Clearances

[hal]

Hi guys,

Putting the heads back on my 56 FLH. I have a tight .003 clearance between the D ring on the rear head and the seat post.
I have a loose .070 clearance between the intake ports on the heads and the intake manifold, measured with the manifold touching one head, so about .035 a side.
Heads are not tightened down yet. I'm wondering if A) the rear head will hit the frame as the cylinders grow while hot and B) if a gap that big at the intake will induce one of those nefarious intake manifold leaks for the same reason.

Thanks as always!

Hal

[mbskeam]

sounds like your cases are not right at 45deg. I just went thru this.
mine were cut at 45.5deg. with the 0.5deg on the front so this made for a bigger gap on the intake ports.I ended up about .080 wider. so I got a S&S stroker manifold and cut it down to give about .010 between each side. this is on o-ring heads. tried to run it with a large gap but the manifold would some times pop outa place or the gas would kill the o-ring and it would start to get harder and harder to start, by the end of the ridding season got it down to about 15min. to change the o-ring.

if your cases are in pieces or the jugs are off then it real easy to check, the angle.
you can relieve the D-rings to give you some seat post clearance.
also case mounts my have been dicked with.
I am finding , just because you have ALL the proper tools to do the work don't mean that it is done right. I am beginning to trust nobody's work but my own, then I can only blame ME.......LOL

mbskeam

[Panacea]

When ever I have to bring somthing in I seem to have a 50/50 chance of gettin'screwed, makes me wish I were a machinist. My harley guru tells me carpenters are the worst for screwing things up, I hope he's wrong...MW

[kell]

Well, that's what you get for letting carpenters work on your bike. Should get yourself a mechanic.

[hal]

Thanks for the replies. I have ground the D ring back a bit, but still wonder how much clearance there is necessary to keep them from bouncing off one another.
As for the cases, they were pretty cherry when I got the bike. This is its second major overhaul in 30 years that I've owned it.
I did have the left front mount repaired and the frame straightened, both by folks who know what they are doing. The frame checked out good prior to my painting it. The case mounts were re-decked by a good friend with a machine shop, who also is very competent.
I think it's in the frame square as the mount holes are all in good shape, and it took only minor shimming.
As for the intakes, is it worth going with a stroker manifold, or should I not worry?

[Panacea]

Kell, I can't even type coherently....I'm the carpenter...MW

[kell]

HA

Last time I put the tranny together, I forgot to put the ball bearing nut on.
I'm a finish carpenter by trade.