Looking forward to the cylinder install video, Mike. Got a Shovel with leaky cylinder base gaskets I need to tackle one of these days and seeing how you do it will make me a lot more confident tearing into it. Thanks so much for making these videos.
Another great video, Mike. Of all the RUclips Harley videos out there, I find your videos better explained and you don't take shortcuts with any assembly or cleaning, proper specs etc. You can see the experience and pride in your work!
I have a 99 twin cam and recently experienced the cam tensioner failure . Which damaged the oem cam support plate , oil pump . After some issues with an aftermarket oil pump and a used cam support plate ( cleaned all oil passages prior to installation ) . Finally went with the Harley upgraded cam support plate ( with hydraulic timing tensioners ) and improved oil pump . After having to remove / re install rocker arms a couple times I replaced the oem pushrods with adjustable ones , Service manual lists a special tool for holding the lifters in the lifter block as a modified binder clip . I would be interested in the tool you used ( as the binder clip can slip off ) and how to get one . Thanks love your videos wish I could find a older ( knuckle or panhead ) to restore / customize .
great video, as always! I'm personally a fan of white lithium grease for the lifter blocks, your oil pump tutorial a long time back lead me to start using white grease! I love it. It seals well, it preserves both surfaces and sometimes you even get to use the gaskets twice!
The 1959-1969 service manual is my all time favorite. I don't tell people to spend money, but, BUY ONE. The book says .001-.005. Be sure to allow for the crush of and if, you're using a thick cam cover gasket.
@@pacificmike9501 Thanks a lot again Mike, appreciate the quick feedback. Just working on a buddies bike after a shop messed all kinds of things up. Keep up the excellent tutorials. You were a born educator!
Thank you Mike, my project late shovelhead engine have cal products engine cases, is that god or bad? It runs great, high comp, super e carb, dual plug hd heads, and dyna s ignition, stock type advancer, engine internals is unknown
Of course it's good. You just said, "It runs great." High compression Shovelheads love dual plugs. "Internals unknown" is obviously, not bad. The only thing to remember is that when you some day have to get into it for whatever it may need, you'll have to be very careful to verify the things in it. Oil pump, timing gears, pistons, all these things But it sure sounds cool to me.
Thanks for the videos, I am 26 and ride an “old” 96 Honda Cbr 600 sport bike , carbed bike. I love it. Appreciate the knowledge about these old harleys. 💪🏻💪🏻👍🏻👍🏻
@@pacificmike9501 I don't even own a bike right now but I can dream...I was born in 1974 would love to find one that year I could afford and ride I don't want a show piece (trailer queen) I want a rider I love the old school chopper & bobber look...But like I said I can dream....
I love your talks, although I don't have a Harley, because you always bring a smile to my face, today within 30 seconds.:) . . . .oh dear, now you have got me going to look on Ebay for a Harley Davidson motorbike!
Just found your channel last night. I’ve always loved bikes, especially the old ones. Been into old cars, specifically MoPars and this reignited my love for old Harleys. I think its time to educate myself and jump in head first haha. Thank you for all your informational videos!
I am a lover of motorcycles and I like to work on them too & you Sir are a natural at entertaining & teaching as you continue to modify your bike to your present situation. I mostly work on the large fours of the '70's and 80's. I ride a 1974 Amen Savior with a Z1A 903cc engine and a lot of Harly body parts... wide glide front... FXR tank, fenders . I use the coppper coat spray too. Great stuff. Love your videos man..
Thanks for tip on lifter block gaskets. Just something to pass on for your evo crowd....I have had excellent results with Cometic gaskets and they allow you to specify on head gasket thickness. Your videos are always appreciated.
I appreciate the shovel head videos Mike being I have a 1980, 80 flh. Planning to go threw it this winter. MN isn't great for out on the road Winter wise. Thanks for doing what you do
Thank you for sharing Mike. It’s lovely watching a master rebuilding your Harley while in my Lockdown in the United Kingdom. Stay safe Mike & family including the camera man👊
Hi Mike, what brand is your Forward foot controls on your Yellow road bike? I want to get rid of my Floor boards. I keep dragging them. Thanks you are the BEST!!!
I don't think they are a specific brand. They are the least expensive and the strongest I could find. They are chrome plated steel. I changed the pegs and spacers along the way. I bought them from Custom Chrome, but I have seen them in Drag Specialties, V-Twin, and all the other major aftermarket suppliers. I believe they are still available.
Loving the videos. So informative. Question for you. I've got a 75 motor. From 70-77 harleys cams and pinion gears had a smooth face surface and from 78 on there was a ring groove machined into the face of the gears. Why was that? And Can a person run the 78 and later cam in a 70-77 shovel? Thank you for the videos and your time. I look forward to the next ones.
Great vid, Mike. Now, can you tell us what your compression ration on this motor is? What cam did you remove, and replace it with. I'm running an Andrews #3 ( same as the $&$ 514 ) in my 8.5:1, 90" '68 SH and am quite happy with it. ....RooDog....
Everyone is looking for something different in their motor. What goes into my own is quite often an experiment, and not always something I wish to share.
I just recently discovered your channel and have been enjoying watching all your videos. Very informative presentations. I ride a 76 FLH with side car that I have owned since 1992. I really wish you would have explained why you were reducing the lift and lengthening the duration of the cam. What performance parameters did that accomplish?
I like that for cruising on the freeway. I want to get the same amount through the engine with less stress on the valvetrain. Backing off on the throttle and not having the bike slow down as rapidly. There are as many approaches to designing cams as there are the people who create them. Each designer creates his own cocktail. Some I like, some I don't. Depends on what I'm going to ask it to do.
Thanks for your videos, your camera man does a great job, a joy to watch, i have owned many bikes, never a Harley, i do like the idea of owning a shovel head in a road glide, i'm not sure if when they started making road glides, or using that style of fairing?
Hi Mike, Just found your channel and subscribed, I have a 79 Superglide that I have owned for 39 years. I like you are methodical and also a good teacher. Do you have any advice on curing the dreaded wet sumping that the shovel is prone to. I am getting the bike ready for summer.
Welcome! It's not a Shovelhead problem. It is a characteristic of all of the Big Twins from 1936 to 1999. It's called gravity. From sitting too long, the oil from the oil tank gets past the ball and spring in the oil pump and fills the sump. Actually, the bikes that have their oil tank lower don't have the issue. Put a pan under the breather hose and let it clean itself out by running until the system balances again.
Great video very interesting I never seen a cam change on a showerhead. Thanks for taking the time to do this video.. I got 4yrs under my belt in the Harley Davison world.. I’m 46 years old. Loved then since I was a kid! Finally was able to bye my first new Harley Davison in 2016. I got a Softail Slim S, FLSS. Absolutely love it. The only thing that sucks is my state of California everything is illegal to do to the bike, Performance wise at my local Harley dealer I’m going to wait till my warrantee over before I start messing with it. #SE585Cams 🤘🏻😎
Thanks Mike! I love the very human side of your videos It is truly real life. If at some time you could address the changing of a cam gear (I have done this by the "scribe and eyeball method") due to gear pitch issues it is more cost effective to use the gear that has been living inside the cam chest. Thanks again
Hello Mike thanks for the video. I am not a technician but I really enjoy your posts. It seems that you have already driven many miles on this bike through beautiful states. Do you have video's of these journeys that we could watch? Thanks and greetings
Hey Mike, I’m putting my old shovel back together with a little more than a little help from you! I had my local shop replace the pinion shaft, and I noticed it doesn’t have an oil restrictor in it. When I asked he said it should be “full flow”. Does this sound right? It’s an 80” 1978 flh
I assume you're speaking of the flow to the rocker boxes. Restricting it a little keeps from having too much oil up there, causing heat. Harley put out a bulletin to that affect in (if memory serves) 1981. Not a huge deal, either way.
