The Patience build.

Setting things up and trying to remember just what I was doing 6 months ago. I figured my first coarse of action was to set the engine on the bench and assess. 852C1A1B-EF48-4E9F-89EB-79C840D7F043.jpeg90ED7E5F-2675-4096-AE0E-69C806B5287A.jpegB7ACA2C9-E2A8-4749-9EF4-C07DD8C7899E.jpeg3FD2C685-A9B8-4637-A169-CF04558F26AF.jpegOK it needs work lol. I got out everything I had ordered and did an inventory. I must have remembered forgetting a couple of engine oil seals last time because apparently I ordered enough to do two engines. I am seeing a few more things I will need. A wishbone oiler tube, copper washers for the head bolts and I’m sure there will be something else.
Go figure, it snowed at home last week and here is the weather report for here.7D34679C-120C-4B5D-94B1-A62D99ABA2A0.png
 

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Did pretty good today. Mostly tear down and clean-up but I did find a few interesting things. As I pulled the point and advance weight cases off I noticed the screws were a little buggered. Somebody in here before?2DDB1A4C-C8B1-4C4F-85C2-756BF806A30D.jpeg 3D63CAC9-393A-43DD-AE64-44CBD354BEC8.jpeg
I also found a weird whatever caused it inside the squish bowl of #2 which is the low compression cylinder. It wiped right out and I think it was carbon? I dunno anybody ever seen anything like that? The valve also appears to be bent as it was the only one that wouldn't slip in and out of the guides easily. Suggestions on a new valve? Replace one or all?F9BB8467-A9A9-4815-B3D8-39992BE0CEDE.jpegD2CC8ED6-70D6-4D2A-9988-6EC313A07E0C.jpeg
I also had stuck rings on #2 but they were easily popped out and I used a chunk of the old ring to clean out the grooves.91FAB585-D46A-4F58-B5F7-F3245CB8BEC1.jpeghardest part was cleaning. I got the jugs really looking good and although I still have more to go on the lower cases (to get them to Mailman standards) I came a long way today.28AC63FF-4660-4E97-83BE-F25FBD81DE1B.jpeg one thing that was puzzling was I have never been able to get this bike to shift into 1st gear. 2nd and up, no problem and I even messes with it a little this morning to no avail however after I cleaned all the gunk off just for S&G I tried it again and lo and behold the damn thing went into 1st! I’ll just keep an eye on it but WTF? That’s so confusing.
 
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One other thing to add. After being very careful all day as I was pulling out the guide stopper of course one of the screw washers dropped down under the crank. I couldn’t get it with a magnet so hopefully I can find it when I pull the oil pan.
 
Got started on more clean and refurb today and spent a lot of time with a small screwdriver and rags getting dirt out of the cracks and fins. Dirt+motor oil+heat= a concrete like substance lol. Amazingly the sump filter was intact and I found my errant washer on the magnet.09DD5D05-E300-4F63-8717-8BF18FD46050.jpeg008D5409-3CAA-4334-B4AF-39CA8A1FFF4B.jpeg5DBAAB27-B1F1-46FD-B621-E6B066438EB5.jpeg354670EF-B3A1-4707-9924-96E361A1307A.jpeg1F35E280-4C8A-4840-A0B4-CE9AB5238E75.jpeg
I still have a few things to get together but since the gear problem seems to have cleared itself I can reassemble the lower engine. Any thing that has a seal or gasket is being replaced.CA5C567B-1D0A-4931-9F72-381F4B7928B9.jpegE2B2FF19-934C-4737-8CB2-2353CEE4AE9E.jpeg
I flip-flopped all day long on painting or “survivor“ finish. I will be polishing the side covers and had originally planned on painting the jugs and head black and cleaning off the ends of the fins but I may just leave the patina as is. I’m not painting the tins as the paint is nice enough I wouldn't want to change it. B991A15E-FB56-4C20-A89D-E953AF8DEDC1.jpeg
I was looking at the price of valves online and did I miss something? Prices just seem stupid to me. I meant to call MM today and see if he had any. Webpage says it does but I don’t trust online inventories these days. Since I can’t abuse myself enough( seems like theres always something else I can get done) so I tapped the lower race off the neck in anticipation of the bearing install. I noticed a ridge at the bottom of the neck which the race sat against and the grease seal fit over it. I plan on doing a little review tonight concerning that install but the new grease seal sits on that ridge so now there would be a tiny gap? I just wondered if that was normal? 7E39CAAD-D104-4E67-8F1F-4D0D5C1859E3.jpeg85D282B4-EA1D-4AAE-B944-7E5969C2B551.jpeg
 
