This will be my last update until after I get settled in my new house and get things set up. This move occurred at a really unfortunate time for my engine build. I can’t tell you how much I hated stopping in mid build , then having a big delay before sealing up the top end, but you play the hands you’re dealt.
My objective today was to get the engine assembled at least to a point where it could be handled and moved, and it could stand to be parked for a while. So with that in mind I wanted to get my rocker cover back on the bike and all external covers back in place.
I started by inspecting all gasket surfaces for the rocker box and wiping them clean with paint thinner. After drying them off I applied a thin coat of Hylomar Blue to the gasket surfaces and let the solvent flash off. A word about Hylomar, up to this point I have used Yamabond which is really thick and sticky, this Hylomar is amazing stuff and really nice to work with. If you’ve never used it, I’ll tell you a little about it, it comes out of the tube like a clear blue liquid gel and it allows you to just smear it around with a fingertip and get a nice thin even coat, then as the solvent evaporates it sets up to a very sticky non hardening sealer. It’s so easy to work with, really great stuff.
I then placed the rocker cover on the head and started threading in all the head bolts and acorn nuts, once they were on and gently snugged, I installed the cam seal housings on both ends
WITHOUT gaskets or o-rings to help center the cam bearings. Now I had already taken accurate measurements as to how far the cam bearings were recessed into the head, but this was just to make sure. Then I installed the valve covers again without gaskets and lightly snugged them down.
NOW with all those in place, I began torquing the head down. I only torqued things to about two thirds of their eventual settings, all I wanted to do was close this engine up and seat the gasket surfaces.
Here’s the current status, the top end is together and not fully torqued, I’ll re torque everything later when I’m settled. The advance and ignition components have not been installed yet, I’ll do that later, I don’t even have a new sump filter installed yet, the cover is just bolted in place. But it’s sealed up enough to move to my new digs.
Back in a while,
Bob