While doing some work on my Shovel, I pulled the cam, and found a bad spot on each lobe, that looks like was probably caused by sitting untouched for a long time with dirty oil in it (which it did, before I bought it). The mark spacing on the lobes is consistent with the lifter positions. I'm going to replace the cam, and rebuild the rollers, but I'm wondering if the lower end bearings and shafts might have more of the same damage.
Any thoughts?
I put around 300 miles on it after I got it running, with no apparent problems, but know that a problem of this sort wouldn't necessarily show up for a while.

 

How far to go ? Boy if that aint the million dollar question..
Started out that the starter was dragging.
Then I wanted to isolate the primary
might as well look at that top end
better check that bottom end while it is apart..

 

ROTFL, that happened to my Pan last year... only worse,and still haven't finished with all the problems I found. There can be such a thing as too many projects at one time.

 

Boy howdy to both of you on that one , hehe . To the OP some cams and shovels didn't get along well and would eat the lobes , what brand & grind did you have and solid lifters or Hyd. ?

Capt. My hats off to you for the moxie to get busy and do it right my respect level for you has grown brother . After seeing your stable I didn't expect less out of you really , you just may not have realized where you where headed but I saw the signs early bro . Kudo's ..

 

TwiZted, it is an Andrews A, with solids.

I wouldn't hesitate to pull it down and look, but the Pan is still occupying entirely too much work space in my shop, instead of being ridden... It sucks to have three bikes, and only one is ride-able.
Oh hell, I've got it down this far, and if I don't check it out, I'll be wondering...

 

I'm not a big fan of Andrews for shovels but that one isn't a usual problem child for self destructing . Check you lifter rollers and the oil pump if ones sloppy .

 

Thanks for the input, TwiZted, I think I'll clear off some bench space today and open it up. What cams do you like for shovels? Stock, or with the 4 3/4" wheels I've been contemplating (finally got a price, and it's reasonable)? S&S?
Capt, I love the Mack mascot on your headlight!

BTW, I've been cleaning up the ports and combustion chambers in the heads, just removing the casting flash in the intake ports, but trying to polish the exhaust and chambers. Is it common to have dramatic differences between the ports of the front and rear heads? Seems like I have seen it before, but can't remember where. This is my first Shovel, but I had a '70 XLCH many years ago, maybe that's where I saw it.

 

Broke a roller JIMS in my 76 shovel stroked to 84 in. did a top end just to check it no problem LUCKY; i put magnet in my oil tank beneath the oil return GOOD IDEA, I have it stroked out to 84 in. and have over 55000 on the lower end with no problems yet. I run the hyd. B grind cam. ....69 sporty// 76shovel///98fatboy......can;t afford anymore.............

 

I like the Vthunder shovel cams , designed for hyd. lifter and the power band comes on early around 1500 RPM and makes good ponies to 7000 rpm on the big ones . With a set of Jims lifters , balanced & printed with the heads done for big lift spring my old 4-1/4" stroke 88" shovel went there regular without protest , or all the usaul valve train and upper noise most shovels are famous for .

If your going big look at their SHV 4031 or 4041 series . http://www.compperformancegroupstore.../merchant.mvc?

Andrews are a drag design cam they don't hit the power band till 2500 rpm so your down shifting and revving to bring them on all the time , roll on performance sucks unless your on it hard all the time . They are also an aggressive ramp design trying to use solids or hdy. lifters and so don't do either the best it could and this tends to be hard on lifter rollers and knocks them out running solids over long periods . Just hammers them is what happens , also why Sifton isn't around anymore those ate lobes an lifters regular . I've also had several problems with Andrews A & B cams having the gear as much 30 degrees out of time fresh out the box so a degree wheel timing check is suggested to anyone with using them if you have that something just isn't right feeling and timing issues .

Crane cams are ok , work ok but no wow factor I ever found in the combinations tried over the years in inches or cams and again no real omph till over 2500 to 2800 rpms and thats 65 in 4th cruising so to go round something it's a pig till the R's go up over 3000 .

About the flywheels and I'm going to **** off all the S&S bandwagon guys , my personal experience with their rods leave less than happy I have 6gal. bucket full of S&S rod sets the crank pins wiped out on , all street bikes . I've had much better results with decent import rods and good crankpins over S&S at 1/2 the price . Look up Truett & Osborn and call them for prices the web site is screwed , They will build to spec for you without all of S&S ego bullshit to deal with and the prices are good and they were doing this when S&S was screwing around experimenting still . Ultima is next for choice in a complete assy.

http://www.truettandosborn.com/index.html

 

Hey twizted, what do you think about leinweber's cams? Small company, a one man show at this point. Back in the day, 1st rate. Now? Looking for one for my shovel. What say you?