Jockey Journal Forum banner

41 el

33K views 270 replies 33 participants last post by  rhysmort 
#1 ·
So, as most of you probably don't know I've always been chasing a knuckle. Ever since I started riding old bikes I wanted a knuckle. This wasn't obtainable with the costs here in the UK, for me anyway, I mean it's a lot of money to drop for anybody, but here in the UK I only know of a very few people who have one.

I had the opportunity to get my hands on a 41EL, engine is rebuilt, frame is mint OEM and a springer. It arrived last Tuesday and I've been beavering away on it ever since.

Frame was raw metal and rusty, dressed a lot of the bronze and some joints down as they must have not cared about expense and just thrown it on there haha.

Dressed, tidied, zinc primer, better quality primer, 5 coats of black.

I'll add a few photos to this as I go along, I've kind of documented it, but with a little help I've put a lot of it together ready to final tighten etc since Thursday night.

Works to be done; Genny install, Sissy bar mount needs moving, exhausts, front end, wiring, mag needs a little work.

All of the above minus the mag is due to waiting on parts!

Thank you,

Rhys









 
See less See more
9
#38 ·
Rhysmort you're probably well aware of this but the 'classic' type oils contain zinc but check as Bruce says and use additive if necessary.
If you use one of those fancy synthetic oils you may want to check whats in them, the usual thing that detergents will loosen up crud that was quite happily lying dormant.
Then again i've always been told that synthetics are no good for big ends as the allow them to slide instead of roll.
Hey, we could start an oil thread, has that been done before 8-/
 
#40 ·
I hear mixed things, people I know off the JJ run fully synth in the old engines too.. this is a fresh rebuild, has no 'miles' on it. Will be going full mineral though! :)

Another thing to keep in mind regarding new oils is that they attack bronze bushings.
I have it somewhere on my notes what type of oils do that and what to look for on the tin. there might even be a thread on here somewhere about it.

I know when I had to choose oil I went through days of reading about it.
now I always use the same.
Yeah I'll be careful!! :)
 
#39 ·
Another thing to keep in mind regarding new oils is that they attack bronze bushings.
I have it somewhere on my notes what type of oils do that and what to look for on the tin. there might even be a thread on here somewhere about it.

I know when I had to choose oil I went through days of reading about it.
now I always use the same.
 
#41 ·
it was chlorinated additives in EP oil and hypoid gear oils as used in differentials that attacked phosphor bronze bushes so in that instance you're looking at gearbox oils AND I don't know enough about these lubes to know if they are still the same additives; anyone?
I use either straight 50W motor oil or semi fluid grease with a dash of motor oil in my unit gear boxes.
 
#42 ·
So, been at it since I came home from work.

Had a delivery of parts, which was exciting, boring parts first got the throttle part of the link carb, plugs, and a front wheel axle + parts. At this point my night got a whole lot more fun. So, I ordered new cups and races, as the old roller ones are smaller, don't fit my new bearings and the like.

This is where the fun began. The old cups really didn't wanna play ball, I used a bit of heat, staked them with an 8 lb hammer for a good hour, the 'staker' was reground over and over and over on the 6" wheel and was folding like toffee.. Bottom cup came out with a wince and a fuss.. top one.. oh no... no fun here to be had friends. After getting tired, mentally and physically from a long day and the like I started to gamble, and, where the 'staker' had peened the hammer slipped past it's girth and smashed said thumb into the neck of the bike.

I thought I'd broken it I shan't lie.. school boy error, thumbs black 3 pinches and bruised and swollen. It's okay but a little tender. At last got the cups in.. bottom bearing won't go down to the bottom of the neck.. cut up and old exhaust, used said old cup and hit with said 4 lb hammer till snug. Got the front wheel and axle buttoned up.. a problem quickly emerged, the new cups and bearings were a good 60mm taller minimum. So you ask? what's the issue. My crown nut was binding with no neck thread to be shared, in turn, meant I couldn't get said top tree or anything bolted down.

Tried to turn the crown down, destroyed two of my old mans tungst carb tools. I had the brain wave with a bit of measuring, hacksaw the length off the bottom and turn it nicely(already turned the step on the top down bigger to sit more into the top clamp.

Ended up working a treat, Haven't got a photo of it but it's all buttoned up and I've used the piece I cut off and turned it to lock down the top nut.

Pics of tonights shenanigans. Had a fair bit of help off the old man tonight, his engineering help was much needed as those nuts are like as tough as the titanic.

Rhys





 
#44 ·
Doing little bits tonight, not worth a photo, rear brake switch, finishing my spark plug wires. I have a little issue that my front star isn't tightening all the way up to the point there's no play. So; from my quick surmise, the bearing in there (bought from somebody) is a little too wide. So to accomodate will turn the spacer down a little to pull it up.

Also getting my pipes ready to mount;

Pipe dreams.. getting the rear to sit in the squish is a pain in the ass properly.. any advice from you experienced folk would be grearly welcomed.

Rhys

 
#46 ·
Looks like the lower front cylinder pipe angle might be a little low for one and you could try a block off wood with a heavy hammer straightening out the angle a bit and the tab on the squissy looks like it's a bit bent. Straightening may lower it thus giving you a more parallel line. Could also use a bit of high temp silicone to hold them together.

