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Hi.
Recently a mate and I were discussing everything Knucklehead.
During the conversation he said that due to his lightweight build he could not use the old copper head gaskets, because it bumped up the compression on his stock "1947"1200cc too much for him to swing over. He had found that by using the new style "thicker" gaskets with the siloken bands he could swing his bike over easier.
The original gaskets used on a Knuckle head engine were a thin copper "head gasket" and a thin cardboard type base gasket.
I am a frame manufacturer, so this prompted a thought... how high are these new style gaskets raising cylinders/heads. 0.005" 0.10" 0.20" more?
We then started talking about original engines touching frames.
This guy has worked professionaly on Flatties, Knuckles, Pans and Shovels for 30 + years and he said it is fairly common on 1200cc engines, for the rear exhaust tin to touch the seat post. He also said this problem varies from frame to frame and had nothing to do with loose engine mounts.
I then added that it probably varied because it would depend on how much was taken off the "Frame" engine decks after final assembly of the frame.
I am wondering if this problem would be more prevalent in 1200cc engines in the 1941 to 1945 frames? " I did not think to ask my mate that question.
A question for the engine builders of this forum... has anyone ever measured the combined thickness of the new "maybe they are called felpro" gaskets over the old original copper head gasket and cardboard base gaskets? ... or has anyone measured the total height difference of a torqued up cylinder and head to a set of cases with both style gaskets?
A question for the restorers of original untouched bikes, do you find this problem of the rear head touching more frames in a certain time period or has it been across the entire period 1941 - 1947 for 1200cc engines
Regards Steve
Recently a mate and I were discussing everything Knucklehead.
During the conversation he said that due to his lightweight build he could not use the old copper head gaskets, because it bumped up the compression on his stock "1947"1200cc too much for him to swing over. He had found that by using the new style "thicker" gaskets with the siloken bands he could swing his bike over easier.
The original gaskets used on a Knuckle head engine were a thin copper "head gasket" and a thin cardboard type base gasket.
I am a frame manufacturer, so this prompted a thought... how high are these new style gaskets raising cylinders/heads. 0.005" 0.10" 0.20" more?
We then started talking about original engines touching frames.
This guy has worked professionaly on Flatties, Knuckles, Pans and Shovels for 30 + years and he said it is fairly common on 1200cc engines, for the rear exhaust tin to touch the seat post. He also said this problem varies from frame to frame and had nothing to do with loose engine mounts.
I then added that it probably varied because it would depend on how much was taken off the "Frame" engine decks after final assembly of the frame.
I am wondering if this problem would be more prevalent in 1200cc engines in the 1941 to 1945 frames? " I did not think to ask my mate that question.
A question for the engine builders of this forum... has anyone ever measured the combined thickness of the new "maybe they are called felpro" gaskets over the old original copper head gasket and cardboard base gaskets? ... or has anyone measured the total height difference of a torqued up cylinder and head to a set of cases with both style gaskets?
A question for the restorers of original untouched bikes, do you find this problem of the rear head touching more frames in a certain time period or has it been across the entire period 1941 - 1947 for 1200cc engines
Regards Steve
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