Barrels

[Roadside1]

Description: How do you tell what year your barrels are?

Post by Roadside1 on Mar 1, 2004, 4:34pm

Hi y'alls, finally got the pc up an' runnin' again! lol
My question is, how do you tell what year your barrels are? I have an extra set, but no clue how old. Any info would be appreciated.
The only numbers are, J 9-3, and J 28-3
thanks
Roadside

Post by 57pan on Mar 4, 2004, 2:51am

I looked in the Clymer manual and although you really can't narrow it down to a specific year you can get it within certain year ranges by the way the oil feed and drainback lines are configured.

I'm quoting from the manual pages 159 & 160:
"To identify Panhead cylinders, note the following:
a. 1948-1954: These cylinders will have a drain back hole in the base of the cylinder (Figure 112). The oil feed passage runs through the right-hand side of the cylinder (Figure 113). It will not have the drain back passage in the cylinder like the 1955-1962 models.
b. 1955-1962: Spotting these cylinders is easy. First, there will be a 1/4 in. (6.35 mm) diameter hole through the base of the cylinder (Figure 114); this is your drain back passage. Second, there will be an oil feed passage running through the right-hand side of the cylinder (Figure 113).
c. 1963-1965: These cylinders can be spotted by looking for a plugged oil feed passage like the one shown in Figure 115. Remember, this cylinder was used on the outside top end oiler models; the oil feed passages are external (Figure 116). This cylinder will have the drain back passage just like the one used on the 1955-1962 cylinder (Figure 114)."

Of course you will have to have copy of the manual to see the figures that they refer to, but you get the idea. But just to clarify what they are talking about in the 1955-1962 cylinders - there is a 1/4 in. dia. hole that is drilled into the bore of the cylinder so that the return oil lubricates the piston skirt and rings.

Hope this helps.

[kg993]

I know this is an old post but I have been asking the same question about determining the dates the cylinders were made. Working on 2 motors right now, a 48 FL and a 51 FL. Also need to know how to identify the years of the heads. The only one I can figure and I believe I am doing it right is the 48 FT. head (119 50 G 9) July 1949.
Kerry

[hydra74]

Kerry, welcome to the forum

Here is a topic about the casting dates on the cylinders

https://www.hydra-glide.net/phpBB3/view ... f=5&t=8081

Hydra74