Believe it or not, I bought her new in 1978. She is a 1977 FLH. For a lot of the times in my life, she was all I had. I've worn out and broken several speedos (most of which are on the shelf. As close as I can figure, a little over 400,000. Almost everything on the bike has been replaced several times.
I have a 77 FX Shovel. It sat for 30yrs. She was spitting oil out of the exhaust something terrible. Sooo my nephew put new rings in it for me. We fired her up,only now to be experiencing. A dead front cylinder. Nothing coming out of exhaust. He set the lifters,tho I'd imagine improperly. He works on race car engines. So I reset them to HD Service Manual Specs. Also the way you've shown in your video's. I'm a bit hesitant to re-fire her up. Afraid something might break. Should I give it a shot ? Also you mentioned,you've replace many cams in your 77. Think I should also. Could a bad cam, be the cause of this dead cylinder. I would guess so. Any, help or guidance. Would be (Greatly) appreciated. Thank You.. Really like your channel,and skills. Great presentation...
Thank You. You know, it's really lke anything else. The only way to do her damage is to spin it over before letting the lifters bleed down. Okay. Now, run a compression check. Realize the rings probably aren't seated yet. But you should be able to get a good idea. Open the pushrod tubes and make sure, with the plugs out, that the valves are opening and closing...Check to see that you have spark to both spark plugs. I'll bet it's gonna be fine. I can't guess it from here. I have faith in you.
Thank you for the video! I have a 1977 flh confederate edition that I want to take out the andrews cam and put the H cam back in it. Do you know of a way to run a S&S Super E with a stiff cable or would I be better of running a sleeve with the external cable, or change the bars completely? Another option would be to run a Super B, Linkert DC-7, I am just not familiar with these two carburetors, I could also run a bendix. Bike is a 69 flh w/sidecar. I am loading you up here. Lol What do you do to do away with points and make the auto advance work spot on in my 69, I kind of thought of using an electronic unit used in a chainsaw or garden tractor to replace the points, I do not see why it would work, but really do not know. Thanks again!!!
First off, making a hard throttle wire (basic internal) work is just a matter of fabricating a clamp and lever setup. Then you find out you have to turn thegrip too far and change the length of the lever. Carburetors are a matter of personal preference. I runn an SU on my shovel. I ran Bendix before that. I ran the original Keihin before that. I love my SU. Different strokes. I can't remember his name, but there is a gentleman who makes a module that goes into a stock Harley distributor. He buys his components from Pertronix. Good luck. It's all we do in the world of custom building.
Yeah, I understand lever systems and how they work, I have just done so many adaptations to my bike because of the loss of my left leg that I was hoping adapting the super e would be a bit easier. Another issue is I have to run a left hand throttle. I wired up two sets of handlebars, early panhead bars with advance and mid 70's bars because I foresaw this issue, but now it is time to chose a carb to know which bars to run. I have all carbs mentioned in my earlier reply including a bendix, just am brain locked on which one to chose. My buddy just told me that he have a few SU carbs for harleys and said they were hot items in the 70's. I asked about the distributor because I was told that the advance in these units have issues. I want to keep the stock unit because I am running a tach. Thanks again for your time.
Hey Mike, sure is a pleasure to watch you work. I’ve learned so much from you and I am very grateful. Was wondering if you are gonna show the sidecar installation. Stay safe brother.
nice job Mike! Question: how do you decide what to prep gaskets with? copper coat vs grease vs dry, etc. Is it material of the gasket? the application (oil under pressure vs oil volume being sealed in) joining materials? (steel vs aluminum, dissimilar metals, etc) My last bike rebuild I used gasgacinch throughout. it being an italian bike there arent a lot of choices for gasket materials so I got whatever a parts dealer could provide, often very thin paper. the gasgacinch helped keep those in place and not getting wrinkled or torn in assembly and sometimes repeated assembly. Im always interested in learning more.
That all sounds good. I'm not that "scientific." I develop my habits from what works for me. Certain things (because they work) seem to make sense. Copper coat and gasket cinch seem very similar, except copper coat has copper suspended in it. That copper is a great filler. White lithium is a soap and softens and fills things. Your experience has probably taught you quite a bit.
@@pacificmike9501 Thanks Mike. Im always interested in hearing more and swapping tips. "Works for me" is plenty enough scientific that I'd give it a try. On my new to me Electra Glide I had to replace two out of three fairing fastener inserts. Im not doing that again - those fasteners get anti-seize from now on! ha!
What's up Mike! Another great video. Just wanted to say how cool I think it is that you own a Knuckle, a Pan and a Shovel. Wondering if you have or plan on adding an Evo to the stable. Also can't wait for the new bike build...you are driving me nuts with all those awesome swap meet parts you keep coming up with! I'm from the east coast but I hope i see you "out on the road!"
Hello Mike, I have been told by people in the past that high performance cams usually end up causing problems in the long run? But, I can also remember you saying in another video that Evolution engines can benefit with better performance with an up graded cam. What is the best route to go when it comes to increasing performance with a cam but not relinquishing reliability. I have a 1985 FXR with Evolution Engine. Just wanted to get you input on this. Thank-you.
A mild cam is nice. But, in reality, in 1985, Harley was still putting in a reasonably fun cam. The later ones, not so much. They continued to be pretty good through 1987. Most camshaft grinders make some pretty nice "drop in" cams. That means they install with no modification required to make them fit with your stock valve train and pistons. It's your call, but they really are strong motors.
Thanks Mike....my breather bore is scored slightly so i have been using the SS reed.....they say only for EVO but have run 5 k with it so far....you have any experience using the SS reed in shovels? Love how clean your ole shovel motor is 👍👍👍👍
Thank You. It depends on what else you have in your system. If you're using the stock chain oiler in your primary, it may not be functioning. I'd check with S&S, because I'm really not sure.
Pacific Mike its a simple 3 line oil system now to oil tank only.....vent , feed, return...no chain oiler... nothing is now off the pump to primary anymore. Its working just wondered if you had done it before...i have not long term on a shovel..EVO yes i have done a couple... Thanks again
Hey Mike, I’ve been enjoying your videos. I’ve never really been interested in Harleys. I’m more of a Ducati and BMW guy but I’m loving the shovelhead! Keep up the great videos and I’ll hope to see you on the road!
Mike, I had a discussion with David, the owner, at Velva Touch Lifters the other night, great guy by the way. I am considering installing a Velva Touch kit in my '70 Shovel (FLH), since I believe I have at least one giving me problems. I'm thinking of going with an EVO -EV-27 cam (yep, in a shovelhead). It's supposed to be a well kept secret. He recommended an S&S oil pump to increase oil volume to the lifters among other things as well as roller rocker arms. Apparently the external oil lines go away and the oil travels to the roller rocker arms up the pushrod tubes just like the EVO. I think you know a thing or two about this subject. What are your thoughts?
Sure. Why not? Although I've had a bunch of trouble free miles using Velva Touch Lifters and Jim's roller rockers, I can appreciate any improvements. I believe you're speaking of Mr. Ott. If so, yes I've spoken with him on a couple of occasions. Bright man and shares his vast knowledge. I certainly enjoyed him. Oh yah, I run a Harley 1991 oil pump on mine. Again, listen to the man. He has done extensive research.
