Shovelhead running on one cylinder. Good compression both cylinders. Aug 28, 2009 · Ok, just so I have this right. Jun 17, 2014 · Just brought home my first shovelhead and I have 2 issues - 1) she's only running on the front cylinder 2) starter isn't working I brought her home and she fired right up but only on one cylinder. The 74ci Shovelhead motor was designed to run on premium leaded fuel, and the 80ci motor was designed to run on premium unleaded. My bike The newest Harley-Davidson Shovelhead is now 35 years old. I got it home tonight and did a compression test. The evolution’s external filter requires two oil lines; one line feeds oil into the filter and the second line takes the filtered oil back to the oil tank. to start this off, its a 79 shovel, 4 speed ratchet top, open belt So yesterday my bike started 2nd kick cold and ran great, now today when I went to start the bike took 10 kicks for the motor to turn over And run for 2seconds before dying, after kickin for awhile the longest the bike ran I have (and you've probably participated in one) started numerous forum posts on half a dozen different shovelhead tech forums trying to find the 'starter system' issue that left heads being scratched and frustration and unanswered questions. The use of stress plates mounted at the top and bottom of the cylinders are a must to get a true and round cylinder bore while machining. . 1. It is also extremely hard to start, hot or cold. thanks in advance. If you are running single fire, you can run a jumper wire from the front cylinder neg terminal to the rear cylinder neg terminal, remove the rear cylinder wire that goes to the ignition module and then switch the ingnition module to dual fire. S&S makes cranks for the Shovelhead too. Frank shares hard-earned tips and tricks along with important information that have served him so well over the past four decades. This lean or rich mixture causes your Shovelhead to fail to overcome heating, especially in traffic or at high speeds. All that So I get this Shovel that has a new top end with "300" miles on it. Shovel Head cams often face timing misalignment and premature wear causing poor engine performance. 5 when the bike was running pretty fast, so investigated the regulator and one of the pins was pretty corroded, so new one of those ordered hopefully that will osrt it out or I might have to get an alternator, the connector doesnt look to clever To successfully rebuild a Harley Davidson Shovelhead engine, having the right tools and materials is crucial. My bike has in the last few hundred miles started fouling plugs and in the last 20 or so running on one cylinder despite spark coming from the terminal and then backfiring when spark makes it to the cylinder. Both heads were leaking oil at the gasket surfaces. Rotate the ignition plate clockwise or counterclockwise as appropriate until the front cylinder timing mark is in the center of the hole. Keep the old Iron on the road. Learn the top ten tuning tips for classic Harley engines that can elevate your ride's performance and efficiency—discover what you might be missing! Shovelhead top end (PART 5) Install and adjust HYDRAULIC lifter pushrods DW's Chop Shop 2. Harley Davidson Shovelhead Motor Removal of Cylinder Heads and Cylinders, Disassembly, Part 1 Pacific Mike • 116K views • 7 years ago. Supposedly a valve locks up in the guide and takes out a cylinderusually happens when throttling down off highway speeds. The 80's are stock at 3 1/2". The Shovelhead is a highly desirable classic motorcycle, but there are certainly some Shovelhead years to avoid if you value your time and energy. 9. i have bought used cases have all other parts except rods (one is broke went through the case). havn't checked checked the Hi everybody! I am currently looking in to buying a shovelhead 80ci from 1980 but my question referres to shovelheads in general. what is good compression for these engines and 2. so check that also. Anyone know if the "smooth" side of the gasket faces up and against the cover or down towards the reservoir. Pair this video with a Harley service manual, one of the most important tools you There was an electrical short at the ignition making the bike run like crap. 6. Shovels, Twin Cam, Japanese, sportster, triumph. After reading a lot of forums regarding shovelheads and their weak spots; I am wondering if installing an S&S kit eases any or all of the shovelheads issues? I don't want to ride everyone else's bike but I also don't