Engine Build Time
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,763
Likes: 2,597
From: san antonio
Did not get much done yesterday other than cleaning the cylinder gasket surface and cleaning off the carbon on top of the pistons so I could get an accurate deck height measurement.
I used four 1/2" PVC threaded unions and the short head bolts torqued down to 15 ft-lbs and came up with a tad over .008" in the hole for both pistons. Using this number and say a .030" Cometic head gasket, I would have a squish clearance of .038" - that should be pretty good.
I used four 1/2" PVC threaded unions and the short head bolts torqued down to 15 ft-lbs and came up with a tad over .008" in the hole for both pistons. Using this number and say a .030" Cometic head gasket, I would have a squish clearance of .038" - that should be pretty good.
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,791
Likes: 57
From: N Texas
Cometic and S&S, IIRC, both offer a .027" MLS head gasket. JMHO, but keeping squish between .030" and .035" would be my target; the closer to .030" the better. I would not go to the trouble to shave the bottom of the cylinder but would purhcase a thinner head gasket to tighten up the squish.
See next post!
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,791
Likes: 57
From: N Texas
OK, here is my big news on the crank run-out, been churning this decision around and because of the pain involved of shipping a crank/pulling the case/splitting the case I had decided to take my chances and not do anything but I got an email from a local motorcycle mech here that had helped me before and he said he could help me get it done. I will pull the case(75% there already) and take it to him and he will split the case for me, ship it to Darkhorse(most likely) and then reassemble the case with Timken on the left and a new bearing on the right too(can't remember what kind - maybe y'all can help?).
Anyway looks like I will have more work ahead and more $$ into the build but should be interesting and a solid build.
Sorry djl, no 117", got to draw the line somewhere, in my books that would be at least another grand and I have planned my cams/throttle body/etc for a strong 107" and that is where I am heading.
Thanks for everybody's input on the crank decision - I was "split"
over it but looks like crank repair is coming
Soft 02 - watch over me pulling that case, probably wont happen until next week. I have to work to pay the bills Thurs - Sun.
Anyway looks like I will have more work ahead and more $$ into the build but should be interesting and a solid build.
Sorry djl, no 117", got to draw the line somewhere, in my books that would be at least another grand and I have planned my cams/throttle body/etc for a strong 107" and that is where I am heading.
Thanks for everybody's input on the crank decision - I was "split"
over it but looks like crank repair is comingSoft 02 - watch over me pulling that case, probably wont happen until next week. I have to work to pay the bills Thurs - Sun.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 66,948
Likes: 4,573
From: TOAK western branch
Pulling the case is easy without a top end or internal ballancers. Hope your Indy doesn't charge you much. Maybe 1/2 hour labor for teardown and 1 1/2 for set up with the timken.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Out West
I knew that was coming
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,763
Likes: 2,597
From: san antonio
If the machine shop is buying from Cometic, they can purchase the .027" just as easy as they can purchase the .030"; Cometic sells both.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,763
Likes: 2,597
From: san antonio
OK, here is my big news on the crank run-out, been churning this decision around and because of the pain involved of shipping a crank/pulling the case/splitting the case I had decided to take my chances and not do anything but I got an email from a local motorcycle mech here that had helped me before and he said he could help me get it done. I will pull the case(75% there already) and take it to him and he will split the case for me, ship it to Darkhorse(most likely) and then reassemble the case with Timken on the left and a new bearing on the right too(can't remember what kind - maybe y'all can help?).
Sorry djl, no 117", got to draw the line somewhere, in my books that would be at least another grand and I have planned my cams/throttle body/etc for a strong 107" and that is where I am heading.
Sorry djl, no 117", got to draw the line somewhere, in my books that would be at least another grand and I have planned my cams/throttle body/etc for a strong 107" and that is where I am heading.
I hear ya on the 117" although I don't see another $1000, maybe $700 for cylinders and case bore; you are already paying for pistons. Just a suggestion, as I told you, my only regret when I went all bore 107" was not springing for a crank and 117".
Good luck!