tdrglide, thanks for replying. What will i be looking/listening/feeling for as i rotate the tire?
Should i put a thumb on the spark plug hole to feel for pressure as the pistons move up and down?

this is why theory is far less valuable than experience!

thanks!

 

Wait for the Harley manual to start work. Rebuilding the cam chest would be the first order of business but, at this point, we don't know if we are dealing with 88" or 95"? pistons flat tops or domes? head work? JMHO but I would be pulling the heads to try and get a better idea of what I was working with before ordring cams. I think I would go as far as having the heads disassembled, cleaned up, guides checked for wear, new guide seals, chambers measured and reassembled. Who knows, heats may have been ported or maybe later '07 heads. At least remove the rocker covers and see if springs are early straight wound or later beehive. If you paid "junk" price for the bike, IMHO, spend some money and find out what you have bought before developing a build plan.

Gear driven cams will cost a bit more but removes the maintenance issue associated with chain driven cams and tensioners that wear. Crank run out is probably within tolerances for gear drive but worth checking. Once a baseline motor configuration has been established, order compatible cams, reinstall the heads, fire up the motor and see how she runs.

 

if same as '04 TC88, it's a tapered wire mesh gasket that gets positioned in the head before pipe goes on.
If I hadn't of read the manual, I wouldn't of known the old ones were there by looking.

I used dental picks to pry 'n pull the old out


..L.T.A.

 

I guess my first post here should have been my second post.
At this point, just make sure it rolls over. Looks like you have a project. Could be fun.
Check all the parts that came with for wear or scoring or any debris. That might offer a clue of why it is where is. I would also check crankshaft run-out. Also check crankshaft pinion where it rides in cam support plate for scoring. I would also be pulling heads and inspect measure cylinder bore. Also stroke. You never know... Inspecting heads best left done by a professional head porting shop
What I'm trying to say is it looks like someone just slapped things back together so it looked good on the outside
Any idea what cams are in the cam plate? Post pic of cams in cam plate from other side

 

I totally agree with djl and tdr glide.. Seems as if the PO was doing a cam upgrade and didn't adjust the pushrod properly.. Happens more than you think.. Obviously the exhaust pushrods are not in the bike as well.. As the motor sits in the above pic, all valves should be closed.. If you can put air into the cylinder and listen for air escaping the intake or exhaust valves. This will help to confirm wether or not the PO bent any valves.. If that passes then I would assemble the cam chest and adjust the pushrods then turn the motor over by hand and confirm 4 complete revolutions without binding.. But as said if you really want to know what is in this motor you should disassemble the heads have them check and check cylinder bores and pistons..

 

The factory service manual arrived today so i will begin absorbing as much as i can from that. the cams that are in the cam plate (in the box) are stamped Andrews TW60A. The information on the Andrews cam that i could find indicated the TW60A needed different valve springs than stock. Were they trying to build for more HP?

I lifted the rear wheel. With the plugs removed in Neutral the wheel was easy to turn. I put it in 5th gear and could turn the wheel (not as easy as N but no real force required). I did 20 rotations. i could hear what sounded like air sucking in (intake?) and keep turning and air would rush out. I didn't calibrate my assistant, but she said she could only hear it in the rear cylinder. if it helps for me to repeat the test to give you more information, or set a visual clue for the front cylinder, i can.

 

thanks for taking time to reply! I have 4 labeled pushrods in the parts box. I didn't remove the pushrod covers to see if any are in the motor. assumed not since the front cylinder lifters are not in the tappet blocks. I should not assume. This pressure test would be using a cylinder leak tester correct? I can at least do what you are suggesting without buying any parts other than a test tool. All that would take is my time since i don' t have to start the motor. I know i am missing o-rings and gaskets if i were to try to put it all back together pretending it would run.
if the pushrods are not adjusted properly and you start it will it bend the valves? do the lifters have to be a match for the cams, or are they all pretty much the same?
I will start looking for a shop. More and more this project is looking like i will need an experienced person to help see what is actually in this thing. several of you have suggested getting an experienced mechanic to take a look to help see what might have been done by the PO. Can i do this by taking pistons, cylinders, rocker assembly or do i have to pull the whole engine? is it better to pull the whole engine and let them open it?

 

TW60A are big duration, high compression cams. Not for anything anywhere near stock. More suited for big cu in, high compression build. Over 11:1. Time to pull heads and measure cylinder bore and stroke, see what you have. Go ahead and pull the other pushrod tube clips. I doubt there is anything in there. Hydraulic conversion style cam plate you have is better than stock set up. Also, look at your oil pump. Is that inner georotor broken? Looks like the oil pump grenaded. Check crank runout. Also old style inner silent chain looks a little funny on the one sprocket. "Mechanics special" was right.

 

I wonder now if the problem from the beginning wasn’t the OEM tensioner coming apart and they tried to fix it? No way to know at this point, just go forward.
when I started looking at the assortment of parts I figured at a minimum I would buy a complete cam chest kit so at least I would know those parts went together.
If the tensioner came apart and “grenaded “ the motor what does that mean? I see the term used often but don’t fully understand what that means.

the engine would turn freely in 5 th gear with the wheel up but it seemed like air only moved through of the rear cylinder. Is this expected since there are no cams to operate the valves?

 

Your tensioner did not grenade. Looks like your Feuling oil pump may have. By that I mean broken into pieces.
Check your oil pump georotors. Yours looks broken from the picture but could be just shadows. They don't break for no reason. Post a picture of the oil pump parts, disassembled

You have a "hybrid" style cam support plate set-up with hydraulic tensioners. Same as harley SE cam plate. Not a bad way to go but not the best IMO.
2002 originally came with spring loaded chain tensioners which would wear out and sometimes come apart and take out other parts with them, "grenade", if not replaced every so often.

You have some non-standard parts here. They may not match up well with your service manuals. Take a look inside cylinders through spark plug holes with a borescope. Maybe domed pistons.

I would at least be pulling heads as a start.

If this were mine it would get a complete tear down and inspection

Nice bike. Wonder what they were up to...