Oooohhhhh....very pretty Greg!
this one definitely rates....
this one definitely rates....
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Hurricane resurrection
- Thread starter GLJ
- Start date
Hoo Boy! That’s pretty! Getting that motor done will be a major turning point on this build! 
My not as nice as Jim's paint booth. It does have a exhaust fan.
I hate painting in my shop!
I hate painting in my shop!
Been awhile since I posted anything here. Not a lot to post now but I have made some progress.
Engine is ready to go back in. Setting the cylinder on a XS650 is a piece of cake compared to to this beast. I thought how hard could this be. I found out. I was not able to do it by myself. Friend of mine came over Tuesday and gave me a hand. None the less next week back in the frame it goes.
Engine is ready to go back in. Setting the cylinder on a XS650 is a piece of cake compared to to this beast. I thought how hard could this be. I found out. I was not able to do it by myself. Friend of mine came over Tuesday and gave me a hand. None the less next week back in the frame it goes.
What he said !
So Greg,
The head goes on after the motor goes in the frame then?
The head goes on after the motor goes in the frame then?
Yes having the head off gives a lot more room to get it out and back in.
Speaking of that it's back in!
Now to get the head on and then start on the rocker boxes.
Man that bike looks so good! I don’t know man, I’d be tempted to roll that baby into my living room for display!
Next up is the head. I know bolting the head on is not a big deal. I do have a question tho. The gasket set I bought came with a copper and a composite gasket. Which is better? The original was a steel gasket. Both the copper and composite gaskets are thicker. That doesn't bother me. Loosing a little compression is not the end of the world as all I want out of the motor is for it to run well. Not worried about the last bit of horsepower. With today's gas a little less compression is not all bad.
What do you guys think?
What do you guys think?
The saga continues. Did I ever mention these beasts are a bit different than a XS650 motor. If I haven't they are.
Thought I had everything ready to assembly the head and rocker boxes. Wrong. Doing some research I read about "squish" on the push rod tubes. The push rod tubes have square O-rings on each end. On my engine under the lower O-ring is whats called a "wedding band". Over the years Triumph used different set ups. I put the tubes, o-rings, rocker box gaskets and wedding bands on and set the rocker boxes on. No squish. The tubes could be moved up and down maybe a 64th. Not going to seal. Fudge. Called a couple of old Triumph guys I know to pick their brains. They didn't have any words of wisdom as to what to do other than you got a problem. Did some more research and looked at a Hurricane parts manual online. In it they show a gasket under the wadding rings. My Trident manual didn't. The gasket set I bought did not have them. OK. Ordered the gaskets. Week later gaskets showed up. Dry installed everything again. Tension on the O-rings, progress. When the head is torqued down the tubes should have "squish" on them. I've got 2 Trident shop manuals and a Trident parts book. I thought they would be OK since I have always heard the difference between the BSA triple and Triumph triple was the cylinder angle. Not true as I find out later.
So this mornings the big day. My buddy came by to give me a hand. This isn't like putting a head on a 650. You have push rods that have to be in the tubes and seated in the lifter cups. When the rocker box goes on the upper cups on the push rods have to go into the balls on the rockers. It's not just one push rod you are dealing with it's three at the same time. Plus the push rod tubes have to go into their pockets in the rocker box. Got the intake rocker box on. Cool, progress. Got to looking, big problem. Look at the gap between the valve and the rocker. WTF. Double checked the push rods and they were fine.
Long story short the Triumph Hurricane parts book is WRONG as to the valve part numbers. A original valve in my hand. Major difference. I need BSA valves in my head. I called my machinist and explained the problem to him. He's beside himself, feels he should have caught the difference. I'm not going to blame him. I took the head to him and told him I wanted new valves and guides, I would supply the parts. I needed him to take it apart and see if I needed oversized guides. He did what I asked. I got the parts a few weeks later and dropped them off. He didn't order them I did. I think now I'm going to take the head and original valves back to him and see if the originals are OK to use. I went with new Kibblewhites because they are supposed to be a improvement. The road to Hell is truly paved with good intentions.
I'm starting to think this bike hates me.
Thought I had everything ready to assembly the head and rocker boxes. Wrong. Doing some research I read about "squish" on the push rod tubes. The push rod tubes have square O-rings on each end. On my engine under the lower O-ring is whats called a "wedding band". Over the years Triumph used different set ups. I put the tubes, o-rings, rocker box gaskets and wedding bands on and set the rocker boxes on. No squish. The tubes could be moved up and down maybe a 64th. Not going to seal. Fudge. Called a couple of old Triumph guys I know to pick their brains. They didn't have any words of wisdom as to what to do other than you got a problem. Did some more research and looked at a Hurricane parts manual online. In it they show a gasket under the wadding rings. My Trident manual didn't. The gasket set I bought did not have them. OK. Ordered the gaskets. Week later gaskets showed up. Dry installed everything again. Tension on the O-rings, progress. When the head is torqued down the tubes should have "squish" on them. I've got 2 Trident shop manuals and a Trident parts book. I thought they would be OK since I have always heard the difference between the BSA triple and Triumph triple was the cylinder angle. Not true as I find out later.
So this mornings the big day. My buddy came by to give me a hand. This isn't like putting a head on a 650. You have push rods that have to be in the tubes and seated in the lifter cups. When the rocker box goes on the upper cups on the push rods have to go into the balls on the rockers. It's not just one push rod you are dealing with it's three at the same time. Plus the push rod tubes have to go into their pockets in the rocker box. Got the intake rocker box on. Cool, progress. Got to looking, big problem. Look at the gap between the valve and the rocker. WTF. Double checked the push rods and they were fine.
Long story short the Triumph Hurricane parts book is WRONG as to the valve part numbers. A original valve in my hand. Major difference. I need BSA valves in my head. I called my machinist and explained the problem to him. He's beside himself, feels he should have caught the difference. I'm not going to blame him. I took the head to him and told him I wanted new valves and guides, I would supply the parts. I needed him to take it apart and see if I needed oversized guides. He did what I asked. I got the parts a few weeks later and dropped them off. He didn't order them I did. I think now I'm going to take the head and original valves back to him and see if the originals are OK to use. I went with new Kibblewhites because they are supposed to be a improvement. The road to Hell is truly paved with good intentions.
I'm starting to think this bike hates me.
“The harder the struggle, the more glorious the Triumph!” get it? Triumph? You see what I did there?
Seriously, I’m sorry this bike is fighting you so much. It really was a curious blend of Triumph and BSA parts. Frustrating in only the way an old Triumph can be, on the bright side, you’re gonna be something of an expert on this bike when you’re done. Major street cred!
Seriously, I’m sorry this bike is fighting you so much. It really was a curious blend of Triumph and BSA parts. Frustrating in only the way an old Triumph can be, on the bright side, you’re gonna be something of an expert on this bike when you’re done. Major street cred!
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Thanks I'm just bummen a bit now. Sometimes you try to do things right and they still turn out wrong. I've never run into a machine I couldn't fix given time, money and patience. I will prevail.
If you find yourself feeling that way, consider chatting with Don Hutchinson of Wakefield, Mass.
He helped me out of a bind or two back in the early 80's with my '69 Bonneville.
A friendly guy.
Don Hutchinson Cycle
Address: 116 Foundry St, Wakefield, MA 01880
Phone: (781) 245-9663
Thanks
GLJ
