stupid quality control at HD in the 60-70's *rant*
stupid quality control at HD in the 60-70's *rant*
grr rblahhh,
so i start to put everything in its place so i can clena off my work bench and do one final test fit since i picked up new head bolts and jus twaiting on a gasket set to assemble the engine. well let me tell ya i damn near chucked the entire engine through the wall when i find out that it wasnt the head bolts, the ffriggen head was drilled by a drunken frenchman it seems.
thinking well maybe its just the cylinder is buggered or something. so i grab a burnt up cylinder and same thing, the bolt pattern is 1/16th of an inch off. so i check the part number of the head i have with a hole melted in the side of it as it was the one i took off before the bike burnt up at the shop just to make sure i got the right head and sure enough the part numbers are the same and the old head matches up perfectly with both HD cylinders. SON OF A **********.
now that spent the money on gettign the head, having it worked over and set up with new valves, springs, guides, fresh deck, and fresh paint, its a real purdy boat anchor.
so now i gots to try and find anothe rfront head for a 900cc and have it worked over. grrr blaahhhhh
so i start to put everything in its place so i can clena off my work bench and do one final test fit since i picked up new head bolts and jus twaiting on a gasket set to assemble the engine. well let me tell ya i damn near chucked the entire engine through the wall when i find out that it wasnt the head bolts, the ffriggen head was drilled by a drunken frenchman it seems.
thinking well maybe its just the cylinder is buggered or something. so i grab a burnt up cylinder and same thing, the bolt pattern is 1/16th of an inch off. so i check the part number of the head i have with a hole melted in the side of it as it was the one i took off before the bike burnt up at the shop just to make sure i got the right head and sure enough the part numbers are the same and the old head matches up perfectly with both HD cylinders. SON OF A **********.
now that spent the money on gettign the head, having it worked over and set up with new valves, springs, guides, fresh deck, and fresh paint, its a real purdy boat anchor.
so now i gots to try and find anothe rfront head for a 900cc and have it worked over. grrr blaahhhhh
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
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Why not just take those new heads to the machine shop and have the head bolt holes cut to match the cylinders? If they are 1/16" misaligned, it might only be 1/32" cut on each bolt hole. Don't think that would be too much. Gaskets should still seal...
each hole is already the thickness of a credit card from the inside of the fire ring, if they get to much closer the wall might not hold up, its to the inside they would have to cut not worried about the gasket so much as i am the fire ring. i already though aboput that and my drill press was lookign very inviting LOL but i dont want to risk bloing out the fire ring just to make it fit
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Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Danville Va, Providence NC
Can you have it drilled and then use a hard sleeve around it? Some type of hard steel, with a close tolerance to the bolt size? Would be stronger than aluminum, might not cost too much. Just a thought NSC.
Damn man, you are catching it with both mitts, lol.
Damn man, you are catching it with both mitts, lol.
damn i am due for a lotto jackpot and a gorgeous super model to show up looking for a hoem in my bed LOL
randy the heads are cast iron, id if i take out the bolt holes t omate with the cylinders they will come through the metal. apparently theres 2 differnt heads with the part number ending in -71 one is for the jerry rigged 1000cc and the other is for the earlier 900cc it seems i got the 1000cc head which ont mate with the 900cc cylinders there is a letter sequence to differentiate the two but i am unsure of what it is at this point
randy the heads are cast iron, id if i take out the bolt holes t omate with the cylinders they will come through the metal. apparently theres 2 differnt heads with the part number ending in -71 one is for the jerry rigged 1000cc and the other is for the earlier 900cc it seems i got the 1000cc head which ont mate with the 900cc cylinders there is a letter sequence to differentiate the two but i am unsure of what it is at this point
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Now you can see why AMF had to come in and rescue the MOCO maybe.
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From:
Too late to be bitchin' about quality control in the 60s-70s but if I run across a guy that worked for Harley back then I'll pass it along.
Quality control? You got the wrong head. How did you find out about that?
Quality control? You got the wrong head. How did you find out about that?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,488
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From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
So if I am reading this correctly you rebuilt your OEM and picked up aftermarket cylinder that does not match. Is this OEM or other?
You then took another cylinder that did not match the head as well. Is the second cylinder OEM or aftermarket?
There are some aftermarket parts that are horrible. V-twin is notorious for lack of quality on their parts. Panhead cylinders from them are like a kiss of death.
Guess before I would start fragging AMF I would want to borrow an OEM/NOS cylinder to make sure it was in fact the head and not poorly made aftermarket stuff
You then took another cylinder that did not match the head as well. Is the second cylinder OEM or aftermarket?
There are some aftermarket parts that are horrible. V-twin is notorious for lack of quality on their parts. Panhead cylinders from them are like a kiss of death.
Guess before I would start fragging AMF I would want to borrow an OEM/NOS cylinder to make sure it was in fact the head and not poorly made aftermarket stuff