Tonight I removed both heads on my ’80 FXE, and discovered scoring in the rear cylinder. This is the same cylinder that had low compression when tested a few weeks back. Nothing I can actually feel except at the top of that wear line where it is slightly rough. Top of each piston looks good, and there were no signs of oil burning when the bike last ran.

Both heads and valves were carbon covered and clearly in need of attention.

So, is there any reason for not pulling the cylinders and sending them to the machine shop with the heads? Kindly see the attached cylinder pics for reference.

Thanks

 

that looks like it's in line with the wrist pin; you'd be silly to not pull the jugs at this point

 

I'll bet you will find a wrist pin keeper that failed.

 

it not should you - its you need to just to make sure nothing has come loose

 

Agreed ... Thank you

 

Okay, the jugs are off and pistons removed. Wrist pin keepers where all there and unbroken. So I’m unsure what caused the rear cylinder scoring?

My focus now is evaluating the bottom end. No up & down movement when gently tugging on the connecting rods. Rear connecting rod has almost no horizontal movement. However, the front rod has some side to side wiggle. Approximately 1/16” measured near the base @ the ruler in the attached pic.

Cause for concern or not? Bad connector rod bearings?

FYI - When the bike last ran I heard no lower end noise or knocking.

Your thoughts and comments please. Thx

 

man that skirt looks as bad or worse than the jug wall ! I don't see any damage to any of the rings...something got in between there. You might be able to snake a magnet down between the wheels, but no guarantee you'd pick up anything. Also, aluminum debris won't stick to the magnet. I'd say you have no choice but to split the cases.

 

that piston and its clip area had become damaged at some time before you bought it - and a moron put the damaged piston back in and ran it again, you will have to go one more size over on the bore But this time put Moly coated top rings in it not the cast iron you now have - rings come in cast < both compression rings with chrome oil control OR moly coated top ring cast second and chrome oil control < this is the one that gives you a better seal and lasts twice as long - have the machine shop set them at .003 piston to bore and make sure you have the guides checked and the blue rubber valve seals installed NOT THE TIN ones as they fall off and or leak oil into the engine wearing out the valve and the guide from the carbon build up

also NO paper gaskets - the head should be cometic - the head is an MLS type the bace should be the tin plates and the rocker box to the head should also be the tin plates < they have fixed the crazy leaking issues shovels have been plagued with for decades i can give you the numbers if you need as i always have them in stock

having the rockers bushings checked is not a bad idea as well, And at the same time you can switch over to the nylon quad seal for the rocker box end cap nuts instead of the O rings that always seem to leak after a top end job But not before

the front rod is fine if it does not twist in your fingers < turn it clockwise and then counterclockwise and if you can feel a 1/16 of movement then your lower unit is in need of repair < it does not sound like it from your side to side movement -

i would agree to a point about flushing the engine block seeing this, i would pull the block and hose it out in our clean tank - remove the cone empty it and remove the oil pump and clean a picture up what you find with it - some extra work now will give you many miles of great riding instead of wrenching it every 3 months

 

[QUOTE=johnjzjz;13097493]that piston and its clip area had become damaged at some time before you bought it - and a moron put the damaged piston back in and ran it again, /QUOTE]I hadn't thought of this, John, I'd let you work on any of my motors...anytime

 

[QUOTE=SeaZund;13099454]Thank you for that -

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