Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: Scottie J on December 07, 2014, 10:25:53 AM
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Hi Everyone Again! It's been awhile. :-)
Well, my original build plans fell the thru floor. The custom heads I had built were going to cost me $4K, and with that ticket, my "financial partner" bailed out of the project. I tried really hard to land some side jobs to pay for them, but everything just went to crap. I ended up emailing the head builder to tell him that I couldn't afford the heads and asked if there was another interested customer that would take over. Less than an hour later a gentleman in the UK agreed to purchase the heads, and is now currently putting his motor together with them.
With that said, I refuse to give up on this project and completely re-evaluated the build. I decided that if I am to do this, I want to do it on my own without any "friend's" help. Now, I am in the process of converting my original bike, my '58 Trailblazer that is already built, into a full out period correct cafe racer. The body work is coming out very nicely, and I have acquired a "sponsor" that is going to be supplying me with a full custom one-off aluminum seat pan. Super excited for that! I'm also going to speak with a local parts store this week about possibly getting sponsored from them too. As I am in need of performance tires, race fuel, leathers, stuff like that. But for the most part, all the body work is taken care off. My seat pan should be finished around the new year, clip on bars are getting ordered tomorrow, rear sets got installed over the summer. Really, the only other things I need to do is redo my wiring harness and fab an electrical box that will be hidden under the new seat, and build the new motor.
My original plans for the motor had a budget of about $7500 to make about 100hp. Now, I have a build plan that should net me about 60bhp and only cost $2000. I researched parts of other Brit bikes to try and find performance parts that are already available to try and cut some costs, it was going to cost $1300 for custom rods and pistons. After investigating and crunching numbers, I discovered that I can use BSA steel rods, just need to machine the big end ever so slightly to match the crank journals and bearings, and Triumph forged pistons. Cost for this is only $700. Also, I will be sending my camshafts out to have them custom ground for .357 of lift, which should be good for about 150cfm per head, and should be able to run up to about 7000 RPMs. With the 9:1 71mm Triumph pistons, I should be able to get the cylinder pressures up to 180-200 psi per cylinder. It won't be the insane beast I originally wanted, but it should still make some very respectable numbers.
My bike AFTER the resto BEFORE the cafe conversion
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/IndianFall4_zps4b970c8d.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/IndianFall4_zps4b970c8d.jpg.html)
How the tank looks now: Black base coat + 3 coats of clear, White base on the handlebar dents with gold pearl coat + 3 coats of clear,
Champagne gold marbleized stripes, decals + 5 coats of clear
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1203141057g_zpsumakmx5l.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1203141057g_zpsumakmx5l.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1203141057e_zpslo8lcdb8.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1203141057e_zpslo8lcdb8.jpg.html)
And just for fun, a pic of me taking 2nd place at my FIRST EVER flat track race in the Hooligans Class this summer. :-)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/HooliganIndian4_zpsf478e553.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/HooliganIndian4_zpsf478e553.jpg.html)
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It looks like a fun project and sometimes a person's better just going it alone. It's usually a lot easier to sort things out when there are points of contention. :-D :-D :-D
I'll look forward to your progress.
Pete
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Really good looking bike just as it sets in the picture
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Remember me................I can now go out and spend the $200.00 ???????
No 200mph....Enfield....and I had put the monies aside for you......Oh, well.....................................
$4000.00 for a couple heads.........................racing cost dollars..............we just got a couple of BMW
(motorcycle) heads done for $3800.00................one off only............picked up 10 HP...........you pay for the best...............if you can't handle the costs, become a spectator........................Love
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Come on now. The paint looks first class.
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Remember me................I can now go out and spend the $200.00 ???????
No 200mph....Enfield....and I had put the monies aside for you......Oh, well.....................................
$4000.00 for a couple heads.........................racing cost dollars..............we just got a couple of BMW
(motorcycle) heads done for $3800.00................one off only............picked up 10 HP...........you pay for the best...............if you can't handle the costs, become a spectator........................Love
Whoa, whoa, whoa..... Whoa. I said I wanted to break 200mph. You said I couldn't, I said I could. Then for what ever reason you said that if I broke ANY RECORD AT ALL before you die, ON AN ENFIELD then you would give me $200. THAT was the deal, so let's not get it twisted. And I still believe that if money wasn't an issue I could get very close the 200 mph club, but that's not going to happen because I don't have the money. BUT, I still believe that I can break a record.
