Top End Rebuild questions. 2002 FLSTCI

[sincityharley]

Ive got the rear cylinder completely removed. This is my first rebuild. I was just wondering if I should now start on the removal of the front cylinder or should I re-gasket the rear, re-install the rear and then start on the front? What is considered the correct way?

Also since I dont have a piston pin puller, what is an alternative method for removing the pistion pin. Thanks in advance.

Any other tips or advice for a first timer would also be greatly appreciated.

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Also is it good idea to hone my cylinders? How do I know if they need it? Does anyone which piston rings I need in regards to size?

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[Mad Dog Jim]

Haven't done one on a HD yet, but I would be honing for cross hatching for sure. Seems a waste to put new rings in a shiny cylinder

 

[Brutal FXDX]

Ive got the rear cylinder completely removed. This is my first rebuild. I was just wondering if I should now start on the removal of the front cylinder or should I re-gasket the rear, re-install the rear and then start on the front? What is considered the correct way?

Also since I dont have a piston pin puller, what is an alternative method for removing the pistion pin. Thanks in advance.

Any other tips or advice for a first timer would also be greatly appreciated.

================================================

Also is it good idea to hone my cylinders? How do I know if they need it? Does anyone which piston rings I need in regards to size?

.

Everyone has their own way of disassembling and assembling an engine. I usually tear both down to just heads and cyl, then do one cyl at a time. It does not really matter, its up to you. What gaskets are you using? I would get a top end gskt from harley pn# 17052-99B. Good gaskests and thats all i use.

As of piston pin remover, on stubborn ones that dont like to come out i use piece of 5/16 or 3/8 all therad and some sockets and washers will do the job.

What is the reason for redoing the top end? going to big bore cyl for perfprmance or just redoing the top end? usually twin cam top ends can last 100,000+ miles. I would find someone with a dial bore guage to measure the cyl to piston clearance. You will probably be fine just ball honing cyls and geting new rings for the pistons, unless it got a lot of miles and wear in the cyl, then you would need to hone cyl .010"+ over stock and get new pistons.

How are your camchain tensioners? obvously your scoot has some miles on it to be doing a top end on a stock engine. Have you ever changed the tensioners. they dont last longer than 50-60k miles and ive seen some go bad as low as 20k miles.

 

[sincityharley]

Thanks for the replies. A lot of good information there.

As far as the gaskets go I purchased these cometics Cometic Gaskets Top End Kit | 433-029 | J&P Cycles

The reason for the rebuild is that when I purchaed the bike and started using synthenic oil. I started to get a lot of oil seepage around the gasket areas. Also i felt like I was starting to lose compression. I also had some combustion issues while riding a lower speeds. Im the type with more time than money so I figured top end rebuild to hopefully solve all my problems.

Cam Chain tensioners will be replaced as well. Thanks for the tip

 

[TQuentin1]

I take it down to the case, stuff CLEAN rags in the holes to keep all the little bits from jumping inside the case (which they love to do!!), put something around the connecting rods to stop them from banging back and forth and hurting something. This way, both jugs, both pistons, and both heads can be carried somewhere or done at home.

Need to do as advised above and see that the pistons/cylinders are still in spec. with eachother, and that the cylinders are not scored. If everything is still in spec., have the cylinders honed and cross-hatched, clean the pistons, new rings and valve jobs and reassemble.

I suggest installing adjustable pushrods and up-grading to the roller-chain conversion (see below). If you intend to go with gear drive, make sure you measure the runout on pinion shaft (and drive shaft if you have that opened up). If you have excessive runout, then it is the time to think about doing all that too!!

Roller Chain Conversion white paper

Roller-chain Conversion - Harley Davidson Community

TQ

 

[Brutal FXDX]

How many miles are on your heritage sincity?