Shovelhead - Do It Yourself - Tune And Service Guide with Frank Kaisler

In this instructional video, guru Frank Kaisler takes you through the care and service of Harley-Davidson's venerable Shovelhead engine.

Applying four decades of motorcycle experience, Frank shares the hard-earned tips and tricks that served him so well over the years. Many aspects of engine tune and service are covered in this video: changing fluids, valve train, ignition, timing, fuel system, electrical.

Follow Frank's tips and tricks and you'll build the skills you need to resurrect that old project and keep your bike running strong with confidence. Over 2 hours of killer content, Enjoy!

00:19 - Introduction - Prep For tune and Service
00:46 - Explanation about the motor and how's it has two different variations.
01:54 - Carburetor changes over the years.
04:46 - Start the service, pull the plugs.
05:54 - Check primary chain or belt drive tension inspection.
07:54 - Jack the bike up to adjust the rear chain.
08:39 - Changing your oil.
15:22 - Difference in oil pumps.
17:40 - Check your oil lines are tight.
19:18 - Rear Chain Adjustment.
19:28 - Primary Belt or Chain check.
20:01 - Check rear chain for too much play. How to take the slop out.
20:19 - Note what kind of brakes you have on your bike, if its a mechanical rear brakes you will have to undo your brake rod first before moving the wheel back.
20:57 - Loosen rear wheel lock nut on the adjusters on both sides.
21:25 - Loosen the rear axel nut.
22:28 - Find the tightest spot of the chain, adjust each side evenly using the hex head flats to measure how many times to adjust.
24:31 - Tighten back down the rear axel.
25:30 - Tight the lock nuts on the adjusters without moving the adjustment.
26:00 - How to adjust and hook back up the mechanical brake.
26:57 - Lube your chain!
29:32 - Quick explanation if you have a swing arm bike how to adjust your chain.
31:13 - Importance of alignment and how to check.
31:37 - How to determine if you need a new chain or sprocket.
33:30 - Check your master link clip is still ok.
34:54 - Valve Adjustment / adjusting your pushrods on solid lifters.
42:43 - Explanation on how to adjust hydraulic lifters.
44:48 - Ignition Systems - Magneto
45:00 - Checking Magneto, how to set the points and check the timing.
47:16 - How to clean your points.
47:59 - Pull timing plug out of the crank case and rotate the motor till you see the timing mark dead in the hole.
49:16 - How to static time the magneto.
54:07 - Grease the spark plug wires that go into the magneto.
55:30 - Using a timing light to check the timing.
57:46 - Ignition Systems - Points and Electronic Ignitions
58:10 - How to inspect and adjust the points and timing on a cone Shovelhead.
01:17:00 - Electronic ignition explanation.
01:23:26 - Fuel Delivery System
01:23:29 - Carburetor service and maintenance, check air filter.
01:25:06 - Check fuel lines.
01:25:30 - Check Throttle cable.
01:25:55 - Check fuel petcocks for leaks.
01:26:39 - Check the gas cap.
01:28:50 - Importance of a carburetor support mount.
01:29:53 - Manifold intake leak?
01:34:25 - Enricher how it works.
01:35:32- Throttle Control System how it all works and what to inspect. Lube your throttle cable, throttle housing and tube.
01:41:52 - Battery and Charging Systems
01:42:01 - Inspect spark plug wires, add electrical grease on the ends.
01:42:50 - Setting the right gap and how to re install spark plugs.
01:47:34 - Check your coil and how to keep the nuts from corroding.
01:48:30 - Cleaning old sark plugs if you need to reuse them.
01:49:04 - How to read plugs.
01:50:37 - Check charging system and explanation on how it works and what to look for when testing.
01:55:06 - how to check charring system
01:55:40 - Battery's
01:57:52 - Difference between Solid State regulator and a mechanical regulator.
02:00:17 - More battery talk, tips and more useful info.
02:03:41 - Closing thoughts and thank you for watching!

[GorVala]

Super interesting and easy to understand especially no annoying music in background.

[ler]

Man, why wasn't there a YouTube in '72 when I got my new Super Glide, that I still have & occasionally ride! It would have saved me tons of time of not knowing what I was doing. Now I'm too old to bend and stoop just to put on socks. My biggest problem is finding the mechanic's who really know old Harley's. This is the best DIY I've seen on Shovelhead routine maint.

