79 FLH-80 Pull the Engine?
 

I've had bikes all my life including a late-model Ironhead and an 84 FXSB shovel. However, none of them were real projects like this one.

I'm sure a lot of you have been at this crossroad. After pulling the top end off I'm staring at the bike and saying to myself "maybe I should keep going and go through everything?"

To this point I've accomplished everything I set out to with this project bike - I got the bike put together and engine running and I know the tranny works on the stand.

I have to find a machine shop/engine builder to do the required top-end work since I don't have the tools/skills. Considering the bike needs clutch work and the tranny is leaking, I started thinking maybe I should pull the engine and send it along for assembly. I could then go through the drive train on my bench.

I'm learning a lot and I feel like I have decent mechanical skills, but I've never done engine work like this so the assembly makes me a little nervous. Budget is always a concern.

Thoughts and advice appreciated.

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:icon_munching:

How many miles on the motor? I did the top end on mine at 65 K. Bottom end still hasn't been apart.

I don't want to say " I told you so", but....

Nick, you should probably find a reputable engine builder near to you and go and have a chat with him to see what you'd be looking at in terms of cost if you pull the bottom end.

However, if you are anything like me, rebuilding a motorcycle is a great learning experience and you just keep thinking "well, I might as well take THAT part off and fix it up, and while I'm doing that I should look at THIS as well.

Pretty soon you'll end up with a bare frame going out for powder coating (as mine is this week), while you draw circuit diagrams of what the new wiring loom will look like.....

CT doesn't issue titles for older cars/bikes so all I have is assignment of ownership from the seller in this particular case. Speedo has around 16,000 but no way to know for sure. I'm going to persue a title search but it takes awhile.

My big concern is that I just want this done right and would hate to get fresh head/cylinders back and have me goof up installation of pistons/rings. Sometimes I overthink stuff.

ADM - haha. As I said earlier, I tend to overthink things but I also want to ride it this summer so I'm not planning a full restore. I'll discuss once I find someone to do the head/cylinder work. I love learning, but don't want to learn anything the hard way when I button it back up.

check out the rod bearings for play, and leave it alone if good. you can always take the motor out and clean it, but if it isn't worn, don't worry about the lower end.

Agreed, no need to do bottom end if no problems obvious. And if you do decide to do bottom you should at least consider "stroking".

if you do decide to do bottom you should at least consider "stroking" ... Yep, that's what I did and never looked back :>)