1976 Engine Rebuild

Classic Goldwings

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[video]https://youtu.be/t8JWlncR0EI[/video]

Here is my review of Randakks special timing cover wrench. Enjoy!

It should also be noted that this is the first thing from Randakk that I am less than 100% satisfied with. Up till this point I have found all of his kits, lines, and adapters to be of very high quality. I would buy his rebuild kit again in a heartbeat, this tool...not so much...
 
In fairness it "does" work, just not able to spin the bolt in a full circle.
How about if you started the swivel end with it on the bottom side to turn it upward to get like a 3/4 turn? Does that work?
 
I know they have a bad reputation on here but, is this manufactured by the same company as the one that Sabre Cycle sells?
I'm guessing it probably is.
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=170558#p170558:129qa5bh said:
dan filipi » Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:46 pm[/url]":129qa5bh]
In fairness it "does" work, just not able to spin the bolt in a full circle.
How about if you started the swivel end with it on the bottom side to turn it upward to get like a 3/4 turn? Does that work?

Yes Dan that would work, however the swivel is so loose that its like a game of operation trying to get that thing in there, only to have it drop down on you at the last moment :head bang: , I tried it. My issue is that its marketed as making the job easier by being able to rotate the bolt 360, but that is impossible. Not worth the money or the aggravation. But I did have some fun making the video lol.

Directly from his add....
"The "fixed" end is used for breaking the bolt loose and final tightening. The "pivot" end is used in speed ratchet fashion to quickly spin the bolts in or out. My terrific collaborator Bob Hagerman took my design and made several significant improvements."

Should say
"The fixed end fits rather loosely and is covered in sharp edges, but will allow you to reach the bolts. The "pivot" end is used in speed ratchet fashion to quickly spin 3 of the 4 bolts in or out. The 4th bolt however you are on your own and the tool will not work any better or worse than a regular wrench. The simple design is sure to have you cussing and throwing things when you realize the pivot end fails you where you need it most. My terrific collaborator Bob Hagerman makes 50% of the ridiculous profit as we mass produce these tools as cheaply as possible on a CNC plasma cutter for around $2 each. Significant improvements include massive profits, a frustrating design, and the ability to mislead thousands of inexperienced mechanics by leading them to believe that this will actually be easier than just spending 5 minutes to pull the radiator"
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=170449#p170449:27lj7kx8 said:
mcgovern61 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 12:16 pm[/url]":27lj7kx8]
Know the feeling!! :music:

I used to ride my '82 around town and short hops on the road and then I took a long highway trip at a sustained 75 MPH and about 2 hours into the trip, it seemed like a whole different engine! Opening her up and letting that metal get hot under load made a huge difference! I have since learned that my girl likes the highway speeds much more than putting around town. :yes: :moped:

Glad to hear that its not just my imagination....
 
Ok so back on topic....

Sunday was a beautiful day here so I took the bike over to my families house for Easter dinner. Let me tell you, this motor is really coming in. She is running really really well and I can definitely tell a performance difference after the rebuild. Once I get about 100 miles or so on it I will do a compression test and we will see what we gained. I am confident there was a true gain in compression, how much is yet to be seen. For now, I have no leaks anywhere and the bike is running better than it ever has. :yahoo:
 
Ok gang so I finally did a compression test on the bike after the rebuild. To recap, I began with 90lbs compression on each cylinder. I did a basic head job that involved lapping the valves on the bench and a thorough cleaning. On the inside of the motor I also did a good cleaning, inspection of all rotating parts, bearings, and clearances; I honed the cylinders and set the rings end gap. New gaskets on everything and torqued all to spec. The final result was 140lbs per cylinder. That's a 50lb per cylinder gain!

I am happy with the results. The bike runs great, all the leaks have been taken care of, and I don't get oil all over my rear turn signals from the exhaust anymore. Sure its not 170psi per cylinder but who cares. There was a notable gain and I will call this adventure a success.

Thanks for everyone's help and encouragement along the way!

This winter we will change the wheel bearings and the steering tube bearings. Bike should be super solid after that. Ill have a compression test video up soon.
 
The final result was 140lbs per cylinder. That's a 50lb per cylinder gain!
I am happy with the results. The bike runs great, all the leaks have been taken care of, and I don't get oil all over my rear turn signals from the exhaust anymore. Sure its not 170psi per cylinder but who cares. There was a notable gain and I will call this adventure a success.

Check it again after a couple of thousand miles. You might get a nice surprise once the rings are bedded in.
 
I think it would be worthwhile to re-check your cam timing. It makes no sense to me that two cylinders on the same cam have less compression than the other two cylinders on the same cam. These engines will usually still run fine with the timing out by one tooth.
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=170556#p170556:1l9fz2ee said:
bronko37 » Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:13 pm[/url]":1l9fz2ee]
[video]https://youtu.be/t8JWlncR0EI[/video]

Here is my review of Randakks special timing cover wrench. Enjoy!

It should also be noted that this is the first thing from Randakk that I am less than 100% satisfied with. Up till this point I have found all of his kits, lines, and adapters to be of very high quality. I would buy his rebuild kit again in a heartbeat, this tool...not so much...

The tool works as designed. It takes a bit of practice to use as intended. Some of the design issues you objected to are intentional. I find it helpful in SAVING hours of unnecessary time, effort and expense to remove the radiator, replace hoses etc. I use mine many times per week.
 

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