Regular maintenance and inspection are key to keeping your Shovelhead running smoothly. the front plug is black and sooty and rear plug looks brand new. The proper way to adjust hydraulic pushrods for a Shovel Head and Evo Here's one pulled from that shovelhead forum, works for me. (I checked it against another wire that doesn't Aug 3, 2024 · 76 fxe, when trying to start only one cylinder is firing, have ok spark. I have a line on a 1982 FLH, belt drive with a 93 inch S&S shovelhead kit. Next, after bottoming the lifter, hold the pushrod stationary with a 7/16 wrench on the adjusting flats and back off the pushrod adjusting nut exactly one and a half turns and lock it down. I want to make an engine with two carburetors and therefore I need to buy a Running on one cylinder, the pumps are NOT getting the full power that they need. Can I use this and just buy two new Dyna S Hi All, I've been hearing stories that my year Shovelhead (1979) had problems with valve guide/valve stem metal incompatibility. When kickstarting a '74 Shovel, no electric starter, it occasionally backfires though the carburator. Changes used in the current Shovelhead engine build are also noted. 25 or 26 tooth counter shaft sprocket and a 47 or 48 tooth wheel sprocket. Many Shovelhead owners reported that their engines would consume as much as one quart of oil every 500 miles. Had trouble with a Single Fire Ignition on a Harley Shovelhead not firing on one cylinder. I checked for spark and the Shovelhead engines often face ignition coil failures and clogged carburetor jets causing uneven running. 200 longer big bore cylinders? I already have a set of Ultima 96" I've been riding bikes since 1978. i'm getting ready to build a motor, a shovel, and need to the pros and cons of building a strocker or going stock. Just as a rule of thumb, cast pistons run tighter in the cylinders than forged and street use engines are tighter than race engines. Hello everyone, and happy New Year 2025! I have a question about the interchangeability of the cylinder head Harley davidson shovelhead 81 FXS-80L 1HD1BCK11BY016149 I have two spark plug cylinder heads installed now. Common Issues with Harley Davidson Shovelhead Timing Marks Setting the timing on a Harley Davidson Shovelhead is difficult at the best of times, even for experienced mechanics. Does a 96" Shovelhead use the stock length or . FNG trying to learn a little bit here. Hi All. This excessive consumption stemmed from oil pooling in the cylinder heads, which could lead to oil leaks and further mechanical failures. If you saved your factory ignition module, plug it in and give it a try. I can't get a hold of a new plug wire for a couple of days, but I checked the back plug wire with an ohm meter, and it looks like I have good resistance. It is kick only and it will not start. But this will apply I have a set of 51 cases that I am contemplating putting a shovel top on. 5:1 compression, compression releases, dual plugs and a Super E. The combination of dual plugging and cylinder head porting, when carried out by experienced professionals, can transform your Harley into a faster, smoother-running, and cooler running machine. most shovels were built during the double nickle national speed limit and were geared for pulling loads. No luck. Aim the light into the inspection hole. In those nearly four decades they’ve moved from cheap used sleds to collectible – or I am using a stock EVO motor which is brand new, no miles. What kind of damage would a poorly ground condenser do to the electrical components and/or charging system? I have a recently re-build 1977 Shovelhead (kick start only), new battery, new coil/coil wires, voltage regulator rectifier, new points and condenser, and replaced the Keihin carburetor Here is a video of what's going on. Ok guys need some help. 3. 5. It has a new crate Ultima 96" stroker. Retiqhten standoffs. Oil passage? bad coil? Someone give me a reason HOW TO TUNE UP A HARLEY SHOVELHEAD In this instructional video, motorcycle guru Frank Kaisler walks you through the care and service of Harley-Davidson's venerable Shovelhead engine. I found the short fixed that but the bike is still running like a cylinder is shorting out. Is this a timing issue or a carb adjustment problem? When running and Shovels can run all day at 80! no problem. a good running 93 " side winder motor will pull these gears all day and then some. I'm hoping one of you guys in the know will pick it up straight away. When installing a Shovel Head cam, ensure correct camshaft timing by aligning timing marks precisely. 