| Author | Message | ||
     Motorsquad |
I am looking for someone in the Boston area that knows of a good machine shop. I purchased a 99 X1 last april and the last owner installed somekind of mickey mouse repair or created an illusion they repaired the right front motor mount landing on the head. Stupid me for not looking into every think closely before purchasing. So now I have a bike with a bolt broke in the cylinder on the left side and the right side the landing the protrudes from the head is broken flush. So I am looking to see anyone here has ran into the same issue and if so what was the remedy. I can send pics if anyone interested in seeing them. | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
If I'm understanding you correctly, you can weld the right side section back on and eazyout the broken stud on the left side. Or drill it out and rethread it. Rocket in England | ||
| Jolly |
Don't use an easy out! Common thread here on this forum... An easy out will break all most every time. American Sport Bike sells the proper tool for removing the bolt and you don't want to compound the problem by having an easy out broken off in the center. I have not had to extract a broken bolt but I have had to repair threads for one stripped out..... Bought a time-sert with a stainless 1 inch insert. Much better than helicoil and outstanding tools in the kit! Call American Sport Bike..... | ||
| Oldog |
Having done the hand drill bodge, Remove the head, send it to CYCLE-RAMA they are a sponsor and will do the job properly, They did it for me. If not done correctly you get to do it over. Get a billet mount and bolt kit from AL and you are set good luck | ||
| Coxster |
I took my head to a machine shop when I busted an exhaust stud, smartest move I could have made. | ||
| Oldog |
Exhaust studs can be removed with the Jims drill guide by the owner, The Front head mount bolt removal and head repair should definitely be done by a shop as the mating surface MUST BE FLAT and in the same plane as the other, ALSO the threads need to be sturdy as the mount must be torqued to 70 ftlbs... per the instructions. buggard up threads will likely pull out.. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Any idea what Cycle Rama charges for a re-weld? My Defender has done too many wheelies in its past, and upon checkout once I got it home I discovered one broken bolt. The other bolt isn't broken...because the boss is still firmly bolted to the front mount, and cleanly removed from the head itself. | ||
| Oldog |
Call Pammy it may take some time as they are picky about getting a good weldor to do the work( they farmed mine out to some one they trusted to do it right ). I had other work done too so I don't remember the details except the work was top notch and the price was good, Rat I used to work in a machine shop years ago and by any measure I could check by eye or measurement it was top quality..... it was done 15K ago, and I still wheelie my x1 and its held up no issues of any kind good luck | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
Using a cone shaped 3/16th Snap-On easy out, it should never break unless you don't know how to use one - in which case you should not even contemplate trying. You don't need to spend money on a fancy billet mount. The X1 mount is perfect for the job. and do use the upgrade Buell fastener kit (if still available). It's not a difficult job with the correct tools and skills. Rocket in England | ||
| Motorsquad |
Contacted pam at cycle Rama waiting there response.. Thanks guys | ||
| Motorsquad |
Anyone selling new or used heads? | ||
| Koz5150 |
I have succesfully removed two mounting bolts with easy outs. I started with a small titanium drilbit and stepped up twice in size. I put a little heat to it and it backed right out. Both times with just a hand drill, and patience. Cheap fix ad worth a try before you take the whole engine apart. | ||
| Oldog |
You don't need to spend money on a fancy billet mount. The X1 mount is perfect for the job. and do use the upgrade Buell fastener kit (if still available). It's not a difficult job with the correct tools and skills. 1. Chances are that the mount is damaged and the face is not flat hence not usable, same with the head, except that the head may be able to be re-machined flat, 2. The cast mount is INFERIOR to the billet mount so you may get a do-over at some point, with the billet that should not be the case, 3. I agree use the improved mount bolts that AL sells and re-install to spec. 4. Most folks should not attempt ez-outs I have dug enough drills taps and ez outs out of machine parts over they years to say even reasonably skilled users have a goof once in a while, and a busted tool will lead to weeping and naching of teeth, or a lot of time digging the thing out... The big thing is that the mating surface is not likely to be flat on the head where the mount was attached, Mine was not, and if you miss you have to have the head repaired, I know how to use these tools and mine had to be re-worked, your bike, your tools, your money, AND your hide.... good luck... } | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
I have succesfully removed two mounting bolts with easy outs. I started with a small titanium drilbit and stepped up twice in size. I put a little heat to it and it backed right out. Both times with just a hand drill, and patience. Absolutely my experience several times with these particular bolts. Hence my advice above. I would not offer the same advice for an exhaust stud though, as an example. The head mounts pi55 out once they're moving from tight. 1. Chances are that the mount is damaged and the face is not flat hence not usable, same with the head, except that the head may be able to be re-machined flat, It's a simple task to lay the bracket on flat stock or glass and check it. It's a simple task to make it flat providing you have a flat surface, filing tools and rubbing down paper and compounds. Takes minutes if it's not flat across the stud faces as it won't be 'that' far out if not. It's easy to check the head mount holes are level / in line with a steel rule or straight edge. Similar with filing tools to get it there if not. We're talking nominal measurements here and not building watches. 2. The cast mount is INFERIOR to the billet mount so you may get a do-over at some point, with the billet that should not be the case, The S1 mount was troublesome which is why I said go X1. I did. It was recommended on BadWeB a decade ago when billet mounts were rare, fanciful, and expensive. I've had ten years plus using an X1 mount with no issues. This after breaking several bolts previously, several times. There are archived threads I posted on this years ago, when the upgrade bolt kit didn't exist and I sourced my own bolts using a spacer arrangement to accommodate their slightly longer length. The Buell original bolts had not enough shank length and the thread area ended where the face joint between the head and mount met. A source of weakness the upgrade kit appears to have overcome. 