Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

All flathead topics
Post Reply
Pete808
Senior Member
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 6:14 am
Bikes: 42 WLA
47 EL
47 UL
52 FL
52 FL
54 FL
57 FL
63 FLH
2022 FXLRST
Location: Hawaii
Has thanked: 166 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#1

Post by Pete808 »

So it's been quite a while since I have had any motivation to work on anything that I own. For the past year or two I have just been riding more modern bikes like my 92 FXR and have not even looked at the EL, UL, FLH, or anything else in my garage. Earlier last week I decided to get my butt back to work. For the past two days I worked on the 47UL non stop and finally got it running. Still waiting on a couple small parts to come in for my headlight and need to dial the carb in as well as figure out a strange noise coming from my clutch when I press down with my heal all the way. Rode it around my neighborhood last night and broke down two blocks away when the little bolt that keeps the float attached to the little brass piece backed out and I wasn't getting any fuel. Luckily I was close to my house so I walked home to grab some tools and did the repairs on the side of the road. Might not have a chance to get it all ready for a couple more weeks but I am happy with the progress so far. After this is don't maybe I will try and tackle the knucklehead that I have owned for over 5 years and never heard run lol.
Attachments
2022.jpg
2022.jpg (243.34 KiB) Viewed 789 times
2022 ul.jpg
2022 ul.jpg (179.61 KiB) Viewed 789 times
2022 ul motor.JPG
2022 ul motor.JPG (174.83 KiB) Viewed 789 times
old man emu
Senior Member
Posts: 1027
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:00 am
Bikes: WLA Mk lll, civilianised
Location: Gilgandra, New South Wales, Australia
Has thanked: 46 times
Been thanked: 117 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#2

Post by old man emu »

Good on you!

I know how you feel. I'll have mine washed and polished with two new tyres by the weekend. Down Under Spring is slowly approaching and the Open Road beckons.
Pete808
Senior Member
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 6:14 am
Bikes: 42 WLA
47 EL
47 UL
52 FL
52 FL
54 FL
57 FL
63 FLH
2022 FXLRST
Location: Hawaii
Has thanked: 166 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#3

Post by Pete808 »

My garage as been an absolute mess. One bike at a time and I'll make some space eventually
Attachments
IMG_8871.jpg
IMG_8871.jpg (504.99 KiB) Viewed 782 times
Pete808
Senior Member
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 6:14 am
Bikes: 42 WLA
47 EL
47 UL
52 FL
52 FL
54 FL
57 FL
63 FLH
2022 FXLRST
Location: Hawaii
Has thanked: 166 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#4

Post by Pete808 »

Got it all dialed in yesterday, went for a ride in the neighborhood to make sure everything was working properly. Rode it to work today with no issues. Will take the slower way home since it prefers to run around 55-60 mph, on my way to work I was on the freeway at around 70 and it seams like it might be pushing it too hard but maybe it's just me since I'm nervous about messing it up. The top end seams noisy, I checked the lifters and made sure they were in spec and the bike starts and runs fine so maybe that's just the noise they make? Never seen another one in person to compare it to.
Attachments
IMG_0036.jpg
IMG_0036.jpg (286.54 KiB) Viewed 667 times
RUBONE
Moderator
Senior Member
Posts: 8376
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:09 am
Bikes: Multiple H-D, Ducati, BMW, Triumph, BSA,...
Has thanked: 478 times
Been thanked: 2933 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#5

Post by RUBONE »

Pete808 wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:55 pm Got it all dialed in yesterday, went for a ride in the neighborhood to make sure everything was working properly. Rode it to work today with no issues. Will take the slower way home since it prefers to run around 55-60 mph, on my way to work I was on the freeway at around 70 and it seams like it might be pushing it too hard but maybe it's just me since I'm nervous about messing it up. The top end seams noisy, I checked the lifters and made sure they were in spec and the bike starts and runs fine so maybe that's just the noise they make? Never seen another one in person to compare it to.
Good for you Pete. And Big Flatheads are pretty noisy. :D
Pete808
Senior Member
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 6:14 am
Bikes: 42 WLA
47 EL
47 UL
52 FL
52 FL
54 FL
57 FL
63 FLH
2022 FXLRST
Location: Hawaii
Has thanked: 166 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#6