Since you were bullied by a high school kid who rode an Enfield, and now you have a life long grudge against Enfields, let's be realistic. That is if you're still up to it. As of 2013 the M-PF-750 record was 138.491 set by a Guzzi. 2015 I'm only going to enter Run Whatcha Brung so I can get a feel for the salt. For 2016 I should have my new motor built and ready to make an attempt. I think I can break at LEAST 130mph and have a running chance at that record. What ever the record is at the time for M-PF-750 in 2016, if I can break it, you pay up. If you're still kicking. What do ya say?
And even if I don't break it, I'll still have one of the sexiest bikes there. So.... 8-)
All kidding aside, why do you hate RE's so much?
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Rule #1, don't argue with potential sponsors
Rule#2, break a record 1st then go and collect subs from potential sponsors
; - ) Patrick
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OK........OK........I will save the dollars just for you.........In fact I will pay you if you break 135mph.....
I don't hate Enfields, in fact I raced one back in the "dark ages" on dirt track....and have one of the new fuel injected models made in India.....not a bad bike for the money...............That brings up a point.... look into the present Indian Enfield injection system ....it may work on your twin.......one more point...if you are using Tri. rods and pistons, why not use a Tri. engine....you will get closer to 138mph than you will with your Enfield...PS. The dollars are in one of my tool box drawers waiting for you.......but please hurry it up...... today I turned 78 years old.....and who knows how much longer I have........and Linda WIIL NOT PAY YOU
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Well Shit.... Happy Birthday Bob :cheers:
like the rest of us, I'm sure you would have taken better care of yourself if you thought you'd live this long... :-D
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Happy Birthday! I just want to make sure you knew I was being super sarcastic with that last post. ;-) I want to build an Enfield for the simple fact that it is an underdog. Besides using parts designated for something else makes it that much funner. :-)
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Hey..............I took a quick look at the injector set up on my India build Enfield and it looks like with very little effort and dollars it could be adapted to a twin.........................................................................
PS. For all you Harley lovers, that are always saying "Harley only... all American build" take a look at the Harley "Street" models build by Harley in India......what is the world coming to.....................................
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Started building my battery/electrical box today out of 1/8" plate. It's a little heavy, but it certainly isn't going to break either. The battery is going to be mounted to the left side of the box and a fuse panel will be mounted in the right side of the box, with an ignition key switch coming out of the lower right front corner. This is all I could get done today without having my battery and the fuse panel there, but it's a good start.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1209141314b_zpsbuvihyos.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1209141314b_zpsbuvihyos.jpg.html)
The box will be bolted to the frame thru the 2 holes in the gussets of the frame there.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1209141313_zpskoorrovz.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1209141313_zpskoorrovz.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1209141313b_zps7ndtfqis.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1209141313b_zps7ndtfqis.jpg.html)
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Don't want to hijack your thread, but I have a question for BAK. How good do you think those RE injectors are? There is a Youtube video made by Southbay Triumph who hotrodded a new RE Bullet, complete with a full fairing, ported head, hot cam, etc., and were quite proud of themselves for setting a 500 MPS-PF (fuel) record at the 2014 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials of 98 mph. (Couldn't get the MPS-PG(gas) record cause Lucille Dunn holds that at 117 or so on a Buell Blast with the stock headlight fairing for streamlining).
And Scottie, at what track did you run in the Hooligan's race? I attended one last year in Erie and was very tempted to enter my B50SS, but was worried that the headlight might fall off (so something else).
Tom
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Don't really know how good the RE injectors are........have not looked into their workings.....but they certainly are a improvement over leaking Amal carburators......the bike starts easy,,,idle is good......
power is fair......98mph. on a hot RE certainly is not very fast.....but then the purchase price is also low....
Back in the "Dark Ages" when I sidecar road raced a RE. 750c.c. twin.....it had good low end power (it was a build engine) but the Tri. And BSA's were faster and they were 650c.c.....I don't think the RE. heads are very good...............still a nice good looking motor........
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The RE injectors are fair, no known problems to date that I know of. And yes, the twin heads are a poor design and only flow 130cfm in stock form. I'm going to grind my cams to about .360 lift so I may get a little more than that. The bike that Southbay Triumph built was actually a new Continental GT.
