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Engine Mechanical TopicsDiscussion for motor builds, cams, head work, stripped bolts and other engine related issues. The good and the bad. If it goes round and around or up and down, post it here.
Ok, I pulled the front cylinder..... Piston, rings, pin and clips 534.4. So if a stock piston is 532 then this isn't the problem. Are we sure a stock 103 piston is 532? We're any of them a different weight? So looks like the next thing is go into cam chest and check runout...
No, didn't se a reason to. Cylinder and piston looked perfect. Both plugs had nice color to them and color was the same on both plugs.. Tomorrow evening i will check the runout.. If I don't find anything there,, i am still tempted to do the bottom end.. This vibration has to be coming from somewhere. I cant believe its the tune plugs look too good and it runs great other than the vibration. I hate to put it back together just to get it tuned and have to take it apart again.
Also for the record, I did talk to Scott. He told me he did not think it was a piston weight issue.. Looks like he was right on money there. He wondered about the tune.. I did try another base map for my combination and Auto Tuned that. It changed nothing. I definitely am not trying to blame anyone for my issue. Its an old bike anything can go wrong at any time. I also don't mind spending the money to get it tuned but I dont think that is the issue. I do have experience with tuning not on a Harley but I have an 07 Vette with a supercharger that I tune myself with hp tuners.
Yes, 532g is the magic #. Pin weight making up for different piston weights is how I thought it was done. Seems they were right on the money too. Doesn't get any better than that.
Something is sticking in the back of my mind tho. May be way off and I know you said the motor mounts were good but...Was it aligned? Did your front bolt holes in the head line right up? I've seen it where it had to be loosened up, run the motor briefly for it to "settle in", then retighten the bolts. Not an issue for Softails really since we don't even have that mount but can be a vibration issue if its not lined up before tightening if you do.
Long shot I know but...
Yes, 532g is the magic #. Pin weight making up for different piston weights is how I thought it was done. Seems they were right on the money too. Doesn't get any better than that.
Something is sticking in the back of my mind tho. May be way off and I know you said the motor mounts were good but...Was it aligned? Did your front bolt holes in the head line right up? I've seen it where it had to be loosened up, run the motor briefly for it to "settle in", then retighten the bolts. Not an issue for Softails really since we don't even have that mount but can be a vibration issue if its not lined up before tightening if you do.
Long shot I know but...
The 2013 doesn't have the single mount up front that causes all the problems. It has one on each side in the front. Those have been replaced. The link on the front head is not in a bind and moves freely. The engine was never out of the frame. The top end was all that was removed. This engine was smooth until I built the top end this winter. I have loosened, tightened, checked every piece of rubber on the bike trying to fix this. I will check the runout tomorrow.
Ok, I pulled the front cylinder..... Piston, rings, pin and clips 534.4. So if a stock piston is 532 then this isn't the problem. Are we sure a stock 103 piston is 532? We're any of them a different weight? So looks like the next thing is go into cam chest and check runout...
We have two weight checks from different and reliable sources; 530g and 532g so moving on, time to check crank runout. Doubtful the tune is the source of the vibration.
Would / could one cam being one tooth "off" cause rough running ?
That was my point about checking compression. You'll find a 10-15 psi difference between cylinders. I don't know how the plugs would look. I would think that the idle would not be smooth tho..
Would / could one cam being one tooth "off" cause rough running ?
The timing is not off a tooth. I take pictures of stuff like that when building an engine and the picture shows right on the money. This isn't my first rodeo on stuff like this.
Last edited by wilburbill; Apr 13, 2022 at 02:49 PM.
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