'79 FXFE project

[BJB]

Back in Sept of 2013 we were on a trip in Northern MN. I was loading up our '13 FLTRU when a guy who was the maintenance man for the hotel walked by and started shooting the chit. Told me he had a '79 Superglide that had a "tick" in the top end from a plugged oil screen and he was thinking about selling it. "How Much" I asked and when he said "My buddies at the bar offered me $1200 but I won't take a penny less than $1500". I got his info and since he is a brother UBC member we agreed that I'd get back to him in a bit if his guys held firm. Called in Dec of13 and he still had it and I had the 15 Benjamins. Did not want his "friends" jumping back in the deal so I asked him to meet me at his place the next day right after he got off work. When we got there it was -20. There was an added kick start and the bike slooooooooooowly kicked down. I became the second owner and got all the parts he had ever taken off, all the receipts and work orders, and a shop manual. Put the bike in storage and in the summer of '14 pulled the plugs and kicked it over it it spun free and had compression. Feeling pretty good about what I bought & yes the numbers on the frame and cases match. 56000 miles. Pulled the gas tank to see about having the halfs cleaned. Put a bunch of newspaper under it and pushed in back in storage.
I had some things happen, life for one. A buddy and the president of our non-profit (2Wheels4Heros.com) had a stroke Sept 1. I have been very involved helping him with his medical issues. He is doing great and he has been bugging me about using his heated shop and getting the '79 going. Since it is his shop and there is more of a chance that he will get up and walk out to the detached shop, just moving around is something he needs more of, I will be starting on the rehap of the shovel and he will likely become more motivated too.
I'll be looking for advice / guidance here. My plan is after getting my lift and tools over there the 1st step will be to see what I have for compression in each cyl. and take it from there.
I did a lot of work on my own and friends English iron back in the 70s and would say that as a carpenter I am a very good hand. Working w/ tools is how I supported my family. 
My 1st question is what kind of PSI should I expect to see kicking this engine over after squirting some oil in the plug holes, kicking it over a bit, & then putting on a compression gauge? I would think a 10% differential between cyl is acceptable?

[76shuvlinoff]

First off congrats! $1500 is an absolute steal even if it was just a basket case and it sounds like you got a lot more than a basket case.  I am no guru but I think you should be seeing 90 to 110 psi if it's stock with the carb wide open but others with more experience will speak up shortly.  These guys will take care of you.

Post up pics of your project as it develops. 

Mark

[Breeze]

My unprofessional opinion is that compression numbers right now won't be worth much. After it runs (if it runs), cylinder parts will clear of surface rust, valves will wear the sticky residue off the stems and seat better, etc. My Clymers manual states "over 100 psi, with 10 lbs. variation is acceptable".
Good luck with the bike and your friends rehab.

[BKACHE]

Back in '04 I got an offer I couldn't refuse on a '78 FXS. Of course mine was 2 tires on the frame and 26 boxes of parts. Are you going to change the looks - or just get it running first?

[BJB]

Gary, the 1st owner, changed the looks some from bolt on parts. I got all the take offs. While it is maybe one of the most homely colors I have seen, a brownish mustard w/ a tinge of green, my plan is to get it running and put it back to pure stock AMF. Will do some mods for reliability if warranted. 
Brian 

[JW113]

Agree with Breeze, on a bike sitting for a long time the numbers on the gauge won't me a whole lot. Especially kicking it. I would do all the basics and then see if it will fire.

Clean out the carb real good, jets, float, etc.
New Plugs, wires too maybe.
Some WD-40 in the cylinders, spin it over a few times. (oil will foul the plugs it if fires up)
Check the points (if it has them).
Drop the oil put in fresh.
Check the valve adjustments.
Put a known good battery in it.

Then give it a go, see if it lights up. This will be an interesting project to follow!

Congrats,
JW

[BJB]

Appreciate all the good advice.
Went to Dennis Kirk today and picked up a battery.
Going to try to move my lift and a toolbox in the next day or two. I would hope to be trying to fire it up sometime next week.
It has an electric leg so I'll see what it has for compression, before and after it runs, hopefully.
How do you guys handle modern unleaded fuel on these old shovel valve seats? Additive added to the gas tank at fueling? 
TIA 
Brian

[76shuvlinoff]

Seems to me every time the unleaded fuel and valve seat question comes up the consensuses is to just run it.

