Kiwi Service

Rebuilding Services: We offer our rebuilding services and vast experience of rebuilding almost any part of your Indian Motorcycle to you. We have the most comprehensive experience in rebuilding Flathead engines and transmissions that you will find anywhere using only the finest Kiwi parts made. We have created and learnt from developing our own new Kiwi brand engines, we incorporate this technology into your original engine.

Not only will you find we have extensive knowledge but an added bonus is we ride our Indians and extremely hard at that, sometimes at the point of abuse. Why you say?. We’re constantly testing our products and if it holds up under us, it will surely hold up under you. Further proof and experience you can count on.

-Inside engine room
-The engine master Joe at work
-Kiwi and Mader making some repair parts for an engine
-Testing gauges for developing new silent crankcase ventilation breathers

Bore and Hone: Cylinders are bolted to a torque plate to simulate being bolted to the crankcase. This simulates bore distortion which allows us to run tighter piston clearances which means a nice quiet running engine

Worn cylinder threads: We reclaim worn or stripped threads in cylinders using extra strength Threadserts (no light duty Helicoils)

Valve job: Valve jobs are done on high quality Serdi machines for the finest 3 angle valve jobs that you will ever experience.

Flywheel Balancing: Flywheels are individually balanced and each part is individually weighed and a formula is applied. The result is a smooth running engine.

Mismatched cam cover: We can re-align cam bushings due to mismatched cam covers and crankcases utilizing our special tooling and fixtures

Oil Pump: All oil pumps are “Dyno” tested on our exclusive oil pump dyno tester. Since the oil pump is like the human heart, we test every single pump for performance. Aluminum oil pumps (48-53) are very particular and this eliminates any guess work.

Many people may wonder why the cost variations from builder to builder however we want to point out just some of the lengths we go to. You will most likely find us the most expensive however you will also find us to be the very best and the most knowledgeable. We aim to give you an honest price up front as we don’t bait and switch. We prefer to be honest up front about things. The things that can vary are how damaged some of the main componentry can be once things are pulled apart. I can assure you from past experience that while your engine may run fine, once we get into it and inspect things closer, there are always the usual things that are worn out, distorted or cracked on an Indian regardless as to how it was running. Keep in mind there’s been around 60 years of different hands trying to keep it on the road. We go to extensive lengths to pay attention to even the smallest of details so you know that you are getting the best job possible.

My background is specializing in engine rebuilding since about age 12 and when I left school some years later I became an apprentice Automotive Machinist (engine re-builder) working my way up to tradesman level (A grade).

The number one killer today of Indian engines is improper cleaning of the internals or contamination during assembly. For this reason we spend a lot of time just in the cleaning process. We have a dedicated $10,000.00 ultrasonic cleaner specifically addressing the cleaning issue plus we also do several follow up hand washes afterwards just to be extra safe. While some may dismiss this as being over anal, we have been in the fortunate position to have done many failure analysis for clients and other re-builders that have had engines prematurely fail at as low as 100 miles. In every single case bar one, it has been due to improper cleaning.

The following list is just some of the steps we take and are by no means complete. We actually do these things and just not offer lip service. We manufacture our own engines from scratch and we have to warranty them and our reputation rides on our products. The same effort and technology we put into our own Kiwi engines, we also migrate this into our clients engines.

We strip everything from the cases right down to bare aluminum. This includes push rod guides, cam bushings, cam follower pivot shafts/bushings, drive and pinion housings, cylinder base studs and likewise in the transmission.

We inspect your engine and transmission to find out why it failed. Every engine fails for a reason and we try and find that reason and correct the problem since there is no point in rebuilding an engine if it has a defect in it and the re-builder overlooks the defect and the same failure happens again. Maybe it failed because of dirt, bent connecting rods, flywheel thrusting to one side, mismatched cases, poor quality cylinder material, cylinders bored incorrectly (cock-eyed), poor quality parts, running lean, wet sumping. Whatever it maybe, to us it is important to do our detective work so there is no chance of overlooking anything and for to correct the problems.

All our processes can be substantiated by visiting our facility so as you can see it 1^sthand the extensive lengths we go to. We have a dedicated engine room that is kept spotlessly clean. All machining and dirty processes are done in a completely different area of the shop and are contained in their own rooms so no cross contamination exists. We have extensive specialty designed and dedicated tooling and jigs in order to do the best job possible. Tooling and jigs are expensive however this investment coupled with our vast knowledge and experience separate us out from everybody else.

All engine specifications, clearances, end floats etc are documented on our specification sheet and kept on file.

All Kiwi engines are test run for several hours prior to shipping. We have designed a special test fixture that we test run all built engines on. This test fixture also has an additional feature to test the clutch and transmission for operation. While this does take several extra hours on our part, it does allow us to do an initial controlled break in and ensure that everything is operating like it is supposed to be. We monitor engine temps with sensors and as an additional feature we also do a carburetor air/fuel ratio check with a sensor in the exhaust system to ensure the engine is operating within it correct range.

Measure every single bearing/bushing bore with micrometers or bore gauges for correct sizing.

