Buell Blast Project (and will be needing help most likely)

[Crash7557]

Is it at all possible that since the pushrod being bent would have caused the rod to be shorter end to end than a strait one if this could have caused it to intermittently dislocate itself from its socket in the rocker or sit on the edge? This would cause a sudden clearence issue and sudden bang if my thoughts are correct. I'd look at that possibility.

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[Hornsmith]

ken883/1200 -You've brought up several things I hadn't thought of. I will definitely check the lifters more closely, as well as make sure that the pushrods are down when torquing on the head. When you say "you are not to turn the engine till both push rods can be turned with fingers", how do you mean turning the pushrods? Like turning the shaft and making sure that they aren't stuck?
Also yeah, it's essentially the same as a sportster motor. Technically is half of a Buell XB9, with exactly half the displacement, at 492 cc's. But yeah, cams, pushrods, lifters, are pretty much all interchangeable, it just only needs half of them.

Crash7577- That's sort of what I was thinking might be the case. Also, it would match the horrible sounds that it occasionally made. I will still be checking what Ken was saying, to be safe.

[ken883/1200]

Yes, the push rods should be able to be rotated like spinning a shaft. There will be a little drag but you sure don't need to grab them with a pair of pliers!

It can sound a little strange the way they put that note in the manual one paragraph before they give instructions on in stalling the rocker box. Of course the push rods will turn free at that point be cause they are just setting on the lifters!

[Hornsmith]

OK, I think I get it. Basically, make sure there isn't any tension on them, so that when torquing, I don't just mash them down, bending them.

[Hornsmith]

Did some research on cams, pushrod adjustments, and stuff. I figured it out, with the clearances and stuff, making sure it ain't to tight or loose.

Anywho, I got some Andrews B50 cams, which are bolt on, and got them lined up with the timing marks and such. I ordered some 'new' pushrods on eBay, but when they arrived they had wear marks all around the ends, etched in. I've ordered some more and they should be better.
Here's a link to a pic of the cam cover, and copper leafed Buell logo on the pushrod cover.

[Hornsmith]

Been a few weeks since an update. Since then I've gotten a job up in the mountains, making food for a scout camp. I brought the Buell's engine with me, but no working motorcycle. I've got three more weeks before I return to civilization, but in the meantime I've been working on the engine out of my van.
I took out the exhaust valve to make sure it didn't have anything spooky that could have caused issues with the pushrod, or something. Didn't think it had problems but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Also, I've never taken off a valve or spring before and that was neat. I didn't have instructions or internet service, but I figured it out without breaking anything, so that's nice.
Here's a few pics of my "mobile workshop" (click for link)
The valve stem has a fair amount of carbon built up on it, which I suppose I'll try and clean off a bit. Any recommendations for doing that with only simple hand tools? I don't have easy access to electricity, so I'm doing all this work with hand tools.
I'll be continuing work on it, and will update more when able to.

[Hornsmith]

Been a few weeks since an update. Since then I've gotten a job up in the mountains, making food for a scout camp. I brought the Buell's engine with me, but no working motorcycle. I've got three more weeks before I return to civilization, but in the meantime I've been working on the engine out of my van.
I took out the exhaust valve to make sure it didn't have anything spooky that could have caused issues with the pushrod, or something. Didn't think it had problems but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Also, I've never taken off a valve or spring before and that was neat. I didn't have instructions or internet service, but I figured it out without breaking anything, so that's nice.
Here's a few pics of my "mobile workshop" (click for link)
The valve stem has a fair amount of carbon built up on it, which I suppose I'll try and clean off a bit. Any recommendations for doing that with only simple hand tools? I don't have easy access to electricity, so I'm doing all this work with hand tools.
I'll be continuing work on it, and will update more when able to.

[sportsterpaul]

Good for you, gotta do what you gotta do. It is progress after all. Let the bonding continue.

[ken883/1200]

"The valve stem has a fair amount of carbon built up on it, which I suppose I'll try and clean off a bit. Any recommendations for doing that with only simple hand tools? I don't have easy access to electricity, so I'm doing all this work with hand tools."

Well if you are working in the kitchen in Scout Camp, any chance they have some Scotch Brite scrubbing pads they use on the frying pans and such? That should do the trick, Buell might smell like bacon on first start but that should not be a major problem!

[Toejam503]

Put the valve into a cordless drill and spin it, while holding sandpaper or scotchbrite, to clean off carbon build up.