Koncrete - The track I raced at was IMI in Erie. It was a blast! I would have had a chance at first place, but I still had the stock foot pegs on and they were scraping in the turns. I pushed it as hard as I could tho!
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Over the last couple of days I've been tracking down everything I need to build a new wiring harness, including a new keyed ignition switch, new brake light switch and a new tethered kill switch. I had everything lined up, started cutting the holes in the box to run the wires. Everything was all good and then I went to go start on the harness.... AND the box doesn't fit my other bike. :| I forgot to take into consideration that my "mock up" bike has my the '83 Suzuki swingarm on it that is about 3" longer than the factory RE swingarm. A minor set back, but at least I now have a battery box built for my Chief when I finally put that bike together. So I started building another box that actually clears the rear tire for the '58. Pretty much the same as I already made, except a little bit shorter in height and half as wide (front to back) as the first one. Not sure if I'm going to make it to the shop this weekend to work on it or not. I'm supposed to help my friend finish spraying his kitchen cabinets this weekend, so I will just have to see how that plays out.
A couple more pics.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1212140602a_zpss3avomdt.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1212140602a_zpss3avomdt.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1212141126_zpsy4t5kjqk.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1212141126_zpsy4t5kjqk.jpg.html)
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Also, a quick question for the Pros..... Is there such a class as M-750-PP (production push rod)? Just curious, as I don't see anything in the 2013 rule/record book.
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Scottie, forgive my ignorance, but are you aiming for SCTA/USFRA or for the BMST? Different rules, different classes, different records. There's lots of knowledge about both systems here, and maybe if you've chosen one or the other -- maybe then you'll get more help and cogent responses. :-D
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Sorry, SCTA and BUB is what I'm looking at. SCTA in particular.
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SCTA class would would be M/PG. Modified production(naked) pushrod Gas.
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SCTA class would would be M/PG. Modified production(naked) pushrod Gas.
Ok thank you for that. Does anyone know what the current record is for this class?
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SCTA record is 137.872 and the AMA record is 159.903.
Bill
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OK, so it still has been broken since 2009. Thanks!
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Worked on the bike some tonight. Pretty much finished with the new electrical box and seems to fit nicely. I have all the holes drilled for the wires to run thru and to mount the ignition switch. Still need to get a larger piece of sheet metal to finish the lid tho. Also got the new brake light switch installed and and ran wires up to the controls for the headlight and kill switch.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1215141709_zpswdpjhqta.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1215141709_zpswdpjhqta.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1215141708_zps9fesonm3.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1215141708_zps9fesonm3.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1215141808_zpszv6xqvor.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1215141808_zpszv6xqvor.jpg.html)
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AMA current record for M-CG (classic gas) is 125+ and the M-CF record remains open. Your bike/engine would fit into Classic category at the AMA meet ( or M-PG or M-PF.)
BUB has become AMA "BMST" event. Same rule book and records as BUB.
Confusing, no? :?
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Finished making my new electrical box for the Blackhawk! The box itself is made from 1/8" plate steel and has holes cut in it for a key ignition and wires to run in and out of the box thru rubber grommets. All connections will be made inside the box except for a couple, but they will be hidden under wire looming. The lid is made out of 16g cold roll steel, and I intentionally bent the sides a little tight so it "snaps" into place. I will put velcro on the 2 side flanges just as a secondary measure. I will also glue a small piece of rubber foam to the bottom side of the lid above the battery to secure the battery in place. I built the box to have minimal clearance for the battery, so after I coat the inside with rubberized undercoating, the whole box will be insulated and have a soft cushion for the battery to rest in. Tomorrow I will weld a short M6 stud to the inside of the electrical box for a grounding point. The box itself will ground thru the frame at the mounting points. Then hopefully after work tomorrow I can get the box painted and officially mount it and finish the wire harness and complete the connections inside the box.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1216141733_zps14enuhzm.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1216141733_zps14enuhzm.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1215141709_zpswdpjhqta.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1215141709_zpswdpjhqta.jpg.html)
I'm also going to weld two 6M to right side (in this pic) to mount the rectifier.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1216141513b_zpspbbdmtyy.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1216141513b_zpspbbdmtyy.jpg.html)
Also, I spliced in a 3 wire waterproof plug into the brake light harness. So, any time I need to remove the brake light when I remove the exhaust, I just unplug it! :)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1216141747_zpsjlwdiual.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1216141747_zpsjlwdiual.jpg.html)
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Nice neat work, Scottie. But you may need to use more than a velcro strap to hold it down. I know ECTA (I don't have an SCTA rulebook at present) require the battery to be fastened down with a metal strap. A couple of screws thru your battery box flanges should satisfy that rule.
