Dominator 88 rebuild advice

Wayne.......you should be able to build up the engine and gearbox as a unit including the respective mounting plates.    If you lay the power unit on its right side the frame can then be dropped over the engine /gearbox and the two chunks bolted together. 

Changing the top right rear gearbox bolt so that its head was inside the plate allows the complete primary side to be assembled on the power unit leaving less big chunks to be added to the rebuild. 

I found a small hoist and extra pair of hands helped to speed up the task.

Installing a complete engine is very heavy. Installing the bottom and barrels is straightforward. Then fitting the head is straightforward. So the idea to fit gearbox and plates, then drop the engine in after would be the suggested way to go.

More often than not the rocker shafts will pull out with a bolt , easier too if the head warmed up. If they have worn their way into the head then the cover plate stampings are less effective in stopping them oscillating with the rockers . There are several "bodges" to resist this from inserting small washers at the nearside to bring the spindles flush with the offside to fitting the RGM locating kit which is a more  visible modification. I have this kit on my 99. Reasonably effective but can come loose and needs checking .

Pack the hole inside the head with a suitable spacer/washer to bring the end of the rocker shaft just proud of the face (ideally a few thou less the thickness of the gasket) Then make sure the two tangs on the locating plate engage with the slot. If needed deepen the tangs engagement with a tap using a small punch and toffee hammer to bend the tangs inwards. Fit outer plate and gasket. Job done  

This applies to all the twins. With barrels and crank in the frame. Sit astride the bike and feed the head in (at 90deg) to what you would think. pass the push rods up inside the head. Then with fingers holding them in the head pass the head forward through 90deg, dropping push rods down the barrels. place the head on the barrels with the two long head nuts as spacers, locate push rods, drop head onto barrels. EASY.

Fitting a 500cc head onto a bottom end that is already in the frame is not too hard. The fun and games begin with the taller barrels of the bigger engines. The front barrel studs will get in the way when passing the head through the top rails and then turning it 90* to lines up the bolt holes. The rear cylinder head stud will make a nuisance of itself and try and dig holes in the gasket, while trying to insert the pushrods and holding the cylinder head at the same time needs 4 hands.

If you cannot bribe somebody to help you when inserting the pushrods, then at least dangle the head from a hoist or adjustable strap. You can then follow Al's suggestion of 'bare back' riding while getting the pushrods in place.

BIG HINT ........don't use rubber bands to pull the rockers fully open.  The will over-rotate the arm and not let the rocker ball sit in the rod socket.  You need them about 2/3 open with  loose adjusters screws/nuts.

ALSO......loose rocker spindles is not a great problem unless they rocker arms are rattling on them. The spindle end cover tangs should hold them in place and some goo on the plates and gaskets stop any serious oil drip issues.

FINALLY.....once the cylinder head is sitting on top of the barrels use a small torch and small mirror to check the rocker balls are each seated in their respective cups. Then start to wind down the centre head bolt until it is compressing the gasket. Now turn the engine over about 180* and check the pushrods again. If some of the balls have jumped out of position a piece of wire will allow corrections. The centre bolt can be released a little to help. Follow the standard head torquing pattern increasing each nut / bolt by just 5 f/lbs on each round. Keep checking the pushrod ends.