Motor: Tusk Tools

Got the new engine tools from Rocky Mountain today: the Tusk crankshaft installer/puller and the Tusk crankcase splitter.

I tried the installer first.  It comes with a variety of bolts/couplers and I was crushed to discover nothing would fit the S90's 16mm male thread on the clutch side.

But I realized that I could get it to work using my own 8mm bolt and washer on the alternator side.  It was surprisingly effortless to pull the crankshaft into place and the tool worked perfectly (and feels very hefty and solid).  It almost made me think I should just be installing the crank without tools but I think that would involve a lot of elbow grease and would probably result in me hammering the crank into place.  So in the end, maybe the tool just does its job too well.

The right crankcase cover just pushed down right over the bearing when I went to close the case.  I don't expect it would be like that for every motor.  But if I ever needed to use the tool on that side, I could either find a big 16mm bolt or shave down an old clutch nut enough so it fits inside the tool's main coupler.


Tried the crankcase splitter next and that worked exactly as expected.  Again, a very well-made and solid tool.

Motor: Kitchen Work

Tore down and rebuilt the bottom end a few times just to remember how to do it...

Motor: Baby Steps

Popped open the clutch cover on the still-sealed Viola original engine, just to start re-familiarizing myself with it.  I know recall that it has a different clutch basket and shows signs of rust on the primary gear.

No matter what, this engine needs to get mounted on Ivy for purposes of the VIN verification, but the question is whether to make an attempt to run it as well.  Ultimately, it would be nice to completely rebuild it - or at least crack it open to make sure the internals are sound.


Then moved on to dropping the engine from Red, which is the super clean "model" engine.  Brought it upstairs to work on indoors.

Spares: Motor Reflection

Unboxed the new $40 top end from eBay and found a real gem in an excellent condition, standard size cylinder.  Sometimes lucky, sometimes unlucky with these spare parts.  Guess it all evens out.  The clutch cable I just bought for $13 had the right part number for the early 40" cable, but turned out to be the 44" version.  Go figure.

Didn't really do anything specific besides lay out all the spare engine parts to mull them over and soak it all in again.

The #1 crankshaft from the old "Complete Late Bottom" is distinguished by having a clutch guide that's frozen in place and neither bearing is all that great.

The #2 crankshaft has one excellent bearing and one that's pretty rough.  The flywheels also have holes in them, so that's an easy way to distinguish the Early crank.

Too bad the bearings are not easily replaced (easy to remove with a tool, but hard to get new ones in with a multi-ton press, or so Clymer says).

Con-rod to flywheel clearance was good on both, too.  Crank #1 = .279mm.  Crank #2 = .406mm.

Also unboxed the new hub, which was very clean and fresh.  Combined with new spokes it would make a good "model" wheel to practice truing.  Just need a really clean rim, which I don't currently have.

The top end also came with a head cover and points base plate in dirty but otherwise good condition.