Your fuse holder looks like one I recently mounted on a Norton Commando; make sure you have room to actually install the spade connectors, as they add some length to the spades and the wire which protrudes may foul the sides of your box or your battery.
As for wire connectors, I have concluded that no open connection will survive the elements at Bonneville. I have started (or I'll be rewiring my bike before I go back) using the connectors that have a built in shrink sleeve which contains a hot melt glue. Then make sure you use dielectric grease when snapping the connections together. (Note that in the following photo, I have not used the above mentioned connectors, but I will be from now on.)
I also noted that you bought a landyard cut off switch. Make sure it is the proper, i.e. normally closed if you want to run it inline with your ignition circuit, or normally open if you want to short out the points or magneto.
Tom
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Thanks Tom. I actually did want to use heat shrink connectors, but Home Depot didn't have any when I bought them. I haven't done any connections yet, so I may still do that.
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Scottie,
I couldn't find any locally, either, so I ordered these on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/380951778202?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
They also sell bullet types as well.
Tom
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Finished making my new electrical box for the Blackhawk! The box itself is made from 1/8" plate steel and has holes cut in it for a key ignition and wires to run in and out of the box thru rubber grommets. All connections will be made inside the box except for a couple, but they will be hidden under wire looming. The lid is made out of 16g cold roll steel, and I intentionally bent the sides a little tight so it "snaps" into place. I will put velcro on the 2 side flanges just as a secondary measure. I will also glue a small piece of rubber foam to the bottom side of the lid above the battery to secure the battery in place. I built the box to have minimal clearance for the battery, so after I coat the inside with rubberized undercoating, the whole box will be insulated and have a soft cushion for the battery to rest in. Tomorrow I will weld a short M6 stud to the inside of the electrical box for a grounding point. The box itself will ground thru the frame at the mounting points. Then hopefully after work tomorrow I can get the box painted and officially mount it and finish the wire harness and complete the connections inside the box.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1216141733_zps14enuhzm.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1216141733_zps14enuhzm.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1215141709_zpswdpjhqta.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1215141709_zpswdpjhqta.jpg.html)
I'm also going to weld two 6M to right side (in this pic) to mount the rectifier.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1216141513b_zpspbbdmtyy.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1216141513b_zpspbbdmtyy.jpg.html)
Also, I spliced in a 3 wire waterproof plug into the brake light harness. So, any time I need to remove the brake light when I remove the exhaust, I just unplug it! :)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1216141747_zpsjlwdiual.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1216141747_zpsjlwdiual.jpg.html)
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OK, so it still hasn't been broken since 2009. Thanks!
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Hey Tom - Thanks for the heads up on the kill switch. I just tested it before install and it is normally open, so I will need to return it.
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Started buttoning up the electrical today. It's coming along nicely, a little work here and there before and after work. Luckily, the shop is kind of slow right now and my bike has been hanging out at home right in my work bay. Got the box officially installed today with the ignition switch and rectifier mounted. Damn near all the wiring is run, I just need to lengthen the wires from the EI so they reach into the box. Tomorrow I will finish up the wire harness and finalize that, and then it is onto the front end swap. :D
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1218141554b_zps7p8xioim.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1218141554b_zps7p8xioim.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1218141554a_zpsiohg2tnx.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1218141554a_zpsiohg2tnx.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1218141555_zps1t6cvg3i.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1218141555_zps1t6cvg3i.jpg.html)
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I don't have a rule book in front of me right now but if you are planning on using those fuel filters there may be an issue.
That's what I recall anyway. :roll:
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I don't have a rule book in front of me right now but if you are planning on using those fuel filters there may be an issue.
That's what I recall anyway. :roll:
That's just what I've been running for the last 2 years. I'm doing a 2nd building on this bike, so I'm slowly getting it ready for the track. I'm not going to get too carried away until I can get the 2015 book, tho next year I only plan on competing in the RWB class so I can get a feel for The Salt before I come back out in 2016 with my new built motor.
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Sorry, SCTA and BUB is what I'm looking at. SCTA in particular.
Have you ran this at a SCTA event?
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Sorry, SCTA and BUB is what I'm looking at. SCTA in particular.