Mike I'm on this step right now. And can't see where you're inserting the feeler gage. I think I know. But want to confirm. Are we saying that there's. 011 (or whatever it may be) of movement back n forth of the camshaft? I have a .060 shim in right now with no movement. Thank you for the awesome videos! I hope to hear back soon.
@pacificmike9501 It's an 80 FLHC. I didn't see any distinction between model years in the manual for this particular clearance. But I'll double check. Thanx
@pacificmike9501 Well it turns the .060 woulda been fine. I was unaware that the lube between the cam and cam bushing had created a vacuum and wasn't allowing to move it to it's full potential. Because I didn't know that and thought I had zero end play. I cut .010 off of the .060 shim. Because I didn't want to wait for shipping and none of the local guys had any shims. So currently with the .050 in there. I'm sitting at .018. That's with cam cover torqued to spec. Looks like I'll have to wait on shipping anyway. Rookies...wadaya gonna do right Mike...😊
@@pacificmike9501 would enjoy it,I've got ,3 sons who all ride,I've got my 72, I also bought a thunder mountain Blackhawk,and my most recent purchase was a 2020 roadglide special,I gave my 94 Dyna to my 20 year old for his bday, godspeed and stay safe thru these troubled times my bro
I love your content been watching for a while. I do have a question, does front cylinder have to be at TDC for the cam gear, pinion gear, and oil breather gear timing marks to line up?
Mike, do you use loctite? I'm not sure if I've ever seen you use it. I've had problems with bolts backing out so I typically use it on everything. So my question is, if you don't use it, why? If you do use it, where and why there? Another great video. Keep em coming!
If an expert like Pacific Mike chooses a shovel to be his road bike, they must be more reliable than the stories I have heard about them breaking down a lot LOL
A shovel is no more reliable or unreliable than a pan, an evo, or twin cam. It all depends on the maintenace, how they were built, and how they are ridden. I had a 49 pan that was just as reliable as any of my shovels were and how my twin cam is. All my buils have been reliable. Treat them like a lady, dont try to make them do what they arent and you'll be happy. But like any lady you do have to stroke and caress them from time to time. In other words they will treat you like you treat them. Be safe.
Been loving all of your videos since I found them a couple days ago. Would it be possible for you to do videos of your bikes and show possible issues to look out for if you were buying one. I think a video like that would be great for some of us
You only take an "educated guess." It's just like buying a used car. There are videos of my bikes. We have over 180 of them on the channel. Check out our homepage and click on "videos."
Hello Mike, my ‘71 Electra Glide has a terrible amount of oil, grease, and dirt on her. What would you suggest to get this goop off ? I thought that engine degreaser would be to harsh on my baby.
i have deep scratches in my 1976 shovelhead´s breather bore. how does that effect the engine? should i buy a reamer tool or let it be that way? no oil leaking. (sorry about my bad english)
I've run some that looked pretty bad with no problem. Try it and see how well it does or doesn't send oil out the breather hose. Be sure the end play is set properly on the breather gear.
I love your videos Mike, thanks for taking the time to do them. Do you use anything on the cork pushrod tube seals Or fit them dry? Stay safe, stay home and get that project bike done. Thanks again.
Don't see you do it but my gramps tought me to greese my paper gaskets couse it helps them stay in place and it helps on the seal by absorbing into the paper fibers causing swelling and filling microscopic space after assembley . Maybe seems silly to some but thats what i do .
Pacific Mike yes but the previous owner has put like a economic cam for high fuel mileage was thinking about the 585 but will that mean different valve springs? Thank you so much for your reply
What gear raito, primary and secondary sprockets)are you going to run for your sidecar? I have the 3R trans which has a higher 1st gear than your 4 speed, so our ratios may not be the same, I am running a 21 primary and 24 trans on my 69'flh with harley fiberglass car, does my ratio sound ok? Are you going to change your triple trees to rake out the frontend? Take car
Thank you, I found there is not much to choose from as far as transmission upgrades and room, as far as that goes, on the 65-69 bikes. It would have been nice to upgrade to at least a 5 speed, as reverse can be added to on to any 5-6 speed without changing their ratios. I guess I will find out how the 69 ratios will work, on a long trip, when I ride it on my trip from Ohio to our pow wow in Oklahoma this coming july, if it does not get cancelled, if so, just have to go somewhere else.lol Thanks again! I have to put a sidecar on my 77 flh, so I will probably change out the trans and add the reverse on it.
I sold my 82 Shovel in 1998....I went to my hometown over the weekend to visit my parents and I was scanning the local classifieds and lo and behold I found her for sale!!!...for quite a bit cheaper than I sold it for...and only around 3500 additional miles since I sold it...changed ownership twice since I sold it. Maybe gonna have a second time around with her!
S&S makes one that is a direct replacement for the original and the other manufacturers produce cams that are "mild" and will go right in place of the original. Pick your poison.
The valve stays open longer. More lift, more flow, more duration, longer flow. Ah, but the combination. The right volume of air and fuel for the speed required and the right compression, the right carburetor. That's what makes it what I call a cocktail.
I hope to start my first shovel head build this winter. Can you suggest any years that I should steer clear of engine wise. Want to make sure before I make a purchase. Just starting with engine and transmission and go from there. Wasn't sure if there were weak castings or other issues in certain years. Thank you again for the earlier response.
Engine cases were all fine. 66's had little case issues the later ones did not. 80-81, be careful of valve lift increases. Issues in heads. Transmissions with ratchet lids much more desirable than rotary tops.
Mike, according to David at Velva Touch Mr. Ott passed away in 2016 and he is now the sole proprietor of Velva Touch. Do you run an Evo cam in your shovel with the Velva Touch lifters, your road bike?
No, I do not. I've never met David, but it seems you've got a nice relationship started. That's very cool. I'm truly sorry to hear about Mr. Ott's passing. He made a great product and certainly schooled me on a couple of things. Thank you for the update.
I had family in Vancouver ( one of my best friends and her boys, one of which is my Godson). I love Gastown. The Blarney Stone; I rode my bike through there. The Steam Clock! The people; so healthy and friendly! Fried a starter button in Stanley Park.
@@pacificmike9501 Awesome Mike , beautiful city for sure , was there in 1998 . Actually travelled through during trip to Calgary & Edmonton & further up the Alaska highway on a 2 week trip from our home in Northern Ontario !
Hey there again Mike! Always a pleasure watching your videos. Your voice reminds me of an old friend of my dad's, he too has a very nice speaking voice. You remind me of him. Anyway, I'm curious as to what motor you have planned for the project bike. I don't mean to pry if you're keeping it a secret, I love this stuff! As for the east coast, there's plenty to see and just as beautiful as the west, I've been all over coast to coast. However, I miss the other side of three country tremendously. Haven't been able to see much of it in many years. Hopefully oneday our paths may cross. In the meantime, keep up the cool videos. They're a ray of light, and we need it. God bless.
I sure was glad to watch you work on your scoot this morning. I have been wanting to open up my 82 ironhead to see what is ticking in the top end but I haven’t saved enough for the gasket set yet. I am suspecting the rocker end play and I already checked my pushrod clearance’s twice but they seem just right. I hope I can meet you sometime after all this stuff clears up. Y’all stay safe and have a great day.