3. I agree use the improved mount bolts that AL sells and re-install to spec. Ah, thought Al might sell these. Good to know in case mine break with old age! 4. Most folks should not attempt ez-outs I have dug enough drills taps and ez outs out of machine parts over they years to say even reasonably skilled users have a goof once in a while, and a busted tool will lead to weeping and naching of teeth, or a lot of time digging the thing out... Absolutely. Could not agree more. Especially working as I use to on the older Saab turbos and their manifolds! In this case though, these fasteners don't appear to go tight along the area of thread used, as I said above, and once moving they're about finger tight all the way out has been my experience. The big thing is that the mating surface is not likely to be flat on the head where the mount was attached, Mine was not, and if you miss you have to have the head repaired, I know how to use these tools and mine had to be re-worked, I think the OP's head is already broken? Need to remove to weld properly if so, in which case Pammy and Wes should be where to go to take care of the whole job, and ignore everything I said above. It's meant for people who might want to try and remove a snapped front mount bolt is all  Hope this helps, and not confuses. Rocket in England | ||
| Mcelhaney14 |
I have a head and am actually looking for a damaged front head. The one I have needs new guides. PM me if interested | ||
| Motorsquad |
pm sent | ||
| Oldog |
Rocket, You and I with enough time would be able to file those parts flat enough, I won't try it on some thing like this. BTW Glass is not the best flat surface to use because its not flat I got the bolt out of my X1 head and filed the bosses flat to about .007 ( check with feeler and straight edge, ) The bolt removal wound up off center and buggered the threads just a little, because the head mount is under a fair amount of stress I decided to have it repaired, by weld up and re-machine, so all is dead flat and in the same plane ( having new clean threads is good too ) Then scope creep set in and many dollars later I had some of Wes's fine head work and a valve job done I did get carried away  I need to put up the pics of the cast part you would file on that for a week of mondays to get it flat and then stack washers to make up the missing metal But you are absolutely right that if the bosses are unbroken you "can" file and fit it all back together... its just not the way I would do it.. nor would I recommend it to some one with a concern about successful outcome..... | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
BTW Glass is not the best flat surface to use because its not flat Well you say that Old,but I have a story to beat all stories  Many years ago a friend of mines father had a straight 6 Jag which let go of the head gasket. Rather than pay a shop to skim the head he laid it on a large piece of plate glass which had once been a shop door. He attached a couple of pulleys to the head in crude fashion, which he joined to an adjacent electric motor by way of a belt. Smothering the glass with valve grinding paste, you guessed it. He skimmed his own head on a piece of glass! True story. Rocket in England | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
I need to put up the pics of the cast part you would file on that for a week of mondays to get it flat and then stack washers to make up the missing metal I'm surprised you had so much trouble with yours. I had some clearance issues where mine was rubbing on the rocker covers, which I'm sure contributed toward the breaking bolt issue. Here's some pics from way back when. Maybe I was lucky in getting the bolts out. Maybe it comes down to getting good centre on the stud and using good drill bits. I accept it could be a pain if it went pear shaped!         Rocket in England | ||
| Oldog |
Ouch I will post Up my post disaster pix next week in general Snap on make better than average tools, my bolt would not come out even with a left hand drill bit | ||
| Motorsquad |
Rocket.. I have the same broken bolt issue as the pics you have posted.. That is small potatoes compared to the problem I have on the right side of the front cylinder head. The metal (tab) sticking out of the head on the right side that the bolt goes into is completely gone. I will try and post pic when I get home from work tonight. | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
Motorsquad, If you have a good look on the 4th and 5th pic that Rocket posted ,what do you see? a weld!  | ||
| Dynosaur |
Is that a weld in Sean's pics 4 and 5? Cos he is still extracting the broken screw. Looks like he has heated it (and for some reason put a dent in it with a hammer). | ||
| Mcelhaney14 |
I think he is talking about the other mount boss. Looks like it had been welded in the past. | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
Ah to be clear. Yes I thought you meant you'd a broken head casting. Mine did too. I had it welded back on. If you've lost it then make a fresh piece to weld on. Once it's in place you can drill it, tap it, level it, clean it, paint it. It's not that difficult to repair if you're competent or know someone who is. Yes the eazyout has seen heat, but not on the Buell head stud. It's an eazyout I've used a lot if times. In fact the pics are about ten years old, and I used the same easyout a few weeks ago on a broken stud on a Saab 2.2 TiD belt tensioner! Rocket in England | ||
| Motorsquad |
Rocket.. That's exactly what I am trying to accomplish. I am mechanically inclined just not totally confidant in my welding ability to hold up the stress that will be on the area I need to weld. | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
There is little stress there once you get a piece back in place and welded. Frankly if I were in your position I'd be tempted to just weld the 'nose' back in place. I'd likely do it a few layers of weld at a time, and each time clean it with a file to some sort of shape, and keeping the face section flat with file so you can be certain the weld is good and not full of holes. With a little effort you could build enough of a nose to drill it and tap it. What have you to lose if it doesn't work? Rocket in England | ||
| Motorsquad |
I am sending the head to nrhs performance. They will repair my head for a good price. Thanks for all the help and suggestion. | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
Pleasure. Rocket in England |