Have you ran this at a SCTA event?
No I haven't. I'm still new to this game. Just slowly getting the bike ready.
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The electrical is complete! :-D Well, everything except for the headlight and killswitch, which I will do after I swap the front end out and get the new controls installed. It didn't come out exactly how I had planned, and I may make the fused battery leads a little bit longer and try to get the plug under the fuse panel. There are a lot of wires and plugs in a very small area and it is a little bit of a rats nest. But once the lid is on it looks great!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1219141931_zpsrco0nqfw.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1219141931_zpsrco0nqfw.jpg.html)
Every circuit now has it's own fuse: head light, brake light, tail light, coil and ignition.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1219141928_zpsfqgbvnjw.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1219141928_zpsfqgbvnjw.jpg.html)
You don't know how excited I am to finally have a key for my bike! ;D
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1219141929a_zpsnvvjrlmh.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1219141929a_zpsnvvjrlmh.jpg.html)
The wiring is all nice and tidy now. No lose wires or exposed connections and fuses. :-)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1219141931a_zps0waxnzvx.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1219141931a_zps0waxnzvx.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1219141931a-1_zpsjcu7rsbm.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1219141931a-1_zpsjcu7rsbm.jpg.html)
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Those fuel filters are OUT.............Remember SCTA/BNI does NOT have RWB...................................
PS. SCTA/BIN may well state in the Rule Book that RE. motorcycles are not allowed at their events.....be sure to check the rule book carefully..................after all they don't allow a passenger in the sidecar......so they do have "Funny" rules...
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Yeah, I know the fuel filters are a no go. But they are not on my priority list at the moment. I plan on fitting these when I get to it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BILLET-ALUMINUM-IN-LINE-FUEL-FILTER-1-4-FOR-GO-KARTS-ATV-DUNE-BUGGY-MOTORCYCLE-/161365596935?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2592239b07
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Are you sure that those tiny filters will flow enough without producing an unacceptable pressure drop?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Are you sure that those tiny filters will flow enough without producing an unacceptable pressure drop?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
No. But, rather than bringing up every other post mention of my "insufficient fuel delivery system", how about some suggestions on what I should use? :?
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Are you sure that those tiny filters will flow enough without producing an unacceptable pressure drop?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
No. But, rather than bringing up every other post mention of my "insufficient fuel delivery system", how about some suggestions on what I should use? :?
Uhh..I've never commented on this before; I'm not sure what you mean. :?
Something like this should work OK : http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rus-650133/overview/
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Are you sure that those tiny filters will flow enough without producing an unacceptable pressure drop?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
No. But, rather than bringing up every other post mention of my "insufficient fuel delivery system", how about some suggestions on what I should use? :?
Uhh..I've never commented on this before; I'm not sure what you mean. :?
Something like this should work OK : http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rus-650133/overview/
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
You were the 3rd person in less than 2 days to mention the fuel filters. That's all.
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Scottie;
Ah so.... that's what I get for not reading the previous posts. I wasn't piling on-- honest!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Haha! No worries. I was only hoping for a couple of suggestions. I know I can't use plastic filters, and honestly it's time for them to be replaced anyway. I just know I've had good luck with the aluminum housed filters in the past on my Firebird and Camaro. They don't really clog and are easy to clean.
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Made some more progress. I didn't like the tether kill switch that I bought, plus it was the wrong position, so I returned it and picked up this nice little micro switch instead. The tether kill I want has to be ordered so I'll get that ordered up after the holidays here.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1222141801_zps21fplqgj.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1222141801_zps21fplqgj.jpg.html)
Got the new controls installed the other day. The new levers have 5/16" holes for the cables and my cables still ahve the old style 3/8" barrels, so I ordered some new barrels and should be in on Monday.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1223140710a_zpsjiplygdq.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1223140710a_zpsjiplygdq.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1223140710b_zpsbmfgiwny.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1223140710b_zpsbmfgiwny.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1223140710c_zps8uo3jlqq.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1223140710c_zps8uo3jlqq.jpg.html)
And this morning I fabbed up a custom fork brace to get the front end stabilized.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1224140730a_zpsuifrsrhq.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1224140730a_zpsuifrsrhq.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1224141124a_zpsactw3exe.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1224141124a_zpsactw3exe.jpg.html)
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that's a good idea on a fork brace.
