OK were to start ?
As some of you know I recently purchased some Andrews 57H cams as well as aftermarket beehive springs that were to cheap to say no too, I have since added a set of Fueling roller lifters to my spares draw as well.
I actually had planned on fitting them this week, but other work delayed the completion of the new work platform for the bike, it is now 90% completed, bit of painting tomorrow and then fit the ramp and main work decks, then fabricate (or modify my old) front tire support guide/clamp.
However the dyno guy here is moving shop (Bike Craft) and will not be open till early next month, and I'm away to work then, so I was thinking of holding off on fitting the cams for the time being.
So was thinking about maybe doing some head work while I have the engine 1/2 apart, and only doing the dyno work once, rather than do the cams now and get it on the dyno, then do head work in the near future and having to re-dyno it again, at 480 bucks a pop.
Rollies can supply some valves AV&V (any feed back on these ?) for 105 bucks a set, and 60 bucks for the 30" head gaskets to up the compression a little.
So those parts are pretty cheap compared to re running the dyno tuning, and have the performance advantages as well.
However the size they quoted on was 1.990" for the inlet, which is too big for the std seat, anything over 1.940" is listed as needing bigger seats.
I don't have an issue fitting bigger seats if required, but I wanted to ask the engine builders on here what they feel would be a good valve size to go to with the stock sized throttle body and the 57H cams, I want a more low-mid engine rather than a mid-top engine, so don't want to go to big and kill the low end.
Also Rollies were on about checking clearances, and I guess with the all but 2 inch valves they quoted on and more cam lift, coupled with the thinner head gaskets that would be prudent, so what is the accepted valve to piston clearance range guys ? As I guess that is what they were on about. However if you have to machine valve clearance into the pistons for the valves I'm not sure if the thinner head gaskets would increase or reduce the compression ratio in the end, unless you change the pistons as well, which is a bit beyond were I want to go right now. I'll save that carry on if I decide to go 1x? :)
I'll be speaking to Russel about it, as he will have to machine the valve seats, as I don't have access to that sort of equipment anymore :(
The head work will be new tapered guides, mild clean-up and porting work, and new bigger valves, fit the beehive springs and new stem seals and refitting the heads with the 30 thou head gaskets, if I had the cash I would do roller rockers too.
So now I have waffled on and hopefully you guys know were I'm up too and were my head is at, let the what is the best valve size debate begin :)
Cheers
Ken
Thanks for the replies fellas.
1.90" was what I believed to be the max size for a 103 not the 1.94" listed, however that figure is out of their parts book, maybe OK for a 107 or 110 perhaps.
What I am worried about is going too big and losing the air velocity and lower range power.
Are you suggesting to maybe only go as big as the next size down which is 0.185 ? which is the next step up from stock by the looks.
The handbrake is back from O/S on Monday night, so I'm hoping to get down to Bike craft on Tuesday and talk to Russel.
I thinks that is the exhaust size they quoted on Daggs, and the largest I can see in the catalogue for the 7mm valve stems.
O do you stay with 7mm or go up to 5/16, as I am changing guides it is an option, few more to pick from in that size, especially in the exhaust valves.
I'll have to see what style valve keepers came with the springs that came with the cams I have, as the 7mm are 3 groove and the 5/16 are single.
The later style heads apparently are a whole lot better than the early ones flow wise, and should port up very nicely.
Thanks for the further replies.
Sorry Hilly I have to overthink it I'm an Engineer :)
Sorry Daggs do tend to think out load, see the above point to Hilly....
I'm also thinking of the future Speedzter, but I'll talk to Russel about it, not sure if only doing the inlets will save much coin, and what the engine performance difference will be staying stock vs going up a bit.
As to who is doing the porting work, it will probably be me, for a few reasons, one is cash, I do not have the funds to pay someone else to do it at the moment and secondly the level of port work that I plan on doing at this modification level I'm confident I can do, not the first cab off the rank so to speak, it's not like I'm going to be a wildly hogging it out, more of a clean up and blend, port match the intake, and exhaust, clean up the throttle body etc.
As to changing out the guides, new valves is new guides in my playbook, it's not like they are that expensive and besides the aftermarket ones flow better.
I am not new to engine work, just Harleys :) Which is why I have you guys isn't it :)
Russel up here is supposed to know his stuff, and I hope to have a natter to him on Tuesday.
I had a chat with Alan on the phone and talked to one of the guys at Bike Craft today, Russel was out unfortunately.
The heads are currently stock as is the throttle body, however they will be cleaned up and ported as I said.
Yes I have springs that the guy bought with the cams (as recommended by whoever he bought them from), they are Screaming Eagle ones part number 18013-03A found on page 521 of the Harley after market parts catalogue.
After speaking with Alan, the stated spring pressure is listed as 208 lbs. which is above what he recommended, so I might be staying with the stock springs perhaps, but I did get new Fueling lifters which I will use with the stock pushrods.
I priced one engine shop up here and they want an estimated 50 bucks per valve seat to just machine them, does that sound high to you guys ? That's an estimated 200 bucks to cut 4 seats, about what the new valves will cost.
To ask a further question, if I decide to fit roller rockers, what are the better choices brand wise, S&S and Jims and Screaming Eagle are ones that I know of, S&S are supposed to very good quality as are Jims ones but are there any others to consider ?
