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[11 CVO Convertible]

I got all the parts back from LBP today.  I'll post picture tomorrow, but here are the final flow numbers from the Hillside Stage III CVO heads with the 20° chamber and coating removed.  LBP did touch up the valve job.  They were flowed at 28" with a 3.915" plate.  

Intake
.200"   155
.300"   230
.400"   275
.500"   306
.600"   322
.700"   315

Exhaust
.200"   109   (70%)
.300"   157   (68%)
.400"   185   (67%)
.500"   204   (67%)
.600"   213   (66%)
.700"   218   (69%)

[11 CVO Convertible]

Didn't get any engine work done today.  LBP forgot to gap my piston rings (lucky I checked), so I had to order a piston ring filer.  In the mean time, I installed the new compensator and Hayden chain tensioner.  The funny thing is that the only thing left that is original in the primary is the clutch discs, clutch basket bearing, and the inner clutch hub.  Everything else has been replaced.  On another note, my stock compensator looked really good except for the inner hub for the drive sprocket.  It looked like it was a little starved for oil.  There was no fretting or other issues.  

The Harley provided acrylic adhesive was a PAIN IN THE BUTT!!!!  It required a special adapter to dispense from a caulk gun (which I didn't have), so I tried my hardest to evenly dispense the mixture with a couple sockets.  That didn't work well at all, so I ended up just dumping a bunch on piece of cardboard and mixing by hand.  It was a COMPLETE waste of $40.  If anyone wants to do this, I'd recommend trying to find the Maxlok MX/T6 and buying it in a more conventional user friendly tube.  Stupid Harley....

As for the primary oil, I'm really thinking about running a 50/50 blend of motorcycle 10w-40 and Mobil 1 ATF.  I have been working with a Chevron lube engineer at work, so I have an email in to him to see what he thinks about the compatibility of the two oils.  I like the clutch actuation of the ATF, but I would like a little extra metal-metal protection for the new compensator.  Any thoughts?

[Twolanerider]

Just saw the pic of the glue kit.  Maxlok from Lord is something I've used before.  Excellent product but be forewarned; it can be temperamental.  Has a relatively short shelf life at common room temperature.  Considerably less than a year as I remember.  Something to definitely not pick up that's been on a dealer's shelf for awhile.

Obviously not a problem now.  It's new to the system for Harley.  But it'll get get there.

[Twolanerider]

And.....  here's a source for what I think is the same 10 ounce package for $17 as opposed to the gratuitously higher price Mother Harley is charging:

http://www.chembar.com/adhesives/lord-maxlok-mx-t6/

[sadunbar]

Didn't get any engine work done today.  LBP forgot to gap my piston rings (lucky I checked), so I had to order a piston ring filer.

You're having incredibly bad experiences with vendors, aren't you...    

Did they charge you for gapping your rings?  LB should ship you their ring filer, since they apparently don't use it on a regular basis!  

I suspect there are some who would have just assembled their motor without double checking the vendors work, which would have resulted in a catastrophic failure...cylinders, pistons, metal in the oil...   Good for you for looking over their shoulder...  

[sadunbar]

And.....  here's a source for what I think is the same 10 ounce package for $17 as opposed to the gratuitously higher price Mother Harley is charging:

http://www.chembar.com/adhesives/lord-maxlok-mx-t6/

It appears to be the adhesive and the application dispenser!   

[11 CVO Convertible]

You're having incredibly bad experiences with vendors, aren't you...    

Did they charge you for gapping your rings?  LB should ship you their ring filer, since they apparently don't use it on a regular basis!  

I suspect there are some who would have just assembled their motor without double checking the vendors work, which would have resulted in a catastrophic failure...cylinders, pistons, metal in the oil...   Good for you for looking over their shoulder...  

It happens....that's why I double check everything.  I could have caught it at LBP, but Mike and I always end up shooting the chit instead of me looking over the parts.  No, they didn't charge me.  I've built 6+ motors in the past and used a standard file, but I'm trying to make sure this is as good as it can be.  I ordered a diamond wheel ring file and ring squaring tool from Summit.  It should be here this week.  Hopefully, I'll get it fired up next weekend.

[Twolanerider]

It appears to be the adhesive and the application dispenser!   

The product I've used before is exactly that.  And the pic there looks the same.  Enough to do many primary covers if a few boys local to each other could only share.  Once you mix the binaries there's no going back though!  Tallyho!!

