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I can't think of anything that looks like that in the valve train. My suspicion is it could be melted/solidified goo from the old ignition pickup, but I was on the wrong side of the gear cover.
That sure is what it looks like. Maybe it's had more that the one pick up you did??
Outside of the foreign material, things went pretty well. I removed the pipes yesterday, and I just finished installing an m-unit, so the bike was pretty well ready for a cam swap.
I was planning on replacing the rocker cover bolts with hex heads. Theyre much easier to remove than the allens that are there now in the fxr frame, but I couldn't find any and didn't want to leave the house for them. I have a wrench I cut down to fit the rear. It helps, but what a pita that is.
I got the rocker covers off and pulled the pushrods. The gear case cover came off with a few whacks of a mallet. with the spark plugs out and the trans in 5th, I turned the back wheel and lined up the timing marks.
The cam and breather came out. The plastic breather had a little scoring, but I didn't think it was too bad. The bore had some as well. I replaced the plastic breather with an S&S reed valve.
Pressing the oem gear off the N cam was pretty simple. I ended up marking the gear with a sharpie and pressed it onto the new cam. I was pleased that I got it just about perfect on the first try. Next task was to replace the inner cam bearing. I have a blind hole puller I borrowed from auto zone about 15 years ago when I changed the bearing in my Twinkie Fatboy. I didn't realize id forgotten to return it until the last time my family moved. Oops.
The old bearing came out pretty easily. I used the old cam and gently tapped the new bearing into the case with a dead blow. It took me a while to set the end play on the cam, but I ended up at .013, and I'm happy with that.
The gear case went back together.I replaced my lifters with a new set of Johnson hy-lifts, reinstalled the pushrods and rockers and called it a day. I'll finish up the ignition and timing, tomorrow.
Looking good. As for the yellowish particles of plastic you found in the case, that wasn't part of your Oem breather gear thrust washer, was it?
I didn't see it in any of your other pics...
could be. I didn't see it in there, either. that was plastic? Whatever it was was too big to pass though any oil passages. It had to come from in the case.
Another thing I was wondering about. My 94 had an eared washer behind the cam. That bike had an ev27 when I got it. This engine is a 97 and just had a round washer behind it. Is there a reason for that change? I was surprised to see the ears were gone.
Looking good. As for the yellowish particles of plastic you found in the case, that wasn't part of your Oem breather gear thrust washer, was it?
I didn't see it in any of your other pics...
I was wondering the same thing...Does the S&S reed use a breather gear shim also?
The S&S reed valve does not use a shim. There is a spring to keep it in place. From my experience, they work well, especially if the breather bore is badly scored.
Got it started today. It didn't blow up, so I'm pleased. I won't be able to ride it for another 3 weeks or so, because still have a boot on my foot. It sounds good, though.
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