Officially started my project today...  Bike on the lift at 10 AM and motor on the bench 2 hours later....  Note: No wonder why this motor is so limited. The intake is fairly clean, but the exuast port is terrible.  VERY restrictive.     Any effort to increase performance should include porting.     This should not only improve performance, but reliability, as the engine should run cooler with a less restricted exuast gas (heat) flow.

WARNING !!!! I got the engine torn down today with the following surprises... (note that I bought the bike Dec. '15  with 398x miles with "normal"  tire wear and now has 7150miles) ...Cam chain adjuster at near max extension and clutch worn.  Very slight scuff on piston skirt. Cylinder wall will hone nicely.    I have to think that the PO limited himself to 1 to 5 mile trips OR  he went full twist from day one.  The cam, followers etc. show clean and unscored.....
This bike showed clean with no visible abuse when I bought it.  But it is good that I tore it down when I did. I doubt if that cam chain extender would have lasted another 4-5 k miles.....

Here we are in the middle of May and it is taking a skosh bit longer than I planned to collect everything...   And of course with the inevitable "change orders" the budget has increased. BUT if the mail stagecoach gets through the Thumper "should" be back together and running before Memorial Day....  After break in I hope to get it in and dyno it. (At 6,000 feet I don't expect the same numbers as sea level, but the torque and HP curves will tell me what I need to know...
New or changed bits and pieces as part of "The Project" (from the bottom up.)

New cam chain and Varsi's adjuster, Barrett clutch, Wiseco 10.5 CR 94mm piston, Lectron 38mm carb, ported and blueprinted head (with Varsi's head plug), stage 3 camshaft, 1.75 " header and Dyna muffler, 12" shocks, tachometer, and Kawasaki front pulley...  

I expect about a 30% gain in torque and horse power, as well as an addition 500 to 1K RPMs from these modifications, without sacrificing reliably (if I don't go crazy).      

With all that going in, knowing what the throwout is made of, I'd sure be tempted to cut one out of billet.

Old Indian that all sounds really impressive. Keep that project can't wait to see how it all turns out. Best of luck to you.

+2

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 05/21/16 at 09:21:52:


Slightly, but I don't expect to be abusing it.  
From the condition of the original cam chain and piston, the original owner neglected proper break in and twisted it too soon.....
That new Wiseco piston is beautiful. Almost to pretty to hide inside the jug... I didn't weigh them, but the new Wiseco "felt" a few ounces lighter than the stock 94 mm.      I think that porting and blueprinting the head is the key to getting the most out of this engine.