Thanks all of you guys for all the input, really appreciate it. And hey Carl, I may look into it but I'll have another search around here in Spain first and see what my options are.
I think the next steps are to see if anyone wants her for a "rebuild" price and if not I'll start taking her apart and see what I find. Once I'm in there I'll come back with some more information or pics of what I find....although I may start a new thread.
Maybe I'll learn how to do this in the end haha!

 

I feel the same way, Monchidog, I feel for you. Hopefully you get lucky and something positive comes your way to help sort this out. It sucks being denied the ability to get into the wind.

 

Thanks Yankee Dog, I've decided for the moment to spend $200 on some S&S Quickee pushrods, clean up the cam chest as best as possible and close her up again - she does still ride, gently...I hope. The weather here is pretty crap for quite a few weeks and I only have a covered parking which isn't very waterproof (just moved to a new place without a garage, go figure!) and I'll wait a while before making another move on her....at least this way she'll be waterproof and I can ride her to a friends garage to work on her if I go that way.

 

I can hear the sadness in your typing.

I generally try to stay away from opinion posts but seriously, I wouldn't put $$ in those push rods unless you've cut the ones that were in it to take it down this far. If you did cut them, I don't recommend that brand anyway for several reasons. If you can use what it had, you'd be better served to spend the same money on a new cam cover (with pre-honed bushings) depending on availability there of course.

You posted a video some time back. Was that before or after the new pistons / oil pump failure? It's very difficult to diagnose a noise from a video, but it almost sounded like a bad mismatch on the pinion to cam gear that causes a clacking. Not saying that's the only potential problem, just a possibility. If you get it thrown back together, post another video or 2 with it running. One from each side of the bike.

 

Hahaha....absolute sadness there, running round in circles a bit deciding which way to go so i figured while I decide (or save some cash) may as well put her back together.
Unfortunately I did cut the pushrods as i didnt want to open the top end, it was supposed to be a quick look, not a Pandora's box! What pushrods would you recommend, figured they were more economical than others but still S&S - like you say I'm trying not to spend too much on her at this point.
The video I posted was only about a month ago and the oil pump/pistons issues was around 3 years ago, so maybe as a long term result of that. I though it was maybe the inner cam bearing (why i opened the chest in the first place). There was definitely a "new" noise coming from the engine and you might be right, maybe the pinion and cam gears were mashing up. When the rain stops I will clean out the case and put the cam back in and turn the engine and see if anything obvious looks bad. I figure I still want or need to find out what the Pinion Shaft runout is before I close her up - I have a magnetic dial indicator so am figuring how to get a metal plate screwed onto the chest to check this also. Really wish I had a garage!!
Let me know what pushrods you recommend and I'll have a look for a new cam cover .
Thanks for input.

 

Well, you're stuck for push rods now. I don't care for that style/brand because they will hit the upper covers so you have to cut them (per install sheet) and they are a bit flimsy and can wobble at higher speeds - hit and make more noise. But a lot of guys run them... If you go with them, be careful ordering because the photos all look the same and the less expensive S&S Quickie ones are for a Twin Cam.

I don't know how it is getting aftermarket parts over there, but any that are NOT tapered and are listed as "install without removing tank, rocker covers" except Fueling EZ install version will serve you.

Definitely check the pinion with the dial indicator and post back. If you have or can get a micrometer, measure the bushing end of the shaft to know how cigar shaped it is.

The flywheels normally don't out of true but it can happen and without knowing the full history its just a guessing game as to the cause. From the looks of the end of the shaft though, I'd say it is out a lot or bent. Those are the later 3 piece wheels so you can't replace the shafts. There are crankshaft rebuilders in the US, and I imagine over there "some where" that can build up with weld and grind that end back to true if it's not bent, but you'd still have to take the engine all the way down.

 

Thanks t150vej, some great info there. I'll sort out the dial indicator and come back and I do have a micrometer so I'll check the pinion end. I'm scouring the internet for people who can help me locally, most aftermarket parts are available form the usual catalogues and ebay. Lets see what more information I can find out in the next day or so when the rains stop!

 

Hey Dog... I have a set of stock pushrods you can have, just pay the ride... If you like..

 

Thanks HotRod, really appreciate the kind offer but I'm trying to keep the top end on at the moment. If I do end up doing the complete strip down and rebuild I'll come back to you if that's ok and you still have them.

 

I took another look at the pic I thought had the crack in it. Now I notice the recess machined in it so no welding needed.

carl