I had plans......

[meanbean]

to document my 98 build here like I did with the ape install but I just don't have the time.
This I will state:
I was hesitant about tearing into my motor, but after talking to some people and reading the manual I went for it. It is not bad at all. I got the whole thing done in a day and the heads and jugs are ready to ship to GMR.
There are no "special" tools needed for the tear down and for the build I think I'll buy a ring compressor and possibly get the circlip and oil pump tools from GMR.
So if your having doubts about doing your own build, I say do it.

[meanbean]

I just got off the phone with Michelle at GMR. I don't have to ship the jugs, just the heads. I thought they bored the jugs, they don't, I get new ones....Doh!!

[vafatboy]

Originally Posted by meanbean

I just got off the phone with Michelle at GMR. I don't have to ship the jugs, just the heads. I thought they bored the jugs, they don't, I get new ones....Doh!!

Doof material right there.

Good luck with the build.

[Berserker]

Originally Posted by meanbean

I just got off the phone with Michelle at GMR. I don't have to ship the jugs, just the heads. I thought they bored the jugs, they don't, I get new ones....Doh!!

Put alot of research into this.

Stock jugs can only be bored for a 95". They have cast iron liner. Revperf uses nicelsil(sp) it is thinner so you can have a bore of 3 15/16. Been used in snowmobiles for years. Bad thing is cannot be board, must be resleeved. But Revperf gives a lifetime warranty, not sure how many people will ever collect.

Last year went with 98", GMR heads, stock rods, CV44, DTT, 9.7, and 37G. Already had V&H slip ons, came with bike, and SE AC.

What cam you putting in?

[Berserker]

If I had to do it again, would probably have Steve press the cams into the plate and lap them. Alot of guys do it with the oven and freezer, but it just didn't work for me. Maybe I am wuss and didn't try hard enough. I found a local indy, who did it for $16. After I spen a few nights screwing around, with hot gears and lube all over. Fun with the OL, but not on the kitchen floor. Steve also laps them which is supposed to make them quiter.

I would be tempted to have him put the pistons in too. Though this isn't as bad. Just have to be careful not to pull the piston to far down, and pull out the ring. If so, I used a hose clamp to put back in, I already had the wrist pin in.

[TerryMiller]

Nothin' looks better than an oil stained manual.

I share Berserker's curiosity in your choice of cam.

[Berserker]

They have two.

[Berserker]

Scary thing is you were going to pay around $900 for a set of pistons and cylinders bored. Boring runs, $100-150. Pistons $2-300.

I took tons of pics along the way, so if you got any questions let me know, I can post them. Alot of thev top end, not as many of cam chest. I got a thread over at VTF that chronicles my woes, but it might panic you.

98 is a great build, its what I got. Over 11k miles on it this year, so far so good.

[Q-Dog]

Thanks in advance.
You guys rock!

Good luck, Mark!

[Berserker]

Originally Posted by meanbean

There are no "special" tools needed for the tear down and for the build I think I'll buy a ring compressor and possibly get the circlip and oil pump tools from GMR.
]

Have you read the thread here, and the ones on VTF about special tools?

oil alignment pins, installer and remover for needle bearings, $156 from Georges.
Ring spreader help, ring compressor is nice too.

Dial indicator if going to gears. Early ones only came with one size gear, so people didn't check, but I guess you could have more noise from gear lash.

1/2 and 71/6 dogbones, McMaster car $26, shipped.
Torque wrench duh. Blue locktite. Steve sends some red for the crank.

May have to dremel the cam chest cover, there made cheaply and not precise. I used duct seal to check for clearance, need some typle of clay.

I just grabbed the chains with channel locks, I didn't reuse mine. If your going to reuse, could shove somethign soft in. I use snowmobile slide when going into primary, sorta like a paltic cutting board. Peice of wood, would work.

If keeping chain, I would probably repalce the pads on the tensioners. I went gear, but thats another thread.

Thats all that is coming to mind, do a search on VTF, comes up a bit.

[meanbean]

I shipped the heads today. I am so frikken stoked about this build. I forgot how much I like to wrench.

"If I had to do it again, would probably have Steve press the cams into the plate and lap them."�

I'm going to talk to Steve about doing my cams. What gets lapped? It's the gears that make the noise, right? Does he lap the gear teeth to quiet them? I figured I'd heat them up to get them out then soak the new ones in liquid nitrogen and press them in, then check for run out with a dial indicator. I haven't done much research on changing the cams yet. I'm going with the GMR 615/585.

I took a bunch of pics as well. The digital age is great ain't it. Ya can tell from my posts that I like to take pics and post them.

"1/2" and 7/16" dogbones" Got em, I was an aircraft mechanic for many years and have a very good tool selection. I have a Dremmel, I don't have an inch pound torque wrench but I can borrow one from work.

These are the tools I used to do the tear down.


Thanks all for the well wishes and thanks Berserker for the advice, I'm sure I'll be hitting you up with more questions.

[meanbean]

Cams, what do you think about the 615/585? This is the cam that comes with the kit. Steve knows what he is doing and if he recommends this cam thats good by me, but I'm open to suggestions.


I read somewhere about a spring loaded primary chain tensioner that didn't require adjustment. Anybody running one? If so what brand?

[Berserker]

Alot of people run HB-125 priamry adjsuter, hyraulic, the old one is M6, spring.

615/585? Is that the lift? If don't know if it is bolt in, will require more clearance checks then stock .510 lift. But I am sure Steve knows what he is doing.

I really don't consider these kits. Its gaskets, cams, gears and the cylinders. You can buy any of those items yourself. I am not familar with the cam. But in my application there tons of guys with the 37G, he just sold them to me. What you are buying is Steve's tech support.

I am curious about the differant choices in cams, a 98 is a 98. Your bike is lighter, so doesn't need as much low end tq. The 37 is one of the favorites on VTF, but that doesn't mean there are not better cams. The 37G does raise the tq curve up few hundred RPM, but not that I notice. With this 98, I will be doing 70 in 4th and feel fine.

Your going to like it.

[Berserker]

Are you going with after market ignition. I was little annoyed that this was never discussed for my build, until almost together, after I asked. I didn't think I would have a problem with 9.7. But I get alot of pinging when it is hot out. So I went with DTT, and adjust it for the weather.

What compression going with?

Keeping stock carb?

[vafatboy]

Mark,

If you read the manual in advance of doing the work a couple of times, the tools needed will be spelled out for ya. Only exception is the gear drive. Steve should send along instructions for those, if not a search of the S&S or Andrews site will have instructions for setting lash. But you might want to check with Steve and see if he is or can send those along.

I had access to cam tools and a press, so that's the way I went. However folks have done the oven and freezer thing for the cams.

If using adjustable push rods, you can make a little tool out of rubber bands and a paper clip to hold the push rod tube up while adjusting. Hook the clip to the tube and one to a rocker cover bolts.

Pay close attention to the oil pump alignment and get some help to spin the rear tire in fifth gear with the plugs out to center the pump while tightening the oil pump alignment pins.

Be sure that all case bolt holes are clear of any oil or this could happen.



Good Luck and skin a few knuckles for the rest of us.