[11 CVO Convertible]

Doorbell just rang at 8:40 tonight and the FedEx guy dropped off the new Progressive cartridges.  I'm pretty excited if it gets rid of most of the front end
movement when you grab a hand full of brakes.  I have an email into Lyndall to have a custom 13" front rotor made to match the Stinger wheels that the CVO Convertible comes with.  I'm trying to get the chassis and brakes lined out with this build, so when I switch to a 117/124 motor it will be able to handle the power.

[11 CVO Convertible]

As for the primary oil, I'm really thinking about running a 50/50 blend of motorcycle 10w-40 and Mobil 1 ATF.  I have been working with a Chevron lube engineer at work, so I have an email in to him to see what he thinks about the compatibility of the two oils.  I like the clutch actuation of the ATF, but I would like a little extra metal-metal protection for the new compensator.  Any thoughts?

Well, I got the email back from the Chevron engineer and he shot down my idea of a 50/50 blend of ATF/engine oil.  I'm going to run Lucas' synthetic 5W-20 motorcycle engine oil in the primary per his recommendation of running an engine oil to help with the compensator wear, but make it a light weight oil to match the viscosity properties of ATF.  It will be about the same weight as the ATF (I think ATF is about a 10/20 wt oil), so it should provide less drag on the clutches for a better disengagement and ease to find neutral.  I ordered a case of 6 off eBay for $65 shipped.


http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=55&catid=16&loc=show

[11 CVO Convertible]

The adhesive on the plastic oil trough set and is solid.  

Since I didn't have anything else to work on today, I tore into the front suspension.  Right now, all I can say is that all Harley owners are STUPID for purchasing such a low tech POS.  I was blown away when I saw what they consider to be fork dampening.  I thought since the shocks were Showa forks, that they would have actual have valving, but I was sorely mistaken.  Harley uses an orifice to control the dampening.  This is a JOKE!!!  No wonder that the front end dives as bad as they do on the Softails.  

Either way, the stock fork guts are history.  I've installed the Progressive gas dampers and stock height springs.  The springs are much shorter, so I'm assuming they are stiffer as well. This will be welcome on this bike as the suspension felt spongy.  Since I wasn't planning on doing this today, I didn't have any 10W fork oil, so I will do the final assembly once i get some next weekend.

[11 CVO Convertible]

Well, this looks like it will be another wasted weekend.  When I check ring gap last weekend I started with the 2nd rings at they were at .013" gap.  Since that was too tight, I didn't even bother checking the top rings.  Just my luck, the top rings are sitting at .021-.0215" of gap.  Per the Axtell instructions, it says with OE Harley cylinders, to set the gap at .016".  I searched Summit and Jeg's for the rings I need, but since Axtell uses the big 1/16" rings, they don't have much of anything for 4.010" bores.  They do have a set of 8 JE piston rings, but I was hoping to buy individual rings.

I guess I'll be giving Axtell a call Monday to see what they can do.  This crap is getting old.

I have a chance to buy a 2008 Street Glide with 3,500 miles on it for $12,000.  At the rate I'm going, I better jump on that....

[HD Street Performance]

You need to rethink this program a little. A 4" bore air cooled motor will run just fine at that ring end gap if the second is set a few thou larger. 
I would be measuring the piston to wall clearance about the time I got a ring end gap that large. Might be surprised what you are running VS spec.

[sadunbar]

You need to rethink this program a little. A 4" bore air cooled motor will run just fine at that ring end gap if the second is set a few thou larger. 
I would be measuring the piston to wall clearance about the time I got a ring end gap that large. Might be surprised what you are running VS spec.

I agree...  I'd not be to concerned with a .021 top ring gap vs. the spec of .016.  And, given the laundry list of issues you've faced with this build, I'd check and double check the piston to bore fit.

[11 CVO Convertible]

You need to rethink this program a little. A 4" bore air cooled motor will run just fine at that ring end gap if the second is set a few thou larger. 
I would be measuring the piston to wall clearance about the time I got a ring end gap that large. Might be surprised what you are running VS spec.

Guess I'm a little lost, so I'm sure I didn't convey the issue correctly.  I measure the pistons at 4.0085" and the cylinders at 4.0115".  With the unfiled rings in the cylinder bore, the top rings measured .021".  Since I'm trying to get as much power as I can, I'm shooting for the .016" that Axtell recommends with the stock HD jugs.  The 2nd ring is fine as they have plenty of meat to file to get the .020" I am shooting for.  I'd like to run .016" top and .020" 2nd ring gaps.

Am I missing something?