Does this airhead make me an airhead?

[lonelobo]

Somewhere it's Miller Time

Didn't take any pix of dropping the driveshaft. I had all the transmission bolts out and she would slide back a bit, but the clutch lever on the back kept hitting the frame and wouldn't allow me to slide it back far enough for removal. I avoided pulling the lever off because according to one of the on line fiche's it should have a threaded end and a nut that kept it from coming off. There was NO nut. I finally went to another online fiche and found there was another variation that has a E-clip. But look as I might I couldn't find a clip. Then, Hillbilly Mechanic rule #2 popped into my head. Iffin it otta come out, hit it with sumpin. I used what was in my hand at the time...a screwdriver and the pin popped out. The e clip was indeed missing and nowhere to be found. Imagifukin that?!
Even better is when the needle bearing came out with exactly 1 needle still intact.

I want to take a moment to point out to those of you who have advised me to part this bike out that I have yet to come upon a part that could be sold without several national and state consumer protection laws being broken.

Now, just when you're thinkin to yourself that things can't get much worse.....
and I can hardly bear to say this because it verifies my:

1) impatience
2) stupidity
3) belief that faith can trump physics

First, we have to take a couple of steps back. For some stupid unknown reason, I never put the oil pan back on after finding all the nasty con rod bits. I think that my subconscious mind was absolutely positive that transmission fairies can't travel down through the engine to miraculously fix it, they must in fact, have the pan left off so they can do their magic while on their backs as we sleep.

Anyhow, I also meant to fabricate something to make the lift work better with the bike but never got around to it. I had to put a couple of pieces of wood on each leg of the lift to avoid hitting the oil sump. Then, when I pulled the wheel and dropped the drive shaft, physics happened.

The bike pulled forward just enough to start bending the oil sump cover. So thinking really fast, I got a bottle jack and a piece of 1X4 and got the rear end lifted enough to get the pressure off the oil screen. Now, I just needed to stabilize it while I figured out how to get the oil pan back on so the big lift could do it's job unhindered.

Hey looky here, there's a big ole sturdy 5 gal bucket that I can rest the rear swingarm tabs on just for a minute while I get the oil pan on while the big lift is lowered....
so who of you can project now about 45 seconds into this Patton like plan to conquer the oil pan and predict what happened next?

I swear, I thought 5 gallon sheetrock texture buckets were much stronger.

 

[lonelobo]

Renegade flips over all the gawking

So, like I was about to say, when you scream the word NO really really really loud, it doesn't change the nature of the universe and the laws of physics are not altered. Maybe if I had just been a tiny bit louder, I could have bent the space time continuum and stopped the Renegade in mid air as he flipped almost upside down off the stand/bucket/bottle jack to end up on his right side, leaking bodily fluids from all open and some closed orifaces.

No, there are no pictures of this exact event.

Can we just agree that I was really really really pi$$ed at myself for lack of critical thinking. So P.O.'d in fact that I dead lifted the bike back onto the lift. Well, the front wheel was technically still on the ground, but I couldn't think of anything other than brute force to solve the problem. Then I got the brake lever stuck UNDER the lift's tube and couldn't let go because it was trying to rotate it off the lift again....so,
another grunt and it's finally back on the lift.

Yes, there is damage. Right side blinker has blinked it's last blink. And the voltmeter housing got dusted as well. My blood pressure finally went down enough that I thought to take some pix.

But what really scared me was this:

It appears that the bottom engine studs are fine but the top studs are bent. Doesn't look to be any damage to the case threads. Can these studs be straightened? What's the critical dimension here?

 

[crazydrummerdude]

Oh no!

 

[108625]

It looks like they're bent at the threads; take them out and roll them across a flat pane of glass or a large enough machined surface (like the top of a table saw) and look for the daylight.
Metal that is bent is metal that is stretched on the outside (heel) of the bend. Straightening it doesn't compress that, it just stretches what was the inside (throat) of the bend to match. It will be straight, but it will also be compromised, as every stretch is a breaking of the bond in the material providing it's tensile strength. Have you ever remove an old lag bolt or anchor stud from concrete just by bending it back and forth until it snaps off, usually at the threads?

 

[sumran]

You could offer valuable contributions to this thread.

http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=37212

 

[lonelobo]

See, I DO have a purpose....

Sumran,
I serve as a bad example on so many threads on multiple lists that I've lost count. These include, but are not limited to woodworking, audiophile systems and recordings, and vintage tools. Get in line. I am a torte lawyers worst nightmare. But my mother still loves me and that's all I need.

And I can bench press a R100T....without the rear wheel...

 

[lonelobo]

So Anyway

So,
what did I do after the Fall of the 4th Reich, er, Renegade?

First, I removed said tranny and check the splines:

And the other end:

These splines are the first thing I've seen that look good. So, now to remove the heart of the beast.

Somehow, the story of Abraham getting ready to sacrifice his son comes to mind here. I wish I knew what THAT means!

