So those that have followed my saga, I have to say thanks to the ones that really helped and not lead me down rabbit holes. You guys know who you are that I owe thanks. @98hotrodfatboy you #1 GI, sorry no love you long time so I owe ya a brew if we ever meet.

But I have to say this. I did learn a lot, know what I did wrong. Parts I’ll never use again. And more.

But the last few months I’ve had the rocker boxes off too many times. One small leak here, fix it and had another leak. Finally the rear rocker box main gasket between the head and box blew out causing a major leak.

come to find out, even though I got it thru what I thought was a reputable seller, sold me a counterfeit or bad gasket. It was a James. And it literally fell apart on the rear jug.

Advice from a long time HD tech he said find the master too end reseal kit from Harley. Found an obsolete Harley parts guy and he’s got a good number of them in his stock. Heck the one I got has 2022 manufactured date. It came with all new white seals for the boxes. Metal one part gasket for the head to lower box, new seals for the lid and another set of the green HD umbrellas. (I kept the older HD black heavy ones I just put in it in)

But it’s been a test of my patience. Double checking my work. Making sure I wasn’t over torquing as I was using a crows foot to get the rear rockers torqued. And learned a lesson there as well. 90 degrees no problem no torque change. But straight there is a formula. But when it’s 15-18 foot pounds on the 5/16 bolts it was negligible the difference.

So tonight I finished putting the bike back together. Had some dinner. It was an 85 degree day today so it was the perfect evening for a ride.

I headed east on Hwy 20 up the Skagit River. Wandering, not pushing it too hard. But a few stretches I kicked it down a gear and wound it up a bit. I did have some carbon blowout the first couple times. After that it ran even better.

No more pinging. No more backfiring, no more sneezing thru the carb.

I might find a 47 primary jet. As it’s a bit sluggish off the throttle but quickly picks up. 48 it was definitely fat as it blubbered a bit and I had the screw at about 1 turn maybe a bit less. With the 46 back in I’m a bit over 2 turns out. Final jetting 46/190 N65C 2 turns. And CV Performance atomizer.

Voes is connected and my temporary light does show it is functioning so I reenabled Voes on the 2000p. It’s back on Curve 3. Where it does seem happy.

I put back in the stock heat range plugs. But still have the colder plugs to play with if recommended.

I will be dropping the oil out this weekend and switching to Mobil 1 20/50 Motorcycle at the recommendation of a few builders and someone telling me HD360 is not the same anymore. Plus Hammer said I should be running synthetic as it hold up better with the hotter running build

Oil pressure seems to sit at about 25 psi cruising at 55 hot motor. With the HD oil in it. And hey after 500 miles of honestly not being too kind on the motor I’ve probably only lost 1/8” if that on the dipstick from the full hot mark. I’d of dumped 3 quarts in it by now on the ore overhaul.

Some key things I need to play with still or keep an eye on.

rear jug has some oil stain in it tween the fins at the head gasket, left side. I used Cometic MLS. As much oil as I was leaking due to the faulty gasket for the boxes I’m hoping it’s residual. Cleaned it real well tonight and will monitor. Was told these rarely have issues and both the head and jug was machined during rebuild by Hammer.

Hot Starting. Bikes always had a bit of an issue starting hot. More so now with the higher compression. A crack of the throttle sometimes a squirt and it usually fires. If you don’t open the throttle a bit it will usually bark, kick back a bit then not really want to start.

if the bike cools off quite a bit, I sometimes had to pull the choke out a bit (first click, as I’m running the Mikuni enrichener as it fits and I just used the CV plunger and it fits the end of the cable, and the bonus is it’s all metal so you can’t snap the plastic nut. Only downside is it has 2 definite positions full open, half and closed. Can’t just pull it out a bit like the CV one.

Hoping the synthetic oil quiets things down a bit more but the Rocker Lockers indeed did quiet down the rocker noise by say 75%. But now I’ll get this occasional Tick Tick Tick at the right RPM. This bikes top end has always been the noisiest EVO I’ve owned.

(when i initially tore the bike down I blew as much old oil out as I could and I used an oil can to prelude the rocker arms and honestly they were almost plugged. When I did finally get oil out I got some nasty junk. I did it again since I had it apart and got some more junk again. In retrospect, I wish I tore the rockers totally apart and cleaned everything really well.

If i have to tear things down again, I’m pulling the motor. Doing the motor on a stand where I can use the proper tools. My modified Allen key takes forever to get the two left side rocker lid off. But I think it might get new rockers and or Rollers.

Definitely keeping an eye on my clutch. Already have a Barnett extra plate sitting on my shelf.

And oddly my rear tire. Due to a faulty tire gauge I accidentally had the back tire up at 55 psi for a few weeks of testing. No wonder why it was feeling funky back end. But the tire had some cupping going on even on both sides. And these weird texture things. Need to check my alignment rear hard make sure it isn’t off. Belt is tracking fine. But I might just change it. 5 years old now and about 3500 miles on it. (American Elite I) $450 is cheap insurance.


Another solid lesson learned as I have the Arlen Ness Big Sucka air filter is when you are installing the intake Y is to lube the daylights out of the sealing rings. Barely snug things don’t all moves. Totally install the carb and filter base to make dang sure the Intake Y is square and correct.

