Why did this 58 FL get parked?

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PanPal
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Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#1

Post by PanPal »

So, I have picked up another Duo glide. The plan is to get it running and stopping, maybe a little cleaning but not yet. What remains of the old License plate looks like it was tagged until 1987. I brought it home Saturday and started soaking the whole bike down with several cans of Kroil. Saturday's Initial investigation was to remove the outer primary and see if it would turn over. No go by putting a breaker bar and 1 1/2" socket on the motor sprocket nut. Plugs were in all these years but she must have sat under a leaky roof. Floorboards are gone, rear true dual is rusted into 2 pieces where it is supported to the rear cylinder base nut and what wasn't greasy is now rusty. Rims look to be trash now but it does roll with some effort. I was surprised when I removed the outer primary cover how much oil and grease was inside and how well the primary chain looked. With some fiddling I can see the trans is moving and it is the motor that is locked up. I don't see any parts poking out of the case, so I'm hopeful it not all destroyed inside the gear case. Initial inspection reveals it has 61, 62 tanks that are very nice inside. Anyone need 61, 62 tanks that wants to trade for 58 tanks? The emblem recess has been puttied over. It has a police type regulator incorrectly mounted and a fan cooled generator. I don't know much about 58 police bikes so I don't know if these were added or if it's possible someone changed the oil tank battery box. Being a FL and the oil tank being Chrome plated makes me think it was a former police bike. Cylinder have been filled with Kroil and soaking Since Saturday evening. I am going to see how many Pushrods I can get out without cutting. If I have to cut, I'm thinking cut the threaded inserts and pick up replacement's to save the upper part of the pushrod. Then remove the gear cover and see what's inside. At this point I don't even know if the belly number match, but the Motor number look good to me. Here are some Pictures and here I go again!
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PanPal
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#2

Post by PanPal »

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PanPal
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#3

Post by PanPal »

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PanPal
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#4

Post by PanPal »

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RUBONE
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#5

Post by RUBONE »

Nice project! What makes you think you would need to cut pushrods? If you remove the heads they will all fall out intact.
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#6

Post by PanPal »

Going to try that first, but thought the pushrods may be in the way getting to the head bolts. Have you ever successfully removed the cam cover without releasing pressure on all the pushrods? I'm wondering if I can take any pushrods out, then attempt removing the cam cover and fiddling from there.
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#7

Post by RUBONE »

If the valves are not stuck in the guides you can lever the pushrods up compressing the spring and pop them out. However there may not be quite enough clearance on whichever is being held open. The timing cover can be removed with the gears in place. Then remove the timer drive gear and pinion gear and the cam will rotate in place allowing lifters to drop and pushrods release. Go slowly and use common sense.
PanPal
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#8

Post by PanPal »

Just what I was wishing. Thank you!
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#9

Post by Andygears »

As Rubone stated "If the valves are not stuck in the guides" perhaps they are? And hitting a piston stopping the engine from turning over, so attempting to turn the engine backwards to back away from the valve would be more successful! If someone kicked it over during the down time, stuck the valve out, and locked it, then left it, might be where you are today.

That's assuming it wasn't parked for a seized piston, bent valve or chewed rod bearings.

It's beautiful tho, and well worth working thru any of these minor issues. Nice find!

Andygears
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#10

Post by Buddhahoodvatoloco »

beautiful bike, my favorite.
62monkey
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#11

Post by 62monkey »

try a wee bit of heat on the barrels to aid the Kroil and maybe help with the freeing of the piston.
the little oil drain nut on the primary side of the engine case will reveal what you may be up against
that primary drive looks great, may the gear case and transmission be so preserved
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#12

Post by nmaineron »

It must of been in a damp environment to rust up the way it did,like a damp cellar. I know it has been 30 yrs since its been run but the way it is rusted to me says that it is rusted internally.I would expect to have the valves frozen.I don't think it would be wise to try and turn it over,at this point you really can't hurt anything,but if it were mine I would just try and take it apart, which may be a big job in itself.
PanPal
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#13

Post by PanPal »

