Building my first Harley one part at a time

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

Just figured that out. I'm paranoid for a reason though I've been burned before. It would appear I have a 1993 FXRS engine if I have that right. Also its clean

[JBinNC]

Check for a crack in the case at the base of the rear cylinder, behind the rear tappet block. Those early '90s cases are prone to that. Redesigned in late '93 or early '94 to solve that problem.

Jim

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

Check for a crack in the case at the base of the rear cylinder, behind the rear tappet block. Those early '90s cases are prone to that. Redesigned in late '93 or early '94 to solve that problem.

Jim

I’ve witnessed that crack, caused me to pass up a fatboy from a Greek buddy 2 years ago.

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

I found non breather heads can I convert them. I have found a few things online saying I can drill a hole somewhere. Is this possible and more importantly is it a smart thing to do. The last thing I need is to fuck a set of heads up, the motors been through that once now.

The worst part of all this is I found a complete engine only 300 more than this one that runs. I may break down and buy it, but even if I do that I still want to fix this one. So far I have found a few good sources for parts and possibly a few new friends in my search.

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

I think I got it figured out since I got 93+ rocker boxes all i need to do is drill the holes. Apparently the castings are the same and if i cant pull off drilling two holes and tapping one I should sell all my machine tools and find a new hobby. I just wish I had all that stuff here not a four hour drive away right now. By the time I have the frame I'll be back home with my tools and my other bikes.

[Tattooo]

By the time I have the frame.

Speaking of your frame I was wondering, what are your plans for painting it? Gloss, flat? A color other than black??????

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

There was this type of wrinkle bed liner I used on a 250R 3 wheeler frame ten years ago.
That shits still on there and looking mint so that is what I'll use.
Just need to remember the fucking earplugs in all the holes this time. I only use a color on a frame if I know what color the rest will be.
And on this I'm going to use all the sheet metal as I find it.

One day if I ever get the money I would like to build a paintless bike and use gun blue and oil on all the steel with brushed aluminum, maybe take that a step further and get reprop frame castings and braze it. I built a gun once that had bronze brazing with blued steel and it looked awesome

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

It was actually 12 years ago I rebuilt this. It took an entire engine and frame rebuild. I must of spent a week alone on that tank. I was only 18 at the time. And no we never did put brakes on it, at the time we could not find any.

[farmall]

The real question now is do I complete the engine or buy a tranny next payday.

For what specific coldly calculated pragmatic reasons are those the only choices?

Hurry is the enemy of efficient purchasing while waiting and saving offers more money to concentrate on-target. Spending more time searching offers a shot at more deals while accumulating more money, unless you really have some point in deliberately making noob errors.

Until you do a complete exploratory on the short block bottom end its true condition is only guesstimated not known. Skinning it out the rest of the way is wise for safety sake and the consumable parts will cost the same. A couple hours to pull the pump, split the cases and clean everything is just good sense and costs nothing.

After doing that ya can run the numbers by walking into the cop shop with the cases. If ya walk out without them all you lose is the cases.

If buying another engine I'd run its numbers first. Some gearboxes have pin-stamped numbers too, and don't forget to buy a splined-shaft late model Softail box for a chopper unless someone literally gives you the dogshit tapered shaft/non-Denso version.

While hunting parts and saving money if you don't find great parts deals yer cash pile for the frame grows larger and there is no functional need to buy all the bits in sequence. If ya find a screaming parts deal buy that first, if not ya can buy the frame which will be a "known good" purchase so a safe place for your money.

If you make a nearly complete parts list of what fits what you can plan most effectively. For example gearbox limits inner and outer primary options and clutch type. Spline gearbox lets you do cool stuff like use five speed Softail gearbox guts (the best of the five speeds) in an Evo Softail case.

Used starters are a good place to save money as Denso contact kits are dirt cheap.

A CV carb is a wise choice. Best intake for a custom is by far the Ram Jett one-piece, only available used. Any ignition will do for a stock-ish engine.

Never go shopping hungry and never marry what you can pimp.

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

Just saw this I'm going to buy it on payday $500. The guy put 0 info on his listing. I can get a kicker for it right?

What's the outside diameter and width of a evo stator. I build custom ignitions for lots of engines and would like to have a AC system that does not need a battery to run. This is fairly simple for me to do and would be cheaper since I have tons of shit for it. This would not be for performance just my personal opinion that no motorcycle should ever require a battery to run. Ive done it to more than a few engines before and the Dynatek pulser coil is perfect for this.

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

Screw it I'll split my cases and take a look, I just know I'm going to find something wrong in there. Before I get inside are there any oil passages to make sure are clear or widen out? (more than a few hondas badly needed this locking engines at high speed sucks). I'm not wanting an overly powerful engine when I'm done, in fact I was thinking about lowering the compression a bit if that's smart. Not just because I want to kick it, but because the fact this thing blew it's heads once. If I wanted to die I'd find me a 600 or 1000cc sportbike for way cheaper. Also with a light weight hardtail with a 5 speed even a slightly detuned EVO should be enough.