Post by Pete808 »

RUBONE wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 1:00 am
Pete808 wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:55 pm Got it all dialed in yesterday, went for a ride in the neighborhood to make sure everything was working properly. Rode it to work today with no issues. Will take the slower way home since it prefers to run around 55-60 mph, on my way to work I was on the freeway at around 70 and it seams like it might be pushing it too hard but maybe it's just me since I'm nervous about messing it up. The top end seams noisy, I checked the lifters and made sure they were in spec and the bike starts and runs fine so maybe that's just the noise they make? Never seen another one in person to compare it to.
Good for you Pete. And Big Flatheads are pretty noisy. :D
Good to know. Now on to the next one either the 47EL or 63FLH, might have to be the 63 since it's closest to being ready.
Pascal
Senior Member
Posts: 575
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:27 pm
Bikes: WLA
Has thanked: 58 times
Been thanked: 144 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#7

Post by Pascal »

Flatheads are noisy...period.
Even the 45" will make more noise mechanically than it does the normal way...via exhaust I mean.
55-60 is 45"-range, a BTSV should feel happy at 65-70 all day long...with an occasional burst to 80-85.
But take it slow, make sure it's properly run in before opening her up
Pete808
Senior Member
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 6:14 am
Bikes: 42 WLA
47 EL
47 UL
52 FL
52 FL
54 FL
57 FL
63 FLH
2022 FXLRST
Location: Hawaii
Has thanked: 166 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#8

Post by Pete808 »

Pascal wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 9:57 am Flatheads are noisy...period.
Even the 45" will make more noise mechanically than it does the normal way...via exhaust I mean.
55-60 is 45"-range, a BTSV should feel happy at 65-70 all day long...with an occasional burst to 80-85.
But take it slow, make sure it's properly run in before opening her up
The noise is not exhaust noise I hear, it's from the top end and it is a tapping noise, louder then what I have heard before but I have never heard a UL run other then this one. I took a video of it but the file is too big to upload. Is there a way to upload a large video file? Or can I email or text this video to someone that is familiar with the UL motor and they can tell me if I'm losing my mind or if it truly is wrong. The bike runs well but I want to make sure I'm not going to do any damage to it before I really start to ride it.

thanks
Pascal
Senior Member
Posts: 575
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:27 pm
Bikes: WLA
Has thanked: 58 times
Been thanked: 144 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#9

Post by Pascal »

Try uploading to Utube and post the link.
Again, if she sings like a bird..she will probably fly problemfree..
A Flathead has large coolingfins, so a small noise resonates into a huge sound.
Pete808
Senior Member
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 6:14 am
Bikes: 42 WLA
47 EL
47 UL
52 FL
52 FL
54 FL
57 FL
63 FLH
2022 FXLRST
Location: Hawaii
Has thanked: 166 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#10

Post by Pete808 »



this is the youtube link.
Pascal
Senior Member
Posts: 575
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:27 pm
Bikes: WLA
Has thanked: 58 times
Been thanked: 144 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#11

Post by Pascal »

I'm not hearing anything strange...
This is a flatty purring...they all sound a bit tinny...
Do you use copper or asbestos headgaskets?
The latter is more soundproofing..
Pete808
Senior Member
Posts: 582
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 6:14 am
Bikes: 42 WLA
47 EL
47 UL
52 FL
52 FL
54 FL
57 FL
63 FLH
2022 FXLRST
Location: Hawaii
Has thanked: 166 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Re: Almost back on the road!!!!!!!!!

#12

Post by Pete808 »

Pascal wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:52 pm I'm not hearing anything strange...
This is a flatty purring...they all sound a bit tinny...
Do you use copper or asbestos headgaskets?
The latter is more soundproofing..
good to hear, I am using copper gaskets. thanks for the info
Post Reply

Return to “Flathead and Servi-Car”