Panhead Fin Repair

[Times Welding]

Hello, All. I've gotten some great info from members' posts to this forum. You guys have helped me with the restoration of my '59 DuoGlide more than you Know. I want to thank you all. I just finished repairing the heads for my '59 and thought I'd post some pics. The front head have 5 broken fins. The rear only had some deep nicks/gouges on the faces of the fins. I'd like to hear your feedback/advice so the next time 'round I can do a more proper job. Thanks, Doug.

[oleblu72]

Looks like a real proper repair Doug. Did you repair them yourself and if so what was your method of repair?

Mark

[blewcrab]

great job ..where did you get the repair material ?

[Times Welding]

Thanks. The repair is all weld buildup. I've had much better results with that method vs using donor material or making patches. I just build it up with filler wire, then file it to shape with a vixen file.

[Times Welding]

I forgot to add.... Once filed to shape, I sanded with 220 emery paper to eliminate file marks then shot peen to simulate the cast finish. After that, just machine the deck and rocker block mounting surfaces to remedy the distortion from all of the welding. Each surface required about. 004"-.005" material removal. I didn't think that'd be enough to cause me any problems.

[Cotten]

Doug!

I finally got on a computer that can almost view your enormous pics.

Those heads must have really meant a lot to you.

It surprises me that the rocker decks would move at all. Did the casting rise in the middle, or fall, or ?
Did it warp the pan cover flange as well?

Thanks in advance,

....Cotten

[Times Welding]

Doug!

I finally got on a computer that can almost view your enormous pics.

Those heads must have really meant a lot to you.

It surprises me that the rocker decks would move at all. Did the casting rise in the middle, or fall, or ?
Did it warp the pan cover flange as well?

Thanks in advance,

....Cotten

Cotten,
Those particular heads weren't especially important to me. I bought them because they were the right casting for my '59 and there was no chamber damage (cracks from seats to spark plug, etc.) and I was pretty confident that I could repair the fin damage in a weekend. The rocker decks rose slightly in the middle (.002"-.003"). It probably wasn't necessary to cut them, but I did anyway. The pan cover flange moved about the same amount. However, it is a very gentle crown (no abrupt change in flatness) so I'm hoping the D rings will pull the pans down to the flange. Do you recommend that I cut the pan flange as well?

[Times Welding]

Cotten,
I still need to aquire cylinders and rocker arm assemblies for this engine. It's a bone stock '59 lower and with a '79 Shovel top and I'm just trying to put it back to stock form. Can you point me in the right direction of the remaining parts I need? Is there a decent aftermarket source for such pieces or should I search for HD parts and restore them myself? I have no problem re-machining the bearing surfaces of the rocker assemblies in house. If I have to fix a fin or two on some cylinders, I will. I prefer not to weld cast iron, but I will in a pinch.
Thanks

[Cotten]

Doug!

Certainly they mean something to you now!

That much deflection on the rocker decks is minimal, and I wonder if decades of duty alone are not enough to create it.
I would have ignored the top, but ground the headgasket surface of course.
The pan cover has its own concerns, but wide distortions shouldn't be the issue.

I have been out of the loop for motor parts for some time.
Rebuildable rocker blocks are available by the bucket, but the jury is still out on quality replacement rocker arms.

Cast iron is easiest to flame-weld with old piston rings for filler.

Honest.

....Cotten

[Times Welding]

Yes, I'm a bit partial to them now. I've got roughly 15 hours in them and now they're out for a valve and guide fitting. The rocker decks probably didn't need cut, but I figured I'd dust them while I was at it. As for the cast iron welding, we have a TIG filler wire, made by WeldMold, that works pretty well. It should allow me to make replacement fin sections from 1018 steel and weld them to the cast iron. Do you know where I could find dimensions for drilling the oil drain hole into the bore on the cylinders? The set that I have my eye on are early Pan and don't have the oil return hole that intersects the bore. I am assuming that I can set the cylinders up in the mill and drill that hole. Thanks for all the input. Hopefully this will give me a good, reliable top end that will stand up to daily riding.

[Cotten]

Doug!

I am by no means a pro welder, and farm everything out possible.
But I have had better luck with cast iron fins torching them in-house.

My TIGmeisters like silicon bronze, which is a real bear to carve and texture.

My early attempts with simple brass did quite well, but peening after each bead was tedious.
I imagine steel shot blasting would accomplish the same stress relief?

Piston rings for filler has served me better, and for many other cast iron applications as well, such as this snapped cast iron lawn chair bracket:

IRNWELD2.jpg

Although some of the casting may "chill" quite hard, most of the filler remains machineable.
A Henrob torch is essential, though.

...Cotten

[Times Welding]

I may have to try your "piston ring filler" process on some scrap castings laying around the shop. That repair looks damn good to me. We don't have a Henrob, but we've got a nice little jewler's oxy-fuel torch that is quite precise.

[Cotten]

Doug!

Yes, oxy-acetylene,.. but the Henrob torch is what allows an amateur like me to perform like a pro for all these years.

....Cotten

[Times Welding]

Cotten,
Do you know where I could find dimensions for locating and drilling the oil return hole into the cylinder bores? The set that I have my eye on are early Pan and don't have the oil return hole that intersects the bore. I am assuming that I can set the cylinders up in the mill and drill that hole. Thanks

[59Panman]

Why don't you just get a set of gaskets for the year you need. Don't they have the hole in the proper position?