Also are is there anything I should change or look out for inside?

[JBinNC]

Screw it I'll split my cases and take a look, I just know I'm going to find something wrong in there. Before I get inside are there any oil passages to make sure are clear or widen out? (more than a few hondas badly needed this locking engines at high speed sucks). I'm not wanting an overly powerful engine when I'm done, in fact I was thinking about lowering the compression a bit if that's smart. Not just because I want to kick it, but because the fact this thing blew it's heads once. If I wanted to die I'd find me a 600 or 1000cc sportbike for way cheaper. Also with a light weight hardtail with a 5 speed even a slightly detuned EVO should be enough.

Also are is there anything I should change or look out for inside?

Motor:

Once the case halves are separated, the flywheel assembly must be pressed out of the drive side Timkens. A hydraulic press is best, but do it gently. There is a spacer between the Timkens to set the end play, don't lose it.

Have the flywheel assembly serviced by a competent shop. That is not something that you can do at home. (You can of course learn to do it, and amass the equipment to do so, but for a one-time job, it's not worth it.)

Look for cracks in the case as I advised earlier. The evo oiling system is a well sorted, known quantity and no changes are necessary. Do use a steel breather gear in place of the stock nylon one.

For easier starting and better performance, an Andrews EV-27 cam is THE choice for an otherwise stock motor. Use the Torrington/ Koyo cam bearing in place of the stock, terrible INA bearing. Replace the tappets with new ones, because the tappet rollers have a limited life span.

None of this is cheap, but will result in a motor that will run for a LONG time.

Jim

[farmall]

You can get a kicker for that Softail style box. Ultima and others offer them.It's a bitsa since it's got a black door (typical of stock boxes) with plain gearbox casting. I'd lift the cover and inspect the gears (especially the dogs) with a bright light. The top cover bolts are off for a reason.

Gearbox casting is aftermarket by the "please fill up the oil" sticker and unmachined hole for the speed sensor but that's no big deal. Someone probably removed a stock gearbox to install a six speed then tossed it into another case then chose not to use it, or bought a six speed complete then swapped internals.

https://www.jockeyjournal.com/thread...e-done.191857/ is interesting. I should have saved a Voltpak to removethe potting compound but had little reason to forty years ago.

Since those alternators are permanent magnet units persuading them to fire a points ignition at least shouldn't be too grim.

What circuitry do you plan to use? Dead stators you could rewind should be free if anyone has them lying around and rebuilders and online suppliers have wire etc cheep.

Figure out a way to produce conversion parts for batteryless operation and you could sell shitloads of them before Chinesium copies came out. That could be a nice side business!

I always found it odd that the Lucas permanent magnet alternators could get by with a starting cap (battery still has advantages) on points ignitions but HD owners rarely ran them. (I'd no personal reason to ditch the advantages of batteries on any machine and the old trick of a little Honda battery used in HD choppers worked nicely for customer bikes.)

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

I should have been more clear about the electrical I intend on using. I do not intend on ditching the battery only making it redundant. This is the kind of stator i want to use. The timing rotors will work just fine and so will a stock flywheel (One with magnets harley guys call the crank flywheels and this is new to me). That pole that's different will supply AC power direct to a CDI of my choice. One of the wires out of the dynatek timmer will be grounded and the other to the cdi. This setup will allow me too (If I feel like it) To also run a secondary DC cdi from battery. (I used two with different curves once just for the fuck of it (one at a time)).

The wiring is stupid simple: Ground, AC or DC in, Coil, Timmer, Kill. I have used these systems on everything from 1950s outboards to a Yamaha R6 total loss system. And its cheap as hell. No more $450 mercury outboard CDI swaps I have saved countless people a lot of money doing this and even teach them how to do it again if it fails on them. In some cases I used adjustable curve CDIs.

Now the bad part (There is always one) The CDIs do not have perfect QC, but seeing as they are about the price of a set of plugs I buy a few. Most run for a few years and some a few months. So when i put them in I tape a spare to the frame and all I have to do is move a plug over. In every case that I have bought two the first has never blown. In the case of the first outboard I did the fucker (DC) quit when a guy hit the starter on the already running engine leaving us floating in the fucking lake with another CDI sitting on shore in my bag.

Edit: The blow on start thing (DC only) is solved by using a diode from neg to positive to stop the inductive spike caused by the solenoid. A large cap can help as well

[CaNaDiAnNuTcAsE]

Well its open. To my non Harley educated eyes all but one thing is good. The not good thing is fucked. I got a crack that even if welded will crack again. Not only that but the fucker can only be welded on machined surfaces.