The timing cover is a vital part which holds the cam, I didn't see you use a little dab of medium Loctite on cam cover screws? On some applications I know loctite is not your friend. Good video Mr Mike, learning constantley, thank you
Bought my 72 shovel from my boss. He owned it for 4 yrs but never heard it run. 1st thing I did was toss the aftermarket ignition and put points back in it. Rode it into work the next day and ummm yeah, he was kinda pissed. Anyways, points and carbs can be fixed quickly...
Nice job. That's the first time (that I can remember) that I've heard someone even mention checking breather tolerance during a cam change, and it's an important detail. Being new to your channel, I have not had an opportunity to go thru and watch all your videos, so I may have missed something, but what motor is the new project bike going to run or have you not said yet?
I'd say a lot of miles. I bought them in the days of Mr. Ott. He answered all of my questions. I got them through my Drag Specialties Rep in about 1991.
@@pacificmike9501 Thanks for your prompt response. My name is David Bassford. I am the owner of Velva Touch lifters. Numerous customers have told me you got to check out this Pacific Mike guy. The first episode I viewed is of a cam change and I see you are running a set of Velva Touch lifters. I have put over 100,000 miles on a set and thought I was doing something but have been contacted by numerous customers with over 200,000 miles on a set. If you purchased yours in 1991 that would have been shortly before Vern sold the rights to build them to Comp Cams. He could not build them fast enough. The back orders took months to fill. Comp took over and production sped up. They did good for some time but then you know what happens when things are produced faster???? Comp started having some issues and Vern and I BMO PRODUCTS purchased the company back from Comp Cams many years ago. We got everything straightened out and back on track. Unfortunately Vern passed away in Oct. 2016 but the company continues on. Would you be interested in doing a Velva Touch lifter installation and adjustment video? I really like your style and presentation. I'm sure you could find a use for the set of Velva Touch lifters I could donate for the video. Please contact me if interested. I also have amassed a huge stash of parts over the years. Knuckle, Pan, Shovel mostly with some Evo. Let me know if there is anything you need.
Hello Mike, my name is Pierre from Canada. I just turned 58 years old on December the first 2020. Since I'm a little kid I always liked Harley Davidson motorcycles, and could never afford one until 2009. That's when I bought my first Harley and still have it and enjoy it lots. But I'd like to get myself a shovel head fx series in the near future, 2021, when looking at them, what should I be concerned before I purchase it? I like your show.
Okay. If you have stock lifters, the hydraulic units should slide out of the lifters. If you have aftermarket lifters, the hydraulic parts may be built into the lifters. In that case, yes, you'll have to remove the tappet blocks with the lifters.
William H Janin Just out of curiousity, have you ever degreed a cam? I did it on a CBR1000 Honda and was shocked to see how much the stock cam was out of time.
All you can do is respect this guy, not only has he been there and done it, he is teaching people his passion
Thank You.
Right on Ollie and believe me I am learning a lot from Mike's videos and we all appreciate you Mike.
how can I replay to Mike? Can you help me?
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Looking forward to the cylinder install video, Mike. Got a Shovel with leaky cylinder base gaskets I need to tackle one of these days and seeing how you do it will make me a lot more confident tearing into it. Thanks so much for making these videos.
Cool. Coming soon. Thank You.
Another great video, Mike. Of all the RUclips Harley videos out there, I find your videos better explained and you don't take shortcuts with any assembly or cleaning, proper specs etc. You can see the experience and pride in your work!
He is the best!
Thank You.
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One more thing mike what s the purpose of a single fire ignition? Does it givenu more horse or power? Thnx again bud
I just wanted you to know that I thoroughly enjoy your videos. Keep up the great work.
I really respect your knowledge and mechanical ability.
Thanks, will do!
Definitely the Bob Ross of the motorcycle world and I love it. Subscribed
Thank You.
Hello. It's always a pleasure to look at you and to listen to your explainations.
Thank You.
Wow Mike, even your fasteners shine. Again, nice job on keeping your rides so clean. Thanks for the step through video.
You bet
I have a 99 twin cam and recently experienced the cam tensioner failure . Which damaged the oem cam support plate , oil pump . After some issues with an aftermarket oil pump and a used cam support plate ( cleaned all oil passages prior to installation ) . Finally went with the Harley upgraded cam support plate ( with hydraulic timing tensioners ) and improved oil pump . After having to remove / re install rocker arms a couple times I replaced the oem pushrods with adjustable ones , Service manual lists a special tool for holding the lifters in the lifter block as a modified binder clip . I would be interested in the tool you used ( as the binder clip can slip off ) and how to get one . Thanks love your videos wish I could find a older ( knuckle or panhead ) to restore / customize .
I don't remember. But the twin cam lifters slide in from the top. It shouldn't be a problem.
Mike, you have been turning wrenches for 50 plus years. Love you Brother.❤️🙏🏾
And my best to you.
great video, as always! I'm personally a fan of white lithium grease for the lifter blocks, your oil pump tutorial a long time back lead me to start using white grease! I love it. It seals well, it preserves both surfaces and sometimes you even get to use the gaskets twice!
Great point!
Hey Mike, Excellent videos as always. Thanks. Could you let me know what the cam end play should be for a generator shovel engine?
The 1959-1969 service manual is my all time favorite. I don't tell people to spend money, but, BUY ONE. The book says .001-.005. Be sure to allow for the crush of and if, you're using a thick cam cover gasket.
@@pacificmike9501 Thanks a lot again Mike, appreciate the quick feedback. Just working on a buddies bike after a shop messed all kinds of things up. Keep up the excellent tutorials. You were a born educator!
Thank you Mike, my project late shovelhead engine have cal products engine cases, is that god or bad? It runs great, high comp, super e carb, dual plug hd heads, and dyna s ignition, stock type advancer, engine internals is unknown
Of course it's good. You just said, "It runs great." High compression Shovelheads love dual plugs. "Internals unknown" is obviously, not bad. The only thing to remember is that when you some day have to get into it for whatever it may need, you'll have to be very careful to verify the things in it. Oil pump, timing gears, pistons, all these things But it sure sounds cool to me.
Thank you Mike, you are my hero, i will be careful if it needs repair later, the oil pressure is good and no smoke from the exhaust, so i'm happy
Thanks for the videos, I am 26 and ride an “old” 96 Honda Cbr 600 sport bike , carbed bike. I love it. Appreciate the knowledge about these old harleys. 💪🏻💪🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Also you should make a trip to the east coast! You would love the mountains around my area. “Skyline drive” Virginia 👌🏻 stay safe!
It's all fun. Thank You.
real nice set of videos !!! thanks for sharing mike !!
Glad you like them!
Awesome job Mr Mike thanks again for these
Thank You.
Thanks Mike you are a great mechanic 👌👍
Thanks 👍
Great video! I wish I had a 1/4 of your knowledge and mechanical skills!!
You can do it!
@@pacificmike9501 I don't even own a bike right now but I can dream...I was born in 1974 would love to find one that year I could afford and ride I don't want a show piece (trailer queen) I want a rider I love the old school chopper & bobber look...But like I said I can dream....
I love your talks, although I don't have a Harley, because you always bring a smile to my face, today within 30 seconds.:) . . . .oh dear, now you have got me going to look on Ebay for a Harley Davidson motorbike!
That is awesome!
Just found your channel last night. I’ve always loved bikes, especially the old ones. Been into old cars, specifically MoPars and this reignited my love for old Harleys. I think its time to educate myself and jump in head first haha. Thank you for all your informational videos!