Coming together crazy fast though and did I mention I really like this bike and style.
 
#48 ·
yeh that squish pipe is a pain in the ass, but I find it more pain in the ass sliding the front in and out. the rear piece is not too bad...
I find it that to slide the front in you have to rotate the squish clock and anticlock wise and up and down to make it slide in.

i use brute force and a lot of swear words. usually works lol
 
#49 ·
My squish is very old and a bit "slack" it's going to need some hammer time loving to get it snug again.. no wonder I was fighting a losing battle! was like trying to turn a small vessel at sea! haha.
 
#50 ·
I've chopped. lengthened, bought two squish pipes to make one work, even buying an OE squish pipe thinking that HD must have got it right.
Sometimes you just have to be a beast to get it to all work.
Get the fit, get the line and if that means 'massaging' the inner part of the pipe/muffler to clear axle, frame or mounting bolts; so be it.
 
#51 ·
Ye, I feel the weld may be on the cards for me too. Mines damn old the pipes are 50 years old, braised the old fishtails on the pipes, old school at it's best haha. Waiting on male oil connectors for the pump and case and the bolt that goes under the genny. I'll be ready to start her then!
 
#52 ·
I've hit a small conundrum.

I can't get the right front motor mount bolt in for love or money. I've taken the others out, and it's that silly shouldered bolt.

Any simple tips always welcome!! Except for that, I've got my clutch all set up, bought some nice chain and quick links, lightly filed a relief in the clutch arm so it was a pressed fit i.e never coming out ever again. Once I bolt this motor down properly, it's just genny relief for the bolts. Except for wiring that's that!!
 
#53 ·
Start with that one, and see if the others won't slide home. If you can't get the bolts to drop in, something's fucked up... cases aren't matched or frame is tweaky or something else.

Ain't choppering great?
 
#54 ·
Haha, certainly is sir! There were 4, albeit loose in the frame holding said engine down when I got her, so I know it'll go back in there. Must be a bloody hair out!

All in the name of fun..
 
#57 ·
Two things, 1) silly shouldered bolt. No. normal 3/8'' bolts. 2) front bolts are installed from bottom. A slight increase in clearance from threaded area in engine tab. Also allows bolts and there for engine removal with out generator removal.
 
#59 ·
Very little to update.

Clutch is all set up. Genny is on, I had a nightmare getting the genny on, long story short, made the bolts to fit it, but just couldn't get them to start. Used a tap to bite a little thread, worked and on.

Was messing earlier and found the head oiler lines are in the way of the M35 throttle assembly, as in, the throttle is only half opening. Upon closer inspection, said oil line to my left head wasn't fixed, just sat in there, snug, but not braised or anything else.. so bending it currently to fit around the throttle arm, and fix up. Except for that, just need to get the front pipe on and bolted on. Squish isn't at all playing ball so it's going to get some tough love. It's OEM Harley and fits like total ass.. All I need then is to fill her full of oil, get her running and tighten everything!
 
#60 ·
So,

Into the final stretch. Found out why she won't start. No spark at all. Probably due to the top motor mount and not a good earth... that will be a story for another day.

Just starting to finish things up, front 3rd piece of the exhaust, after my tribulations and a borrowed pair of hands was bent to the angle any godly man on the planet would like, exhaust paste and brackets later it's on there like swimwear and secured. Last major headache (He says with confidence!!! ha) out of the way.

Few pics of my clutch chain and links which I put together, works great, Machined down crown nut which claimed the life of 3 tungst bits.. VERY HARD. And finally, my turned lock nut cover complete with coin. Better than looking at a thread and what not.






Rhys
 
#63 ·
Interference fit through the arm with a teenie collar to keep it extra tort. It's under tension from how I hasd to engage the clutch arm to get it through and bolted up but still has specified slack.

I've now got good spark on both plugs and have had her turning over. It's getting the M35 where the bike likes it next. I've tried 3.5/3.0 turns on the low speed needle on the carb and it's coughing through the carb and has fired but not idled a few times.

Take it back to 5 full turns and see where we are. Learning what she likes to start is key, and then checking for intake leaks is followed closely after!
 
#64 ·
Today has been mixed!

Got her timed and bolted down after giving my mag and lid a slight grind down to clear the fins.

After much wangling with the carb, got her to fire up a few times only to rev pretty damn high and die... classic intake leak. I don't have anything to test it but I also don't have a proper spanner to tigthen the plumber fittings up..

My theory is I haven't gotten them tightened half as tight as they probably need to go to seal. I'll make a spanner tomorrow and see if we can't get her to tick over nicely!
 
#65 ·
Having tried and kicked the bike til my foot is bruised with a few fire ups but not much else to talk about, it's time to admit I have a big intake leak! Currently in the process of milling a big ole spanner to suit!

Got the old girl out in the sun today for a little while. And yours truly looking like a dickhead. FT my UL




 
#67 ·
you sure you're not looking at a jetting / float problem - blocked stuck . I checked the intake with a shady tree sealed blanking plate, tire valve, cheapo dash fed tyre inflator and usual soapy water mix. Not ideal but shows any significant leak. Bench checked the mag to see spark is constant.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top