Uh-oh!

Never fear, I’ll be tightening the head and exhaust as needed. I got those nylon/rubber gaskets that are reusable and don’t tear when taking rocker covers off. Nice to have when checking valve clearances which I’ll do after retightening the head. Curious to see how much a change in clearances will be after a run in.
 
Great job Larry.
The Flame Ring gasket will need about 3-4 re-torques. Once after fire up on a cold engine.
Then at 50-100 miles on the clock, again cold. At the 500 mile marker and then at 1000 miles. Rinse and repeat. Adjust tappet clearance each time. Should be stable after that.
Enjoy your ride once again.
Cheers,
T
 
I took the bike for it's first run and it's smoking from both exhausts. I only went on an eight mile ride and it's still smoking. On it's maiden start up I liberally oiled the push rod tunnels so there's that. New pistons and rings, valve clearances .006 and .008 respectively. Could this smoking problem be due to the rings not bedded in yet? There was also oil dribbling from the right exhaust nut. The bike started and ran fine with no missing. What should I do to rectify this? Pics of the plugs after eight miles.
 

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If it's copious quantities of smoke you might have accidentally installed a couple of rings upside down. I can attest to the fact that you wouldn't be the first. If it's just a thin wisp, is it while idling? Under throttle? While coasting down? Constant?
 
Larry S said:
I took the bike for it's first run and it's smoking from both exhausts. I only went on an eight mile ride and it's still smoking. On it's maiden start up I liberally oiled the push rod tunnels so there's that. New pistons and rings, valve clearances .006 and .008 respectively. Could this smoking problem be due to the rings not bedded in yet? There was also oil dribbling from the right exhaust nut. The bike started and ran fine with no missing. What should I do to rectify this? Pics of the plugs after eight miles.
Click to expand...
Post pics of the oil rings installed.
Some oil rings suck.
Sometimes expanders get overlapped.
 
What colour is the smoke? Does it happen on the throttle, or when you come off the throttle?
 
kommando said:
Check the rocker shaft orientation, if wrong too much oil will get to the top end.
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Yes . If oil tank level is under mid-point... good , then focus on pulling a rocker or 2 ( one intake and one exhaust ) , run the bike hot to do this first and also immediately a heat gun to the rocker area you wish to pull half way out to check for correct orientation of the oil gallery flats cut . You want the spindles oriented to restrict oil flow to the head . Good luck .
 
It is possible to determine which way the oil holes are oriented with a carefully bent wire.
 
Atlas Commando said:
If it's copious quantities of smoke you might have accidentally installed a couple of rings upside down. I can attest to the fact that you wouldn't be the first. If it's just a thin wisp, is it while idling? Under throttle? While coasting down? Constant?
Click to expand...
Disassembled the top end today and found one upside down ring on the primary side and two on the timing side. I didn’t even know they had a up/down configuration. I must have gotten extremely lucky every other time I’ve installed rings. Anyway I’ve refitted correctly and will reinstall and reassemble everything tomorrow. If it still smokes I’ll order a new set of rings. The weather is supposed to be in the high 60’s for the next week or so and I want to ride. Unbelievable warmth for November (usually 20-30 degrees).
 
Larry S said:
Disassembled the top end today and found one upside down ring on the primary side and two on the timing side. I didn’t even know they had a up/down configuration. I must have gotten extremely lucky every other time I’ve installed rings. Anyway I’ve refitted correctly and will reinstall and reassemble everything tomorrow. If it still smokes I’ll order a new set of rings. The weather is supposed to be in the high 60’s for the next week or so and I want to ride. Unbelievable warmth for November (usually 20-30 degrees).
Click to expand...
Wahoo !
 
Larry S said:
Disassembled the top end today and found one upside down ring on the primary side and two on the timing side. I didn’t even know they had a up/down configuration. I must have gotten extremely lucky every other time I’ve installed rings. Anyway I’ve refitted correctly and will reinstall and reassemble everything tomorrow. If it still smokes I’ll order a new set of rings. The weather is supposed to be in the high 60’s for the next week or so and I want to ride. Unbelievable warmth for November (usually 20-30 degrees).
Click to expand...
Please report on the oil control ring expander condition. This has been a pitfall for others.
 
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concours said:
Please report on the oil control ring expander condition. This has been a pitfall for others.
Click to expand...
The oil control ring expander seems fine. There is a red mark on one end and a green mark on the other end. When installed the green overlaps the red and spins freely in the groove. Is this correct?
 
Larry S said:
The oil control ring expander seems fine. There is a red mark on one end and a green mark on the other end. When installed the green overlaps the red and spins freely in the groove. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
I don't know what oil expanders have color markings but usually they butt together - not overlap. Do they look like the two ends are smaller and should overlap?

Personally, I would not re-install those rings, I would re-hone just enough to get a decent crosshatch on the cylinder walls and install new rings.
 
Larry S said:
The oil control ring expander seems fine. There is a red mark on one end and a green mark on the other end. When installed the green overlaps the red and spins freely in the groove. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Hi Larry , iif s this a three piece oil ring , the inner expander must butt together to provide pressure to the bore , the shinny rails usually have alot more than the normal ring gap , like about 1mm that's OK.
 
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concours said:
No.
That would be the "smoking gun".
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Thank you all for your expertise. I’ll refit the expander ring correctly and continue onward. I am just now headed for the shop to get wrenching. I’ll report back my results as soon as possible. Thanks again for the enlightenment.
 
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