Welcome aboard!
I am a lover of motorcycles and I like to work on them too & you Sir are a natural at entertaining & teaching as you continue to modify your bike to your present situation. I mostly work on the large fours of the '70's and 80's. I ride a 1974 Amen Savior with a Z1A 903cc engine and a lot of Harly body parts... wide glide front... FXR tank, fenders . I use the coppper coat spray too. Great stuff. Love your videos man..
I appreciate that! Thank You.
Thanks for tip on lifter block gaskets. Just something to pass on for your evo crowd....I have had excellent results with Cometic gaskets and they allow you to specify on head gasket thickness. Your videos are always appreciated.
Thank You.
Thanks for a very entertaining and informative video. I have had success with aerosol Hylomar where the copper coat spray has failed. Thanks again.
Thanks for sharing
I appreciate the shovel head videos Mike being I have a 1980, 80 flh. Planning to go threw it this winter. MN isn't great for out on the road Winter wise. Thanks for doing what you do
Thank You.
Super great videos Pacific Mike, was wondering if you have a video on splitting the cases on a shovelhead ?
Thank You. Not really. But, go to the playlist on our youtube page and look at the list on Shovelhead motors.
Thank you for sharing Mike. It’s lovely watching a master rebuilding your Harley while in my Lockdown in the United Kingdom. Stay safe Mike & family including the camera man👊
Thank You. Wishing you and yours safe and sound.
Hi Mike, what brand is your Forward foot controls on your Yellow road bike? I want to get rid of my Floor boards. I keep dragging them. Thanks you are the BEST!!!
I don't think they are a specific brand. They are the least expensive and the strongest I could find. They are chrome plated steel. I changed the pegs and spacers along the way. I bought them from Custom Chrome, but I have seen them in Drag Specialties, V-Twin, and all the other major aftermarket suppliers. I believe they are still available.
Loving the videos. So informative. Question for you. I've got a 75 motor. From 70-77 harleys cams and pinion gears had a smooth face surface and from 78 on there was a ring groove machined into the face of the gears. Why was that? And Can a person run the 78 and later cam in a 70-77 shovel? Thank you for the videos and your time. I look forward to the next ones.
The gears are a different size. You cannot mix and match them.
@@pacificmike9501 if I run a 78 and later cam with the proper sized 78 and later pinion gear though that wouldn't be a problem correct
Great vid, Mike.
Now, can you tell us what your compression ration on this motor is?
What cam did you remove, and replace it with.
I'm running an Andrews #3 ( same as the $&$ 514 ) in my 8.5:1, 90" '68 SH and am quite happy with it.
....RooDog....
Everyone is looking for something different in their motor. What goes into my own is quite often an experiment, and not always something I wish to share.
Great video what engine are you going to put in the project bike???
Hum, well, soon we'll know.
If the gasket compresses .006 and you measured .005 wouldn't you be needing .011 to wind up with .005 installed?
Yep.
I just recently discovered your channel and have been enjoying watching all your videos. Very informative presentations. I ride a 76 FLH with side car that I have owned since 1992. I really wish you would have explained why you were reducing the lift and lengthening the duration of the cam. What performance parameters did that accomplish?
I like that for cruising on the freeway. I want to get the same amount through the engine with less stress on the valvetrain. Backing off on the throttle and not having the bike slow down as rapidly. There are as many approaches to designing cams as there are the people who create them. Each designer creates his own cocktail. Some I like, some I don't. Depends on what I'm going to ask it to do.
Mike,where are you putting the feeler guage when you put the cam in ? It was hard to see. Thanks for all the great videos !!
Between the cam shim and the thrust plate.
Thanks for your videos, your camera man does a great job, a joy to watch, i have owned many bikes, never a Harley, i do like the idea of owning a shovel head in a road glide, i'm not sure if when they started making road glides, or using that style of fairing?
Good question. I think the Shovelhead FLT's came out in 1980. 80 inch motor, rubber mount, 5 speed....
Hi Mike, Just found your channel and subscribed, I have a 79 Superglide that I have owned for 39 years. I like you are methodical and also a good teacher. Do you have any advice on curing the dreaded wet sumping that the shovel is prone to. I am getting the bike ready for summer.
Welcome! It's not a Shovelhead problem. It is a characteristic of all of the Big Twins from 1936 to 1999. It's called gravity. From sitting too long, the oil from the oil tank gets past the ball and spring in the oil pump and fills the sump. Actually, the bikes that have their oil tank lower don't have the issue. Put a pan under the breather hose and let it clean itself out by running until the system balances again.
Great video very interesting I never seen a cam change on a showerhead. Thanks for taking the time to do this video.. I got 4yrs under my belt in the Harley Davison world.. I’m 46 years old. Loved then since I was a kid! Finally was able to bye my first new Harley Davison in 2016. I got a Softail Slim S, FLSS. Absolutely love it. The only thing that sucks is my state of California everything is illegal to do to the bike, Performance wise at my local Harley dealer I’m going to wait till my warrantee over before I start messing with it. #SE585Cams 🤘🏻😎
Hang around other shops too. Don't limit your education.
Pacific Mike Good advice Thank you..
Thank you Mike for in depth video love the way you go about things
Thank You.
Thanks Mike! I love the very human side of your videos It is truly real life. If at some time you could address the changing of a cam gear (I have done this by the "scribe and eyeball method") due to gear pitch issues it is more cost effective to use the gear that has been living inside the cam chest. Thanks again
I try not to do it. There have been tools made to index the gear on the cam accurately. I'll keep my eyes open for one.
@@pacificmike9501 I've come across them, kind of pricey for the home mechanic as I don't do it very often.
Thanks
Hello Mike thanks for the video. I am not a technician but I really enjoy your posts. It seems that you have already driven many miles on this bike through beautiful states. Do you have video's of these journeys that we could watch? Thanks and greetings
Nope. But, we've been asked for some of this "on the road" stuff. We're thinking hard about it.
Hey Mike, I’m putting my old shovel back together with a little more than a little help from you! I had my local shop replace the pinion shaft, and I noticed it doesn’t have an oil restrictor in it. When I asked he said it should be “full flow”. Does this sound right? It’s an 80” 1978 flh
I assume you're speaking of the flow to the rocker boxes. Restricting it a little keeps from having too much oil up there, causing heat. Harley put out a bulletin to that affect in (if memory serves) 1981. Not a huge deal, either way.
Thank you for sharing. How many miles do you got on your shovel?
Believe it or not, I bought her new in 1978. She is a 1977 FLH. For a lot of the times in my life, she was all I had. I've worn out and broken several speedos (most of which are on the shelf. As close as I can figure, a little over 400,000. Almost everything on the bike has been replaced several times.
THANK YOU...for sharing. Watched and very much enjoyed.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great videos as always, thank you, do you mind me asking what colour the fenders are?
It is a light creamy yellow. Cadillac color.
I have a 77 FX Shovel. It sat for 30yrs. She was spitting oil out of the exhaust something terrible. Sooo my nephew put new rings in it for me. We fired her up,only now to be experiencing. A dead front cylinder. Nothing coming out of exhaust. He set the lifters,tho I'd imagine improperly. He works on race car engines. So I reset them to HD Service Manual Specs. Also the way you've shown in your video's. I'm a bit hesitant to re-fire her up. Afraid something might break. Should I give it a shot ? Also you mentioned,you've replace many cams in your 77. Think I should also. Could a bad cam, be the cause of this dead cylinder. I would guess so. Any, help or guidance. Would be (Greatly) appreciated. Thank You.. Really like your channel,and skills. Great presentation...
