I started to tear down the engine for my Norton 650SS,and never expected to find it in the shape it was in. Starting with the top end I pulled the head and cylinder. one of the manifold blocks just wouldn't budge so I tried to pull the studs, all but one of the intake studs came right out, and of course one in the intake manifold I couldn't get off. There were a few other studs and nuts on the valve train that wouldn't budge, so I gave them all a good soaking with the trusty PB Blaster and started blasting the cylinder. After a good once over with soda I noticed that there was what appeared to be mud dobber nests between the finns, so I grabbed a dental pick and started to pick at them to break then up. There were a few that broke up but most just fought back like baked on clay. I thought I would just change to a different media, so I dug out 40 lbs of soda from the cabinet and opened a fresh bag of glass beads. This took about an hour to change the media and do some needed maintenance on the cabinet. After I was finished I went back to check on the head. I got out a few studs and nuts off the rockers but the intake manifold wouldn't budge, I got out the torch with no avail, so another soaking with PB was in order.
Back to the blast cabinet I go with cylinder in hand, I pummel what I had thought was mud but it didn't budge, I thought about getting out the aluminum oxide but didn't want to go through the hassle again. I start looking closer and notice that the entire thing is packed with this red and black sand. top 3 fins have about 1 inch of sand surrounding the sleeve, and the center of the cylinder between the jugs and push rod tubes is solid. I get out the flex shaft and some Dremil bits and start grinding. Working on the center between the jugs only the largest space between fins was there room to fit in a small grinding stone. I get in deep and it starts to work free, just then I realize what it is, its slag and Black sand from the original 1965 casting left over that was never cleaned properly. I have never seen casting sand on anything new let alone a 45 year old part.
Several hours later ( like 4 or 5) after chipping grinding and sand blasting, and repeating several times, I have the center cleaned out. I even had to run back to Lowes to get more Dremil bits because I burnt up all my old ones. Notice the top 2 fins still have slag and sand.
When it got to be about 12 hours into the project and I still wasn't even close, I had to get out the camera to prove I wasn't crazy.
Am I crazy to go to this much effort? it lasted 45 years and never hurt anything.
Back to the blast cabinet I go with cylinder in hand, I pummel what I had thought was mud but it didn't budge, I thought about getting out the aluminum oxide but didn't want to go through the hassle again. I start looking closer and notice that the entire thing is packed with this red and black sand. top 3 fins have about 1 inch of sand surrounding the sleeve, and the center of the cylinder between the jugs and push rod tubes is solid. I get out the flex shaft and some Dremil bits and start grinding. Working on the center between the jugs only the largest space between fins was there room to fit in a small grinding stone. I get in deep and it starts to work free, just then I realize what it is, its slag and Black sand from the original 1965 casting left over that was never cleaned properly. I have never seen casting sand on anything new let alone a 45 year old part.
Several hours later ( like 4 or 5) after chipping grinding and sand blasting, and repeating several times, I have the center cleaned out. I even had to run back to Lowes to get more Dremil bits because I burnt up all my old ones. Notice the top 2 fins still have slag and sand.
When it got to be about 12 hours into the project and I still wasn't even close, I had to get out the camera to prove I wasn't crazy.
Am I crazy to go to this much effort? it lasted 45 years and never hurt anything.
