Thanks for the input. As I've not ruled out true duals, how did the true duals affect your carb tune, if at all? My sense is that with a stock cam, it's minimal.

 

When I swapped to true duals I didn't make any carb adjustments, nor did I notice any difference. However I later transferred them to an S&S 107" engine, which I had dyno-tuned from new. I later swapped the TDs for a Supermeg, had the bike dyno-tuned again and was amazed at the contrast! Bike is much smoother running, as well as having better low/mid range torque, a completely different bike. I won't use TDs again, I'm cured!

 

While I've not completely ruled out TDs (I'm still ill...found a Vance/Hines Big Shot TD system available locally for a reasonable price that has me thinking...don't know much about them though), I'm leaning toward finding an early 2000's OEM setup or 2-1 setup like you ultimately ended up with.

 

After a cold-weather hiatus coupled with being waylaid for several weeks by a torn shoulder muscle, I was finally able to put the top-end back together. During the down-time I hit a few local swap meets and scored some needed parts, including a complete 2003 exhaust header with heat shields, a set of Rush slip-on mufflers, and a cam pullbearing puller and press tool. I was able to scrub the carbon from the piston tops and heads using spray carb cleaner. Put the plugs in the heads, flipped them over, filled each combustion chamber with carb cleaner and let them soak overnight. Saturated the tops of the pistons and let them sit overnight as well. Was able to scrub the carbon off using a brass bristle brush.






Cam bearing was pulled and replaced and the new cam was installed. I neglected to take a picture of the new cam installed. Hee Haw.



Then the new lifters, lifter blocks, and base gaskets went on.


Rear cylinder and piston came next...



Followed by the front.



Head gaskets, Cometic .030


Heads



Rocker Boxes



Finished up by installing the intake, carb, top engine mount, exhaust, tank etc.. Entire reassembly took about 8 hours over several days.

Happily, the first startup went without incident. Lifters rattled a bit and the rear cylinder rockers tapped noticeably. Not so much with the fronts. I did not soak the lifters and turned the motor over by hand a bunch of times to pre-oil things prior to starting.


Seeing/hearing no obvious problems I took it for a quick shakedown ride to pump up the lifters. Things were quieter after that (at least to me!).


I geared up and went for a 25-mile ride. The VThunder 3010 seems to rev faster than the stock cam and definitely pulled harder from 2500-3K up. While I generally don't ride there, it positively felt better at 75-80 mph than the stock cam.

Right now, the CV carb is jetted at 45 pilot, 185 main, with 1 shim on the stock needle and 2.5 turns out on the A/F screw. After the ride I checked the rear plug, which looked lean. With the bike running, I turned the A/F out some more and at about 3.5/4 turns, the idle picked up. I'm thinking I need to go up to a 46 pilot jet.

This forum was a big help on this project.

Thanks again to everyone on the forum for their input and observations!

 

Motor sound healthy... Nice Job... A 46 sounds like the right way to go. Do note however, the rear always does run a bit leaner.....

 

Rob, heart-warming stuff!

 

Beautiful! Well done!

 

Looking at your picture, are the base gaskets on right? I dont remember is they can be swapped or not. But am i looking at the oil return hole in the gasket with the hole not under it in the block?? I think you got the front and rear mixed up. Or maybe i shouldn't drink so much


EDIT: Ill put the scotch down now.. theres a hole in the base gasket on both sides. Its all good.. LOL

 

When looking at the pictures after reassembly, I came upon that same picture and had a brief moment of panic, thinking I f'd up the base gaskets. No worries though. Base gaskets are good. The base gaskets have oil return holes cut on both sides; all I needed to do was index the gasket on the dowl pin on the case.