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I had a very fun and productive couple hours after work today. I took the exhaust off of the Chief and fabricated it into a 2-into-1 exhaust! I was a little nervous about cutting up the exhaust because I was afraid once I started welding the pipe it would just start burning up. But it came out really great! The metal took the welds very nicely, and I even ended up with a better flow angle than the original 2-1 exhaust that came on the Connies. I'm very happy with the results and I can't wait to hear what it sounds like!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1229141602_zpsdgjch8gi.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1229141602_zpsdgjch8gi.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1229141602a_zpslhfsc5ky.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1229141602a_zpslhfsc5ky.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1229141604a_zps4tzj430z.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1229141604a_zps4tzj430z.jpg.html)
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Scottie, PM sent.
Pete
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Looks like a fun build .
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Scottie, you can easily see the English influence in the way that bike is constructed... it is right there under the motor :roll:
Keep up the good work, JB and I will stop by to see it in person next time I come to Denver.
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You are right about the British engineering! It has officially marked it's territory in my work bay. :-D I do have a tech sheet that shows and tells you how the modify the motor to eliminate all of the oil leaks, so I will be doing that on the new motor.
Definitely give me a shout when you are back in Denver. However, I lost your's and JB's phone numbers a couple months ago. My phone fell in the toilet and I lost almost all of my contacts.
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Don't forget about Lucas.
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Don't forget about Lucas.
I've tried to eliminate as much of Lucas as possible. 8-) I think the only Lucas left on the bike is the K2F magneto, but it has been converted to electronic ignition. :-P
Also, I changed the fender mounting to get it closer to the tire. I'm liking it much better now.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1230140738a_zpsz8qpmzwj.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1230140738a_zpsz8qpmzwj.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/1230140738_zpssvnbhr0n.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/1230140738_zpssvnbhr0n.jpg.html)
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After receiving very mixed reviews on my custom fork brace, I think I may trash it. I still need one, but I started looking into other options. The main reason I decided to build one was because the only one available for REs is from Hitchcock's, and at $300 after conversion rates and shipping, it's not worth my time or money to order. Especially considering they have their name engraved into it all huge across the top. So, I did some more searching today and came across FastFromThePast.com, a company that specializes in vintage racing. They have a very large selection of different make specific fork braces, close to 100, at around $99 each. They also have a PDF chart of every brace and part #, along with that brace's exact measurements and specs. So good news is, I now have 4 pages of brace specs/measurements, 1 of which has got to work. So, I just need to take this chart to work with me, measure everything up front, and then go thru the charts and see what I can find.
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Scottie. Let me know if you need some machined parts to fab it.
John
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Scottie. Let me know if you need some machined parts to fab it.
John
Thanks John, will do. :-)
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So, it sounds like Fast From The Past is going to be able to help me out with a fork brace. I'll find out more details next week when the owner is back in the shop. I'm going to get the final fit on the exhaust today, and then next week, I'll get some exhaust wrap and wrap the pipes up until the cocktail shaker, which I think I am going to paint flat black. I'm a little anti-chrome. 8-)
Also, I've been prowling on the AirTech page again. I REALLY like the JCF1 fairing and think it will really work well with my bike. Does anyone know the frontal surface area or co-efficient drag for this fairing set up?
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The JCF1 fairing is a good looking fairing and should get a good bit of out of the wind. And that's what its all about. I ran a Peel Mountain Mile replica on my Norton. Similar to the JCF! and worked good enough for a record at El Mirage. Good luck and think getting as much as possible tucked in.
(http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/339/img044wr9.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/9fimg044wr9j)
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Thanks for the pic Nortonist. I actually have been sitting on the bike a lot, and without the seat I've been able to lay completely flat with my elbows comfortably tucked in. Once I have the custom seat pan, I'll have my co-worker snap a couple of pics with me on the bike and tucked in.
Not much got done this week on the bike. I did however get my new cable ends installed and the controls finished up. The new levers are smooth as butter, especially when compared to the 50+ year old levers that I took off of the bike that have been bent who knows how many times. Aside from the fork brace, I think I am finished with the front end for the time being, unless I decide to install a twin leading front brake. Obviously of no use on The Salt, but I do plan on running some road tracks and drag strip as well, where it would help out. I'll probably end up lowering my clip ons too, but I want to get a few rides in before I make any changes to them.
