Re '59 FLH

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rootwad
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Bikes: '59 Pan/Shovel FLH
'06 Road King FLHR
Location: Bremerton Wa

Re '59 FLH

#1

Post by rootwad »

I have some questions that maybe someone who knows will answer:

Intake manifold: I have the o-ring style and am wondering if my hard starting is partly due to intake leaks? What is the easiest way to check for leaks? And are the aftermarket gaskets (band type) any good?

SU carb: Just rebuilt the carb, and the tickler, and it is now pushing fuel into the throat, but not SPRAYING into it. The S&S I had on for a minute sprayed fuel when I would prime it with the accelerator pump, but the SU just kinda pushes some into the bottom of the throat. Do I need to re-do the tickler pump?

Spark Advance: I have the spiral throttle (push only) and spark advance, but the spark advance side has not guts. When I get the parts, I want to hook it up, but my question is where does the cable run when it comes out of the bars? Do I run it with the throttle cable and continue on under the carb? And is there a mount to tie off the outer cable before it attaches at the distributor? I have two threaded hole just to the outside of the distributor, but I was told that they were for the original voltage regulator. It may sound like a stupid question, but I don't know, so I'll ask.

Thaks
rootwad
sprucecreek
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Re: Re '59 FLH

#2

Post by sprucecreek »

Get the manifold leak tester from mbskeam, who posts on these pages. Slick, inexpensive, and a neat gadget.
Cotten
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Re: Re '59 FLH

#3

Post by Cotten »

Rootwad!

A short discussion of bubble-testing for vacuum leaks can be found at http://virtualindian.org/11techleaktest.html

Don't forget to test the pan cover screws over each intake port, as occasionally they have been breached into the port.
Testing WHILE installing an O-ring manifold will make it much easier to find the "sweet spot", and help avoid over-tightening of clamps.

"Bands" are not practical to replace O-rings, as modern fuel eats them eventually (just like common O-rings), and they cannot be installed or replaced without removing a head!

Routing of your advance cable is best explained in Palmer's great reference: "How to Restore Your H-D" (Motorbooks International).
The study is every bit as important as a Service Manual and a Parts Book.
Basically the cable comes down on the left to cross in front of the front cylinder to be held by a clamp. The hard part is keeping the fork from pinching it.

But don't expect to find "distributor" anywhere in any of the references, because it ain't. It's a "timer" or "circuit breaker".
(Indians had true Autolite distributors like autos.)

Good luck!

...Cotten
Last edited by Cotten on Thu Dec 18, 2008 2:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
VT

Re: Re '59 FLH

#4

Post by VT »

The hard part is keeping the fork from pinching it.
There is a safe, cove harbor created by the bottom tree fork travel stop.
This safe harbor is between the stop wall and the frame neck. One on the left side for the throttle cable path and one on the right for the spark cable path. The key to the harbor is to have enough control coil length for for fork swing travel, but not so much (on either coil) that the coils want to jump the fork stop wall during a swing arc. Confined to the inner-stop area the cables are protected from being pounded by the fork stops (which would also radically reduce the turning arc of the fork and could kill you dead, if a control coil flopped in the way during a sharp turn).
My front fork and panels are on, but I'll see if if have a pic of the bottom tree and cables. Engineered by Harley-Davidson®. Yet another unpublished sweet feature of a stock Panhead.

You can see the spark cable exiting the handlebar and running to the right side of the steering head, then threading between the steering head and fork stop. Check the length of the cables. That's as long as you want them. Long enough to make full turns of the fork, but not so long that the spark (and throttle) cables will try and "jump the stop" when turned back on each other.
All my tin is installed and the front headlight. I'm about done. It's ready for paint.
brkswtch2001gq5.jpg
brkswtch2001gq5.jpg (14.61 KiB) Viewed 482 times
I figured out how to install the tool box (on my 1997 V-Twin frame, using two of Colony's cad plated (spool) spacers for the tool box. One comes with the mount kit, but you need two. It sets the tool box out a little, but doesn't interfere with the kick arm travel. I'll post some pics on another Topic when it's finished.
rootwad
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Posts: 38
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:02 am
Bikes: '59 Pan/Shovel FLH
'06 Road King FLHR
Location: Bremerton Wa

Re: Re '59 FLH

#5

Post by rootwad »

Cotten wrote:Rootwad!

A short discussion of bubble-testing for vacuum leaks can be found at http://virtualindian.org/11techleaktest.html

Don't forget to test the pan cover screws over each intake port, as occasionally they have been breached into the port.
Testing WHILE installing an O-ring manifold will make it much easier to find the "sweet spot", and help avoid over-tightening of clamps.

"Bands" are not practical to replace O-rings, as modern fuel eats them eventually (just like common O-rings), and they cannot be installed or replaced without removing a head!

Routing of your advance cable is best explained in Palmer's great reference: "How to Restore Your H-D" (Motorbooks International).
The study is every bit as important as a Service Manual and a Parts Book.
Basically the cable comes down on the left to cross in front of the front cylinder to be held by a clamp. The hard part is keeping the fork from pinching it.

But don't expect to find "distributor" anywhere in any of the references, because it ain't. It's a "timer" or "circuit breaker".
(Indians had true Autolite distributors like autos.)

Good luck!

...Cotten
Thanks all for your input. I'll get the right terminology ,ie 'circuit breaker, timer' as time passes. The frame I have is a after-market rigid, and has loops for the throttle and spark advance cables, so as not to get fouled with the front end. I just didn't know where to route the spark advance. So on the spark advance, is it a pull cable? My throttle is a push only. I don't have the guts of the left hand spiral, but I will. Would that be a reverse spiral?
As far as the o-rings go, only my bottom end is '59: the top is a shovel. Down the road I will put it back to stock, but can't right now. Next winter...
I will get the Palmer's Guide, asap. I have a Clymer's right now, came with the bike.
Anyway, thanks for the info. I really appreciate you answering my questions.
rootwad (Eric)
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Re: Re '59 FLH

#6

Post by steve_wood »

On my 56 FLH, for cable operation, retarding is a push and advancing is a pull. From the handle bar perspective, turning the handgrip as if it was a throttle, "full-throttle" is fully advanced. "Closed" is fully retarded.

steve
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