Thank You. You know, it's really lke anything else. The only way to do her damage is to spin it over before letting the lifters bleed down. Okay. Now, run a compression check. Realize the rings probably aren't seated yet. But you should be able to get a good idea. Open the pushrod tubes and make sure, with the plugs out, that the valves are opening and closing...Check to see that you have spark to both spark plugs. I'll bet it's gonna be fine. I can't guess it from here. I have faith in you.
Hey Mike, love your tutorials and the delivery style. Best wishes from West Australia
Glad you like them!
Love this. It’s like watching a master in his craft. Like if Bob Ross worked in shovelheads instead of oils.
Thank You.
Thank you for the video! I have a 1977 flh confederate edition that I want to take out the andrews cam and put the H cam back in it.
Do you know of a way to run a S&S Super E with a stiff cable or would I be better of running a sleeve with the external cable, or change the bars completely? Another option would be to run a Super B, Linkert DC-7, I am just not familiar with these two carburetors, I could also run a bendix. Bike is a 69 flh w/sidecar.
I am loading you up here. Lol What do you do to do away with points and make the auto advance work spot on in my 69, I kind of thought of using an electronic unit used in a chainsaw or garden tractor to replace the points, I do not see why it would work, but really do not know. Thanks again!!!
First off, making a hard throttle wire (basic internal) work is just a matter of fabricating a clamp and lever setup. Then you find out you have to turn thegrip too far and change the length of the lever. Carburetors are a matter of personal preference. I runn an SU on my shovel. I ran Bendix before that. I ran the original Keihin before that. I love my SU. Different strokes. I can't remember his name, but there is a gentleman who makes a module that goes into a stock Harley distributor. He buys his components from Pertronix. Good luck. It's all we do in the world of custom building.
Yeah, I understand lever systems and how they work, I have just done so many adaptations to my bike because of the loss of my left leg that I was hoping adapting the super e would be a bit easier. Another issue is I have to run a left hand throttle. I wired up two sets of handlebars, early panhead bars with advance and mid 70's bars because I foresaw this issue, but now it is time to chose a carb to know which bars to run. I have all carbs mentioned in my earlier reply including a bendix, just am brain locked on which one to chose. My buddy just told me that he have a few SU carbs for harleys and said they were hot items in the 70's.
I asked about the distributor because I was told that the advance in these units have issues. I want to keep the stock unit because I am running a tach.
Thanks again for your time.
Hey Mike, sure is a pleasure to watch you work. I’ve learned so much from you and I am very grateful. Was wondering if you are gonna show the sidecar installation. Stay safe brother.
Thank You. When the Shovel is up and running, I'll have to fab some brackets. I'll try to show it as we go. I've never done this one before.
@@pacificmike9501 Harley sidecar?
Deer Shack watch part 1. Mans best friend wants to ride too.
Thank you Mike, you are my favorite uncle I never had. I am looking to get my first Shovel head and your videos are a great inspiration.
That is awesome!
Thanks Mike. Another great video
Thank You.
nice job Mike! Question: how do you decide what to prep gaskets with? copper coat vs grease vs dry, etc. Is it material of the gasket? the application (oil under pressure vs oil volume being sealed in) joining materials? (steel vs aluminum, dissimilar metals, etc) My last bike rebuild I used gasgacinch throughout. it being an italian bike there arent a lot of choices for gasket materials so I got whatever a parts dealer could provide, often very thin paper. the gasgacinch helped keep those in place and not getting wrinkled or torn in assembly and sometimes repeated assembly. Im always interested in learning more.
That all sounds good. I'm not that "scientific." I develop my habits from what works for me. Certain things (because they work) seem to make sense. Copper coat and gasket cinch seem very similar, except copper coat has copper suspended in it. That copper is a great filler. White lithium is a soap and softens and fills things. Your experience has probably taught you quite a bit.
@@pacificmike9501 Thanks Mike. Im always interested in hearing more and swapping tips. "Works for me" is plenty enough scientific that I'd give it a try. On my new to me Electra Glide I had to replace two out of three fairing fastener inserts. Im not doing that again - those fasteners get anti-seize from now on! ha!
A master craftsman at work teaching others
Thank You.
What's up Mike! Another great video. Just wanted to say how cool I think it is that you own a Knuckle, a Pan and a Shovel. Wondering if you have or plan on adding an Evo to the stable. Also can't wait for the new bike build...you are driving me nuts with all those awesome swap meet parts you keep coming up with! I'm from the east coast but I hope i see you "out on the road!"
Thank You. I'll look forward to it.
Hello Mike, I have been told by people in the past that high performance cams usually end up causing problems in the long run? But, I can also remember you saying in another video that Evolution engines can benefit with better performance with an up graded cam. What is the best route to go when it comes to increasing performance with a cam but not relinquishing reliability. I have a 1985 FXR with Evolution Engine. Just wanted to get you input on this. Thank-you.
A mild cam is nice. But, in reality, in 1985, Harley was still putting in a reasonably fun cam. The later ones, not so much. They continued to be pretty good through 1987. Most camshaft grinders make some pretty nice "drop in" cams. That means they install with no modification required to make them fit with your stock valve train and pistons. It's your call, but they really are strong motors.
And there you have it....! I already can't wait for the next video! 😎
Thank You.
Hi Mike, i like your restful video's a lot. Greetings from Herwijnen, Gelderland
Thank You. And, Geetings from SoCal, USA.
Hello, Mike! Why is it important to have a specific spacing for the breather?
It needs to be fitted properly, run smoothly and not have excessive "blowby."
Thank you Mike. You bought that bike in 1958, now that is amazing you still have it. Good stuff.
Try 78
1978. It was a new 1977 Model.Thank You.
@@pacificmike9501 My bad..
@@reverendbubba4473 My Bad.
Thanks Mike....my breather bore is scored slightly so i have been using the SS reed.....they say only for EVO but have run 5 k with it so far....you have any experience using the SS reed in shovels? Love how clean your ole shovel motor is 👍👍👍👍
Thank You. It depends on what else you have in your system. If you're using the stock chain oiler in your primary, it may not be functioning. I'd check with S&S, because I'm really not sure.
Pacific Mike its a simple 3 line oil system now to oil tank only.....vent , feed, return...no chain oiler... nothing is now off the pump to primary anymore.
Its working just wondered if you had done it before...i have not long term on a shovel..EVO yes i have done a couple...
Thanks again
Hey Mike, I’ve been enjoying your videos. I’ve never really been interested in Harleys. I’m more of a Ducati and BMW guy but I’m loving the shovelhead! Keep up the great videos and I’ll hope to see you on the road!
Glad you like them! I like all kinds of bikes. Some of the 60's European stuff really flips my switch too. But then, there's the thirties.
Mike, I had a discussion with David, the owner, at Velva Touch Lifters the other night, great guy by the way. I am considering installing a Velva Touch kit in my '70 Shovel (FLH), since I believe I have at least one giving me problems. I'm thinking of going with an EVO -EV-27 cam (yep, in a shovelhead). It's supposed to be a well kept secret. He recommended an S&S oil pump to increase oil volume to the lifters among other things as well as roller rocker arms. Apparently the external oil lines go away and the oil travels to the roller rocker arms up the pushrod tubes just like the EVO. I think you know a thing or two about this subject. What are your thoughts?
