Aluminum in tappet screen

[60RIDER]

aluminum has been showing up in my tappet screen. I first noticed it when my timing hole plug blew out, and a few :-[ ???bits of aluminum showed up around outside the hole.
I changed the oil and cleaned the screen. Replaced the steel plug with rubber. Same result after 80 miles. Not tons of aluminum but enough to show somethings going on bad. The bike has been running great, no noises, knocking, et. Not using oil. Compression is good. checked the oil flow at the tank, and it's real good. Engines got 6,000 miles on her. Before I start takin her apart, any you guys have any idea where the alum. would be coming from?

[Panacea]

Before you re-built it, did the bottom end get cleaned out good?..MW

[60RIDER]

yes, the bottom end got cleaned out real good.
In the last 5,000 miles or so, since the re-build, every now and then I get a fair amount of metal flakes in the tappet screen
(I don't use a filter) nothing too alarming. But previous times, it was steel flakes mostly I think not alum (normal wear). This time I took a magnet to check and most of the flakes are non-ferrous.
This is about 20-30 flakes each about 1/30" to 1/20" long.
Bearings would be steel no? I still think it might be from the timing plug rattling around for a couple hundred miles and tearing off some of the thread material, but I'm looking for other
possibilities before I take the heads off. Thanks

[panfreak]

Yer scaring me... I would be inclined to find out what is going on right away before something really bad happens. I think you may be in denial, and the engine should be looked through until the answer presents itself. Maybe it can stay in the frame, maybe not. It's not something anyone looks forward to when the weather is nice, but alot better than looking back saying "I shoulda known those bits of aluminum were a bad sign"
Just MHO.

[sleeper]

Was the oil tank also cleaned out thoroughly, at the time of rebuild ? This is not a good sign..
bearings are steel..cam bushing = brass
(Just wondering) if your breather gear/tube is eating it's breather-cavity out. (that's alum, & part of the motor case)
by perhaps piece of shrapnel & is scraping the alum..
Since the 'tappet screen' catches crap before it goes UP to the heads,
I'd loosen the push-rods pull the cam/cover & thoroughly check the cam-chest, (in particular) the breather cavity....

(1) cost to check: gasket & a bit of time
(2) check lifters w/a magnet...... FWIW
(3) peace of mind: priceless

[60RIDER]

thanks for the advice sleeper, I'll take the cam cover off and look
inside. What should I look for other than obvious signs of metal flakes/damage?
Will I have to pull the breather gear if I don't see anything outside?
Also, when I reinstall the cam case, the gear shafts seat in the cam cover. So I just replace w/ new gasket? Isn't there a procedure for re-install?
If I don't see anything inside there, then I guess the next step is
take off the heads. Origin of the problem I doubt is in crankshaft.

Thanks

[Panacea]

Rider, the breather will slide right out, watch for the breather gear shim, it sits on the end of the breather and rides against the gear cover. Before removing the breather I would line up the timing marks. Do you have a manual? Inside the breather bore should be smooth.LOL...MW

The first time I pulled my 49 apart I found a chunk of alluminum about the size of a dime, it was riding around in that pocket behind the breather behind the flywheels. Must have come frome a blown piston by a previous owner...Never buy a used panhead!!!!I keep re-learning this valuable lesson...MW

[sleeper]

60RIDER -

Your manual (that U have, right ?) will give ya the details..
If not you're in the right place..
But a Good HD Manual is a necessary tool..
And as panacea posted (watch out for the breather shim)
& also as he stated: line up the "timing marks" first..

Please post your findings...

[60RIDER]

Thanks guys.
I have two manuals, the 'clymers' and the official HD panhead manual.
But after scanning through both, they don't seem to talk much
at all about the breather gear. I'll read more carefully.
When you say lining up the timing marks you mean marking
the breather gear position in relation to the other gears, so that when you put it back it will be timed right; correct?
What about the shim? Just be careful, or does it have to come out first?

[sleeper]

the face of the gears in there have a mark on each already,
it is a line.. when the motor is rotated to the correct position they 'should all' line up w/each that it contacts..
The HD manual will have a picture of "aligning the timing marks"
check it out...
This just makes it easier to pull the breather (inspect cavity) & replace w/timing marks aligned as before.. (makes it simple)
The shim will be on the protrusion of the breather. Just need to be aware of it, & make sure it is back on prior to reassembly.