Pan cylinder, need info
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4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2009
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Pan cylinder, need info
I bought a cylinder on ebay. The seller new nothing about it. I need to know if its a front or back, if it matters. It would also be nice to know if its 74 or 60cc. I have no clue how to ID a cylinder.
E-15-3
C5J417
Any help is appreciated. Thanks
E-15-3
C5J417
Any help is appreciated. Thanks
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 78
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From: Patten,Maine
Looking at the pushrod side of the cylinder the cut out on the very bottom of the sleeve will be on the left side for the front and the right side for the rear.If it measures 3 1/2" on the bore it will be for a 74.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: NW Florida
3 1/2 would be an 80 inch or about a 60 over 74. 3 7/16 or 3.4375 would be a 74" and 3.3125 would be a 61"
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: NW Florida
The base on a rear cylinder is larger than the front. To measure the bore you need an inside micrometer or a snap guage and an outside micrometer. Post some photos of the cylinder including close up of the base markings, some one will be able to identify it.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 695
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From: Western Australia
Below is a photo of a Panhead rear cylinder showing the larger base area referred to by FilthyLucre.
But if the seller knew nothing about the cylinder and you have no clue how to ID it, how do you know that what you bought is indeed a Panhead cylinder? In your post I notice you included the following characters: E-15-3. Are those characters on the cylinder? If they are then they may be casting info relating to the date of manufacture where apparently E = May, and 15 = the fifteenth day of May. The 3 relates to the year but we need a good photo showing all the holes at the TOP of the cylinder to determine what decade the 3 is from. And are there any holes on the inside near the bottom of the bore?
What about the other characters you included: C5J417. Are they characters on the cylinder? And are there any other markings? Photos of all markings would also help. Eric
But if the seller knew nothing about the cylinder and you have no clue how to ID it, how do you know that what you bought is indeed a Panhead cylinder? In your post I notice you included the following characters: E-15-3. Are those characters on the cylinder? If they are then they may be casting info relating to the date of manufacture where apparently E = May, and 15 = the fifteenth day of May. The 3 relates to the year but we need a good photo showing all the holes at the TOP of the cylinder to determine what decade the 3 is from. And are there any holes on the inside near the bottom of the bore?
What about the other characters you included: C5J417. Are they characters on the cylinder? And are there any other markings? Photos of all markings would also help. Eric
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4th Gear
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Ok I just recieved it in the mail. The casting numbers E-15-3 are on the bottom base above the large cut out on the bottom of the sleve, putting the oil flow to the left and back if your facing the numbers. the E is very large taking the whole vertical width of the base, the 15-3 are actually a plate screwed on with a screw at each end. The cylinder is in to good of shape to look real vintage. how do I tell which is the pushrod side of the cylinder? all sides look the same except one side which has the oil hole, there is a little emblem on the bases right side like a triangle, it kind of looks like a M in the middle of it but its hard to make out. If this is the push rod side it would be a rear according to what you wrote. The other # I listed must have come off the bike because its not on the cylinder. Ill get some pictures soon.
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4th Gear
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Western Australia
Tim, that is a front cylinder. As I mentioned above, E 15-3 is info relating to casting date. Because E is the fifth letter of the alphabet it represents the fifth month: May. The 15 represents the fifteenth day of the month. The 3 relates to the year and for a Panhead cylinder that should only mean either 1953 or 1963. It also means the cylinder was probably originally used on a 74 cubic inch Panhead because the 61 cubic inch Panhead was only made 19481952.
The plate that carries the 15-3 is sometimes called a casting date plate. The M you described at the base is normal but it doesnt appear on all H-D cylinders. And the M may also be positioned over what looks like a letter C.
The view of your larger photo below is from the rear so the pushrod side is to the right. The large bulge at the left side accommodates the return oil passage.
Ive flipped one of the other photos around for obvious reasons and there appears to be some rust on the base near a small bulge. But I cant see a hole in the bulge. The bulge for 19481962 cylinders was drilled and it became the feed oil passage. But it was not drilled for 19631965 because those last three years employed an outside feed oil line.
Theres also a small corresponding mark at the top of one of the other photos and if its not a hole then its probably a mark left from using a gasket that had a feed hole in it.
There appears to be a hole on the inside near the bottom of the bore. Is that correct? And what are you planning to use the cylinder on? Eric
The plate that carries the 15-3 is sometimes called a casting date plate. The M you described at the base is normal but it doesnt appear on all H-D cylinders. And the M may also be positioned over what looks like a letter C.
The view of your larger photo below is from the rear so the pushrod side is to the right. The large bulge at the left side accommodates the return oil passage.
Ive flipped one of the other photos around for obvious reasons and there appears to be some rust on the base near a small bulge. But I cant see a hole in the bulge. The bulge for 19481962 cylinders was drilled and it became the feed oil passage. But it was not drilled for 19631965 because those last three years employed an outside feed oil line.
Theres also a small corresponding mark at the top of one of the other photos and if its not a hole then its probably a mark left from using a gasket that had a feed hole in it.
There appears to be a hole on the inside near the bottom of the bore. Is that correct? And what are you planning to use the cylinder on? Eric
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4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2009
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Man, you are good. your right, there is a hole drilled inside at the bulges base. So this has to be 1953/front/74. Cool" I had to know because I have to know what to buy to match, or go with it. This is the only part I own. Im going to build a vintage engine and since this is in such good shape "with no broken fins or cracks It will be a good start. In a couple months I go to Kwait for a year with the Navy. Im going to sit with a dremmel and polishing kit for 6 months polishing it then send it home then spend 6 months on a back cylinder, when I can find one in good enough condition. Ill buy the case and rest of the parts on ebay and finish the engine when I get home. So from here Ill have it miced for size and buy a back cyl. anywhere before 1963. You guys rock!
Respectfully BM2 Engel
Respectfully BM2 Engel
Last edited by tomatotim; Jul 9, 2009 at 11:15 AM.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 695
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From: Western Australia
Cheers, Tim. But Id just like to check something. You stated: ... there is a hole drilled inside at the bulges base. Do you mean the hole drilled through the cylinder bore? Or do you mean there is a hole at the rust spot? If there is a hole drilled at the rust spot and it continues up through to the head gasket surface then the cylinder was cast in 1953, given the casting ID characters we have. But if there is no hole at the rust spot then the cylinder was cast in 1963.
The hole in the cylinder bore was standard on all 19531965 Panhead front and rear cylinders and after return oil drained down the left passage it exited through the hole and straight into the flywheel area.
But Panhead front and rear cylinders for 19481952 didnt originally have the hole in the cylinder bore because after return oil drained down the left passage it ran straight into grooves machined into the top of the left crankcase for those years. However, you may run across 19481952 cylinders that had the hole drilled in the bore at a later stage. Eric
The hole in the cylinder bore was standard on all 19531965 Panhead front and rear cylinders and after return oil drained down the left passage it exited through the hole and straight into the flywheel area.
But Panhead front and rear cylinders for 19481952 didnt originally have the hole in the cylinder bore because after return oil drained down the left passage it ran straight into grooves machined into the top of the left crankcase for those years. However, you may run across 19481952 cylinders that had the hole drilled in the bore at a later stage. Eric