Tri Build

I can feel for KHK… I think I may be in a little better shape at the moment but nothing like a series of set backs to get you worked up into a frantic panic. With only weeks until mother nature opens up riding season I only got one stead and its in pieces.

Progress for the weekend:
It all started with simply swinging by to borrow some tools. We do some examinations of the Norton Valves and I get KHK's thumbs up on his oversized valves. KHK, his lady and I head out for dinner and a few more beers.
After dinner and beers I must have got in about 11:30-12 with some liquid courage. So I started simple. I'll throw those fancy rods on the crank before I turn in. Which soon developed into well there's the half of the case I'm supposed to drop it in to. I held the crank up for a little visual and thought what the hell. I gave 'er a good lube job and away we go. I drop the crank right in the primary side not even a sweat… Well that’s done… Hmm… through in the breather in and the spring… Intake cam… Exhaust cam… from there it was, well it is only 8 bolts.
I coated both case halves with some yamerbond and through it in there. I rolled the crank forward and back and everything seemed good so I torqued 'er up. (Please note: I did not go through full revolution) So off to bed I go feeling pretty good about my accomplishments.

Ahh, Saturday Morning. I promised KHK to come help set up for some Evening festivities and his lady promised some muffins so I get up and need to get rolling right away. On my way through the dining room I stop to admire my previous nights work. I'm drawn to it like a math to a flame. Big smile on my face I grab the rods and push her through as if she was puttering along… Uh oh! "WTF… What is scraping on the cases?" FAH QUE! So after a extra half hour trying to figure what's going on I figure leave it got to KHK and come back at it later.

I bring in KHK on the problem. He goes through the same initial thoughts as me; rods hitting… no, Cam hitting… no, end float... HMM, could be bearing race not seated… HMM. I'm just not sure what is going on. So after a quick beer after chores I head home to further investigate. About a block from KHK's house it hits me… I put the F'n Crank in backwards.

(Note: in the photo below the red oil plug on the primary side of the engine)

I get home and sure as hell… Oil feed side of the crank is on the primary side.
A quick tear down and a trip to the club house and Napa and I have two clean halves and reassemble it properly.

Lesson learned: Never work on important parts late at night after a few.
Sunday is a new day and a new shot at taking some steps forward. I roll over in bed and fire up the N.L.M. and do an ebay search to take care of my Oil pump and stator needs. I find that Morgo has the own power selling tools on ebay and for $20 more than the cost of a plunger pumper from the North American Distributor I can have the infamous rotary. Why not! So with a few key strokes Rotary Pump is on the way.

It is time to carry this forward momentum into the Dining room. I gather all the bits I need for the timing side assembly. Key ways were a bitch to find but they were located and fairly simple to install. I struggle with the pinion gear key way a bit and had the washer on and off multiple times. Then the key way went in finally and I got so excited I drove the pinion home. I look over and notice the washer sitting next to me… Son-of-ah…

(Note: Red plug on proper timing side)
I have no Pinion gear remover… Pissed that after Friday's incident that I am rushing things again I gather it is time to step away until I can calmly look at things. So I give it a night and Monday I call around to see if I can get a pinion gear puller together and I come up short, I decide that the club should have one any how and come to terms with throwing down for one, but not just yet. I take a look at it and I go after it with a screw driver being very careful not pry on important surfaces. I didn't try very long and with little effort… It moved! Holy craptastic! Something going my way… What? So with that little encouragement I get it to move enough to get one twin arm puller arm behind it. I can't get both arms behind and it is too small to even work like it should. So with one arm be hind I slowly crank the puller inward and keep rotating it around the gear and Presto. Back in business!