Originally Posted by Prot

The fact that it still ran is a testament of just how great these engines are.

I had just been been wondering what happened to you and figured someone may have pissed you off.

Originally Posted by Spanners39

So I get a 1991 Evo softail come in with an oil leak....easy job I think to myself.


It has 57K miles on it and was leaking from the oil pump and the lifter blocks. The oil pump gaskets were not in stock so I started with the lifter blocks but upon removing the blocks I found that a lifter had shat itself a looong time ago and the lifter wheel was octagonal and blue....none of the needle rollers were present and the EV3 cam had had the hardening smashed off the corresponding lobe.


I needed to find the rollers and clean the motor out so I pulled it all apart and here is what I found:


No bits of roller but there were gouges in the oil pump where they had been through the rotors


The end of the short rotor shaft in the pump appears to have been peened over with a blunt object


The rear headgasket had gone in such a way as it had been firing down the right rear head stud and the whole thing was carboned up round the stud


It needed a rebore


Stator was shorting out on the inner primary (this is why it had a new starter and a new battery when it came in lol!)


One engine mounting stud was loose


Valve guides shot


A homemade gasket on cam cover with a ton of orange silicone blocking the tappet screen gallery


Gritty oil




Don't abuse your Harley boys and girls or Spanners will take all your money!


The owner came in and we showed him the carnage and he said it has always vibrated and he thought they all sounded like that....oh dear, I may have to hurt him....in his wallet!!!

Originally Posted by Spanners39

Well thanks y'all for the welcome back....I am just very busy and travelling a lot (by plane) and usually in NZ we just rebuild motors as most of them are not stock so we rebuild to the pre-blow up spec.


I have had to rebuild two S&S motors lately, both very low mileage with knackered big ends.....so we won't be replacing it with one of those.


And yes, I cannot imagine how the owner kept riding it!!!!!

Originally Posted by texashillcountry

I understand the word knackered but what are big ends????

Originally Posted by Prot

Big ends refers to the big end of the connecting rod, the end that connects to the crankshaft.

Alternatively it can refer to a certain part of a sheep's anatomy.

Originally Posted by texashillcountry

I understand the word knackered but what are big ends????

Originally Posted by Spanners39

They are the opposite of little ends both conceptually and geographically...