I'm getting bored

[Pat Kelly]

I finally took my XStra cylinders to Yosemite Machine to be bored-out for my 1196 kit. They should be done sometime this week.
Next stage in the process is cleaning-out the shop so there's room to do the work. SWMBO has cra...stuff all over the place and the kids' bicycles are in the way. Bit by bit I'm finding floorspace.
So, I have the:
- big-bore kit
- valve stem seals, head, base, valve cover gaskets and the O-rings at the base gasket
- will measure the clutch plates and it ok, will add a steel plate
- have XStra valve cover to be painted
- match the intake boots to the intake ports
- might send the 4 into 1 exhaust to be "Jet-Hot" coated. Got a price quote of $170 to do the complete exhaust, much less that I thought it would cost. But this can be done later.
I intend to take photos along the way so we might have another tech-tip.
Aside from replacing the cam chain can anyone think of anything I'm missing?

[mro]

- match the intake boots to the intake ports

cool, custom boots.......

If not doing a valve job, would "lap" em.


mro

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Pat,

The machine shop I worked with wanted the actual pistons so that they could match bore them. You might want to contact them to see if they want them to actually measure and match vs. just using a standard size. They should then write on the piston 1-4 to keep them matched to the bores during assembly.

Also, I'm sure you're going to set the end gap of the rings once you get them back from the machine shop by putting JUST the rings inside the cylinders and measuring and adjusting.

Funny, I thought lapping the valves was a valve job, just a cheaper version vs. having them machine ground?! They were machine ground in the beginning, and many time the sealing face just needs smoothing out=lapping. IF you have to use new valves, then perhaps grinding would be in order, however I only did lapping even though I put in a few new valves.

Using cardboard or such to put and label the valves and lifter according to their specific cylinders to put them back into the same location to match the wear patterns.

You'll want to measure the clutch springs, and replace if less than spec even with the extra steel plate!

Curious what do you mean by matching the intake boots, I thougth they were interchangeable, just bolt on and mount the carbs?!
T.C.

[mro]

originally posted by TC
Funny, I thought lapping the valves was a valve job

Valves in "OK" condiction, lapping is good to insure good sealing surface, but is a "stop gap measure" to the re-grinding of seat and valve. Several angles to a valve grind


mro

[prometheus578]

While waiting for the machine shop work, polish, polish, polish.
Replace all Phillips heads with SS hex heads(or anodized black ones)
Take that round clutch plate cover to a trophy shop and have them engrave your initials, or the name of the bike on it. Redo the whole scheme of your bike into a shrine dedicated to Anna Nicole Smith.
As far as mechanical stuff goes... I think you have it all pretty much covered.

[jimboreeno]

I like the Anna Nichole Smith idea.
Maybe you can find a set of aux lights and mount them in a set of big rubber boobs on the front.

(Prom, you probably have some big rubber boobs lying around with all your plastic humanoid accessories don't you??)

....hey....you said you were bored......

[trukleon]

Prom

we have to meet!!x is now up to 1231 /month,,, just life!!

[Pat Kelly]

TC,
I didn't mention all those because that is a given (they have the pistons, gapping rings, etc.)
Lapping the valves is the final step even after having the valves and seats ground.
Matching the boots to the intake ports ensures a smooth transition from boot to head. Next time your carbs are off run your finger inside the boot and feel the lip. After matching them each boot has it's own cylinder. They are still interhangable but in the correct order they are a perfect match.
I talked to Joe (owner of Yosemite Machine and a longtime friend) about matchint the exhaust. He does work on lots of racebikes both dirt and street. He said that it's really not worth it on exhaust that uses crush gaskets like our bikes do. When the gasket seals it will still leave a lip that can't be removed.
As to porting, this isn't a race bike so I'm not concerned with wringing every last bit of power. Porting is ok at high RPM where you want maximum flow. I think adding 100 cc and higher compression will be fine for me.
Being a Midnight Special I want to keep the bike as stock looking as possible, very difficult for me to do. My 78 E on the other hand has some interesting visual mods in the planning stages (custom paint job). I am still thinking of having 11 small black widow spider decals made and put them in various spots around the bike (I killed 10 of them when I first got the bike but left 1 as a mascot, she eventually left or died), thus the bikes' name "the Black Widow".
Over the years working as a wrench I have built/rebuilt7 bike engines, 2 for racing, and about 75 automotive engines, 10 for racing. I have over 260,000 miles on the stock 6-banger in my 68 F100 after rebuilding it. It's making some funky noise anymore but still gets me from here to there.
Back to cleaning out the garage

[TopCatGr58]

Pat,

Yeah, a given for you and many experienced wrenches, but was thinking out loud for comments and photo suggestions for the "TECH TIP" for the not so in the know !

I've got some ideas for some custom painting I'm wanting to do with Godzilla, just gotta learn how to use my airbrush and such!

I can appreciate the trouble with maintaining stock look, especially with the MNS, best of luck!
T.C.

[Pat Kelly]

Originally posted by TopCatGr58
Pat,

Yeah, a given for you and many experienced wrenches, but was thinking out loud for comments and photo suggestions for the "TECH TIP" for the not so in the know !

T.C.

Oh yeah, that

[prometheus578]

"Plastic Patty"

(Prom, you probably have some big rubber boobs lying around with all your plastic humanoid accessories don't you??

Prom, we have to meet!!x is now up to 1231 /month,,,

Trukleon, even if I assembled an artificial woman for you, she'd still just lie there cold and lifeless... and isn't that why you divorced in the first place?

[Poprock]

My bike is getting ready for a top end rebuild too. #2 & #3 are in bad shape. Right now the most intimidating thing is removing the jugs from the engine case. Know any good ways to do that?

[prometheus578]

Know any good ways to do that?

Sadly, no... there are no good ways to do it.

[prometheus578]

Unless you're very lucky...
What happens is that the top of the base gasket bonds to the cylinder, and the bottom side of the base gasket bonds to the case. Your task then is to separate the two by tearing the base gasket in half... thickness-wise. A fun task all around.
Several methods to try:
Get some thin guitar string, and work it around the corners as if you were flossing your teeth.
If your lucky, you may then be able to wedge several thin putty knifes between the cyl. and the case.
There are pry points I believe that can be utilized, as well.
Oft times, I've had to resort to using chisels to widen the gap till the gasket separates.
Success can also be had using blocks of wood and striking them mit der hammer of Thor. (don't come singin' to me if you break a coupl'a cooling fins.
You also may have deposits of sand and road grit around the long studs that hold the cylinder to the case. This is not an immediate problem when lifting the cylinder upward. The fun starts when the cylinder reaches the top of the studs, (where they flair out for the threads) as the impacted grit around the stud holes in the cylinder may not want to move past this widened area.
All in all... you'll have a good time... a moving experience that you can pass on to others, as I just have.
Then again... some just slide right off!

[Poprock]

Thanks, Prom. I saved the strings last time I renewed the guitar. 2/17 will be the day I begin the quest.