cause of engine failure

[chuck 56 pan]

Here we go, My new to me 56 FLH fries the rear cylinder in 30 miles. it got so hot the spark plug hex has changed color. To my surprise the cylinder base gasket has no oil holes in it, anywhere! then again to my surprise the rear cylinder has no drain back hole in the cylinder walls. Looks like I got a bunch of miss matched stuff. I will pull the front off tomorrow.

[kitabel]

Assuming no other errors, that blank gasket shut off oil pressure to your rocker boxes. Suspect damage to rockers, boxes, guides, valves.

[Panhead Ed]

Sorry about your luck , did you learn anything ? any day you can learn something new is a good day but was it worth the money just to say you built the engine yourself ? There are still alot of engine builders needing to pay their bills too however you dont see them on the history channel made for TV "BIKER" shows !! I'd be glad to build you a dependable easy starting Pan , oh yea for a price of corse but as Im sure you'v heard " you get what you pay for" Ed

NO QUOTES = it take as long as it takes and it cost what it cost .

[Cotten]

I think Chuck could have built a fine motor for himself, Ed.

But it sounds like he bought a cobble.

....Cotten

[Huck]

I bought the same thing! Base gaskets blocking the oil feed, wth? Go over the heads tooth&nail pressure check the the oil feeds and returns. Mine at some point got wicked hot, LARGE cracks, spark plug to valves. Did the best i could with them, they are back on the road, so far so good. Good luck!

[Cotten]

Folks,

The gaskets with no holes are for '63 and later overhead-oilers.

Or a paper punch makes them fit any Pan.

....Cotten

[chuck 56 pan]

I think Chuck could have built a fine motor for himself, Ed.

But it sounds like he bought a cobble.

....Cotten

Cobble is correct, to say the least. rear cyl is an early model, its base gasket was a late model, that cylinder's overhead fried, I think it was on fire under the cover. front cyl is a correct one but the piston on the intake side is scorched bad, near siezure. Cam end play is .018. no metal in the gear case though and the oil pump is excellet.

Yes I did learn something, you can run a pan on assembly lube for about 20 miles before things get ugly.

The heads have no marking on them at all, they do have new exh spigiots welded on and oem HD valves. how the heck did someone bore two different era cyls to the same overbore, I would think he must of had a big pile of parts inorder to pull out two with an .070 bore. The guy that sold me this bike has just that, a big pile of motorcycles in his garage,basement,backyard and in the house too. All models are there, flats,knucks,pans and shovels too. OH MY. cobble is an uderstatment, but This FLH will live to see the road again, its about to be reborn.

[58flh]

CHUCK!---That is just what I LOVE! a house of PARTS, SEE if he is willing to post some parts for sale!--THAT is if you are still talking to the guy! ,OEM parts are getting harder & harder to get!--I sure would like a peek in his garage!---RICHIE SORRY bout your motor!--BUT itll run again!