1980 Build for Dad

Quick question... I just fired up the engine for the first time and to my delight it started right up and settled into a smooth idle. However, there is a strange sound coming from the top end of the engine, which I am assuming is valve noise. Given the amount of time I just put into this, and my relative inexperience with engines, I panicked and shut it down!

I set the valves on the bench, and while I am going to go check them again right now, I was also thinking it might be a lubrication issue? It was only running for about 30-45 seconds, could it just be that I didn't give it enough time for the oil to start flowing? Any other ideas? I set the valves on the last engine, so I am somewhat confident that I set them correctly.

Any feedback would be appreciated. I know I am probably being overly cautious, just want to avoid a stupid mistake!
 
Pull one of the rocker covers and see if you can see oil coming out the rocker. The cam chain will splash some oil up there, so you'll see oil, just make sure there's some running down the rocker. Fwiw... one guy here ran his bike after a top end job for 200 miles without the oil pump. It ruined it, but it took 200 mi. to do it. You didn't hurt anything.
Maybe give us a video?
 
Yeah from dry 30-40 seconds would be about right. I'll tend to leave the plugs out and valve covers open If I've had the oil pump open, oil head with a pump oil can, crank till the head gets oil. Cracking a banjo bolt at the end of the oil pipe will prove oil flow!
Cam chain does stay pretty noisy til it's well oiled.
 
Well, got it figured out... The only real problem was that I'm an idiot!

When I set the valves on the bench I got a little disoriented because the tappets were backed all of the way out. I set the valve clearance on the wrong part of the stroke, so when the rockers were lifted off the valves there was WAY too much clearance and they were just flapping around like crazy, hence all the noise. @gggGary, I followed your method and was able to confirm that oil was indeed flowing into the head.

Still needs a little tuning, but it runs!

 
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Hello, gentleman - the saga continues… after getting it running and taking it for a (very) cold couple of rides I decided to go ahead and finish the wheels. I have saved this for the end of this project, as I hate to work with tires...

I started with the front, oddly enough this bike had a brand-new front tire on it when I got it, so I just need to replace the rusty old spokes and wheel bearings. This tire came off fairly easily, I am assuming because it was already installed on the bike and generally does not have a lot of “meat” to it.

It felt so wrong to cut the spokes… just like something you shouldn’t do, but bolt cutters made short work of it:

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The old wheel bearings came out without much fuss after I discovered that the sleeve in-between the bearings can tilt to expose an interior striking surface. I heated the hub with a torch prior to pressing in the new ones and they went in easy. I’m glad I replaced them, as even before beating them with a hammer and punch they felt very loose and gritty.

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@5twins You could not be more right about taking lots of pictures. It made assembly SO much easier. I would recommend an overall shot for each side, and then a close-up of the hub and rim for each side where the valve is. Marking the relative position of the valve on the hub was also very helpful. This was a daunting task at first, but once you get started there is an obvious pattern to it.

Trueing the wheel went well, I actually had a great time doing it. Don’t make the same mistake I did and tighten the spokes in an opposing pattern (like an engine head), I can tell you - that results in a very wonky wheel. Start with the valve hole and tighten sequentially as you rotate the wheel. @Mailman, the second video you posted provided a great explanation of how to chase down any wobbles. I called it quits at ~0.01” of horizontal and vertical runout.

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I was able to get the front tire on myself, but I am not super confident on my balancing job... From what I have read, a DIY balance job requires the wheel/tire to rotate smoothly on a stand. Thus, you can find the heaviest part of the wheel as it will always end up at the bottom. I have balanced my bandsaw wheels like this several times. Problem is, the bearings in this wheel are a little stiff and don’t allow the best freedom of movement. Any ideas? Other approaches? I’m sure I could get the grease out of there with some solvents to loosen them up, but I rather not mess with the factory grease if it could be avoided. As of now it is roughly balanced and may even be balanced well enough, was going to take it for a ride and see how it felt.

