1976 FLH Build

[marksg]

Received my new pistons, bored cylinders and stator so I had a very busy holiday weekend. I installed the stator with seal and installed inner primary. Shimmed trans and tightened it and the rear wheel with chain adjustment. Completed clutch install and put outer primary cover on. Remembers I forgot the started shaft spacer shim so it comes back off. Starter installed and worked on a lot of electrical. Worked on top end and while assembling the valves a split a valve stem seal. Will have to wait on rear cylinder head until the new set of seals arrives. Installed both piston/ cylinders and front head. Advance weights and points installed and static timed. Oil tank and all hoses along with battery box, battery, relay, cover and strap installed.

[joe fxs fxr]

Looks like a bike now! Great work

You probably know this, but are you leaving the heads loose until fitting the intake manifold?

[marksg]

Thanks Joe, yes. Cylinders are tight but front head is loose waiting on rear and intake alignment.

I do have a question though. I assumed it would be a good idea to crank the engine with the oil tank cap off so I can see when the oil returns before actually starting the motor. I have been cranking and no oil yet. Not even from the oil line to the rocker box. Will the oil pump self prime?

[joe fxs fxr]

They don't easily in my limited experience. You might have to remove the two tower screws to vent the pump for priming.

[dukekleman]

Mark,
As Joe mentioned, you'll want to remove the caps and springs for the check ball and pressure relief plunger on the oil pump to facilitate oil flow and air removal.

[T. Cotten]

Folks,..

The pump will self-prime with the sending unit removed, but it can take a while, especially with heavy oil; Removing balls or springs only defeats any pumping action from kicking.

A really impatient pro might go ahead and pressure-prime the whole motor:
PRIMEBTL.jpg

And really Folks, even if the cylinder bases were loose too, just how much rotational play do you expect to get out of five/ten indexed head bolts? If I ever found any with any design of v-twin, I looked for the problem!

...Cotten

[marksg]

I installed the rear head last night along with the intake. I have always heard to index the heads on a shovel to the intake but always wondered how they could be so sloppy to allow rotation.
While the heads were still fairly loose I am able to move them a few degrees. However once you start to tighten them they find there own rotation and can not be moved. Just for the fun of it I installed the intake while the head bolts were barely loose and then torqued the heads.
I agree Cotten, I don't think it's possible to align as needed.

I haven't primed the pump yet but had figured removing the OP switch was a good start along with the ball. I am not 100% on the flow through the pump but since we are told the check ball prevents oil from entering the engine while it is not running, I have to assume it doesn't open until there is a primed pump. Makes sense to pull the ball out until primed. I will see what happens with just the OP switch out first.
I also may try my brake fluid bleeder vacuum pump on the oil line to the rear rocker since it has not been installed yet. I assume it would pull oil through the pump.

[T. Cotten]

The pump is primed, Mark,

When the chamber below the ball check is filled, drooling out the sending unit hole, so removing the ball is pointless. The ball opens when you kick it (with the sending unit re-installed, of course).

Priming the rest of the motor made me feel good, especially when there were hydraulics that would clatter until fed.

Pulling oil throught the motor by vacuum would be a real trick.

....Cotten
PS: Please don't forget that your manifold is not fully installed until it has been bubble-tested for certainty!

[marksg]

I tried pulling a vacuum on the rear rocker box oil feed tube and just pulled air. Removed the op switch and and had oil in 3-5 seconds of cranking. Reinstalled op switch and cranked 3-5 seconds and got oil out the rear rocker feed tube. I will connect all the oil lines and crank until I get return to the tank.

[duffeycycles]

Next time bleed the feed line,remove the OP switch & lifter screen & put some 10/40 or 20/50 in the holes & let sit to bleed/prime

[T. Cotten]

I tried pulling a vacuum on the rear rocker box oil feed tube and just pulled air. Removed the op switch and and had oil in 3-5 seconds of cranking. Reinstalled op switch and cranked 3-5 seconds and got oil out the rear rocker feed tube. I will connect all the oil lines and crank until I get return to the tank.

By "crank", Mark,..

I hope you don't mean you are torturing an electric starter! (If you don't have a kicker, its even more prudent to be gentle with it.)

Once it drools out the sending unit hole, you are good to go.

Just ignore the song of the hydraulics, it goes away quickly (when all other things are in order).

....Cotten

[dukekleman]

I have pressure feed motors for a very long time now when I'm doing the install. I built my own tank to do this with many adapters for all HD motors including M8. I don't mention it to most people(customers) because they have no means of doing it this way.
Air naturally wants to rise, pulling the caps on the inner pump body has always worked for all the customers I've dealt with, no rotation needed for the oil to push its way up, through and bleed out the air with the affects of gravity.

[T. Cotten]

I have pressure feed motors for a very long time now when I'm doing the install. I built my own tank to do this with many adapters for all HD motors including M8. I don't mention it to most people(customers) because they have no means of doing it this way.....

Its our secret, Duke!

Dumpster Rainbow.jpg

....Cotten

[marksg]

Lots of work the last couple of weeks. After getting it oil primed I started it with ease. Too advanced so retarded the timing. I will get a timing light on it later. Stole the solo seat from the Duo-Glide and rode it around the block. Lots of small adjusting to do since I never rode this bike when it was together. Added back the driving lights and front turn signals, saddle bags, right hand mirror, dash panel, Played with small stuff like handle bar adjustment, shifter location, chain tension and then added the heat shields to the left side. More polishing the ones for the right side before installing.
I need to find a period correct windshield and fairing as the one that came with the bike are aftermarket and very ugly.
Runs strong and idles well but have an upper end stumble I need to work out.
Thanks for watching.

[T. Cotten]

....I started it with ease. Too advanced so retarded the timing. I will get a timing light on it later. ....Runs strong and idles well but have an upper end stumble I need to work out.
Thanks for watching.

Please time it properly, Mark,..

Any other tuning would be pointless until you do.

....Cotten