883-to-1200: Part VII: Buttoning It Up
OK, its time put the scoot back together. At this point we've got the base gasket in place, the piston on the rod with cir-clip securely in place and the cylinder slid over the piston, resting on the base gasket.Next I took the tappets (sometimes called lifters) that had been soaking in a coffee cup full of 20-50wt oil and dropped them back into their respective locations in the case. There is only one way they'll fit properly. First the roller rides on the cam, and secondly, they need to be rotated in their bores so you can reinsert the tiny chrome guide pins. Don't forget to install new rubber guide pin o-ring seals. Most assuredly, yours are compressed.
Once the pins and o-rings are in place, replace the triangular guide pin retainer plate and torque it to manual specs.
Next the chrome down tubes are re installed. This is one of the more trying steps of the rebuild. You'll need new downtube base seals. I used Harley's at $2 each. I was told that James makes them also for about double the price. One difference being, they install easier. I slid them into place on the downtube, then slid the metal downtube base holder into place over the seals, then placed the whole assembly onto the case over its respective the tappet hole and tightened the allen screw to specification. Some people will experience difficulty getting the base of the rubber seal that touches the case to align itself within the down-tube base holder.
At this point you'll lay the new head gasket onto the cylinder top and install the head. Bartel's does NOT recommend the use of any gasket sealant on their copper head gaskets.
Now place the upper down-tube o-ring seals into the head, and soap them a little. (I wet my finger and rubbed it on a bar of soap, then around the o-rings). That allows the top of the down-tubes to slip into their o-ring seals much easier as you place the head on the cylinder.
Now I'm about ready to replace the head. With the Gasgacinch setup on the gasket and the head, I lower it over the studs and carefully align it onto the dowels that are protruding from the cylinder. I replace the head bolts and follow the torque sequence recommended by Bartel's since I was using their gasket. Basically it said to torque the bolts in three increments to 35 ft.-lbs. So I did, 12, 24, 35.
With the head bolted into place I followed the same steps on the front cylinder and heads. Once they were both in place I completely finished up the rear cylinder assembly. The procedure here is a little different than on the front cylinder. You'd think the next step would be to insert the pushrods into their tubes but its not. Because of clearance problems you'll need to lay your rear lower rocker box in place then insert your pushrods, then readjust the position of the rocker box arms over the tops of the pushrods. I should have mentioned earlier, before you do this, the crank should be rotated so that both tappets are at their lowest point (ie. valves closed).
Now you tighten the lower box to specs. using the method mentioned in the service manual. Basically that means in a crossing pattern and not too quickly as the tappets will have to bleed out some of the oil in them as the rocker arms force the pushrods down upon them while you are tighten the rocker box to the head.
The last steps for this cylinder are to lay the middle rocker box cover into place, then the top one torquing it to spec. (11-14 ft-lbs).
Here's where I deviated from the teardown process. Instead of finishing the front cylinder I re installed the intake manifold. There is a lot more 'elbow' room at this point, with the front cylinder's rocker boxes still not installed. After the intake manifold was in place I installed the front motor mount, then the left side motor mount, then the V.O.E.S. and the ignition switch. This was all easier to do with the front rocker boxes still sitting on the side.
Now I finished the front cylinder's rocker boxes. With them done, I re attached the carburetor, but before I did that, I pulled the bowl and filled it with gas so I wouldn't have to crank the engine for a long while before it would start.
After installing the carb and its associated throttle and idle cables I installed the horn, the coil and its associated wiring, then the gas tank, the fuel line going to the carb, the gas tank vent hose. Once everything was in place and torqued properly I re installed the exhaust system and re attached the brake pedal's arm to the master brake cylinder plunger completing the job, or was it? Nope, I still had the battery to install but once it was in place, the scoot was ready to be turned over.
See the next part in this series for that experience!
Copyright © 1998 - 2009 Rick Eliopoulos All rights reserved.
Disclaimer.
Date this page last modified: 03/18/2005