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I put the front wheel on temporarily so I could start on the back. I also decided to replace the drum brake shoes and springs while I had it apart, along with all the locking tabs. A closer examination also revealed that the sprocket and chain would probably use replacing. Dad warned me these things were money traps... Got some good help for this part, “Stick around son and you can hear Daddy yell f@!$ at the tire…”

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The rest of the back tire went very well. The shorter spokes resulted in less room to maneuver, so if anyone is doing this for the first time I think it would be best to start with the front. I ended up putting a new tire on the rear and paid $30 to have it mounted and balanced, it was worth every penny!

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Then, tragedy struck... I was torqueing down the front axle when I accidently broke one of the studs of the axle clamp. I had the torque wrench set to 25 ft-lbs and was tentatively tightening the bolt (i.e. "surely this thing will click soon, just a little more...") when the stud broke - launching the nut at relativistic speed around my shop. Still not sure what happened... I am thinking that the bottom of the clamp was flexing, putting more and more energy into the stud, that or the torque wrench malfunctioned. Any ideas?

So, I am now going to track down a new stud and VERY CAREFULLY remove the broken one. Luckily, I think there is enough of the old stud to grab with the puller. Will probably end up putting some heat on it to help it out. Any other tips on getting this thing out in one piece? Does anyone have the dimensions of the stud handy? Mikes want $8 for one and I think I can do better at Ace Hardware or Fastenal. Thanks in advance for any feedback - will keep you posted!
 
Does anyone have the dimensions of the stud handy? Mikes want $8 for one and I think I can do better at Ace Hardware or Fastenal.
PartShark has it for $5.16. They'll charge you $8 for Priority Mail shipping. If you buy OEM, you can expect it to be right. That stud holds the front wheel on.
Partzilla might be cheaper, but you'll wait 2-3 weeks to get it. Maybe longer in my recent experience.
 
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From what I have read, a DIY balance job requires the wheel/tire to rotate smoothly on a stand. Thus, you can find the heaviest part of the wheel as it will always end up at the bottom.
Yes, "Static" balancing a front wheel is rather easy. Results in a very close state that is fine.
Now, that truing stand is great for wheel truing but there is no rule that says you have to use the wheel bearings as the pivot. If those bearing are too firm, try a smaller "axle". A longer piece of smaller diameter rod for example. You could even support the new ends on free moving bearings if you find a good combination of items.
 
Some of the torque listings in some of the manuals are wrong, and I seem to recall that front wheel clamp being one of them. 25 ft/lbs is too much, as you've discovered, lol. It should be like half that, about 12 ft/lbs. This is the torque reference chart I use most of the time. It comes from the '77 model factory supplement. I like it because it gives the torque values as a range. Many of the charts for other years give them as single values .....

UwdyxX1.jpg
 
Some of the torque listings in some of the manuals are wrong, and I seem to recall that front wheel clamp being one of them. 25 ft/lbs is too much, as you've discovered, lol. It should be like half that, about 12 ft/lbs. This is the torque reference chart I use most of the time. It comes from the '77 model factory supplement. I like it because it gives the torque values as a range. Many of the charts for other years give them as single values .....

UwdyxX1.jpg
I should just print those and hang them on the wall in my garage!
 
I should also mention that the front wheel clamp is directional. There is an arrow stamped on the bottom of it and it should point forward. Also, if you examine the clamp, you'll notice that one side (the front) is thicker than the other. Proper install entails snugging up the front nut first so the clamp has no space there, then tightening the rear. Finished proper install will look like this, no space at the front and a small gap at the rear .....

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FWIW, I don't think wheel balance is a very big issue for bikes like ours. I have experienced vibration from badly balanced wheels on cars, more than once. But never with a bike. The m/c engineer in the village agrees and says it's sufficient to place the spot printed inside the tyre opposite the valve. YMMV.
 
Some of the torque listings in some of the manuals are wrong, and I seem to recall that front wheel clamp being one of them.
:banghead::cussing::doh:
Yeah... I will be printing this this off, as well. Having a range makes much more sense.

Finished proper install will look like this, no space at the front and a small gap at the rear .....
Yep, I had this gap backwards...

it's sufficient to place the spot printed inside the tyre opposite the valve.
Good to hear. That are was the lightest spot as indicated by my balancing. I also have no desire to go blasting down the road and faster than 60mph.
 
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