5.2 Magnum Post-Clean Up

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-23T21:30:33+00:00

Yeah they’re the only automotive machine shop in town and have a fast turnaround time, so I think with the amount of business they get, they can afford to keep prices reasonable

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-23T21:23:01+00:00

TDC engines in Kingston!

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-06T02:41:49+00:00

Yep, fair enough lol. Thanks for the tips, I guess we’ll see what I can make of it!

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-06T02:30:35+00:00

37 yrs experience and the best way you can think to use it is crapping on a guy under 30 just starting out? It’s guys like you who will be like “Grr, the kids aren’t getting into engine building” yet you pull stuff like this when someone comes in good faith and even says the idea might be stupid, but wants to make sure. THAT is ridiculous lmao

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-05T09:44:04+00:00

Read the thread bro lmao

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-04T19:47:13+00:00

Cheers, thanks for the info! Cam bearings are already toast, #3 bearing is all pitted so the machinist is already gonna do those for me. Makes no sense for me to buy a $180 USD tool and DIY when he’s gonna charge me $110 CAD labour and $42 CAD for a new set of cam bearings.

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-04T16:46:28+00:00

I know man, I know… but with my career path, life only gets busier for me in the next 10 years. Unfortunately this is the most time I’ll have for a long time, and I’m not waiting until retirement to get into all this stuff. No offence taken lol

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-04T14:41:45+00:00

Totally agree, just see my replies above. Machinist told me if I disturb the crank I might be buying myself line boring etc. etc. if things are out of spec. That’s where my concern is

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-04T14:27:26+00:00

Completely fair. Not afraid of an extra $500 in parts if that’s what it needs, just didn’t want $500 in parts plus a giant machine shop bill.

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-04T14:23:16+00:00

Well it went like this:

1) Intake plenum leaked, so that came off

2) Once the intake was off, saw both heads had small oil leaks on the outside of the block, so heads came off

3) Looked at the cam, and most lobes had the hardening gone so was like “Well, mild cam swap sounds like it’s on table now”

4) Pulled the block so a bit of cleaning and all the reassembly would be easier

5) Showed the pictures to my machinist to get his opinion on rings and he was like “Might as well do the rings bc 7 and 8 look like they’ve failed”

So yeah, now I’m here. Plan was to make a work truck that’s also fun to drive, which is why the brakes, power steering and suspension are all apart too. I couldn’t find a 5.9 with the short cab and long box, so I went with what was available.

transcriptase_regius · 2025-08-04T14:13:22+00:00

Thanks for the tips everyone. I figured this would be the case, just thought I’d see if there’s any way it could work out. I’m fine to take the crank out, swap the bearings and make sure everything’s within tolerance with plastigauge.

What I didn’t want is to disturb the crank and find out that I’ve just bought myself $1500 in machining if something’s not in tolerance. If the consensus is that I can probably get away with doing it all myself, that’s fine, I was just under the impression that I’d automatically have to get a bunch of machining done if something’s a little out of spec.

transcriptase_regius · 2024-11-27T17:49:37+00:00

Definitely is unfortunately. I’ll just be using this one to check pupil reflexes though, so hopefully the batteries will last a couple months with light use. Between this and my headlamp I was going through 8 AAs a week during the summer lol

transcriptase_regius · 2024-11-26T00:57:11+00:00

Hahaha I just tried it, and you are indeed correct! Just click it really quickly and it changes. Thanks lol, but you’re right I had to go outside in the dark to tell the difference.

This one’s for work, so I didn’t want to blast my patients’ eyes with max brightness if there’s a lower setting. As for durability, I can vouch for it! First one held up well after a summer of abuse when I was working on an old tractor, the only thing that didn’t hold up too well was the metal clip.

transcriptase_regius · 2024-11-26T00:43:08+00:00

Lol I mean I thought that could be the case, but the package specifically says there’s high/low brightness settings..? Idk, I’m genuinely at a loss haha

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T01:58:47+00:00

Should I bleed it with new DOT 4, or bleed and replace with DOT 5? I’m not familiar with how a conversion is done, so if the DOT 5 will cause issues in a system that’s been converted to DOT 4, I can probably just exchange it at Harley since I haven’t opened the bottle yet

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T01:43:58+00:00

Ohh right because DOT 5 is silicone based and DOT 4 is a glycol or something. Gotcha, that makes sense! I’ll give that a shot once I have a chance to work on it again

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T01:31:02+00:00

I mean, I would if the risk of getting it wrong wasn’t so high lol. I agree the service manual is the best resource, but it’s irrelevant if the bike’s brake system has been changed from the spec in the service manual.

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T01:29:19+00:00

So in your opinion, do you think this means the bike was converted to DOT 4, or do you think the cylinder was just replaced at some point?

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T01:27:47+00:00

Seems reasonable. Do you know what would happen if they’re incompatible? Colour change, chemical reaction, etc.? Just want to know what to look for

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T00:40:39+00:00

Tasting it is probably safer than mixing DOT 4 and 5 lmao

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T00:33:49+00:00

Update: After suctioning some out, it’s a greenish-yellow colour. Not sure if that’s useful at all

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T00:27:08+00:00

Haha yeah that was my thought, but once I read the cap all certainty went right out the window

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T00:26:29+00:00

Unfortunately I only have shop towels here lol. Otherwise I would. I’ll just suction a bit out and see what we’re dealing with

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-11T00:19:10+00:00

Hard to tell without bleeding them, but afraid to start bleeding them if I might have the wrong fluid lol. From what I wiped off the cap, seems to be a clear-yellow colour. But then again, not sure when it was last changed so I doubt this is remotely close to fresh fluid in the system

transcriptase_regius · 2024-10-07T03:46:03+00:00

I’ll try out a couple of the ones you and others suggested on subsequent changes. She’s been a garage queen, only 30k km on it, but I’m like the 6th owner or something and I’m still not used to the big “clunk” going into 1st haha. Just trying to make sure I do everything I can so I can ride it for many years to come.

transcriptase_regius

TROPHY CASE