Thanks all !
I'm truly grateful for all your advise.
Please don't get me wrong if I do not follow all your advise.
Does in no way imply that it's not good advise,
just that time and money makes it impossible
or the simple fact that I can no follow them all as some
are somewhat contradicting.
Take it in a positive way:
when I blow this little devil to smithereens
it won't be because of your advise
.-)
In fact I've made a list of them and will contemplate all
and judge what can be done.
I do believe that some, if not most of the problems are due to excess heat:
bad ignition timing , maybe bad jetting and the simple fact that a
supercharged flat-head should be run on alcohol to cool things down.
There's a few thing that I most probably will do and not do:
The idea of supporting the heads by welding on an 'upright' piece
...is out.
It will disturb the airflow. Don't wanna do that.
The newest idea is to weld on additional material at the points where
there is the least material to support the gasket
...and of cause flat it down to be flush with the head-surface.
Seamed to be the area where the gaskets broke up.
...copper gaskets
...bigger washers
...new bolts
I'll look into the 'girdle'-idea but I'm afraid I just won't have the time to do it.
I'll bring a spare set of heads.
Moen found a set for me
...a few fins are broken and I need to have the washer 'bearing' surfaces machined etc.
but they'll work and having an extra set gives a certain peace of mind.
Is this then the end of the troubles ?
Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !!!!!!
Checked the valves:
Goodness this little devil certainly is intend to self-destruct
fastlike:
One exhaust valve was ever so slightly bend,
as in: the head was not in angle with the stem
and the other exhaust was worse
AND the stem was pitted
Huh ?
I can find no explanation but violently excessive heat. (
)
There was no trace of the valves interfering with the head.
So what could I do but call the local Indian Parts Delivery Service ?
Some call for pizza delivery.
No me.
Moen dropped by on his wonderful little Moto Morini
...with a set of valves
and after a bit of lapping
..in they want.
So was this the end of the troubles ?
Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !!!!!!
The machinist working on my crank called.
Baaaaaad news:
when putting in and torquing up the nuts on the crank-shaft...
( I'm not sure about the right English term; I'm talking about the shaft that holds together the flywheels
on which the rods are attached)
...it flipping broke !
Huh ?
No sure explanation except this IS a weak point:
when INDIAN when from 'splash' "lubricating" the shaft/con-rod big-ends
to pressure lubrication , they basically used the old part except they bored
a hole straight into it at the timing-side end of this relatively small diameter thing
( and then holes out to the big-end bearings )
so thereby turning that end into a relatively thin-walled
tube instead of a proper shaft.
( the hole is plugged with a thingy ( dunno the term )
Who said this would be simple and easy ?!!!
Anyways, he is now mounting a shaft of his own making.
What can I say ?!!!
One could argue ( with great persuasion ) that this whole endeavor is plain idiotic:
an anaemic seventy-something old engine with a 'technology' firmly based on
what was available more like a hundred years ago:
as Moen said yesterday: take the con-rods,
with very little difference they are similar to nineteen-twenties INDIAN rods
which most probably weren't even state of the art at that time.
...and
that's I try it to turn into a
salt-ripping "fast" racer...ha ha ha !
But h*ll: I
like it, and besides I gotta work with what I've got
and work my way to improve it.
Better stop making dumb mistakes.
Again: thanks you all for helping me making a bit less foolish mistakes !
"..
The road to wisdom ?
Well it's plain and simple to express:
Err and err again
but less and less and less.."
Piet Hein