 

[lonelobo]

Exploratory Surgery Continued

So I hit up my machinist friend who has bore measuring devices and he measures piston bores whilst I write down numbers (in inches):

Right Cylinder Base, 3.702/3.702
Right Cylinder Middle, 3.703/3.702
Right Cylinder Top, 3.703/3.703

Right Piston, 3.696

Left Cylinder Base, 3.702/3.702
Left Cylinder Middle, 3.703/3.703
Left Cylinder Top, 3.703/3.703

Left Piston, 3.698

Looks to me through my Hillbilly Calculator that the Right hand piston to cylinder clearance is around .006 and the Left hand piston to cylinder clearance is .003-.004, give or take (this is why I could never be a machinist)

BMW calls for .002

Some knowledgeable people say it "has" to be bored oversize with new pistons installed. Other knowledgeable people say they have never taken an older running airhead apart that was "Ever" within spec regarding piston to cylinder clearance and that ring gap is what is important.

This whole dualling expert thing has it's moments, some good and some bad.

I figure it's time to let the Renegade see some fresh meat and so we headed to the Tech Day at TMS (Texas Motor Speedway)

Kinda nice mix of airheads and oilheads and some seriously experienced wrenches.

If they would just clean this place up a little bit and make some more room, maybe more people would come.

Finally, Renegade has some company:

Many eyes jealously look over the mighty Renegade and there are tools for more measuring. I figure if you can't ride, you can always measure.

Through the generous help of several good wrenchs and the straight rods sent to me gratis from a generous benefactor and some plastigage, it was determined that with the used bearings that came with the straight rods, there is .001 clearance on the left connecting rod journal (albeight where we measured is only 1 place).

Here's the other end of the cramped garage:

General consensus of the gathered group is the throw it back together with the straight rods and new bearings....After checking out the oil pump and replacing the rear seal. Some think the stain/pit on the right jug will mostly hone out and is no big deal. Others shrink in horror of me even thinking of using it without a total rebore. Yet another expert spit and stinkoff.

At this point, I'm not spending any money by further disassembly of the oil pump. Plus I get to learn about the clutch and it's deadly springs. What could go wrong?

 

[lonelobo]

Deeper and deeper I go

Today it was a little over 100 degrees so of course, I decide to work in the garage. First, I found a great way to mark all the parts of the clutch and flywheel to realign them later, hopefully balanced. Sharpie makes a silver pen that works great on rust and dark metal.

I had found some 8mm x 50mm bolts to use to release the clutch pressure at Northern Tool where I was told that there's only one thread for metric. I found that hard to believe and sure to form, my suspicions were correct. The metric bolts I got were 8mm x 50mm 1.25. 1.25 is the metric equivalent of SAE Coarse thread. What I needed was 8mm x 50mm 1.0 which is the metric equivalent of SAE Fine thread.

Great....Home Depot had 8mm x 50mm 1.0...yeah....
But only 2 and I needed 3 for proper pressure spreading. So I have to drive to yet another Home Depot which is diametrically opposed from the 1st one from my house. Finally, the 3rd elusive bolt was within my grimey clutches (not to be confused with my grimey clutch) and I was set. Why this procedure was making me nervous is beyond me, so I did what any nervous hillbilly mechanic would do, I drank beer.

Beer lubricates all things hillbilly and within minutes the clutch was off like a 18 year old's prom dress.
Then, I recalled that I needed to block the rotor so the crank won't move forward off it's nipples. Did that with a Nylon Bolt cut to about 3/4" and the front cover and a strap.

Then, a vague feeling of hillbilly knowledge krept up on me like a grizzle bar in the rut. Somewhere in the bear den of hibernation that is my memory came this idea. I know I must have seen this on the fabulous internet SOMEWHERE>>>

So, I fabricated this to keep the flywheel still while I plyed my trade on it with a power tool.

The right upper bolt stays in the engine block when you take the tranny off. The upper left bolt is one that I got by mistake from Northern Tool. It's 8mm x 50mm 1.25 (course thread).

Now between the beer and the B-12 fumes I was feeling like I might know what to do next. One thing I DID notice is that there were center punch marks all over the flywheel and crankshaft so me thinks I'm not the first hillbilly in these here parts.

PS/The pressure plate measured .140" Any thinner and I could deep fry it.

 

[lonelobo]

Oil pump, oil shump

Here's the oil pump exposed for the rotational little hussy that she is.

Follow are a series of pics showing condition of said hussy. So how beat up and scored is TOO beat up and scored?

To be honest, the pictures look worse than the parts feel. Yes, you can feel a bit of roughness, but no individual scratches or channels.

Let the voting begin. I am not happy with what I see here, but don't have the experience to know what the consequences of a bit of roughness in this type of oil pump are. My understanding is they are the cockroaches of oil pumps and survive where many others fail.

Am I inside or outside the asylum walls? I can't tell anymore.

 

[squiffynimrod]

Enough motorcycle crap! What about the beer?! Shiner Smokehaus, never had that. Shiner was recommended to me as a Texas made product to rival some good micro's. Does that say "Mesquite smoked" on the label? I'm curious as to your take on that product. Then, back to the motorcycle crap.