Medium grit glass bead blast aluminum and finish blast with an ultra fine media for the best surface finish possible.

Fine bead blast internal parts but all bearing/bushing/shaft surfaces are masked so as not to harm their finely finished machined operating surfaces.

Measure each case bore and mating component to ensure proper interference fit into cases.

Heat cases up uniformly in a dedicated commercial oven so as to evenly heat parts and reduce any chances of distortion. We do not use a flame torch.

Fit parts into their cases with appropriate sealant if applicable (push rod guides).

Jig cases on our dedicated fixtures for bushing/bearing/ shaft installation with our precision arbor press. While our extensive jigs add some time to the job it ensures every thing is in proper alignment which does not broach, damage or crack any of the cases. Fitting items in includes Drive housing, pinion housing, cam bushings, cam follower pivot shaft and bushing, push rod guides, cylinder base studs, magneto hole plug. In cam cover fit the following, cam bushings, cam follower pivot shaft bushings.

Seal coat inside of cases (optional). These are usually done to early cases due to their poor quality/porous aluminum.

Measure each shaft, bushing and every roller. This ensures perfection for sizing and eliminates any chance for possible errors.

We prefer to set the drive side bearings up with a seal so as to eliminate oil from flowing to and from the engine to the primary and transmission.

Bead blast metal parts that need to be cadmium plated. Mask machined and bearing surfaces.

Inspect flywheels for damaged tapers, damaged thrust washer faces, worn off dowel pins, obvious mismatched flywheels and extra holes we know that have come about by misbalancing.

Balance flywheels individually using our formula method. All parts are weighed (rod big end, rod little end, crankpin, rollers, retainers, nuts, etc) and while this does take more time than the factory method, we feel this is more precise and methodical and provides for a smoother operating and longer lasting engine.

True flywheels. Factory specs are .001 however we aim for .0005 or less. While this takes in some cases extra time it pays for itself in longer engine life and smoother operation.

Note: We believe in using dial indicators that we have set up on special fixtures to obtain a higher degree of accuracy.

Re-surface cam follower push rod contact surface. We have a jig specifically designed for this purpose to duplicate the original factory contour. We do not do this by hand.

Line ream bushings and then final hone to size. We have a custom made reamer that has been specifically designed to line ream the cam bushings to perfect alignment. After reaming bushings are final honed to size and to obtain the best surface finish possible. This does take a lot of time due to mismatched cam covers that have been interchanged throughout the years but the more attention to the little details, the quieter the valve train operation.

We will be upfront about the huge investment in time we put into the cam train but you will be hard pressed to find a quieter operating engine anywhere.

Note: None of our bushing surfaces are final finished using a reamer. A reamed surface is extremely rough (even though it looks good to the naked eye) however it wears rapidly leading to a worm out bushing in a matter of a short amount of time. All of our surface finishes are finely finished and accurately sized with a Sunnen hone. While the equipment investment is extremely high on our part, it does provide for the best possible job which is what we are about.

Cam gears are checked for mesh and back lash. Gears are lapped in to each other for super quiet operation.

Cam shaft end float checked using dial indicators. End float set using our special shim thrust washers.

Case is checked for cam follower clearance at full lift. Case and lower push rod guide is machined as necessary .

Cylinders are carefully inspected for cracks, sunken seats, oversized outside diameter valve guides, worn, damaged, loose or leaky intake nipples, odd wear patterns in cylinder bores, pistons, rings, wrist pins and keepers. This all determines possible underlying problems that if they are not picked up, can continue to exist.

3 angle valve job using a Serti machine. This is the highest quality valve seat cutting process available and the only way we go. We created a dedicated 3 angle cutter that cuts the seats to the correct 35 degrees each and every time with 100% repeatability. While this is expensive, it is the only way we opt to go.

We use dial indicators and micrometers (not feeler gauges like some) for piston to wall clearance.

Dedicated boring and honing fixtures. Cylinders are bolted down to a dedicated torque plate to simulate it being bolted onto the cases. Cylinders distort approx up to .001 meaning when our cylinders are bolted down to your cases they are perfectly round hence why our engines run with .0035 clearance and our top ends run quiet. Top ends generate a lot of engine noise and we keep our engine builds down to an absolute minimum. Creating a torque plate is an expensive piece of equipment but it is the only way we choose to go in order to do the job properly.

Hone cylinders using a Sunnen CK10 power hone for perfection in sizing, cross hatch and surface finish for optimum compatibility with Indian rings.

Cylinder bores are oiled and cleaned with a lint free towel for perfect cleanliness. Any honing grit residue will reduce the life of the rings.

New valve springs installed. Springs are checked on a spring tester for proper pressures.

Check valve to head clearance at full lift to ensure they clear. Clearance heads if necessary.

Inspect head gasket surface for imperfections prior to machining for tell tail signs of possible prior combustion seepage.

Note: We inspect prior to machining to look for any tell tail signs of odd things that may be going on or have gone on in the past. Machining is carried out by removing the least amount of material possible. While this does take longer to set things up in the machine, we treat existing original material as being very valuable and leave as much of it behind as possible.