Some pics of the finished controls:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0107150635b_zpsszn1enct.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0107150635b_zpsszn1enct.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0107150636_zpsawbymmvv.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0107150636_zpsawbymmvv.jpg.html)
Also finished the Y joint on the exhaust and got it wrapped in black header wrap. I'm thinking of painting the muffler with ceramic white paint just to add a little contrast to the bike.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0109151428_zpsvy6qdkqv.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0109151428_zpsvy6qdkqv.jpg.html)
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You do know that the bike would run faster having 2 ex. pipes......................Oh, well.....................Sorry
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You do know that the bike would run faster having 2 ex. pipes......................Oh, well.....................Sorry
Not according to my engine guy. But thanks for the condescending remarks, it keeps my thread interesting.
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The problem with a 2-1 (although Blair did quite well with them, also Dunstall) is what controls the primary length?
There are theories all over the place, but the bottom line is "try this, and modify as needed". Very difficult to do with 2-1, easier to make several variants and bring with.
I'm not sure if absolutely equal length primaries is necessary, especially for a peak power application, but the calculations for staggered length are really, really complicated (read Blair's work on the Ducati).
I hate to say this (because I can't weld) but that dog-leg in 1 primary is going to bite you. Not only does it reduce flow (and may introduce a "shadow" in the pressure pattern) but it will raise the temperature in that exhaust valve and seat.
Absent other design or mechanical limitations, the best primary leaves the port aligned to the flow axis (which may not be the port centerline), goes straight for as long as practical, then changes direction with a big radius.
Single pipes do not always produce the best power, but:
cheap to make
easy to modify in situ (hacksaw + extensions & clamps)
even the worst length choice is better than a badly design common system
allow megs as an afterthought (with extra support hardware)
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I hate to say this (because I can't weld) but that dog-leg in 1 primary is going to bite you. Not only does it reduce flow (and may introduce a "shadow" in the pressure pattern) but it will raise the temperature in that exhaust valve and seat.
:dhorse:
I agree with Panic
Tiny
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Bedlam Werks is making progress on my custom seat pan this week. :-)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/BedlamSeat1_zps24c7734c.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/BedlamSeat1_zps24c7734c.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/IMG_4607156906218_zps4mbmxaiq.jpeg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/IMG_4607156906218_zps4mbmxaiq.jpeg.html)
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The seat pan was finished and shipped out today. Can't wait to see it on the bike!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/20150115_160704_zpsr7agp4gb.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/20150115_160704_zpsr7agp4gb.jpg.html)
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Very...............Very nice.................
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Indeed. Very nice.
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Thanks guys. I agree, it looks superb. I was very fortunate to acquire this thru a sponsorship, not to mention all the people I have dealt with there at Bedlam Werks are very organized, on point and extremely friendly. Their logos will be going on the left side of the tank, and mine will be going on the right side of the tank, and both on the fairing too when I finally decide what I want to do there.
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Rebuilt the heads yesterday and got the bike running again. 148psi on the left cylinder and 151psi on the right side.
The Blackhawk Start Up - Higher Compression: http://youtu.be/v0QXgQjKddw
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I GOT A LOT DONE TODAY!!! :D
A member of the Royal Enfield forum sent me a brand new Dunstall that he had bought for his Bullet before he sold it but never installed it. So a huge thank you to him for helping me complete the classic race exhaust! ;) I welded it directly the head pipe, since I always remove the exhaust with the muffler attached anyway, and gave it a nice little kick out. It comes back and exits even with the rear tire and is 66" in total length. He had already packed the core with fiberglass, and while extremely quiet, it chocked the motor out so bad the bike didn't want to run or even rev. So after consulting with my Enfield performance guy on the phone I decided to remove all the fiberglass and cut the core down to a mere 3" in length, compared to 24". The throttle response is crisp and has a real nice bark out the exhaust. I am really liking the new exhaust as a whole, and between that, the heads, and the dry clutch set up (attempt) I am super excited to get out for a test ride. ;D
Here's a video of the exhaust. :)
http://youtu.be/3i2h4BlEYW0
