that 30 psi was warm. it did peg the gauge when stone cold. the last time I rode it the light did not start "flickering" until after 15 or so miles. the only # I see on the cover is 25218-70. a 19/64" drill bit will fit in the end of the crank. I've been an auto mech for 32 years, but if it comes to a full tear down, that'll be on my son's nickel . I don't hear any bottom end noise, no vibration, actually runs pretty good. explanation of an end-oiler and the screw possibly being a Band-Aid fix is interesting. thank you again for your time

 

i am not in my shop and i dont remember everything about everything BUT that covers changed in 1973

1970 to 1972 was a side oil motor it has a different pinion shaft and a different cam cover than the 1973 to 1980 i believe

the 1973 cam cover UP is an end oiler -- you could have the incorrect can cover and its been moded i dont know BUT you need to post up some pictures if possable and tomorrow i am going to look and see i have a box of old cam covers --

now 19/64 is around .3000 and the restrictor could have been removed again i will look at that also -- yea i own a shop and do this every day but thousands of repairs later i suffer from CRS < hahahhahahah -- jz

 

again, many thanks. its back to work tomorrow, but I will take some pics of the cover and try to post them on thurs.

 

I measured the clearance between shaft and bushing and , as best I can tell it looks to be .001 to .002". I ran a rod through the pinion to see if I felt a restriction and it slid through to what appears to be the center of the case. here are the pics, thanks again!

 

Ok lets start this way

the bike is a 1970 with a cam cover that has a 1970 part number 25218 - 70 -- this is a side oil set up from harley

the correct pinion shaft is and it fits 1958 to 1972 part number 24006 - 58 -- and its a side oiler ( Not an END oiler like you have )

the pinion shaft you have in an end oiler part # 24006 - 73 fits 1973 to early 1981

they changed the enging design at that year point 1973 / on to 1981

i think someone has put a 1973 / on -- end oiler set of flywheels in the 1970 motor and yes it fits but the shafts do not interchange between motors flywheels

than they tried and fix it ( the mistake ) they put a screw in the pinion bushing lower half - to keep the side oil cover from spiling off the excess oil pressure that it does normally as a side oiler ( NOTE end oilers dont do that and dont have the hole in the cover like the side oiler does ) -- i also see they changed the bushing < the chunk missing from the side of the cover ) thinking that was it as well

this is my guess - if it was in my shop we would know what the deal is but with the internet thing and thousands of miles between us

i would go to an older guys shop that actuall does the work ( young guy wont even know what hes looking at ) with the bike apart and show him what i wrote and see what he sayes - his eyes on the parts you have and whats been changed / see what he thinks -- before you start spending money -- jz

 

johnzz..some heavy history stuff.
So that round head screw is a plug for a bleed orifice and not someones attempt to lock the bushing in? Is that spur gear at 9:00 o'clock part of the vent system?

 

again, many thanks for the time and effort you've spent on this! just so i'm clear, a side oiler pinion won't work with end oiler flywheels, and, a restrictor in the end of this pinion shaft will not help either? the weather is beautiful out here in ca. would you consider moving your shop out west? these must be tough old engines to have run like this with mismatched parts! he's going to talk to his boss, maybe he can get his (my) money back (hahahahahhahahaha).

 

sorry, one more question (yea, sure) an end oiler cone will not correct problem either?

 

i would if it were in my shop look into that BUT / the oil pump and the nose cone will have to be swaped out - if you have an aftermarket catalog you would see 1973 on as a oil pump spot for a change

the directions for the normal pump mod does not cover the end oil / side oil confusion that goes on when this sort of thing happens / and some of the oil holes that are normally drilled may or may not be needed and some of the ones not listed for the year might / i have not compaired this to see

you will need a shop / or a shovel guy from the AMCA an old timer in the business

do a search for a local chapter of the AMCA > antique motorcycle club of america - in the years i have been involved with them i have found they are the best friend you can have if you own - collect - or work on old bikes - someone and they all look to help each other out will help with the correct experence and or will know exactly the right GUY to bring it too - i have no doubt about that --jz

 

my guess what you call a spur gear is actuall the breather via the engines exit and vent / it is timed to the engines turning circle to spray oil at parts that do not have positive oil pressure - it would take a while to explain

the early oil pump motors 1958 to 1972 were side oil to the crank / a small hole was drilled into the side of the pinion shaft to feed the pinion / via the connecting rods with an ajoining hole in the bushing via the oil pump / the screw hole was used for the excess oil if it were not in the bottom of the cover beyond the bushing the oil pressure would Push the bushing out on a cold start / sort of the way you would remove the same bushing blocking the port and filling the end with grease and using an old pinion when you hit it into the grease the bushing walks out / its something you learn in a full shop that actually fixes things - my problem today the young guys TALK about wanting to learn and maybe what you show them friday they remember monday but no chance they remember what you show them monday will they remember friday -- jz