Yes, that step on the lower triple tree is normal. I like to install both seals, the factory rubber ring and the new seal provided with the bearings. It helps keep the grease in that lower bearing. I leave the grease seal off the upper bearing. I don't see the need for it. On the bottom yes, gravity is constantly trying to force the grease out, but not on top. As far as I can see, the top seal really doesn't do much of anything. You have that large stock tin dust cover on top and that provides enough bearing protection in my opinion.

If they're still in good shape, I recommend re-using those orange silicone o-rings you found behind the advance and points covers. The black rubber ones provided in the Athena kit aren't as good. They should work initially but will become deformed over time, their profile changing from round to square. If you ever pull those housings off again, those deformed black o-rings won't be able to be used again, they won't seal back up.
 
The Athena set I have came with orange o-rings. I wasn’t sure if those were factory or if because of the buggered screws someone had been in there and changed them.
 
Ordered my exhaust valve and a few incidentals. I would like to order new brake lines but to the guys that are using the one piece, how do you hook up the front brake light switch?
 
Yep I plan on staying with OEM considering I rebuilt the MC already. I’ve decided to basically just clean and refurb whats here. This bike will be clean AF going down the road lol just functional not fancy. If I’m going to keep this one a while I have all kinds of time for improvement. Oh and I misspoke. My Athena set only has the orange cylinder o-rings.
 
My Athena set....
Do yourself a favor and drop the Athena gasket kit in the trash where it belongs. Don't take my word for it, this forum has a growing list of unsatisfied engine builders who wish they'd listened to @grizld1
Yeah.... he warned us.
 
Do yourself a favor and drop the Athena gasket kit in the trash where it belongs. Don't take my word for it, this forum has a growing list of unsatisfied engine builders who wish they'd listened to @grizld1
Yeah.... he warned us.
I also have the set from Cruznimage. I mainly bought the Athena for patterns to cut my own gaskets. I’ve only used a gasket on the sump and starter gearbox cover So far but good to know.
 
Kinda got stuck on the side covers today as I didn’t have quite what I needed so I put those aside and got back on the neck bearing conversion. Found a piece of copper pipe that was the perfect size of the inner race and it was no problem at all. I did notice the upper neck race stuck out of the neck just a smidge.( sorry forgot to take a pic) however I felt that the way everything fit together it would be OK. I did notice just a bit of slack in my headlight tubes which I felt could be a potential rattle so I put a thin O-ring on the tubes above the upper tube trim. Worked great. EE9EE69E-5D7D-4A74-842A-BC3C405668B6.jpeg
I had thought about getting new shocks because of these being a little “rough” but after reading the threads about rebuilding I may just keep these and see how they behave. I can always powder coat anything I don’t like.
 
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Yes, that step on the lower triple tree is normal. I like to install both seals, the factory rubber ring and the new seal provided with the bearings. It helps keep the grease in that lower bearing. I leave the grease seal off the upper bearing. I don't see the need for it. On the bottom yes, gravity is constantly trying to force the grease out, but not on top. As far as I can see, the top seal really doesn't do much of anything. You have that large stock tin dust cover on top and that provides enough bearing protection in my opinion.
That’s exactly what I was thinking and what I dId. The OEM seal was actually in excellent shape.
 
