Cam seal still leaking . . .

+1

Sand, rocks, doorknobs or a sack full of bolts & nuts won't change anything, boys. Neither would a pistol loaded with dum-dums. It would just make things worse. The seller will pay for half the repairs (50/50) and I'm gonna take what I can get. Today I begin taking the motor out of the frame. Pipes already off. next off are the carb & intake manifold as I'm not taking those.

The PEP shop is only about a 3 1/2 hour drive from here. I will take the motor up and drop it off. He knows about the 50/50 deal and will go through the entire motor for me. No shortcuts this time.

Here is a partial list of thngs that are currently known to need addressing:
Valve job; oil smoking out both pipes on start up.
Leaking oil out the cam cover; needs new inner cam bearing, new cam, new bushing & seal.
Buggared spark plug hole in front cyclinder.
Compression test revealed only 65 - 70 PSI in cyclinders.
Motor, according to Tattoo, vibrates excessively.

There may be other issues, I don't know yet . . . but here is a list of the things I've already fixed myself:

Replaced crankshaft seal.
Replaced blown head gasket. (I didn't blow it).
Missing retainer bracket for stator plug.
Replaced butterfly carb with CV carb after 2 rebuild attempts.
Replaced oil pump with new one after several attempts at rebuilding original one.
Tried to stop oil leak at cam seal 3 times.
Crankcase oil breather connector missing.
No ignition inside cone.
Replaced leaking oil seals at rocker boxes.
Had to retorque all bolts and nuts. Several in the rocker boxes could actually be turned with fingers.

These are the ones I remember . . . :gah:

Yes Joshbob....to borrow a couple of phrases...You've put a lot of Blood,sweat and beers into this and like you said it's time to make lemonade...make sure they go over the bottom end and ask if there is any kind of warranty for the rebuild....low compression and excessive vibration isn't a good sign...you deserve a solid shovel engine for everything you've put into it.....Let's hope you finally get it

I hope so, too. I think the guy who worked my motor over was either a stoner or a drunk or maybe both . . . I think it's a testimony to how tough these old motors are that I've gotten 4600 miles out of it so far.

"only" 3-1/2 hours lol~!
Your tranny was leaking also.

+1

All these issues indicate an engine that was not rebuilt but sold to you as a "rebuilt motor". You did not get what you bought and now he wants you pay more to fix what you should have gotten in the first place. Un fricking believable~!

My Bobster goggles came back from the factory today. Brand new everything, including RX transistional lenses plus a couple sets of extra lenses (not RX). Only had to pay $5 to ship them out. Goggles cost $200 originally.

I sense a turn of events coming that things will get better. I got faith, boys. If the motor was still under warranty, I'd be pushing the issue, but I don't have a legal leg to stand on and he knows it. The motor sat in my frame over a year before I even started it up (6 month warranty from time of purchase). I told him about the motor just sitting and he said he would start the warranty period whenever I started to ride. He didn't have to do that. Been riding 9 months - 3 months past the extension he granted me.

I believe he sold me a motor that he genuinely believed had been rebuilt properly.

And he repaired the tranny at no cost to me - but I had to twist his arm a little. He also sent me a FREE brand new oil pump when I told him I was having problems with the one that came with the motor.

Hey JoshBob, handle this however you want to, that is all that matters here. If YOU are satisfied with what this guy is doing, enough has been said. As I had stated before, I sure do hope that you will soon be able to get some solid and relatively trouble free riding in. I am looking forward to hearing how well the engine runs and to see pics of a Smiling JoshBob from ear to ear.

This is a discussion forum - it's all good, boys. Keeping chiming in - it's fun and interesting. Of course I was taken advantage of, but it doesn't embarrass me to admit it. This time I'm gonna do more to insure I get what I'm paying for.

Tattoo's shop is open today (my man does not work on Mondays!) and I'm gonna try and get over there and talk this over with him and get his opinion.

And just a note on the motor: it seemed to run fine to me and I did get some good riding time in. So there is an up side to all this, too.

Couldn't get into town yesterday to see Tattoo. Maybe today. Man, it has been cold here. Didn't even get into the mid 40s & no sun - cold for this time of year in these parts. Had to work outside after school installing a storm door on my neighbor's house.

Saw Tattoo yesterday and he says not to trust those guys. He says my a-hole oughta be sore enuff by now in my dealings with this guy LOL. He wants me to take the heads off, and the barrels, and to check for play in the rods and wrist pins. He showed me how. If there isn't any, the bottom end may be fine and no need to rebuild it. He says I should plan on replacing the rings and honing the barrels at the very least. If the barrels are in bad shape they would have to be bored.

He wants me to bring the heads and barrels to his shop for inspection. I think I may take some courage pills and try the dismantling this weekend. I would save a lot on labor. Tattoo says that by the time I put the engine back together, there won't be much I won't know about a shovelhead.

:roflmao:Tattoo is right...and becoming a shovel head expert came to you at a cost...if you went to court with this guy and told a judge what you've had to fix and replace on a supposedly "rebuilt" engine from zero-4000 miles...I think you'd get your properly rebuilt engine....Gratis...

After what you have been threw. I think if'n I was you, I'd take the whole motor to him and have him to do it.

Twist the rods and see if there's play. If you had excessive vibration they are prolly fubar also.

There is a very little play in the front rod but the back one seems to be alright. Both rods move sideways on the crakshaft about a 1/16" or so but I'm told that's normal. I'm taking the stuff to Tattoo's shop this morning. I will try to get him to come to my shop (maybe I can bribe him with lunch at the Hobgood Grill and drive him both ways) and inspect the rods and pistons as the block is still in the frame. I feel I need an expert opinion here.

Only took 3 1/2 hours & 2 beers to get everything off - I was motivated. I know it will probably take 3 times as long putting it all back together when the time comes.

Git a 3/8 digital torque wrench and find what you torque each bolt too when putthng things back together