Oil pumps are disassembled down to a bare body and carefully inspected for wear and tell tail signs of imperfections. All surfaces are inspected and resurfaced if necessary. New gears, bushings and shafts are installed and clearances double checked.

Feed plunger and bore is measured for clearance. If excessive we have the plunger built up with hard chrome and re-ground and custom fitted to the plunger bore. This brings the pump back to brand new factory condition.

Note: We have a specially designed and dedicated oil pump dyno tester that provides accurate and repeatable results. Our dyno tester is specifically designed to hold the pump at a set rpm for a specific amount of time simulating engine rpm which measures flow in both the feed and return sides of the pump. Pump has to fall within a very specific range. Usually this can take quite some time especially on aluminum (1948-53) pumps which eliminates any guess work. This is the heart pump of the engine.

Usually we like to do a pre test just to see if the oil pump is part of the engine failure. Aluminum (1948-53) pumps are highly susceptible to problems and require plenty of careful attention as they are a very particular pump. We cut no corners.

Distributor is disassembled and bushings replaced with new self lubing bushings.

Carburetor is carefully disassembled and inspected for correct components. Over the years many parts have been changed out and one has to pay particular attention to what parts match what carburetor to which motorcycle (Indian or Harley) and what engine displacement. While all these parts are interchangeable, it comes down to experience.

Paint body with special gas resistant paint if customer requests. Painted bodies are for specific year bikes.

Clutch sprocket is inspected for loose, fractured studs, damaged threads and correct lengths.

Clutch sprocket bushing is replaced and machined true to sprocket. Final Sunnen hone bushing to size.

Generator drive bearing and seal are upgraded in pulley side of inner primary cover. Extra length bushing fitted to outer cover side for added shaft support.

Re-rivet sprocket to shaft even if it shows no signs of having problems. Extra attention paid to this area due to it being a problem area.

Transmission case is carefully dismantled to observe for signs of preexisting problems. The 4 mounting feet are placed on a surface plate to check for flatness. Machine if necessary.

All bearings/bushings are removed especially the countershaft bushings no matter even if they appear ok. These are usually a problem area from the factory and we take no risks.

Countershaft bores are checked for alignment to the main shaft bearing bore axis.

Cluster gear is either set up for bushings or ROLLER bearings. We do NOT use needle bearings as these are prone to random failure. Roller bearings take 40% more loading than needle bearings and are ideal for heavy use applications however it is definitely a nice upgrade to do on any transmission.

Countershaft removal hole in right side of case is tapped for a 1/8 pipe thread so as a plug can be fitted so as to eliminate any chance of an oil leak.

Hardened head bolt washers are used on all our engines. While these do cost more than normal original plain steel washers, they do not get grooves cut into them from the underside of the head bolt plus these washers do not cup. What this means is that an even clamp load is applied through to the head gasket surface and in many cases what others think they are experiencing with head gaskets settling is actually these parts failing.

We use high quality stainless steel hardware with the head markings removed. Original cadmium fastenings can be used as an option.

We take extraordinary steps to avoid any chances of an oil leak or weep. For this reason we use exclusively James gaskets for the finest sealing gaskets ever made for Indians. We have worked very closely with James to develop these gaskets and without any doubt, James is the best, period.

Damaged flywheel shaft hole tapers. This usually requires a lot of lapping time which can also lead to extra truing time on the truing stand.

Flywheels that have been improperly balanced and are drilled like Swiss cheese and need the balance holes being filled back in to balance correctly.

Non factory matched or improperly machined flywheels that will not true up. This can only be determined at time of flywheel assembly.

If either pushrod or pushrod guide does not have the appropriate oil groove these will need to be machined or replaced with ones that are.

Original cadmium plated fastenings. Our preference is to use stainless steel fastenings which have had their head markings removed.

Worn oil pump plunger or bore. If these are worm we will hard chrome the plunger and regrind its outside diameter

In Summary you will notice that we use extensive jigging. While some think this is a waist, for me coming from a lifelong engine and machining background I find this absolutely necessary to perform the highest quality job possible. You will not find more Indian jigging, knowledge, experience and testing in any other Indian shop in the world. This is our specialty and areas of expertise and all the research and development we have put into our own Kiwi manufactured engines, we pass along to you in our rebuilding services.

We cordially invite you to tour our facility and see for yourself however if you are not able to visit us in person you can check us out in the following pictures. We also have written several books and are currently doing a DVD series on “How to rebuild your Indian”. With all of these thing you will be able to better understand what Kiwi Indian MotorCycle Company is all about.

Transmission: spun counter shaft bushings: If your counter shaft bushings have spun in the transmission case, we re-align bore the case and fit oversize bushings to bring them back to new specs.

Welding: Crack repairs in crank cases or transmission cases are no problem. We have reclaimed some pretty bad mishaps. Cylinder cracks or broken flanges: No problem as we have an expert welder who repairs huge off road earth moving equipment which has reclaimed some very rare cylinders that were deemed junk by others. We can pretty much reclaim any cylinder