Today went pretty well. I’m shying away from the side covers for some reason. I just can’t get motivated to sand those for polish lol. I’m very happy with how I labeled my parts and fasteners. It’s making the assembly process much easier especially with the 6 month gap I had. The cleaning is nuts! I got a lot done before I left last time but everything that’s not together is grimy, rusty and nasty. I will say I’m very happy I decided to keep the shocks. I cleaned on them for a couple of hours today but it was totally worth it.E9C8DFB7-A5AB-4384-A260-278D03E4F2FA.jpegcleaned up the front fender I got from Gary and spent the whole day getting things to a roller status.55830471-B85E-4122-9881-417097AAA987.jpeg
did a white sprits inside the headlamp bucket per the suggestion from 5TE8F30294-B769-43C3-B978-CBB4076F9D1D.jpeg
40C63DF2-286E-4E19-AB8B-262AADFAB21A.jpeg8B8638B0-263E-4393-BB10-50B75371732B.jpeg075F0559-75E7-40F1-9910-D2B15AF893B5.jpeg59F32B83-D7A8-47E8-8E2C-8AA2A8071B17.jpegI am finding the occasional things that I had planned to replace but we’re on the secondary list.70C5BBD0-52F5-426B-87BE-B1A12F718D1F.jpeg
I have to look for the piece that goes here.19979DDD-EC8D-45FC-917E-35BF2B67FFCB.jpeg I did notice how easy it was to get the springs on the center and side stand when there’s no stop and they go lots farther in lol.
 

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I would like to add I wasn’t totally sure when I first put the neck back in about how good the tapered bearings would be over the stock rollers because it didn’t feel great but once I got the complete front end on I can tell a remarkable difference.
 
I also noticed some “slack” in the speedo case. I’m thinking it might just be the rubber washer/spacers worn out under the nuts because there is no more tightening those.
 
Today I spent time running errands with my sister. Her hub had a knee replacement so I tagged along. Mainly because we were going to the big box wholesale and I wanted some vinegar for my rusty tank. Well that was a fail. Filled the tank and both peacocks started leaking. Poured it back in the jugs and ordered kits…
 
My new exhaust valve came in today so I’ll be getting back to the motor but before I do I’m going to force myself to do those side covers next lol. Along with the valve I got new copper washers for the head bolt studs and a new set of cover bolts as the originals were pretty bad So now I have no choice but to get it done….A6EB4C97-53DA-4942-9A5C-68978C51A1E1.jpeg
 
I got up this morning and decided to put my big boy pants on and get those covers done. The first sanding of course was the worst so by the time I got to the wet sand it was pretty easy. Unfortunately not being in my shop had a little to do with my hesitation but it turned out OK1F54ADE7-2D5F-4F0B-82DA-F8B5C6654810.jpeg9ED72211-A3AC-4D79-92E9-93AA45F6E567.jpegA76FC4A4-40E8-4B8B-9D0D-0354D29844E5.jpeg
 

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Couldn’t stop there, I was on a roll. Lapped my valves and reinstalled the springs. Good thing I remembered my seals after the first one lol.58555614-6274-4415-B53A-3BD5A97385E4.jpeg 2EB10449-9AF9-4495-904E-608FCC790ECB.jpegWhile I was cleaning the head up I noticed what I guess I’ll call shavings from milling the surface in the groove where the head gasket goes. Anybody ever see this or know if it’s normal factory practice?D4BCB609-4B0C-4236-9ECA-95D96A081718.jpeg7C150A34-87DD-447E-9370-64A803CDDFE1.jpeg got my cylinders done as well and rings on the pistons with them in the jugs waiting for tomorrow. I was getting tired and figured I’d quit before I screwed something up.CDE9B97A-CEE1-4D4B-BC99-C974EEE9357D.jpeg73807836-EB7C-4999-AD70-93A7C1E1CEC3.jpeg
 
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