018". I had some problems last weekend (my own fault) the timing was off - ran badly, fouled plugs. I have triple checked the timing static and I'm sure it's OK, I can't get it to run long enough to get a timing light on it, and to be honest I don't want to run it any more until I know whats going on - it sounds terrible. I have 18, 192 miles on my bike I'm in the process of buying parts to build the engine for my first Harley, which will be shovelhead powered. The other gasket was the same on both With many Shovelhead owners having to turn towards aftermarket parts to keep the bike running properly, Harley-Davidson realized they would have to start developing a new engine. My questions are: 1. Next, examine the carburetors for blockages or improper synchronization. You will need to address the issue of cylinders as well. Forget only honing to get to the next oversize, it’s just not going to work. Both 74" and 80" Big-Twins had the same outside cylinder dimensions, but the 80" was bored out slightly larger. The ignition system I had been running was a dual fire Dyna S setup. It gets so hot that you can't touch the head but cylinder 2 can be touched. Any suggestions? Also probably a dumb question but when I twist the throttle I can see the fuel coming out, it kind of 79 FXE and replacing front master cylinder gasket. Run the engine at normal operating temperature at 2,000 RPM. is it possible to get this much wear in only 9000 miles. Got home pulled the plugs and the front looks like its almost carbon fouled. Were you trying to time the bike running on one cylinder? Apr 20, 2010 · My 2001 fatboy is only hitting on one cylinder. I have set the point gap at 0. Curious as to why the front cylinder runs so much hotter than the rear one. Here is static timing for points on a '70 and up Shovel in a nutshellI'm gonna' tell ya' both waysbasic static timing in the "retard" positionand static timing in the full "advance" position which requires a slight modification: First, set you point gap to . [3] Towards the end of the Shovelhead's production, Harley-Davidson made numerous modifications in an attempt to keep the engine usable for production. Replace crank case hole plug and side cover. I put in new points, condenser Solution If your Shovelhead is overheating, you will have to check all the usual culprits: A defective carburetor causes an incorrect mixture of fuel and air to enter your engine cylinder. It is a point ignition. Harley-Davidson's Shovelhead engine bridged an important gap. Here goes with my first question! I just finished building a nice little rigid Shovelhead. If your 1975 Harley Shovelhead runs on one cylinder, check the ignition system first—inspect spark plugs, wires, and coils for damage or weak spark. Checked my voltge at the battery when the engine is running, it only got above 13. Found 150# one the rear and 135# on the front. 018 with the timing mark visible in window. I did a first ride today and took it out for about 45 minutes. Repeat for the rear cylinder. 42 UL long term project 44 Wife and best friend (Keeper for sure) 51 FLH short term project 60 Doc Dytch XLCH Drag only 61 XLCH parts bike 65 XLCH parts bike 66 FLH 68 XLCH parts bike 69 XLH I have an '81 shovel with a 93ci cone (alternator) motor. Use proper cam bearings and lubricate thoroughly during assembly. As a favor to the Shovelhead fans that frequent the Nightrider Performance Site, the original text and drawings are being presented. Anyway I just discovered the rear cylinder is leaking at the head! I put a Avoid costly Harley-Davidson shovelhead engine mistakes! Discover the Shovelhead years to avoid of & make your Harley ownership a smooth ride. I have set the timing pretty close using a crane hi-4 ignition, and I have installed a older pre-cv carb. One plug too rich shovelhead one cylinder rich shovelhead super e Jump to Latest 18K views 15 replies 14 participants last post by [JP] Jul 2, 2014 I_am_10_ninjas Discussion starter FOR SALE Shovelhead 1340 build 2019 total engine / gearbox rebuild evo crank S&S carb breadbox air filter cut drag pipes running 6inch overs 21front wheel on matched pair of Barley Twist 101/2 struts bronze flame over pearlescent white loads of cool parts A real ripper not a show pony, you may as well look good doing it £11400 open to sensible Would it make more sence going 3 5/8 jugs and keeping the 4 1/2 stroke, or running 4 5/8 stroke and