As much crap as I got about “You have a vacuum leak” over and over and even though spraying it netted no rise in RPM. I did it while it was hot and boom the front was not sealing right and was evident when I pulled it all apart. So all new intake seals again (OEM). Snugged it up pulled the carb back off tightened it all back up. It looks like it’s a bit off gap wise. But it’s sealed, carb is now square in the intake seal. And when hot I don’t get any rise in rpm when sprayed. I mean it looks to be like a 1/16” off to one side. Where before I had it all centered and that caused the carb to be at a weird angle.

I contacted Ness if I could buy just the revised base and the new breather bolts. Sadly no, but they gave me a 20% off ticket to buy a new one as it was revised a bit. New bolt design and added a little lip so any oil dripping out caught the lip and better directed to the carb

So in place of that. I took 95% of everyone’s advice including a few well known builders including Pacific Mike (very nice guy) and drilled the oil drain back one size. Carefully. And by hand. Mine had casting flash or chrome. So they opened up a bit. Then I took the breather bolts. Took a file and cleaned all the sharp edges off the bolt opening and polished them up. Now I get far less oil dropping out of the filter.

I also took Mikes advice and put my stock Slide back in the carb and stock spring. Eliminated the funky chattering I was getting at 60 on steady throttle that was driving me nuts.

About the only real weird thing and it’s almost hard to describe but say I’m doing 25 in 2nd 3rd lugs it too hard. I get this really odd burbling noise out the pipes. I’m sure it’s a mix of how the S&S headers are designed, the crazy overlap of the cam and some reversion but it’s funky sounding. My GoPro just gets too much wind and it drowns it out. But the other funny thing is even with them almost being true duals or maybe with the extra bends in the left pipe but I hardly hear the left pipe at all till I get in it. Then it’s loud.

one of the towns I rode thru tonight has a walking path (old Rail road RoW) heard me coming. Turned around and was jumping up and down with his hands in the air like Apr hangers twisting his wrist, so I kindly obliged, made that kid jump even higher and he covered his ears when I wicked it. lol

anyway I am rambling. But happy ramblings. I think I finally have the bike ready for my trip I’m hoping to take in July. It might be a little shorter than planned. But I’m going to do it. Ride over to Hammer in Sandpoint taking all the northern Washington Passes to get there. Show off the bike. Get my “I’m Hammered” T shirt. Camp someplace for the night up on the Kalispel Tribe lands and come home the next day. Taking it easy and not pushing it.

My medical has been kicking my rear hardcore lately so tonight was a welcome surprise that I was actually able to do a bit more than 100. 2 weeks ago I did 120 and I could barely get off the bike when I got home.


Thanks again everyone figured I’d start another thread more focused on my mop up.

a video and a pic from this last week. and yeah I’ll get the “Turn the idle up it’s too low!” Yeah buddy. It could be higher but bike was hot and was sitting at 7 psi of oil pressure. lol

https://youtube.com/shorts/Bqfe222ZCJw?si=kO4ehGdPAKHm_gX1

 

Sounds like you got it where you want it now and that you can trust it.. Have a safe trip in July and ride safe...

 

The bike is looking good, I hope you get to ride the **** out of it.

 

Thanks guys. It’s been a battle between myself, motivation and the bike. I was having issue there when I just couldn’t think straight. Till I just stepped back and took a break from it. Had a good conversation with Mike and he got me back on the right path with some tips. One he said he hates doing them in the bike. It’s very difficult to not push a gasket around or one of the oring gaskets.

But fingers crossed I can even do this ride. Pretty much every stop I know someone. And know people with trailers that can get me home.

i just have to redo my first ride. I don’t know why it’s bugging me so much bad, maybe because it’s been exactly 30 years ago I did it in July. Or maybe because this will be my final trip to where I grew up. Nothing left for me there. Not the same town. But for some reason Rattlesnake grade is calling me. It was my first official group ride. And my first long distance on a road bike. And my first Harley. A 1994 XL883C Forward controls, drag bars. Not the kind of bike for the twisties. But I made it with some coaching from a lost friend.

im doing it to honor 3 of the people out of the 5 that have passed in the last few years. My dad and I are the only 2 left. Cancer, diabetes, aneurysm. Took them.

I am actually doing it as a fund raiser for a charity for Cancer one was involved with and I’ll be sharing that if mods allow when I set it up. Either pay per mile, a flat,m donation or help me with expenses. Should be a fun 1200 mile ride.

I just hope o don’t have to do a teardown anytime soon.

I did however order new tires tonight. Whitewalls this time. I showed the rear tire to the lead wrench and he said yeah it’s not a good thing. the funny scuffing. But he’s seen the Elites do it. It’s right where the hard compound center meets the softer sidewalls. Getting a set of Avon’s he recommended for more of my riding style. Cobra Chromes?

but I’ll keep everyone posted.

 

That's a beautiful bike Numinex. Nothing better than riding your own work.

All the others are too busy arguing about base gaskets to congratulate you.

 

Cawww, see that Numinex?, thread’s 20 hours old and not even one like from the Evo Police.
Probably to busy reading about Coppercoat & Gasgacinch, they didn’t even hit on Permatex aviation form a gasket & Hylomar yet, that’ll be another day gone. 😆

Get you some miles on it. Roadtrip!