Engine case mount tab?

[wnogood]

Good afternoon. I recently purchased an assembled Evo chopper. The top engine mount was missing. Allegedly the engine has 1400 miles, and the odometer on the bike read 463. The engine was a stock 1995 evo from a softail nostalgia. Recently, I noticed that the front engine mounting tab on the clutch side of the engine (Left) was cracked. Enough that I can see daylight between the case and the mount tab. As soon as I got this bike I installed a top motor mount. I checked to see if the front needs to be shimmed, and its good. I'm assuming that this happened during that 463 miles with no top engine mount?

My question is this... I really don't want to have to take this engine out and do a complete rebuild with new cases. Is this thing rideable? Can I run it until I can't?

[Tacocaster]

Need a bit of clarity, please.
Are you saying the Head itself where the stabilizer mounting bracket mounts is cracked or the bracket?

Maybe a pic would help us?

Either way, riding it without repair is not a good idea. What you have will simply cause another issue elsewhere. Something's gotta give and these engines 'move".

[speedzter]

If you break the other side front mount , your up for more repair work .
Time to pull the motor and fix it properly.
I wouldn't ride it .

[wnogood]

If you break the other side front mount , your up for more repair work .
Time to pull the motor and fix it properly.
I wouldn't ride it .

My issues are that one of the exhaust bolts in the front head had a really bad repair done to it. I can't say for sure that this engine is even worth saving. I didn't discover this crack until I was ready to ride for the first time. I'm not opposed to sticking a replacement engine in this bike, but it sure would be nice to ride a little before I back a dumptruck worth of cash up to this thing...

[jsachs1]

Can you get the crack touched up,and then have it welded ?

[kd]

I'm thinking you already know the answer to your question. I sincerely doubt that anyone will tell you to go for it.  Fix it and then move on. If you installed the top mount and had to mount a new tab the cracked mount will be out of alignment. You may have to fi the cracked one and then realign the top mount installation.  You are otherwise loo0king for a reason to hate this new to you chopper bike.  It`ll be a money pit.

[JW113]

Don't ride it. Before doing anything, trailer it down to a good welding shop. My welding dude performs miracles, so I would at least investigate that first. Perhaps the crack can be V'd out and TIG welded back.

Post a pic if you can.

-JW

[JW113]

One more thing...

In re-reading this, you said "chopper". Does that mean aftermarket frame?

Even with, oh, 50% or so of stock frames, the four engine mount bosses are not co-planar. More often than not, you need to shim the case mount points to the frame. Not having a top mount is bad, but if the engine to frame mounts are not spot-on, it puts a lot of stress on that aluminum case, and has all to frequently snapped a front mount from the case. From my limited experience with aftermarket chopper frames, they are almost always in need of engine to frame shimming. In fact the last one I did, needed quite a lot. Something to think about.

-JW

[wnogood]

One more thing...

In re-reading this, you said "chopper". Does that mean aftermarket frame?

Even with, oh, 50% or so of stock frames, the four engine mount bosses are not co-planar. More often than not, you need to shim the case mount points to the frame. Not having a top mount is bad, but if the engine to frame mounts are not spot-on, it puts a lot of stress on that aluminum case, and has all to frequently snapped a front mount from the case. From my limited experience with aftermarket chopper frames, they are almost always in need of engine to frame shimming. In fact the last one I did, needed quite a lot. Something to think about.

-JW

Yes, it's an ultima rigid frame. Given the condition of this bike when I bought it, nothing should surprise me. When I discovered this crack, I loosened the other bolts, fully expecting to have to shim it. It actually sets nice and level. Without a top mount, I have to assume that is what caused the mounting tab to break. I'm no physicist, but these engines seem pretty well tied down with the mounting. I've also noticed that Ultima engine cases have over-engineered those front mounting holes. WAY stronger than the stock cases. I'm trying to justify just biting the bullet and getting a complete ultima engine and then having this stocker case welded. Maybe I can re-coup some of the expense by selling the repaired 80".

Or maybe it'll turn into an excuse to build a bike from scratch??

[Hossamania]

Post some pictures?

[Tacocaster]

Aftermarket frame.
Ensure you scrape the paint off the mounting tab faces where the engine and engine-related covers bolt to the frame. If not, the paint will eventually break-down and fall-away leaving a loosened fastener.