22JD Tear down!

[Robert Luland]

Well guys, Been sitting in the office in 65 degree air and decided the time for the 22JD tear down was on! That Kroil stuff works and them some! My biggest fear here is any damage to the cylinders. I got a selection of square punches (Never use a round punch on a square indentation). The tuff one I thought was going to be the cap clamp nuts but with a couple of hits they started spinning. The valve pocket set screws came right out with an impact driver as did the primer bodies. The top cylinder plugs also came right out with the impact. Tomorrow we hit the intake manifold. Got to run to sears and get a 1.750 wrench. If they don't give, I'm going to make a sheet metal sleeve to protect the manifold and hit it with the mini-abrasive wheel and slit the packing nuts. Mark if your around I included some new pics of the rockers. I can't tell you people what a load off my head this was tonight. This is going to be a great thread. Bob L

[bill campbell]

Look good's Bob and it sound like your tearing into it,I found a good way to break the intake manifold nuts free is using a old radiator wrench its the same as a Stilson big adjustable but it has no teeth to mar up the nut surface good luck on the tear down

[c.o.]

Lookin' good Bob!!! Thanks for taking the time to take us along on this project. I'll be paying close attention just in case I get a chance to tear into a J-Model one day!!!

[Robert Luland]

Billy, you just hit on the head. The packing nuts are shot. Why am I going to go and buy a wrench when I can just put a pipe wrench to it? Some times when you’re tired you can’t see the forest in front of you. Thanks for the suggestion. Bob L

[rwm]

bob you don't need to take it apart for me. i can pick it up in one piece. wait till you try and pull out the valve pocket.

[Robert Luland]

Rob, I have special pullers that I built twenty-five years ago that will shred that valve stem before they will let go (Lathe collets). Will see you and Lucy a Jefferson, we got a lot of ground to cover. Until then, the rebuild goes on. Bob L

[MMasa]

Bob
The rocker towers look like the 1917-1922 style but I'd have to see the underside to be sure. You do however have the pre 1923 intake valve springs, so that's a good sign.
Taking intake housings out is a snap. Once you have the cylinder off, remove the keeper, collar, spring and cover from the exhaust valve. Also make sure the housing set screw is out and use the exhaust valve as a drift to drive out the housing. A few gentle raps with a lead hammer will get them out and also not damage the end of the exhaust valve.
Mark Masa

[rwm]

i had a heck of a time pulling them out. in the end i had to hit the exhaust valve up into the in take pocket. i made up a slide hammer that almost knocked my teeth out.

[Robert Luland]

Good afternoon Gentlemen, Well it was time for round two today. Out the door at 8:00am on a 1500MG vitamin C high and raring to go! The cylinders are off and there is no scoring or wrist pin damage. They mike out at 3.427. I don't know what standard is? As Billy subjected, I had an adjustable flat stilson wrench in my on the road pouch. Two taps of the old ballpein and the manifold nuts loosen right up. Now the intake nipples are another story, they ain't budging. Going to soak them some more, use some heat and hit them with the impact. Mark, I followed your suggestion to the tee and the pocket valves came right out. Just hit them using a drift made of maple. It pays to have 25 wood wreaking hippies on the floor above you. There is also a shot of the bottoms of the rocker housings. The exhaust valve guides are also not moving. There was enough of the thread on the generator shaft showing to see it was a left hand nut but the gear isn't moving. Should I just put a gear puller on it? The only screw up today was that I mixed up the exhaust valves before I had a chance to mark them. Is the sprocket nut right or left hand thread? My wife Bean stopped by the shop and confirmed that the paint is a dark green on the cases. Nice to have eyes that work. Until the next chapter, drink much beer and be happy! Bob L

[Robert Luland]

Bottom of rocker assemblies.

[exeric]

I think Brewster Green with gold striping is one of the most attractive color applications ever used on a Harley Davidson. At least a million times prettier than Olive Drab. I'll never understand why H-D commited themselves to that nauseating color for so many years.

[Tommo]

Robert,
As far as the generator drive gear removal goes it is in my opinion essential to use a puller to remove it. I've made up a L.H. thread cap nut that I put onto the generator shaft thread so I don't damage it pulling the gear off and yes I've damaged a couple prior to making the nut.
In NZ you'll find numerous inner timing cases with the backs badly damaged in behind that gear and this damage is a result of people using levers to try and pry the gear off. My advice for what it's worth is use a puller and go real easy on the generator armature.
The other LH thread you'll encounter is the screw holding the half-time pinion onto the mainshaft. Once again I've made an impact tool that fits the screw head perfectly and use this in an impact screwdriver. One good hit and generally without fail it comes undone.
While talking about the half time pinion it's worth remembering that this gear is exactly the same as the one on the timed breather. Generally the timed breather one is in mint condition and the half time one shows tooth wear as it has to drive the whole gear train. Press the one off the timed breather and swap it with the worn one and you now have a mint half time pinion.
Unless there is a good reason to remove the inlet manifold nipples from the cylinders leave them in there and nickle plate the whole assembly. Once removed you have the problem that Cotton always talks about, manifold leaks, and if left in it is generally one less joint to worry about. If you are at all worried pressure test them and if they leak then you can take them out.
When you remove the inner timing case make sure you lift/pull straight back towards you and don't try and rotate it at all. It is not the locating dowels that cause the trouble, it's the cam followers pivot shaft that is supported in the timing case and once the timing case is clear of the locating dowels the tendency is to try and twist the case off before it is clear of the cam followers pivot and break part of the inner case out. Use plenty of lube and pull straight off, no twisting.
The nut holding the drive sprocket onto the mainshaft is RH thread.
Good luck with your rebuild.

[Tommo]

One other thing, don't lose the washer that goes over the end of the shaft that the idler gear rotates on. It's a special washer with an internal relief on one side. It goes over the circlip that holds the idler gear on and bears on the face of the idler gear.
It's purpose is to stop the sideways movement of the idler gear and to stop that movement popping the circlip off.
Noisy timing gears is generally a good sign that this washer has been left off.
As with most of Harleys stuff it is extremely hard.

[Tommo]

Here's some pictures of genuine Harley-Davidson tools for working on pocket-valve Harleys.
Left to Right.
Generator gear puller.
Half-time pinion gear puller
Magneto gear puller.
Tee handle lap for lapping inlet cages onto their seats
and lying below is the spanner for un-doing the nuts that hold the inlet towers and cages into the pocket.
The leg at the other end is the tool to undo the crankcase stud nuts.

[Robert Luland]

Thanks for thinking of me Peter. I can tell you already that the washer on the idler gear wasn't there. I was meticulous of the way I took this thing apart and every part was tagged and bagged. The lower end is next week.