foaming oil

[Scoot]

Two weeks ago I picked up a 64' duo glide and have put about 50 miles on her since. However Friday she left me stranded at the parts store. When I came out and tried to start it, she had no compression on either cylinder. After I trailered her home and she cooled off, my compression came back and it started right back up. I only ran it a couple minutes because the top end was louder than I remember and when I looked in the oil bag, it was nothing but foam even though it appears to be pumping...? I wasnt planning on doing a complete tear down, but I fear I may have no choice. This is my first V twin project and I have alot to learn.

The little I know about the bike is that it had the same owner for the past 26 years but for the last 15 it wasnt riden, just the occasional start to make sure everything stayed in good condition. According to the previous owner, the motor has never been touched.

Any recommendations on my oil issue?
How do I know if this bike has an oil filter?
If I do need to do a complete rebuild, anyone close to the florida panhandle with panhead experiance you would recommend?

[Panacea]

What makes you believe there was no compression? Are you sure the clutch was not slipping when you were trying to re start the warm motor? Sometimes if the clutch slips when kick starting you don't realize the motor isn't turning over at all, so you may get the idea there is no compression. As far as the foamy oil, as long as there is oil returning to the tank you should be ok. Now if the top end starts clattering you may have a problem.... Mike

[VT]

Any recommendations on my oil issue?
How do I know if this bike has an oil filter?
If I do need to do a complete rebuild, anyone close to the florida panhandle with panhead experiance you would recommend?

1. Your oil is probably foaming because of condensation from a humid climate and not running the motor long enough for the heat to evaporate the condensate.
2. The bike would have a filter that you could see if it had one.
3. Google "Panhead motorcycle repair in you area". If you can't find one in FL. then contact Accurate Engineering in Dothan, Alabama. Better to ship the motor to someone that works on them everyday, then to let someone practice on your Harley-Davidson "Swiss clock", which requires special tools and knowledge. Keep it stock 74" , imo. http://www.accurate-engineering.com/ They restore (re-manufacture) OE Pan heads. They have piles of them in for repair at any given time. They totally re-manufactured a set of -56 heads for me 5 yrs. ago, that were heavily in trouble and came back like new w/ black nitrate valves and unleaded seats.
4. Your no compression and then one day compression is probably due to a stuck valve in a guide. It happens, especially if someone built the motor with old rocker arms that can get stuck in the open position within the bearing blocks. I had a motor like that once.
5. Beware of trying to go it alone and "do it yourself". You can do all the maintenance yourself, but know your limitations and don't let anyone lure you into going into the motor. You'll waste time and money and never be able to ride it. Your at a crossroads. I'd let Accurate rebuild your motor and transmission, and you can put it all together and tell everybody you "built the bike yourself", and to some extent you actually did, and learned something along the way without any bad haps.

[Scoot]

Is there anyway to verify I'm getting oil to my top end? I know for sure it had to of been stuck valves and not my clutch slipping because when I kicked her over, I had air blowing out of the carb. Im nervous to ride it and again breakdown somewhere...

Does anyone make an electronic pickup running on a 6v system to replace a dual points breaker? http://www.ebeyond2000.net only makes one fore a single points unit

[Cotten]

Is there anyway to verify I'm getting oil to my top end?

If it is a true '64, it has external overhead oil lines; just loosen the compression nuts slightly when running, and oil should flow out under pressure.

....Cotten
PS: The dual-points circuit breaker was H-D's finest system!

[VT]

A dual points distrib. can be replaced with a single points timer. Replace the dual coil with a single coil and use the flywheel front cylinder mark to time it like a pre-'61 too.

[fourthgear]

PS: The dual-points circuit breaker was H-D's finest system!

Cotten , you making a funny !

[Ripley/Fla]

I can't tell you where to send your motor up in the Panhandle, but I agree with VT. DO NOT let a EVO based chopper shop, performance cycle type shop, etc. touch you motor unless you see Panheads being rebuilt there. Mine was butchered by some clowns down here by the Everglades and I ended up taking it back and sending it to California!!! to have it finished. By the way, the ass-wipes who worked on it were recommended by the head of the service department of the Harley boutique in my town.

[Jack_Hester]

Foaming is a common occurence in all engines. Diesel oil has the best anti-foaming additives. But, the grades are a bit thin for use in our engines, at high ambient temperatures. Hydraulic lifters are the first tell-tale signs of foaming, as the engine starts to run with a very dead response at the throttle, and engine idle is very rough. Solid tappets don't have an issue with foaming.

Foaming is the reason our engines have a high oil consumption, book specs being 1 quart in 800 miles. 45's specs have it listed at 1 quart in 250 miles.

You can add the baffle to your gearcover breather pipe, and increase the miles between quarts. It was a retrofit in '91 for the early Evos. But, it fits in all the OHV models back to the Knuckles.

Jack

[Scoot]

I haven't had time to pull the outside oiler lines as Cotten suggested however I did talk to Accurate Engineering last night and I've decided to pull the motor and run it over to them. I want to do some road trips and I just don’t have the confidence in her after I was left stranded. The guy I talked to at Accurate said they would pull the motor apart with me there so I could see for myself what the state of my engine is along with get an education on these old machines. They will be doing all of the machine work and head work but I will be doing all of the assembly. I’m sure I will have plenty more questions for you in the coming month. Is there anything you would say is a must do while I’m tearing it this far apart? External oil filter, different breaker, belt conversion?
Thanks

[Cotten]

I was completely serious about the dual-point system being HD's finest.

It was a true single-fire system, eliminating the dead-spark in the 'other' cylinder. H-D only discarded it when they needed to add an auto-advance for safety reasons with the electric starter.

If you will admit to being charmed by the sound of a Big Twin, the sound of a true dual exhaust with a tuned single-fire ignition will enthrall you.

....Cotten