application paper work for it. Who knows if I will ever get the title. If not I got a bike in parts for 500.00. I do not know the year. It has a starter and no kick start and has a square oil tank with the spin cap tighting on the top. It is a flh model.

i think you'd better get the paper before you start thinking about "upgrades"............. the frame and right side engine case are worthless without some form of title.......can part it out though.

[76shuvlinoff]

Once you get clean paper there is another upgrade to think about that I forgot. The charging system (and get a good look at all the wiring too).

The later two pin 32 amp stator and regulator connection is much more secure than our old and often burned up 17 amp set-up. It made my batteries last a lot longer too. I still use the stock rotor, works fine for me.

[Hillside Motorcycle]

No real reason for a Shovel to leak.
No real reason that a Shovel can't roll off great street power.
Just sent an '82 FXR home Saturday morning.
Poor guy took it in the shorts, when he purchased it, as it sent the f/rod thru the f/cyl in about a month of use.
S&S rod set, new pistons/cylinders, valve job(with parts), lifters, and had a Crane cam(un-hurt)
and an S&S E.
Runs like a top, now.
Scott

[GoFast.....]

I've had my Shovelhead over 20 years. It has been extensively upgraded, with too many mods to list. It is a stroker, reliable, and doesn't leak.

Nice looking shovel. That look and the way a shovel sounds I think is enough to put it back together instead of just parting it out

[CraigArizona85248]

I've been riding a panhead as my daily transporation since 2004.  I've tried a LOT of different modifications.  Some I'll swear by and others aren't all they were advertised to be.  Many of these mods apply to a shovel just as well as they do to a panhead so here is a list of the mods I've done that I think have really helped.  Keep in mind, my mods are for reliability.  I'm not that much into going fast anymore.

1) The first time you go through the motor, don't cheap out on anything.  Use the best quality parts you can get your hands on.
2) CV40 Carb.  Easy to get, not expensive and a very good carb.
3) Electronic ignition.  Much more reliable then a lot of guys will claim.  Set it and forget it.
4) Upgraded valve train.  I put Evo lifter blocks and lifters in my panhead.  They are much more stout then the stock setup.  Probably not as important for a shove since it is already better in this area then a pan.
5) Primo/Rivera ProClutch.  Clearly the best aftermarket clutch you can get for a knuck/pan/shovel (IMO).  BDL makes a really nice clutch upgrade too (very similar in design to the Primo solution).

I've done a lot of other mods but they are all panhead specific.

One of the things you have to do with these old bikes is UNDO all the shade-tree-mechanic work that previous owners have already done.  It will help if you just tear it all down and start from scratch.

-Craig

[War Horse]

One of the things you have to do with these old bikes is UNDO all the shade-tree-mechanic work that previous owners have already done.  It will help if you just tear it all down and start from scratch.

amen to that !

I've been quietly following along here and all the advice is spot on. Theres one little thing that hasn't been mentioned.. and that is the breather cavity opening this needs to be opened up and will be one of the best and cheapest upgrades you can do. Also make sure not to run the plastic gear.

This does need to be done perfectly tho, specs can be found on most any S&S stroker build sheets, follow these instructions to the letter. A degree wheel and some very small grinder bits along with a Dremel snake and some fine small files, will be needed.

Maybe someone can post a S&S PDF for you, I have them but don't know how to attach them to the post

[GoFast.....]

Spent some time on the phone with Steve at GMR today. He brought up a good point about valvetrain issues and cams.

1. You can update the lifters and pushrods to oil the top but when you hit the rockers you still can't get the oil through like you need to.

2. Cam choice. The closing is always important in relationship to compression. He says the stock Evo cam works well, or the EV23 to build compression.

[76shuvlinoff]

1. You can update the lifters and pushrods to oil the top but when you hit the rockers you still can't get the oil through like you need to.

gotta install the right rockers.

When I did this it was a spendy kit from Jims: tappets blocks rods and rockers.... and as much crap as I hear about Jims these days all I can say is it works for me. I ran "solid" cam with 560 lift on these hydraulics for a long time, with the 1.5:1 ratio on the Jims rockers I had .585 or so at the valve (S&S heads with no room for error).  These hydros are still running 2 cams and 25K later.

[easyricer]

I'm the second owner of my Shovel (1976 FLH), and it has leaked since the day it was new. The most annoying leak was from the oil pump itself. The oil would pool in the skidplate and when I parked her every day, she would dump it out. Was about a 4 inch puddle every day. Last year, I finally pulled the pump and fixed it. For about 2 weeks she was leak free, didn't drip a single drop. We twisted off on vacation, rode about 1250 miles in 6 days. On the ride home she somehow managed to puke most of the tranny lube  out and the tranny overheated. The motor don't drip any more but now the tranny leaves a quarter sized spot everywhere I park her. If it's good n hot out, you can see where the oil droplets splash. One of these days I'll pull the primary and replace the mainshaft seal.
The next most annoying leak was from the oil tank itself. Right around the oil filter cap. It was a leak that almost drove me nuts. I replaced the cork gasket 3 times with no luck, then one day I found a large enough piece of 1/4 thick rubber to cut a rubber gasket. Now the leak is fixed but I have to lube my chain myself now. The last one, is a the cam seal. While it's not really leaking, it has a heavy weep. When I open the points cover, the inside is lightly wet with engine oil but there is no pool of oil in there. Saves me from having to lube my advance unit.
Make no mistake, Ol'Betsie don't get many breaks. She is my only means of transport. Up until last year when I freshened up her heads and fixed a couple of leaks, nobody had ever seen the inside of this engine after it left the dealer in 1975. I have worn 3 compensators out, 2 sets of sprockets, 4 chains, a set of wheels, a cam, and been through 3 carburetors. The tranny got rebuilt after I lost second gear about 3 years ago and the primary is a BDL belt right now. She gets a bath about once a year whether she needs it or not and has never seen a trailer to get her home. By far, the best bike I have ever owned.
EASY