Sure. Why not? Although I've had a bunch of trouble free miles using Velva Touch Lifters and Jim's roller rockers, I can appreciate any improvements. I believe you're speaking of Mr. Ott. If so, yes I've spoken with him on a couple of occasions. Bright man and shares his vast knowledge. I certainly enjoyed him. Oh yah, I run a Harley 1991 oil pump on mine. Again, listen to the man. He has done extensive research.
Mike I'm on this step right now. And can't see where you're inserting the feeler gage. I think I know. But want to confirm. Are we saying that there's. 011 (or whatever it may be) of movement back n forth of the camshaft? I have a .060 shim in right now with no movement. Thank you for the awesome videos! I hope to hear back soon.
Feeler gauge goes between cam shim and cam. Yo need movement back and forth. Try a .050 shim. Try to get between .011 and .014.
@pacificmike9501 Thanx for your reply Mike. I had already figured it out. Just learning trust myself more is all. Keep up the great vids!
Never hurts to ask. But, be aware you need to check these things according to your model year. That's a lot of clearance for some of the old bikes.
@pacificmike9501 It's an 80 FLHC. I didn't see any distinction between model years in the manual for this particular clearance. But I'll double check. Thanx
@pacificmike9501 Well it turns the .060 woulda been fine. I was unaware that the lube between the cam and cam bushing had created a vacuum and wasn't allowing to move it to it's full potential. Because I didn't know that and thought I had zero end play. I cut .010 off of the .060 shim. Because I didn't want to wait for shipping and none of the local guys had any shims. So currently with the .050 in there. I'm sitting at .018. That's with cam cover torqued to spec. Looks like I'll have to wait on shipping anyway. Rookies...wadaya gonna do right Mike...😊
I don't even own a Harley Davidson but I love to watch these video's. Thank u!
Glad you like them!
splurge,be good to yourself,life is short,the road is long,harleys are worth the money,we live but once
Yep ya gotta respect a man that has a work ethic, and mechanical aptitude.
@john Micullin I've had fast! Bikes including my hayabusa, but there's something about a harley.
Fantastic you make me miss my 76 super glide and 78 low rider.
You might go looking for another Shovelhead.
Thanks Mike,ya bring back many memories,I grew up on shovel's, still have my 72, if you're ever cruising around TX let's burn some gas
Now, that could happen.
@@pacificmike9501 would enjoy it,I've got ,3 sons who all ride,I've got my 72, I also bought a thunder mountain Blackhawk,and my most recent purchase was a 2020 roadglide special,I gave my 94 Dyna to my 20 year old for his bday, godspeed and stay safe thru these troubled times my bro
Nice job Mike, love your videos. 👍
Thank You.
I love your content been watching for a while. I do have a question, does front cylinder have to be at TDC for the cam gear, pinion gear, and oil breather gear timing marks to line up?
Mike, do you use loctite? I'm not sure if I've ever seen you use it. I've had problems with bolts backing out so I typically use it on everything.
So my question is, if you don't use it, why? If you do use it, where and why there?
Another great video. Keep em coming!
There are plces I use it, and, places I don't. I use it on steel sometimes, rarely on aluminum. Just me.
mike with a old used cam why did you not put in a new cam seal in the cone cover??? just to be safe.
Everything in there has just been there a short time.
I enjoy your videos, Mike. You remind me of Bob Ross. 😂😂 No offense meant. The Bob Ross of wrenching on Shovelheads!! Stay safe man.
Thank You. That's quite a compliment.
If an expert like Pacific Mike chooses a shovel to be his road bike, they must be more reliable than the stories I have heard about them breaking down a lot LOL
Old motorcycles are a personal thing. A relationship has to be developed.
A shovel is no more reliable or unreliable than a pan, an evo, or twin cam. It all depends on the maintenace, how they were built, and how they are ridden. I had a 49 pan that was just as reliable as any of my shovels were and how my twin cam is. All my buils have been reliable. Treat them like a lady, dont try to make them do what they arent and you'll be happy. But like any lady you do have to stroke and caress them from time to time. In other words they will treat you like you treat them. Be safe.
Been loving all of your videos since I found them a couple days ago. Would it be possible for you to do videos of your bikes and show possible issues to look out for if you were buying one. I think a video like that would be great for some of us
You only take an "educated guess." It's just like buying a used car. There are videos of my bikes. We have over 180 of them on the channel. Check out our homepage and click on "videos."
What's the story with the tools that align the lifter blocks? Are these tapered screws on this bike or just something that doesn't need to be done?
I cheat on my own bike because they fall ito place and are aligned. Sorry I didn't mention it.
Hello Mike, my ‘71 Electra Glide has a terrible amount of oil, grease, and dirt on her. What would you suggest to get this goop off ? I thought that engine degreaser would be to harsh on my baby.
Okay then, Simple Green. Sometimes it takes something harsh to do the job.
i have deep scratches in my 1976 shovelhead´s breather bore. how does that effect the engine? should i buy a reamer tool or let it be that way? no oil leaking. (sorry about my bad english)
I've run some that looked pretty bad with no problem. Try it and see how well it does or doesn't send oil out the breather hose. Be sure the end play is set properly on the breather gear.
I love your videos Mike, thanks for taking the time to do them. Do you use anything on the cork pushrod tube seals
Or fit them dry? Stay safe, stay home and get that project bike done. Thanks again.
Thank You. And dry.
Don't see you do it but my gramps tought me to greese my paper gaskets couse it helps them stay in place and it helps on the seal by absorbing into the paper fibers causing swelling and filling microscopic space after assembley . Maybe seems silly to some but thats what i do .
Works fine. Typical way of doing it. Today, we spend money on fancy sealers, some better, some not. But, not silly.
Have watched this video several times was wandering what kind of specs.would you recommend for a good pulling torque cam for an early evo engine
When you say "early evo," I assume '84 - '87. If that's the case, a stock cam is quite good for "pulling torque."
Pacific Mike yes but the previous owner has put like a economic cam for high fuel mileage was thinking about the 585 but will that mean different valve springs? Thank you so much for your reply
What gear raito, primary and secondary sprockets)are you going to run for your sidecar? I have the 3R trans which has a higher 1st gear than your 4 speed, so our ratios may not be the same, I am running a 21 primary and 24 trans on my 69'flh with harley fiberglass car, does my ratio sound ok?
Are you going to change your triple trees to rake out the frontend?
Take car
Sound okay. It's really based on you. I'm using a six speed. It makes it kinda easy.
Thank you, I found there is not much to choose from as far as transmission upgrades and room, as far as that goes, on the 65-69 bikes. It would have been nice to upgrade to at least a 5 speed, as reverse can be added to on to any 5-6 speed without changing their ratios.
I guess I will find out how the 69 ratios will work, on a long trip, when I ride it on my trip from Ohio to our pow wow in Oklahoma this coming july, if it does not get cancelled, if so, just have to go somewhere else.lol
Thanks again!
I have to put a sidecar on my 77 flh, so I will probably change out the trans and add the reverse on it.
Zippers and wingnuts! I absolutely love it. Can I use that Mike?
Go for it!
I sold my 82 Shovel in 1998....I went to my hometown over the weekend to visit my parents and I was scanning the local classifieds and lo and behold I found her for sale!!!...for quite a bit cheaper than I sold it for...and only around 3500 additional miles since I sold it...changed ownership twice since I sold it.
Maybe gonna have a second time around with her!
