is it worth making a semi- hotrod out of a 30 year old bike? i don't think so.....but that's just me.

 

I agree, thought I would wake it up a bit while I was in there. Only wanted to replace all my leaking gaskets, and cam had a bad lobe. For the extra one hp, not worth the trouble and money i'm thinking stock cam now, but we'll see what happens....

 

with 100k on my 85 and the (what most people say is a) pos stock carb, the only thing ever done to the motor is, new lifters, 1 new head gasket under warrenty, new breather gear under warrenty, 2 new valve springs under warranty and a new rocker gasket. it uses some oil but it runs so nice i don't want to touch it.

 

Yes, cast would do fine.

I was thinking being set for the next step up when the bug bites.

Been reading too many 98hotrodfatboy posts.

 

But the Evo rev limits at 5,200 rpm ... so are you saying the Lee Harvey Oswald element was the 5,500+ rpm now? Someone stuck on a Sportster or SE unit in the old days, and then bent a valve because they overrevved it?

If you knew the Evo rev limiter is 5,200 rpm, then why introduce 5,500 rpm now? It's just a , distractions and confusing the client.

If we filter out the insult and lack of substantive answer, all you're really doing is confirming what I said. In order for the valves to hit the pistons in those 'unqualified' cases you referred to, *something else* had to have been involved.

I think Harley made about 80,000 of these engines, how many bombed, and why? Without addressing the mathematics, you're just telling ghost stories.One of the best lessons in life I was even taught were just those to words, "Show me".

Schex3x, thanks for weighing in and confirming what is a well proven and safe "recipe". That's all I've been encouraging this guy to explore.

Guys, I've worked on the other side counter and I'll tell you this. There are two aspects involved here; You need to be able to separate what is 'engineering' and filter out 'sales'. Even peer pressure sales. And there's one golden rule to apply here; if the business owner has a coke habit, owns a private airplane (I'm thinking of Pingel here!), or runs a polo pony or race team ... then they're taking too much profit or selling overly expensive stuff folk really don't need.

I don't have any of those habits.

Those original pistons are probably good German quality Mahles (who made them for H-D). They're fine. OK, if you have .550” lift cam *with* a long duration or bigger valves, you will *need* to pocket them (and you can do so up to, say, 0.135”) but that's WAY more than you need for an EV27. Good insurance, perhaps, but not worth pay so much for without further benefits.

TDC lift is not the only factor involved. Duration, or the lobe shape, also matters. The piston chases the valve up and down the cylinder, and so with a higher lift and longer duration cam ... at some point they may be contact ... but we can calculate when.

Most shops like to sell $200 piston sets instead because there is more profit in it, and it's cheap and easier for them (hence the move to box shifting in the industry). It's less liability (cost risk) and requires less skill (cheaper overheads). In this day and age where every "mechanic" is really just a parts swopper, and does not know how to do the mathematics or every other little foible involved, it's also less risk to recommend less than optimum tunes.

So that's what they do. It's what H-D does do. It's "just business" ... profit making to afford their habits ... versus real and safe engineering.

Personally, I just prefer to look for the most "economical" solution or the greatest ROI, not the toolbox sticker. That's not the same as "cheap" (meaning worthless), but often it is too. It's often the cheapest because the herd is off chasing the brand names.

If I saw a friend about to drop or be taken for cash with no benefits, I'd step in and tell him and try and point him in another direction. That's all.

Now, John, please. Drop the insults and distractions, and stick to the hard science. I'm happy to accept correction and additional information but I'll see thru most of the BS.
I'd say we're no where near hotrod territory yet. It's more on the level of re-manufacturing, i.e. making it as it was/should have been when it was new.

But well said about your 100,000 mile plus engine ... with its original good quality Mahle pistons. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

 

Here's just another picture to wind John up. OK, OK, it's a Twin Cam but same principles apply. Now, what's interesting is who is doing it ... and it's Bennet's Performance, the guys next door to Branch-O'Keefe who work with them.

Actually, this one even shocks me because it looks like the piston is still in a live engine.

 

after i posted the "semi- hotrod" i thought it would have better if i said "low end" "semi- hotrod".

 

that's a disturbing picture.

 

Does a piston really know the difference between a neat fly cut in a jig, and hand grind?

In real world terms probably not, as Bennet's appear to be demonstrating. It's possible to be a little bold and get away with it if you're confident and take care.

I am hoping that is their "jig" rather than connected to someone's engine though.

This is someone else's bodge ... and it's a clever one. You could rig something like this up at home. He's using an old valve with a cutter attached to it. You could pretty much do that with a drill stand, if you don't have access to a mill. You really don't have to take off that much ... if any in the case.

Usual caveats apply.

 

schek3x has a real understanding of all the parts and pieces and what it takes out of the pocket to do some of this - i did not exclude you sorry if you see it that way - i try to answer in a post like this so the conversation does not go to off track, as it can and will loose some with those that have a great deal of time money and effort into a ride, knowing full well the mistakes that do happen and the suggestions being made are valid with some but not all, you wont be going anyplace other then what your doing right now - some its a drug of choice and i am in that group

sometimes its almost impossible to get across what can be said face to face in 5 min in 10 hours of typing and i hate typing

the real deal if you were standing in my shop or any other indy who has a real business in doing this

you need mid usa ,010 pistons they are cast comes with pins and locks - hastings moly piston rings - who ever does it tell him .0025 in the fit loose

you .045 gaskets are fine and what are you going to do with them if your not going to use them - i like cometic - cometic base tin gaskets .020 is fine FORGET the deck height its splitting hairs - you can forget cutting the jug bottom if you use a straight edge and its straight, i know they say put nothing on the base gasket but we do sorry we found something

the heads a fluff up with the blue rubber valve seals will give you great oil free running motor - 3 angle valve job and a re face on the original vaves should do it -

the EV 27 is a bolt in cam in what you will have following what i posted no storys and the bike will run great and give you years of fun riding - additions to look twards - a carb and of the main 3 will wake it up some more - a new adjustable ignition like an ultra will again wake it up some not big but smoother -

you can do what you want its your money and your ride - the guys on this evo section i have yet to hear they were not happy with the ev 27 choice BUT i am sure luke will chime in with a cut and paste 700 words long about something he has no idea about -- soo we are all cool -- good luck in what you do