Ironhead Stroker Engine Problems. Harley Davidson motorcycle 1974.

Tearing down ironhead engine. Discovering what problems lay inside.

[@SaddleTrampTV]

Old bike stuff. Always fun to discover what previous hands have done to your new to you motorcycle.

[@pastorbobncc365]

Loved stopping by the garage have a blessed week my friend

[@cemeterycycles]

Thanks for your comment, I am a mechanic and have had loads of ironheads over the years so I'm pretty confident to delve this deeply. Ironheads are great bikes but are getting old now often with lots of dodgy repairs so stripping them and rebuilding properly gives good peace of mind.

[@warrenp2022]

You are a better mechanic than I am, splitting cases and cranks is beyond my comfort zone. I'm still doing bearings and figuring out how to wire the bike. I pulled the heads and cam cover, the pistons are new and the cylinders are new stock Harley, cams are lumpy Andrews V9 that don't show wear. After I get the rest of the bike sorted I will buy a battery and see if it runs. It is a part time occasional project so I can figure out solutions to problems that I find as I go.

[@wolfeyes9357]

The S&S stroker crank/flywheel....the rod bearing took a shit and pixie dusted in the motor! Took it apart, de-stroked 8:1 cast pistons....runs great now! Screw strokers!!!!!

[@michaelmitchell5909]

Ok man, I just subscribed, so let's see this awesome iron head stroker running man!... Mitch from canonsburg, Pennsylvania, USA

[@cemeterycycles]

Thanks for your comment. I am on with it, I have just built a crank truing frame and am hoping to get the crank rebuilt this week🤞

[@4570duplex]

Ah, I wish I has seen this video before commenting on your kick starter installation video. I see that you did find it has appropriate pistons. Some wear on the cams, which is unusual. Cams, by virtue of the roller tappets, seem to last forever on these things. Which cams are they? The big end rod bearing wear is, unfortunately, not the least bit unusual for a stroker. It's kind of what they do. Anyway, great video, keep up the good work. I see I'm three months behind, so I need to sit down and watch what you have done in the interim.

[@clintwoodruff1187]

Had a thought that a set of cams with ' more duration', may bring your compression at kicking speed, down to a very pleasant place. ( easy starting) And would make your motor more civilized at 'normal riding rpm'. ( low, to low mid - range rpm) While making it pull harder in the ' high mid - range, to High rpm range' ! There are cams available that would bolt right in without headwork, from Andrews, as well as some old time grindings from Sifton that will work well. I'm inclined to remember that these strokers are infamous for spitting trans parts on the road when the case is not beefed up, along with installation of a 'heavy duty trans door'. Either heavy alloy, or my choice was always the Trock, 'forged steel' door. Though I don't know if Trock doors are still available, since Ron Trocks passing a few years ago. I used to have my trans case welded to 'thicken' the trans 'wall', then machined to 'just' let the gears turn freely, while also grinding a small trench to the bearing to allow the oil to get to it, after 'thickening the wall. Rear motor mounts never lasted long before cracking, so though there were heavy duty alloy one' s available, I chose to look for and appropriate the 'older factory steel ones' from the good old days. Just cut off front section so it could be installed after engine is together. Never broke one of those, nor a transmission, after re-enforcement of wall , and Trock door was installed. My '72 had thin cylinders, being an early 1000 cc, so they became a little breakable with the long stroke. I learned that driving it easy and not boring them past 20 over helped it last ... But that' s no fun, so I instalked 'later years top end', (anything past '73) that had a little thicker cylinder sleeves. I found I could have that bored to 40 over, and it still lived with me hammering hell out of it, while running my 4 5/8" stroke to smoke the Kawasakis that were pissing me off back then !!! (Just had to constantly be tightening & locktighting my cylinder base nuts) That, of course, was not the ideal cure... Axtell cylinders were ! But I never had the kind of money those cost ! I did run Manley stainless valves for durability, with my 'mild long duration cams' , because I had a heavy right hand, and they lasted years. My apologies, I get carried away remembering the 'good old days'. Now too old to do it, but still remember how. You probably know all this, but maybe someone else can use something here. Good luck with your Sportster project ! LOVE THEM STROKERS !! RUBBER DOWN, THROTTLE UP !

[@cemeterycycles]

Hey! Thanks for the tips, I had been thinking about putting a cam that has a late intake closing if I get stuck. I was concerned about revving the engine too high, I know ironheads like to rev but the increased piston speed due to the stroker concerned me. I don't plan to push this bike too hard so hopefully the trans will hold together, but I have got a couple of spare cases just in case! I might even fab up a steel rear engine mount for peace of mind. Nice to get knowledge from someone who knows there stuff, thank you! Keep in touch 😊

[@wolfeyes9357]

Had an S&S stroker ironhead...I de-stroked it and bring it back to stock! Strikers are good for one thing....drag bikes!

[@tinman7130]

Don't tell my 72 that. It's had a 74 inch stroker kit in it for 12 years and is approaching 20 thousand trouble free miles

[@wolfeyes9357]

You have a good one then! I went complete opposite after my fiasco!

[@benderbender1233]

ir0nheads rule!!! 🤘😎🤘

[@chrishoesing5455]

You videos are very quiet. Just a little feedback. Sweet bike

[@cemeterycycles]

Thanks for the tip. I need to figure out how to add music😂

[@GRACEORT]

Hi, are you based in Yorkshire? I could do with someone like you to work on my 68 Ironhead clutch