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Ed C's '73 TR7RV Project

2K views 32 replies 3 participants last post by  GrandPaulZ 
#1 ·
I'm doing the engine bottom end overhaul for Ed, he's already got the rolling chassis and a beautifully painted tank, plus a bunch of chromed stuff and new parts (some on the chassis already). The cylinders were already bored, and a full valve job done on the head (head, cylinders & rockerboxes are painted).

I picked the engine up a few weeks ago, and finally got time to tear it all apart (top end was in place loosely), wash everything, inspect and measure the wear parts, and come up with a parts list.

So, here is the photo shoot from the tear-down...

Rockerboxes were set in place backwards (no worries, marc)

Beautiful new valves and clean head

Grungy area around the sprocket immediately told me the bottom end hadn't been worked on.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
As soon as I opened the clutch pressure plate up, I knew what was coming...

Sure enough, one frozen stack of clutch plates (entire stack hanging from my fingernail on the outside plate).

Also, torn alternator lead rubber boot.
 

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#4 ·
Primary chain tensioner shows the slightest sign of use; primary chain is like new.

Typical layer of sludge on the bottom of the primary case, I've DEFINITELY seen worse!

Routing on the primary chain oiler tube was less than optimal, the chain sawed most of the way thru the tube.
 

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#8 ·
Tach drive stat-o-seal washer was missing it's rubber bit, so the previous person who worked on it used blue RTV.

Drive sprocket worn / fishooked, it'll be replaced.

Oil pump not too filthy on the outside, it was suprisingly clean inside.
 

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#9 ·
Primary case empty.

Tranny inner cover with NON-typical sludge. Usually it's MUCH WORSE! This stuff at least looked like OIL, not gravy.

Ruh-roh Scooby, somebody had installed the driving dog backwards. Flat face is supposed to be INSIDE, to provide full contact with the driven dogs on the next cog.

Yep, somebody's been in here before...
 

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#10 ·
One of the gear bushings was not pressed fully in place, and could have resulted in a crashed gearbox. I pressed it fully home (it was not loose within the gear, so not simply slipped out).

Primary side case slip right off, had to fill a box with shredded paper, set the timing side case half over one corner, then smack the crank nose with a mallet (of course with a piece of hardwood to protect it!) Cases were actually somewhat cleaner than is typical; still, some sludge.

Only took 4 sharp whacks...
 

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#11 ·
One side faces of the rods, typical scuffs, no gouges or deep scratches

Other side faces of the rods, same condition.

Crank journals are in excellent shape, no re-grind needed.

Bearing shells (STD) are only lightly worn, no significant damage at all. They'll be replaced.
 

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#12 ·
Obvious signs this bottom end was delved into at some point in the past.

Cleaned up the peening on the sludge trap plug, but it refused to budge. So, I welded a large washer's i.d. onto the plug face, then welded a large nut to the washer. Let it cool, and extracted the plug with just moderate effort.

Sludge tube was approx. 15-20% plugged.
 

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#13 ·
I used a chopped off spoke to slip into the bolt hole in the sludge tube, clamped the spoke with a pair of vice grips, then started tapping it out with a hammer. Only took a handful of whacks and it slipped free.

About a tablespoon full of sludge came out with manual scraping, almost as much needed to be scrubbed out with solvent and baby bottle brush.

Box full of dirty parts and a set of empty cases...
 

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#17 ·
Hey GP,
I'm surprised that the piston rods don't have bronze bushings in the small ends. I guess that's normal on these bikes because my piston rods also look like the ones in your photos.

Are you concerned about the rods getting nicked up being lumped in with all those other parts to be cleaned or are you going to sand them smooth after degreasing them? I'm interested to know how far to go in cleaning up the rods in my bike....Gary
 
#22 ·
Thoroughly cleaned sludge trap, installed sludge tube, flywheel bolt, sludge trap plug, staked plug.

Cleaned rods & crank, lubed journals, installed shells & torqued rods. Applied a dab of loctite to the nuts after torquing, Installed crank in cases and nipped up.
 

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#23 ·
Installed new needle bearings & seal on final drive gear, installed gear cluster.

Installed tach drive with new stat-o-seal washer.

Installed new sprocket, tightened nut & bent tabbed washer.

Installed new seal in sprocket door, installed w/ new gasket.
 

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#24 ·
Fought the clutch rubbers into their final resting places by cinching up an old clutch hub in the vice, then using my clutch locking tool to rotate the housing against the internal spider. Sure helps!

Installed new primary sprocket oiler tube, all 20 rollers in place with a touch of grease (new thrust washer behind).

Installed primary, clutch & alternator with new rubber bootie for the alternator pigtail. This side is done.
 

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