Steve

 

[lonelobo]

Shiner rocks!

Yes, just a hint of Mesquite to complement savory road kill upon the grill with other swill.
Yes, dear friends, Shiner has been yuppified. Shiner Bock used to be real Bock, got it once a year in limited quantities cause it only happened when they cleaned the plant. Now, they make it by the trainload.

The real Speotzel Brewery is turning in it's grave now that the bean counters are in charge. Not bad beer, but not the beer I was suckled on either. Oh, the humanity......

 

[lonelobo]

Hello....is this thing on? Hello....

Despite the almost complete lack of response to my previous string of posts (you all better be packing for the nationals) I will continue if only to provide myself with documentation of my densosity.

Today, I made the obligatory measurements in the oil pump arena and found the following:

Outside Rotor to Case Clearance=.005in./Spec is .0039in.
Inner to Outer Rotor Clearance=.009in/Spec is .0047-.0079in.
Clearance from Rotors to Pump cover=.003in/Spec is .00275in.
Outer Rotor OD=2.243in/spec is 2.248" (-.001)
Pump housing ID=2.247in/Spec is 2.252" (+.0018)

Cliff Note Version: All clearances are out by about .001"

Hillbilly logic aided by Santa Fe Pale Ale thinks that new gears may take me down/up to acceptable tolerances. Biggest wear appears between the 2 gears which is where I would expect it to be AND where most visual wear is evident.

Any thoughts out there? Anyone out there.....HELLO......HELLOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

[108625]

I tried new steel gears in a worn aluminum bodied pump once (as a teenager), in a Buick V-8.
After careful reassembly, the oil light flickered back on shortly after the engine warmed up. I had to take everything back apart and replace the timing housing that the pump body was integral to. I think you would be ill advised to put work and money into the bottom end and then try to get lucky with that pump.

 

[lonelobo]

Finally, a bit of good news

Consensus from the Airhead list seems to be that if I replace the gears I should be ok as long as I don't redline the motor routinely. I don't think I've ever redlined anything cept a tricycle when I was 4. That STILL hurts! Apparently the pump has greatly over engineered capacity.

So, it looks like I have come to a fork in the road and must take it. Right now, my thinking is that most of the high dollar needs for the Renegade are NOT motor related. IE. final drive & wheel splines/clutch plate/etc. If I resurrect the bike slowly as time and funds allow (it'll be a long time if funds are involved, but then there's a closet full of 70's classic stereo components and boxes of vintage woodworking hand tools to sell on ebay to fund the latest obsession), and barter as much video production work for motorcycle restoration work as I can, I should have a decent rolling frame to set the engine/tranny back into. If I slap the engine back together with straight rods and new rear seal and oil pump parts, the engine is the least of my expenses as the heads seem to be ok for the time being. Then, if the engine blows or seizes, I pull it and salvage all top end parts that I can and build something with a new old block.

I just scored a set of straight engine studs for $9.99 on the Bay. I'm going to make a list of everything I need and post it here later in hopes that many eyes watching Craiglists and Ebay and BMWMOA, etc is better than just just my own peepers.

Just for the record, if the motor does go south, Bob is getting a certificate of "I Told You So" signed by Renegade hisself. Bob, thanks for all the warnings...your advice was/is not squandered. I just wish you were with me when I bought the POS to bitCHslap me back to my senses. The fact that you live in Montana is proof that you're smarter than most of us. My economic situation is a blessing in many ways as I now understand why rich people don't buy really nice trailer houses. Or, really worn out motorcycles.

 

[crazydrummerdude]

It's good that you've marched on.

I was afraid that when Renegade had a great fall, you'd pause the project.

For what it's worth, my uncle was once a semi-professional racecar driver, and more recently owned a junkyard. Recently while I was working on the engine of my 1929 Ford Model A project, he told me a story about some old Pontiac or something engine that was so worn, you "could hide a nickel in the groove" but it still ran just fine.

The moral of that talk with him was "Just see if it will work."

My R90 probably could/"should" have been bored out, but I just honed it, put new rings in, and she runs like a top.

 

[lonelobo]

CDD U R an Old Soul at Hart

CDD,
Didn't know you had a Model A. Victor Duncan, who passed just last year, was a mentor of mine in the film biz and was an AVID Model A Club guy and restorer. At one time, I think he had 6 or 7 completely and beautifully restored A's, including one that was set up as a period cinematographer's truck, with custom painted signs, etc. In fact, he made several "how to" films for the Model A world that are still around. They were all very cheesy, but had good information. Victor got his start as a machinist modifying film cameras in Detroit, so Model A's were simple for him. He was a generous soul and we all miss him.

 

[BUBBAZANETTI]

don't have much advice to offer, but this sure is a fun thread!

 

[sumran]

Recently while I was working on the engine of my 1929 Ford Model A project...

Where is the thread on the Model A project?

 

[crazydrummerdude]

Where is the thread on the Model A project?

I'll start one tonight or tomorrow, since there seems to be some interest.