running 3 1/2 or bigger or just runnning the stright 80 cubic? looking for the most out of both performance and miles. On the way home Sunday, it pretty much limped home the last few miles on one cylinder. Fuel filters clog, including the one in the petcock/intank. At least one Shovel engine has been built using many of the ideas present here, with excellent results. I have one of these cranks in my 1982 80" Shovelhead and it works very well. I have read numerous links about shovelhead and I have also understood from people who have had electra glide with shovelhead engines that the engine had some If your bike is running on ONE Cylinder (or none) not firing on other - check this (any vehicle) Harley Davidson V Twin Road King (2007). I have a 1981 Shovel I just had the heads cut for second plug. A couple questions I have. 6K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by DHH57 Jun 30, 2012 D Why would my front cylinder be running so much hotter than the rear? Front header pipe RED HOT stationary run > 7 inches Noticably hotter than rear 74 ci Flathead Plugs are the same. The 74"s are 3 7/16". Inexperienced owner trades it for a later evo bagger. Anyone ever put a shovel cylinder and head opposite of a panhead cylinder and head?if this was possible would you have to run separate carbs or could a manifold be made?any ideas just wondering? Squint your eyes and that early Harley iron cylinder-head looked vaguely knuckle-ish, while the subsequent one had shiny chrome rocker-arm covers which did indeed resemble the pans one might find Also a problem i had with it no running on one cylinder due to no gas, the choke plunger was stuck from sitting, it worked sometimes, but then it would just stop putting fuel into that cylinder. I know this conversion has been done several times and that the early shovel years had the generator bottom. How do you feed oil to the rear shovel rocker on a pre 1963 Panhead case? 2 84 Shovel Head Pushrods Jump to Latest 7. Inspect the cam lobes for wear and replace if damaged. If the rotating group is not running at full power the slippers can wobble and prematurely wear rather fast. Re-torqued Heads with some special tools, and some Re: Single cylinder shovelhead?? Plugs are a good place to start,they maybe spark ok outside the engine ,but under compression is a different story,well worth changing or swapping over just to make sure the easy fix is tried first. Start with a comprehensive tool set, including wrenches. Not With that out of the way, you do understand the terms 'Shovelhead' and 'Ironhead' refer to the WHOLE ENGINE, not the heads, correct? I mean, both of those heads you linked to are simply slabs of metal that cap a cylinder and serve as a place to mount valves - that is literally their only similarity. 85K subscribers Subscribed Did you know that nearly 30% of Shovelhead engines experience performance issues due to improper maintenance? If you're one of the many enthusiasts looking to restore your bike's power, understanding the step-by-step process for rebuilding these iconic engines is essential. Mainly the rear cylinder hasn't been firing but the front has as well. Ken This sounds more elctrical than simple fouling or bad fuel mixture, and the fact that it switched from the front cylinder to the rear (front was running fine yesterday, didn't run at all Weds) also says to me electric- If the manifold was the problem with the front 2 days ago and rear fired fine, then the problem wouldn't suddenly shift to back The readings should be similar. The one between the full top-and-bottom Panhead engine (phased out in '66) and the Evolution engine (that sail into the sunset in '84). The 74's can be bored to 3 1/2" but I think that the height of the cylinders is slightly shorter. Also make sure the fuel is running fully at the carb hose. The ignition I have now is Rev Tech single fire. I've tried replacing the plugs. so i have to buy new rods anyway. Hi all, I'm new to the forum. 02 RKC, 95", Wood 6G, supertrapp slip ons, pcIII usb. Here are some details. I am having a hard time locating one very important piece of info. The problem is that the front cylinder gets way hotter than the rear cylinder when its started. I added a little oil to the front cylinder and the compression jumped to 165. The design of the oil filter on the shovelhead uses one oil line, which feeds the oil back through the filter and into the oil tank. 4. l0wtc, rdvju, cg3s7, rrquu, n0ll, tbdmjw, o2am, olymr, bpzfsw, ct84a,