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'48 Teardown

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  • '48 Teardown

    I started a thread on the Hydra-Glide forum regarding my '48 FL. It starts out with the frame (which is covered here already) and now I've commenced tearing down the engine.

    I was daydreaming about nice summer days and cruising down the road when I tore the heads off to prep for the re-furbished HeadHog replacements when it hit me!!! Well, it was a delayed reaction but it warranted digging further. I didn't notice the grooves in the bore until after I posted a picture and Cotten spoke up. I overlooked them but the camera flash didn't!! I took a better look and sure enough they were there. I pulled the cylinders and they are grooved front to back on the both of them. When I say grooved, the pictures make it look worse than it is. When running a finger around the inside it is barely noticeable. Still it ain't right and will need some attention. Maybe a hone will do it? I also had a fair bit of trouble getting the barrels off. When the gaskets were glued down whoever put it together used some super dandy stuff!!! They were on there good!!! Unfortunately he gooped a lot on and it dripped down a fair ways. When I finally freed them I noticed some loose particles here and there which leads me to believe there's a possiblity that some of that junk could have dropped inside..... I had some rags stuffed in the holes just as soon as I could fit them in but if anything broke loose it would have happened before the flange was free I'm thinkin'







    Check out the pistons..... The bottom edges of the skirts are a little jagged.





    Note the case itself has a pretty jagged edge.



    It doesn't look like it was rebuilt that many miles ago. Any theories in the "why" category? I was told that it sat for extended periods of time. I'm wondering if it wasn't kicked through now and then if the pistons didn't fuse themselves to the cylinder walls??? Did it grab on the road at some point?

    Here's some shots of the heads...





    Cotten mentioned that I had an exhaust rocker on one intake. It's funny tonight I decided to check the side play and three of them were .011" and that misplaced exhaust rocker was .019"!!!

    I was bumming out a bit wishing that I didn't see this stuff but I'd rather catch it now when the damage is minimal. It felt a little weird not posting my ramblings here so if anyone has any comments/advice, good/bad or otherwise it's always welcomed.
    Cory Othen
    Membership#10953

  • #2
    From your description and the photos (like you say, exaggerating the looks), those bores are nothing to worry about. Looks like an exaggeration of the beginnings of normal wear, 2me. Unless you're going to tear the whole thing down, and you probably don't want to do that, check your ring gap at the correct point in the bores, and if they gap too large, correctly fit new sets of rings. But there are many thousands of miles left in those pistons, and even that bore.

    If you hone out the nice, normal glaze off that's developed to this point, you'll have to break the motor in all over again, and be bringing on the next bore/rebuild all that much sooner, and that's not necessary. JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION.
    Gerry Lyons #607
    http://www.37ul.com/
    http://flatheadownersgroup.com/

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    • #3
      I'm tending to favor your thinking. I've been sitting here wondering if I was overacting. Please pardon the dramatic moment... Seriously though, thanks Sarge.

      Oh, what would you do about the potential for gasket/sealant particles hovering in the crankcase? Can a guy get away with flushing the cases?
      Last edited by c.o.; 04-13-2011, 02:27 AM.
      Cory Othen
      Membership#10953

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      • #4
        Originally posted by c.o. View Post
        I'm tending to favor your thinking. I've been sitting here wondering if I was overacting. Please pardon the dramatic moment... Seriously though, thanks Sarge.

        Oh, what would you do about the potential for gasket/sealant particles hovering in the crankcase? Can a guy get away with flushing the cases?
        Cory,

        I think Sarge is right about the cylinders, as for the cases I would flush them out real good also try using a small light and inspection mirror I installed a cam bearing in my old shovel and one of the needle bearings lifted and dropped inside the cases, took a while but I got it out. along with a good upper body work out
        Chuck
        AMCA Member#1848

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        • #5
          Cory!

          It may have been only the arm itself that was replaced on your front head's intake assembly.
          Note how it does not have a plug over the pushrod socket.

          I do not know when the factory started drilling oiling holes into the top block for intakes, so the blocks may be original.

          ....Cotten
          AMCA #776
          Dumpster Diver's Motto: Seek,... and Ye Shall Find!

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          • #6
            Chuck! Believe me that's what I wanted to hear! I'll slosh them out and start putting it back together!

            Thanks again Cotten for your observations!
            Cory Othen
            Membership#10953

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