metal prep and engine tear down
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 850
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metal prep and engine tear down
Its been a while since I have posted here. I have a 68 FL that I a doing a full tear down on. I have had the frame checked and that is good to go. I am now very close to removing the motor. I have a local guy who says he will rebuild from bottom up for 2K is this a decent price? Also the bike was stored in a shed but much corrosion happened anyway. What are my options for cleaning it up? Can I just have them bead blasted and then coated to protect them, or paint or powder coat - am I missing another option. Finally, should I have the work done first or the paint/powder etc? TIA
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 46
Likes: 2
From: Roxboro, North Carolina
RE: metal prep and engine tear down
I'm not much on powder coating engine components. Especially the Shovelheads and earlier. They run hot enough with just paint on the cylinders. I would say clean the aluminum and leave as a natural finish. If you feel this burning desire to put something on the aluminum,hi-temp aluminum paint will do the trick. It goes on rather shiney, but that is thefast dryingnature of the paint doing that. Wash them in hot soapy water before assembly, and the shine will wash off, leaving an new aluminum finish. Paint the cylinders with some good hi-temp black, and pre-bake at a couple hundred degrees. When you are back up and running, there are plenty of products that will help you with retaining the natural finish. It's amazing what the tire cleaner at the car wash will do to aluminum. Brightens it right up.
As to the price of the rebuild, I would say that it is a good price for the whole engine. You can run up a fairly good tab on parts, if it's really worn out. For just the bottom end, it sounds a bit steep. But then, I believe in charging just what it takes, and no more. Maybe I'm out of touch with labor charges. I know what parts cost. For older machines, like yours, quality parts can be had at a very reasonable cost.
As to cleanup of the components, beading is ok, as long as the final washing is in hot soapy water. Heat opens the aluminum pores, and releases stuck beads. And, as a safety measure, I would coat the inside of the cases (flywheel side and gearcase) with Glyptal (red). Even though the later stuff has better castings, this will guarantee that any beads that didn't release will be sealed in, never to come out. We're talking microscopic stuff that can get into the rollers. Not trying to scare you. Just food for thought.
Jack
As to the price of the rebuild, I would say that it is a good price for the whole engine. You can run up a fairly good tab on parts, if it's really worn out. For just the bottom end, it sounds a bit steep. But then, I believe in charging just what it takes, and no more. Maybe I'm out of touch with labor charges. I know what parts cost. For older machines, like yours, quality parts can be had at a very reasonable cost.
As to cleanup of the components, beading is ok, as long as the final washing is in hot soapy water. Heat opens the aluminum pores, and releases stuck beads. And, as a safety measure, I would coat the inside of the cases (flywheel side and gearcase) with Glyptal (red). Even though the later stuff has better castings, this will guarantee that any beads that didn't release will be sealed in, never to come out. We're talking microscopic stuff that can get into the rollers. Not trying to scare you. Just food for thought.
Jack
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