I noticed this misalignment during late summer and it's been bugging me every time I ride......Prob put 2500 miles on it since first seeing it.

Will the Mech/Techs Take a look ( Please ) and tell me what you think.

Thanks

:o

Pic #1 (http://myweb.cableone.net/jimbo999/web/Head1.jpg)
Pic #2 (http://myweb.cableone.net/jimbo999/web/Head2.jpg)
Pic #3 (http://myweb.cableone.net/jimbo999/web/Head3.jpg)

Actually looks like that fin is ground down a little more than the one above it. No worries I think.

I don't see anything to worry about.

If I am seeing this correctly I would guess that they did not align the head properly when they installed it. There are orings that go in on the alingnment pins that force the head and headgasket to stay in the right position before it is torqued. I think the fourth fin is the transition between head and cylinder. If your bike is under warranty I would ask the stealer to look at it and make sure it is assembled correctly. It could be the fin being ground differently but the part that bothers me is that it is between the head and the cylinder. Have someone look at it that is Harley savvy and they should be able to tell if the head is in crokked

I believe that bike has been out of warranty for about 14 Years now.......LOL
It's my 1988 883......Yes, it's the transition between the jugs and the heads.
It looks a lot more serious in person. It could have been there since when I bought the bike ( 3-yesrs ago ) and I just noticed it recently...D'oh !!!!!

I ride her hard and so far it hasn't proved to be a problem. I'm just worried about the long term effects like blowing a head gasket or damaging a jug.

I appreciate the feedback....Anyone else want to offer their analysis ??

It's apparently not causing the engine any grief since you've put so many miles on it since noticing the misalignment. I'd not worry about but one day when you have a head gasket laying around and you're bored, go ahead and pull the head and line it up properly.

if your not having troubles while its running its not a big deal if it bothers you to look at it then have "the man" give it a look

the head and barrel have alinement dowels so they line up properly there is an off chance that one dowel was not installed during assembly and that might be the cause of the miss match alinement

I don't want to tell you what to do , but I'd run it till it needs a topend job then have it looked at while getting the topend done , at least thats what I'd do if it was my ride (but I'm a cheap bastard)

Let's hear it for all the cheap a$$ ba$tard$ out there!!!(like me) MASTERS OF INNOVATION! KEEPERS OF THE MIGHTY CRESCENT HAMMER! SEEKERS OF UNOBTAINIUM! ABLE TO LEAP TALL BUILDINGS................

Hmm.. I'm not sure I understand what your concern is Jimbo, but since I'm a curious sort I went out to the garage to look at my bike.

If it is that the head fins don't match up with the jugs, I wouldn't worry about it. I'm pretty sure it is impossible to mis-align the heads too.

Here's a pic of mine for comparison:
http://photopile.com/photos/warchild/bikes/162811.jpg

Yeah, I know, she needs some polishing :shhhh


Bart

hip hip hooray
http://bigandtalltshirts.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/hip%20hip%20hooray.jpg

As flathead stated, the only way to misalign the head is to not include the alignment dowels. They are not solid mounted to anything and could easily be missed if someone was in a hurry. The head could then travel. If something was wrong the head would leak oil or have compression leakage which is pretty easy to hear.

Let's hear it for all the cheap a$$ ba$tard$ out there!!!(like me) MASTERS OF INNOVATION! KEEPERS OF THE MIGHTY CRESCENT HAMMER! SEEKERS OF UNOBTAINIUM! ABLE TO LEAP TALL BUILDINGS................


CHEAP BASTARD.......I prefer 'FRUGAL' er,..FRUGEL er,.... FUEGLE.......OK., CHEAP BASTARDS good too

As flathead stated, the only way to misalign the head is to not include the alignment dowels. They are not solid mounted to anything and could easily be missed if someone was in a hurry. The head could then travel. If something was wrong the head would leak oil or have compression leakage which is pretty easy to hear.

Would this misalignment be enough to affect the pushrod angle and is there an oil drain hole that should line up with the head and cylinder??

could be , I've got a 72 and theres a ridge around the cylinder so the head can't be miss alined (72 only) but there is an oil hole on that old bastard so there prolly is on the evos

You might be forgeting that the head bolts are about 1/2 wide or more. They fit almost snug through the head bolt holes and screw onto the studs. Even if a dowel was missing it would be very difficult for a head to shift while still on the cylinder.

I had a 89 883...If I'm not mistaken, there was a ridge on the cylinder also, or is that the cylinder sleeve. Either way, is the Evo piston flat topped and stops short of entering the head?... unlike the Ironheads high domed pistons.
I should dig out my old 89 manual.

I scanned this from the service manual: Cylinder and head assembly (http://photopile.com/photos/warchild/bikes/162817.jpg) ;)



Bart

Jimbo, be sure to let us know how it works out.

. I'm just worried about the long term effects like blowing a head gasket or damaging a jug.....Anyone else want to offer their analysis ??

Jimbo. If you ride it hard and it's been three years, you aint a gonna hurt it now. Ask a qualified mech to be sure and git riding.

so it does have two dowel pins to keep it alined , thats what I thought

The dowels are specifically metioned in the manual to make sure you use new orings so the gasket does not shift. I suppose that would not happen if the argument about the head bolts were true. No dowels is bad and all the other stuff is nec. too. We can assume a lot but the bottom line is as long as it runs fine why worry. One day when the heads have to come off we will all find out what the deal is. Until then Jimbo is gonna ride it like he stole it. Ride hard Jimbo.

Thanks Everyone for the replys......
I promise to ride the Hell out'a my Gal.

:tour

And when the time comes and she gets a top-end, I'll let ya'll know what caused the misalignment.

Well, Here it is May and around 5000 Miles ago siince I posted the original question.

No problems so far............... :clap

If it ain't broke don't fix it!

Sorry the pics aren't there anymore but the explainations are enough to
explain my concerns.

2 years and 18,000 miles later and no problems. Just looks weird to see it
offset so much.