Got into the motor tonight. I pulled the front head and jug off. As expected the piston had oil on it. From what I can see, there was no failure of rings, etc. I can see oil in the exhaust port of the head. The jug doesn't look so good.




piston



exhaust port



intake port



cylinder condition



cylinder condition

 

Yep! Looks like you need a top end job done for sure!

Make sure whoever does the valves fits more updates guides and seals....up until 1981 (i think) shovelhead heads didn't have seals on the valves.

 

Cylinders look badly worn, likely a lot of leakage past rings, but if you look at the oil drain hole you can see it is drawing oil past the head gasket and into the combustion chamber, this is very common.

 

Yup, heads and pistons......"

 

I noticed the oil drain hole. Is that corrected by using quality head gaskets and re-torquing the head bolts after break-in?

 

you must use the blue rubber seals on the guides and the black coated valves we use kibblewhite cast iron guides and valves only

8 1/2 to 1 cast pistons set at .003 piston to wall and with moly piston ring set

anything else you will be back in again in 18 months do it the way i typed it your good 5 maybe 6 years of riding it a lot

 

Nick I have had good results using Cometic gaskets. Not cheap but they seem to work well.

 

I pulled the rear jug off this morning. Much of the same as the front - oil on top of the piston and oil around the oil passage:




rear valves



rear jug



Some rear scoring on backside of rear piston

 

What you are dealing with is a backyard rebuilt motor by somebody who listened to their buddies and no friggen clue, not to mention did the old " break it in like your going to ride it " philosophy. Listen to jonhjzjz and I'll second Panz advice on the Cometic gaskets , the old James stuff just isn't up the job anymore.

 

That's a great way to summarize it. Thanks TwiZted. I just need to find a good shop to do the work and get some $ together.