[Harsh_Trip]

✠ Shovelhead -Do It Yourself ✠

-Chapter I Prep for Tune and Service
0:18 Intro
0:47 Slab / Genny
1:53 Carb options

4:43 Plugs
5:54 Mid foot peg
6:55 Primary cover, belt drive tension/timing (*see chpt.3*)
7:53 How to jack bike off

-Chapter II Chainging Your Oil
8:38 Oil change motor/trans
15:09 First joint
15:21 Oil pump

-Chapter III Rear Chain Adjustment
19:19 Adjust primary and rear drive train
26:56 Chain wax
28:58 In the old days
29:28 " I like Big Twins" 😎
29:58 Swing arms chain adjustment
31:12 Alignment
33:29 Master link clip

-Chater IV
34:53 Valve adgustment
42:39 Hydraulic

-Chapter V Ignition system (Magnito)
44:48 Magneto
47:58 Timming plug/pulley
50:43 Points Cellophane Trick
52:07 advanced/ retard
54:03 Dielectric grease
55:28 Timming light

-Chapter VI Ignition System (Points & Electronic Ignition)
57:48 Adjust Points
1:16:53 Points / Electronic Ignition

-Chapter VII Fuel Delivery System
1:23:26 Carb
1:25:55 Petcock
1:26:38 Gas Cap
1:28:47 Carb Support
1:29:47 Intake Leak
1:36:00 Throttle Lube


-Chapter VIII Battery & Charging System
1:41:53 Spark Plug & Wire Inspection
1:50:18 Check Charging System
1:55:05 Battery Options
2:03:40 Outro

Thank me later

R I P Frank "The Real Deal" Kaisler

[erinhickey]

It's great to see my old friend Frank Kaisler. RIP buddy.

You can tell this man loves and knows these Shovel motors. Keep on Shoveling

[IIIsticksone]

That was really nice of you guys to offer this up for free! You guys are a great company!

[willtopower]

This is better then any movie coming out of Hollywood now a days!

[CaptainSwoop]

Excellent, incredibly helpful, class act presentation. It so refreshing to listen to a sensible, intelligent, knowledgeable person telling it as it is without theatrics and self aggrandisement. Cheers and thanks from Australia.

[joebehanna]

Great video lowbrow customs top shelf! Thank you for all the information. I have a 74 shovel that I'm getting ready for my grandsons graduation. He's only 5 but this child is a natural born biker and wrenches and polishes dreaming of the day when he's the only one on that bike 😎

[mikebeaumont]

Absolute pleasure watching your presentation. Far better seeing it first-hand than using a book.

[brothertyler]

great calm video, watched it all in one go. Thanks for the old-timer info, hard to get anymore.

[FirstDonkie]

This is great! You truly are the Bob Ross of shovelheads. And quite refreshing: a 2hrs and 5 min video and NOT once i've heard 'Alright guys...'. A lot of YouTubers should take note. It really can be done, thanks. 
At 28 min or so, you are lubricating the chain. I used to spray grease on the inside of the chain, right in front of the sprocket That way the grease first has to pas through the chain, before it is slung out into the open. Thus taking the most advantage of the grease and force of nature. At least that's how it works in my mind.
Seeing you work, I think I over tighten my bolts and screws 9 out of 10 times...

[craigpennington]

P.S. On your cable oiling. What I do is get a sandwich bag, put a hole in the bottom, put the cable through it and tape it onto cable housing. Put oil, 1oz. in the baggy and secure it up and let oil drain until you see it come out the bottom of cable. The oil I used was Molybdenum (snake oil we used to call it). Then lube the grip fixture. I've never had a problem when doing this. I also put 1 pint of Moly into the crankcase. Used always in my race engines, V-8s.

[yinyanglovebomb]

RIP TO THE GOAT FRANK KAISLER. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM

[phillipmonroy]

Thanks for posting! Shovelhead owner since '74!

[ronaldjuhlinjr]

Thank you for producing this very informative video.

[ingemarnilsson]

Very exact information, without unnecessary talking. Very accurate lesson. Thank you.

[davidlamberson]

22 years ago I retired from the service and went to MMI. Took all the HD programs. I worked in 5 dealerships in two states before the recession closed my dealership and lack of customers put a lot of mechanics out of work in the Chicagoland area. I worked on EVOs and Twin Cams and little else. Then most dealers did not want to work on shovels or older bikes, too many of them had been rode hard and worked on by bad mechanics (non-mechanics) Anyway AWESOME videos, I had forgotten what they taught me in school about early model HD. Your video made me remember what I learned but rarely got to use. Been out of the biz for sometime, miss it sometimes had to move on. Thanks.

[VoodooDewey]

Thanks for sharing your infinite knowledge of old school Harley repair.

[caffeinated_rush]

I greatly appreciate the passing of knowledge, I recently inherited my late uncles 78 shovel and this helps tremendously! You guys are great! 🤘🙏