What's going on in the garage?

[DEEBS11]

Working on an EVO Road King. Classic base gasket issue.

[LAB3]

Has they or someone else come up with a permanent fix for that yet?

[DEEBS11]

I have done several of these and they are all holding over the last ten years or so. You can see in the picture the James metal base gasket that is rubber covered. The EVO motor was designed (with) Porsche and was to be assembled with asbestos base gaskets but that material became outlawed. They were assembled at the factory with a paper gasket that split over time.

Along with a James base gasket, I use a Trock lapping plate to hone the bottom of the cylinder flat with grinding compound and use late 90's cylinder studs with new cylinder nuts to hold the torque. I also use a MLS (Multi Layer Steel) head gasket and progressively torque to 42 LBS. Pretty much a permanent fix for leaky base gaskets.

[DEEBS11]

Another EVO I did back in 21. This guy rides every day even in the winter. Good test subject. He put on many miles in all kinds of temperatures. Bike is still leak free.

[bikerphil]

Hey DEEBS, I have a quick question, When using new rings, would you check the ring gap clearances before or after using the hone on the cylinder wall?

[Ccitis]

Just finished valves on the XS... went well... still have some kind of burbling or stuttering at constant throttle in cruise... not sure what the deal is there. Synced the carbs again last night, tried to adjust the mixture again by ear... can't quite solve the stutter... doesn't impact performance it seems, just annoying to the ear. Right now I also have my 1995 Triumph Sprint 900 apart on the lift, waiting on shims... doing valves on it too (double valve job back to back)... a little bit trickier and more cramped on account of the fairing... and having to remove the cams... waiting on shims now.

[DEEBS11]

Hey DEEBS, I have a quick question, When using new rings, would you check the ring gap clearances before or after using the hone on the cylinder wall?

Phil, I first measure the old ring gap in the bore and make note. Then I hone it and wash the bore in hot soapy water. Dry it and lightly oil it with 20W50. Then I measure both top rings pushed in about 3 inches into the bore looking for about 0.014. The calculation is .004 or .005 x the bore. The rings are Hayden moly coated. A small touch of oil to the skirts of the pistons, and re-install the cylinder (with a ring compressor) carefully without damaging the new base gasket. This has produced good results every time.

[DEEBS11]

Just finished valves on the XS... went well... still have some kind of burbling or stuttering at constant throttle in cruise... not sure what the deal is there. Synced the carbs again last night, tried to adjust the mixture again by ear... can't quite solve the stutter... doesn't impact performance it seems, just annoying to the ear. Right now I also have my 1995 Triumph Sprint 900 apart on the lift, waiting on shims... doing valves on it too (double valve job back to back)... a little bit trickier and more cramped on account of the fairing... and having to remove the cams... waiting on shims now.

A stuttering at constant cruise speed is a classic midrange rpm lean condition (or a possible air leak such as the butterfly shaft seals). Perhaps try to shim the needle to raise it out of the emulsion tube with a very thin shim and/or possibly open the pilot mixture screw 1/4 to 1/2 a turn each to experiment. That and hot weather should clear that problem or at least reduce it.

[bikerphil]

Phil, I first measure the old ring gap in the bore and make note. Then I hone it and wash the bore in hot soapy water. Dry it and lightly oil it with 20W50. Then I measure both top rings pushed in about 3 inches into the bore looking for about 0.014. The calculation is .004 or .005 x the bore. The rings are Hayden moly coated. A small touch of oil to the skirts of the pistons, and re-install the cylinder (with a ring compressor) carefully without damaging the new base gasket. This has produced good results every time.

Thank You, I'd assume this procedure would also apply to the XS11 engine I'm getting ready to reassemble?

[DEEBS11]

Everything the same except 0.012 end gap and whatever oil you use in your engine.

[DEEBS11]

This is the hone info or you can get it done at a local machine shop. Machine shop is a little better because they have better equipment. However, a ball hone works fine.

[DEEBS11]

Use aluminum oxide for aluminum like master cylinder bores. Just a light clean up like the cylinder bore. I usually only push the hone in and out quickly to get that 45° crosshatch about 5 or 6 times. Then clean the bore with hot soapy water (really) and dry. If you don't do this step there will be cut metal and abrasive stuck in your crosshatch. I'm sure thousands of motors are crap because this step is overlooked. The final step is lightly re-oil the walls and have everything ready to go back on the pistons.

[DEEBS11]

I have never done a Nikisil bore because I have never seen one wear out (with proper care). My 98 Guzzi has 220,000 miles on it and still does not burn one drop of oil with Nikisil cylinders. But if it ever needs rings I would use the aluminum oxide hone as shown in the chart.

The XS1100 motor uses Silicon Carbide 240 grit. The bore is 2.815 inches. A 3 inch hone should work. I use cutting oil on the bore.

[bikerphil]

The XS1100 motor uses Silicon Carbide 240 grit. The bore is 2.185 inches. A two inch hone should work. I use cutting oil on the bore

The XS11 bore is actually 2.815" (71.5MM), I have a SC 240 grit 2 3/4" flex hone I'll be using.

Thank you for explaining the proper technique.

[DEEBS11]

2.815 sorry I ytped it wrong.