That's a thrill. I'd like to relive some times with machines that I still love, from the past. Good luck to you.
I'm redoing my 79 shovel fxef I was wondering if you could recommend a replacement cam ? One that I don't have to do work persay plug and play lol
S&S makes one that is a direct replacement for the original and the other manufacturers produce cams that are "mild" and will go right in place of the original. Pick your poison.
The Bob Ross of motorcycle’s very cool 😎
Thank You.
Everything I see from you is just what the grey beard showed me ok my first shovel and pan build, thank you for keeping this alive on the internet.
Thank You.
How does the longer duration on the cam affect the performance of the engine.
The valve stays open longer. More lift, more flow, more duration, longer flow. Ah, but the combination. The right volume of air and fuel for the speed required and the right compression, the right carburetor. That's what makes it what I call a cocktail.
Thank you Mike for your reply
I hope to start my first shovel head build this winter. Can you suggest any years that I should steer clear of engine wise. Want to make sure before I make a purchase. Just starting with engine and transmission and go from there.
Wasn't sure if there were weak castings or other issues in certain years. Thank you again for the earlier response.
Engine cases were all fine. 66's had little case issues the later ones did not. 80-81, be careful of valve lift increases. Issues in heads. Transmissions with ratchet lids much more desirable than rotary tops.
Mike, according to David at Velva Touch Mr. Ott passed away in 2016 and he is now the sole proprietor of Velva Touch. Do you run an Evo cam in your shovel with the Velva Touch lifters, your road bike?
No, I do not. I've never met David, but it seems you've got a nice relationship started. That's very cool. I'm truly sorry to hear about Mr. Ott's passing. He made a great product and certainly schooled me on a couple of things. Thank you for the update.
Where abouts in Canada Mike ?
I had family in Vancouver ( one of my best friends and her boys, one of which is my Godson). I love Gastown. The Blarney Stone; I rode my bike through there. The Steam Clock! The people; so healthy and friendly! Fried a starter button in Stanley Park.
@@pacificmike9501 Awesome Mike , beautiful city for sure , was there in 1998 . Actually travelled through during trip to Calgary & Edmonton & further up the Alaska highway on a 2 week trip from our home in Northern Ontario !
Hey there again Mike!
Always a pleasure watching your videos. Your voice reminds me of an old friend of my dad's, he too has a very nice speaking voice. You remind me of him.
Anyway, I'm curious as to what motor you have planned for the project bike. I don't mean to pry if you're keeping it a secret, I love this stuff!
As for the east coast, there's plenty to see and just as beautiful as the west, I've been all over coast to coast. However, I miss the other side of three country tremendously. Haven't been able to see much of it in many years.
Hopefully oneday our paths may cross. In the meantime, keep up the cool videos. They're a ray of light, and we need it.
God bless.
Thank you. It really feels good to know when people actually enjoy this stuff. We're pretty amateur. I hope we meet. As for the motor, well....
I sure was glad to watch you work on your scoot this morning. I have been wanting to open up my 82 ironhead to see what is ticking in the top end but I haven’t saved enough for the gasket set yet. I am suspecting the rocker end play and I already checked my pushrod clearance’s twice but they seem just right. I hope I can meet you sometime after all this stuff clears up. Y’all stay safe and have a great day.
Thank You.
The timing cover is a vital part which holds the cam, I didn't see you use a little dab of medium Loctite on cam cover screws? On some applications I know loctite is not your friend. Good video Mr Mike, learning constantley, thank you
I don't like filling aluminum threads with thread locker. I want those threads clean. I need them to last a lifetime.
when you are out on the road do you carry a set of points just in case your dyna iggy dies?
I've been known to on a real distance run. You been lookin' in my tool bag?
Bought my 72 shovel from my boss. He owned it for 4 yrs but never heard it run. 1st thing I did was toss the aftermarket ignition and put points back in it. Rode it into work the next day and ummm yeah, he was kinda pissed. Anyways, points and carbs can be fixed quickly...
Nice job. That's the first time (that I can remember) that I've heard someone even mention checking breather tolerance during a cam change, and it's an important detail.
Being new to your channel, I have not had an opportunity to go thru and watch all your videos, so I may have missed something, but what motor is the new project bike going to run or have you not said yet?
He's keepin' us all guessing, so far.
Wow. What do you think?
@@pacificmike9501 Loving the channel!
I'm guessing Pan or early shovel on the project bike.
@@BigCarmine I'm thinkin' flattie.
I see you are running Velva Touch hydraulic lifters. Thanks! That is my company. How many miles do you have on your set of lifters???
I'd say a lot of miles. I bought them in the days of Mr. Ott. He answered all of my questions. I got them through my Drag Specialties Rep in about 1991.
@@pacificmike9501 Thanks for your prompt response. My name is David Bassford. I am the owner of Velva Touch lifters. Numerous customers have told me you got to check out this Pacific Mike guy. The first episode I viewed is of a cam change and I see you are running a set of Velva Touch lifters. I have put over 100,000 miles on a set and thought I was doing something but have been contacted by numerous customers with over 200,000 miles on a set. If you purchased yours in 1991 that would have been shortly before Vern sold the rights to build them to Comp Cams. He could not build them fast enough. The back orders took months to fill. Comp took over and production sped up. They did good for some time but then you know what happens when things are produced faster???? Comp started having some issues and Vern and I BMO PRODUCTS purchased the company back from Comp Cams many years ago. We got everything straightened out and back on track. Unfortunately Vern passed away in Oct. 2016 but the company continues on. Would you be interested in doing a Velva Touch lifter installation and adjustment video? I really like your style and presentation. I'm sure you could find a use for the set of Velva Touch lifters I could donate for the video. Please contact me if interested. I also have amassed a huge stash of parts over the years. Knuckle, Pan, Shovel mostly with some Evo. Let me know if there is anything you need.
Great work bro 👍
Thank you so much 😀
Hello Mike, my name is Pierre from Canada. I just turned 58 years old on December the first 2020. Since I'm a little kid I always liked Harley Davidson motorcycles, and could never afford one until 2009. That's when I bought my first Harley and still have it and enjoy it lots. But I'd like to get myself a shovel head fx series in the near future, 2021, when looking at them, what should I be concerned before I purchase it? I like your show.
Thank You. I try to stick with 77 or older. The ratchet lid trans is why.
Love your vids. I couldn't get my lifters out without taking off the tappet block??? 70 FLP
Okay. If you have stock lifters, the hydraulic units should slide out of the lifters. If you have aftermarket lifters, the hydraulic parts may be built into the lifters. In that case, yes, you'll have to remove the tappet blocks with the lifters.
@@pacificmike9501 Is there some kind of trick to getting them back on? Thanks, They are solid.
William H Janin
Just out of curiousity, have you ever degreed a cam? I did it on a CBR1000 Honda and was shocked to see how much the stock cam was out of time.
Yes I have. It gets rather involved to really get accurate, but super high performance guys do it.
You are the man! Keep up the awesome videos!
Thanks! Will do!
I just started watching mike and he is awesome well versed god bless
Thank You. And the best to you.
I have a 1976 shovelhead I’m running a sifton 109 in it I’d like to change it with a Andrews cam stock 74 inch motor can you recommend a cam ?
You didn't say why you want to change it. That 109 is pretty healthy if you're running high compression pistons. Again, don't know what you want.
Pacific Mike I was told it was hard on the valve train also but really just want to try something different and the motor is completely stock
Nice work Mike👍🏻
Thank You.