Mark

[david lee]

Seems to me every time the unleaded fuel and valve seat question comes up the consensuses is to just run it. 1980 +shovels are designed to run standard unleaded

Mark

[JW113]

I'm of the mindset that unleaded gas is only minor annoying issues for engines with cast iron valve seats. i.e. Ironheads, chevys, fords, mopars, etc up to the 80s. Any aluminum head engine (like a panhead, shovelhead, evo, etc) that I am aware of uses pressed in hardened steel valve seats. Should be totally fine with unleaded gas....

-JW

[BJB]

Thanks fellas
These may seem like dumb azz questions.
I have been tossing it around around just doing the work in my unheated garage. The scope of work really wont be defined until I try firing the old girl up. To have knowledgeable opinions before hand that it is a waste of time & $$ to pull the heads if it runs okay and has decent compression and leak down helps me. I'll be rolling my personal m/c toolbox on a trailer.
Then again moving it all (tools, lift, bike) means I'd have LOTS of over the shoulder supervision.

[tomcat64]

I have 3 bikes that need leaded fuel and I've seen enough stuck valves over the years that I kind of over kill the fuel... if you can find lead additive in one of your local parts store buy up a case or two, I also add a little marvel mystery oil to the mix,,, when I store them in the winter I fill the tanks with AV gas,, 100 low lead, It doesn't go bad,, and it smells like a million bucks when you run them! hell of a deal you got there, keep us in the loop on the rebuild! 

[tomcat64]

BTW,, it's an FXE or FXEF.. the later had fatbob tanks..

[BJB]

OOPS it is a 80 CI FXFE with the kicker added.
I know your store is out by the Alex airport so I'll assume you buy AV gas there. Anoka Co airport is 15 miles south of me.
MY wife went to nurses training in Alex. & her home town is Henning. She has tons of relatives all over Ottertail Co. 1st her grandfather, then uncle and now cousin had / have a well drilling business now out of Erdahl. Half the town of Deer Creek seems to be cousins. Good riding buddy I've know since '69 is from Hoffman. I spent 4 1/2 years living in Morris. I've even joked that maybe we should buy the farm her mom is still on and move there. She hopes I won't be too lonely. 

[KELD]

Cool. Got a retro 75 underway myself.
Good luck!

[david lee]

I'm of the mindset that unleaded gas is only minor annoying issues for engines with cast iron valve seats. i.e. Ironheads, chevys, fords, mopars, etc up to the 80s. Any aluminum head engine (like a panhead, shovelhead, evo, etc) that I am aware of uses pressed in hardened steel valve seats. Should be totally fine with unleaded gas....

-JW

my manuel says 1980 onwards run unleaded

[JW113]

But I wonder if that's because before 1980, unleaded was not very common?

Dunno. I had a 1965 Chevy Corvair. Manufactured before the existence of unleaded gas. Aluminum heads, steel valve seats. (just like a Shovelhead!) Ran for 20 years on unleaded, no problems what-so-ever. (with the gasoline that is...)


-JW

[fzee]

All of the info above is great however it has been my experience that even tho you are able to fire it up that fact that it has been sitting for years can create issues with rings and it may also weaken the valve springs that were holding one or two valves open for that period of time!  They may not beak but they will be weak!  Also if anyone did fire up the bike in the winter but did not run it long enough to heat the oil up, condensation may collect on the internal journals and rust.

All in all it sounds like you are going to have great time helping to heal your friend and enjoying the rebuilding this scoot. 

[BJB]

There has been a different tack taken. My buddies garage never cleared out enough to start over there. His son moved home and they are storing a classic car, two bikes, and a ATV for friends.

I moved my lift back home, went and got the bike, and started taking parts off & draining fluids today. It is warm enough now to work in my unheated garage.

I'll be posting some pictures as soon as I figure out how to do it for this site. I'm leaning towards just cleaning it up and see if it runs for this year.

Time to dig into the service manual.   

[Hossamania]

I would take the same course of action. Clean it up, get it running, see if anything breaks.

[david lee]

my 1980 lowrider once sat for approx 8yrs not started and all i had to do was clean the pilot jet(s&s) new fuel and battery and started with one press of the starter button and still runs perfect to this day