Doing it right!
View the full image gallery of the engine overhaul, here: http://dannix.net/home/pictures/set/72157644033907140
Painted cylinder jugs, head, and both case halves with VHT engine enamel in the cast iron color. I think it looks great! The head and jugs where first coated with VHT self etch primer and the finish is very hard. I didn't bake in the over, either. But I didn't have the primer for the case halves, so instead a prepped with something called Alluminum Jelly, from the makers of Navel Jelly. It has phosphoric acid in it which etches the aluminum and eats away rust and organic matter (oils). The finish is pretty solid, but not likely as good as with proper primer. The case covers will all be polished aluminum.
Time to install the pistons! They're hard to find. CMSNL has the best inventory but the highest prices. I couldn't find two matching pistons off ebay, so what I did was buy one +0.25mm and two sets of rings off ebay to save money, and one +0.25mm piston from CSMNL.
Checked ring gap clearances first, they're good. Oiled up the rings and installed them on the piston - made sure to install in correct order and with the right-side-up indicator facing up. With the pistons somewhere after TDC (so they're coming down) and a penny wedged in the clutch/oil filter gears so they won't move, I dropped on the cylinder jugs down on them. I thought that I would have to pinch the rings with my fingers all the way (remember, this is my first time overhauling an engine) but the bottom of the cylinders sleeves are tapered I guess, so that wasn't really necessary. I just had to guide rings in (doing my best to keep them spaced 120 degrees) and give a good amount of steady forced down on the cylinders.
Now onto the head. The only hangup I had here was getting the chain onto the sprocket. It wouldn't go on this way:
with the chain in the middle between the sprocket and the cam flange, I couldn't get the chain onto the sprocket because the sprocket couldn't turn. I had to slip the sprocket under the chain and then I could get it on.
Set the timing by following the FSM. Used loc-tite on the sprocket bolts and engine oil to lube the cam up (didn't use assembly oil because I didn't want anything synthetic, but I really don't know which is best). Installed the rockers next, then the timing house and tach gear house, and then bolted on the cover!
Done. Right? Wrong. Turns out I installed the kickstarter wrong - the "friction spring" isn't in it's grove, so it doesn't, well, it doesn't kick start the engine. So I need to open the case back up. That's when I removed the side cover to find that the gasket had slipped out of position when I was tightening it down, and it was completely blocking an oil passageway! So... oops??