1976 FLH Build

[marksg]

Starting to go back together with new. Still waiting on the fenders.
Went with the age appropriate AMF tank stickers.

[marksg]

Following up,
Finished most all but the tins paint. Rode the bike for a few weeks and got it tuned well. The bike is riding very nice so time to pull it back apart for paint.
Don't think I had mentioned I found a fairing at a swap meet that was painted the same color as the existing parts.
This is the existing paint before I pulled it apart for paint. New paint will be Vivid Black with Birch white fiberglass parts.

[duffeycycles]

Every Shovel I build gets a Daytona Twin Tech single fire,multi spark ignition & VOES switch.If you want powerful smooth running with long life,ditch the points & those BS POS advance units.I agree with Cotton to static time before dynamic timing,On electronic ignitions that say to static time @ TDC,set the mark to the right of the hole [about 5deg BTDC].Also make sure you time to the right mark by checking the piston position at the marks.....You can watch the timing advance with my method.

[T. Cotten]

Please static time it first, Mark...

I ground an old pair of cheap pliers so the advance cam could be twisted to advance while the points could then be adjusted to where they just break with a 'static line' (a 12v bulb on leads).

The plastic plugs never worked for me.
Just block the machine up straight and run it for a minute before you remove the plug.
(Be careful with a rag over the hole because it can get sucked in.)

Duffey's method probably makes it possible to watch it move over a wider arc, if you need to...

...Cotten

[duffeycycles]

Why time thru the hole.When your timing mark is in the right place in the hole,paint a white line on the alternator rotor & inner primary so you can time thru the primary inspection hole.Put the timing plug back in before timing.Works best with no oil in the primary for timing.

[marksg]

Thanks Cotten, waiting on my clear timing plug to do it advanced.

[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

[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 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

[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 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

[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

[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.

[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 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.