new nose cone for shovelhead

I'm mostly finished now. I used a wooden dowel to tap the new bearing in after freezing it - I attached a large washer to the face of the dowel. Incidently, when I got the old bearing out it looked fine. I think I could have left it in - it was a Torrington and essentially no different than the new one. Anyway, going back out to the shop now and deal with the timing, etc.

Dang, I forgot about not having my seat hinge from FabKevin yet and since I already cut the old one off, I can't go riding until Monday - if it gets here by then. Ordered it 17 days ago . . . should have been here by now. Crap.

Dont forget to to set up the breather gear timing

There are three gears in there - they are all lined up like they're supposed to be. Didn't get around to the timing yesterday . . . going out to the shop after breakfast.

Yep dot to dot cam and crank gear at tdc .if they are correct your dot for the breather gear will line up just to the left side of the cam gear dot at tdc kinda full proof that your at tdc!.

My gears have marks like in the photo, except for the ring on the cam gear, as mine is early '77. Had to move the gears around to get them to line up.

Well, boys, I got 'er started just now. She sounds great! I looked under the motor to see if it was puking oil - hardly any at all - but I did notice one of the pushrod cover blue sillycone seals laying on the floor . It's the upper front intake one - same pushrod I must use to set the timing.
I will wait a few hours and head back out and rectify the situation. I looked around for other parts on the floor, but I didn't see any LMAO. Time to open a cool one and watch the rest of the Panther/49ers game with Mac the Wife. Oh yeah!

This is about the minimum temperature (upper 50s) to try and start this beast. Wouldn't start at all earlier in the day when it was cooler . . . SAE 50 is like syrup in the winter, until it warms up. I am so stoked my baby is running again! All the work was worth it . . . and can't wait till I can go for a ride when I get the seat back on .

Still waiting on the seat hinge. It rained today, so no ride anyway, and the rest of the week is going to be hovering around the 40s - too cold for me to ride. The last test is to go for a day ride and see if the oil leak is fixed. But I have no doubt that the bike will run like Jesse Owens in the '36 Summer Olympics . . .

Thanks, boys. Called FabKevin last night about my seat hinge and he must have misplaced my letter with the M.O. and the info as to which seat hinge I ordered. Bet he didn't misplace the M.O. LOL. It should be going out in today's snail mail and be here next week sometime . . . but it's going to be quite cold for the forseeable future. The end of January and February is typically our coldest weather.

Went out and shined the scooter up so there's nothing to do now but wait. Some of you may remember that I "cleaned" up the threads on the timing hole. Well, I go to screw the plug in (with teflon tape) and it practically falls in the hole. There's hardly any thread left in the hole. I'm wondering what I can do about this, because I think it will surely leak oil. I backed the plug out and removed the tape and slathered it with red locktite, even under the head of the plug and screwed it back in for now. If I put just the slightest amount of torque on the allen wrench, the plug will just continue to turn in the hole. It is just barely holding on. I should have left the threads alone - at least cross-threaded the plug stayed put. Crap!

Maybe one of these would work

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHROME-OVERSIZE-ALLEN-TIMING-PLUG-HARLEY-DAVIDSON-/160570032725

Thanks Lucifer. I sent a message to the seller explaining what's going on. I'm going to the shovelhead forum also to try and get more info.

Heh...They do the trick...just need the right tap....I know of a dumb azz with a hopped up Evo stripped out the threads in the timing hole. Use lotsa grease on the tap to collect shavings....



Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk

J&P have the plug and tap....but it's $43 ...You can get a tap at a hardware store for about $10-15... the farmer you got the puller from might have a tap and die set...If looks ain't too important I thought you might be able to get a self tapping automotive oil pan plug for a lot less...you don't wanna enlarge the hole much...

I have been thinking of plugging the hole permanently somehow and putting the timing marks on the rotor & engine case since I have an open belt primary. (I only time statically). I would also have to redrill the hole for the oversized tap. Really don't like the idea of creating shavings that might drop inside the motor. I tapped it out once already and still not sure some didn't make it into the motor . . .

Just got the idea to apply JB weld around the outside of the plug after marking the new timing marks. Sounds like a plan to me . . . and no drilling or tapping the hole and risk getting shards in the motor.

If the cases ever get split in the future (God forbid!), I can always get the old plug out and put a steel insert in the hole or a helicoil.

. . . It's late afternoon and the deed is done. Must let the JB weld cure for 24 hours. No problem as I won't be riding for about another week. I cut the timing slots with a dremel at the 12 o'clock position on the rotor/edge of case. Hardly noticable. JB weld looks neat and clean, too, like a dark gray circle around the base of the plug.

Should work very well - only trying to keep oil from coming out. Seat hinge still not here. I guess it got sent the slowest, cheapest rate.

I have been keeping a hand written log on the progress of the bike from the first day I started the build in 2009. I added the info on the new timing arrangement (with drawings) and how to do it so I wouldn't forget.

This morning I'm going into town to pickup a couple of sets of Autolite 4265 plugs and put a new set in the bike for the coming riding season. All other tune up componants are new, oil & filter changed, etc. - should be good to go now.

A pillow? Hmm - no, I'll wait for warmer weather. Man, you got to tear a lot of parts off to get to a base gasket . . .

As far as the wedding, well, I think I'd be using the phone more often and driving less . . .