Monday night I had time to pull the pushrods out. They all came out normally, so no cutting. the bottom side with adjusters as well as the hydraulic lifters were well oiled. The top parts of the pushrods had a fair amount of rust on them but not on the ball itself. I removed the kick stand and shifter bracket. Removed the generator. removed the brake pedal and brake bracket. Took off the cam cover and only a small amount of Kroil seeped out as the cover started to come off. Glad it wasn't water! Pulled the cover and the gears, the cam came out with little effort. The generator doesn't spin by hand but I haven't tried more than light finger pressure to turn it. With all the gears out It still wont budge but at least I feel better about the gear case seeing nothing fragmented and cracked up the case in there. Also I have been trying backwards and forwards. Hell I put that big wrench on the sprocket nut and stood on top of the handle and drank a beer. Thought it might start turning with constant pressure. Nope! So it took a bunch of pictures and afterward I took the carburetor and choke lever off, the intake is off and I removed the short piece of rear true dual pipe off. Sprayed down head bolts and cylinder base bolts with Kroil.
Tonight I will try to take the top off my timer, remove the front header pipe. remove the top motor mount and get the rest of the rear exhaust pipe out of my way. Then I should be able to start removing head bolts. One thing I didn't like to see was the intake clamps for the O rings were regular old worm drive clamps. I hope they didn't melt something running a long time with a intake leak. I have a batch of parts at work cleaning them in the parts washer. I love the Patina on that outer primary cover. Looks like it was white at one time and the black paint is wearing off.
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Andygears
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#14

Post by Andygears »

The gearcase looks good, maybe the transmission looks as good inside.

Thanks for the pictures, this really is fun for those of us wishing it was ours!

Andygears
PanPal
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Re: Why did this 58 FL get parked?

#15

Post by PanPal »

I had to saw off the bolt holding the rear pipe to the rear exhaust support bracket thinking I might damage it if I tried to pull on the rusted bolt holding it to the bracket, but the pipe is no longer hanging there by a wire tie in my way. The upper motor mount came off easily and now I don’t have that bracket for the horn power unit hiding the engine. The timer top potion was a bit gummy but it came off. I removed the front exhaust muffler rear support bracket from the frame and stuck the same bolts with proper spacer back through the bracket, removed the squish pipe bolt and tried to pull the straight pipe out of the squish pipe. They are glued pretty good or have a well hidden weld somewhere. Anyway, the front header pipe came out easily with this unbolted. Head bolts came out very easily. My buddy thought I wasn’t going to be able to remove them with a 12 point obstruction wrench with the motor in the frame, but I didn’t even need a hammer to get the bolts to break loose. The head gaskets were the thick Harley (Asbestos?) gaskets. I put those on the 59 once and retorqued them after start up then blew the gasket in short order. Seems you could keep torqueing this gasket after each heat cycle. I removed the front head. No valve damage or anything wrong with the head that I can see. Pulled the rear head off and it was the same, however when I went to turn it over and set it on the bench, I can hear something moving around inside the rocker area.
The heads are in the parts washer at work and I plan to take the D ring and rocker cover off today. Both cylinders were full of Kroil. I soaked up the Kroil with a rag and both piston tops look good, Bores look great, no scars. I believe I see 40 on top of the rear piston. .040 over cylinder (s). I'm happy! Both pistons are at the lower end of their stroke. Still can’t turn the flywheel. So now I removed the timer and took all the cylinder nuts off. I smacked the cylinders around with a rubber hammer enough to break the seal to the case. Kept soaking studs and the open gap between the cylinder and case. I worked on the rear jug for a while and have it slowly coming up but it's tight. It was getting pretty late so I sprayed kroil down in the feed and return holes in the top of the cylinder trying to get some Kroil to the piston skirts. Went in the garage a grabbed the heads to take to work this morning and soaked it again. I believe I will try what was advised earlier and set up the heat gun on the cylinder tonight and see if I can get them off. So I didn't notice until now looking at the pictures, there is wear on the D ring and edge of the head in the last picture with head bolts. It must have been hitting the down tube for the seat post. Gotta remember to check for shims when the motor comes out!
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