And after work today I got the new Bedlam Werks seat pan installed on the bike.... Fucking Sexy! 8)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0123151749_zps87gbtfv4.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0123151749_zps87gbtfv4.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0123151750_zpszde95qt7.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0123151750_zpszde95qt7.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0123151750a_zpsooayqbo4.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0123151750a_zpsooayqbo4.jpg.html)
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Back in the 60s and 70s I rode and raced triumphs and BMWs. Dave Rash at D&D headers was a good friend of mine. We discussed exhaust many times. Dave told me that he had made the same or more HP with a 2-1 over indivudual pipes. :cheers:
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Back in the 60s and 70s I rode and raced triumphs and BMWs. Dave Rash at D&D headers was a good friend of mine. We discussed exhaust many times. Dave told me that he had made the same or more HP with a 2-1 over indivudual pipes. :cheers:
That's awesome! D&D mufflers are pretty popular for the Enfield Bullets. I did quite a bit of exhaust research on exhaust systems before I dove into this and built it to be most beneficial with what I had, and the only money I spent on it was for the header wrap. I'll be honest, I'm going to race on the Salt, but I'm not really building a salt racer. I'm trying to build something that will be fun on the streets and respectable on any type of track. I just want a bike that is not only awesome but good at any conditions I throw at it. I'll still be riding dirt roads and trails, because I enjoy it, and why ride a bike if you're not going to enjoy the scenery?! :-)
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I made a couple of changes to the exhaust this week. While the 1 3/8" primaries into a 1 3/8" collector produced a mass of low end torque, she just couldn't breath up top. So I cut the pipe right at the 2" wide mark and installed a 2" exhaust pipe from a Subaru Outback that had the exact same bend at the bottom area. I slightly smashed the pipe to oval it and match the collector and then tack welded it in place. Then I trimmed the "silencer" to a 2" opening, bolted it to the frame and then moved it until it cleared the shifter and tacked it into place. A quick look over and then proceeded to final welding and re-wrapped the new section with the header wrap. The results moved the power range to about 4000 rpms+. Now she is a pooch down low, but when she hits 4000 rpms she comes on like a 2 stroke power band.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0130151436_zps7e2b0069.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0130151436_zps7e2b0069.jpg.html)
The first video is just the bike idling and the second video is a fly by.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0uJiGM8NKg&list=UUOuxT3uDOINbn5OmZ0BwRVA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSfpy0anocQ&list=UUOuxT3uDOINbn5OmZ0BwRVA&index=1
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Looks and sounds good! You may want to check with the tech folks
about the "open" primary, they may want the holes covered to pre-
vent anything getting caught in the spinny bits.
Cheers, Dave
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1 3/8" primaries
Why?
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Looks and sounds good! You may want to check with the tech folks
about the "open" primary, they may want the holes covered to pre-
vent anything getting caught in the spinny bits.
Cheers, Dave
Yes, I understand and acknowledge that. My plan is to get some "perforated" sheet metal, cut and form it to the inside, paint it to match the tank, and then epoxy it into place with 3M automotive epoxy. I'm now trying to get it dialed in and tuned, and then I will go back and finish off the odd bits and pieces.
1 3/8" primaries
Why?
Well, because that's the size that fits into exhaust port! :-D Bear in mind, I essentially have two 350 cylinders with a 71mm bore firing on opposite strokes. It's not like I have big block Chevy trying to pump out 50+ ci of air per hole. Besides, changing to the 2" collector has already opened up the exhaust so much over stock, I no longer have much bottom end. Plus, the Amal carb has been rendered practically useless because the motor is now scavenging so well, it drew the entire fuel circuit dangerously lean. The Amal 930 has a pressed pilot jet and is not replaceable, and it is so lean in the pilot circuit that the bike will run and idle with the air screw turned in tight and completely closed. It should fall on it's face and die when that happens. I have a friend that has a freshly rebuilt 34mm Keihin CV carb off of a Rebel 250 that I'm going to grab Tuesday afternoon. he said to go ahead and try it out, and if it works, pay him $50, if it doesn't just drain it and bring it back. I eventually will install a pair of Mikuni TM32's, but my funds are drained at the moment and need to hold off on that for the time being.
Anyways, here's a short video I put together yesterday. The exhaust sounds killer! Kind of actually sounds like an old race bike. 8-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1ZnHlEXUFU&feature=youtu.be
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Oh, also I have a lead on a nicely priced small fairing. Nothing LSR type, but is functional and clean and will look good on my bike I think. And it's only $125 shipped out with the fly screen.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/CafeFairing1_zps3c69d013.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/CafeFairing1_zps3c69d013.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/CafeFairing2_zps884542eb.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/CafeFairing2_zps884542eb.jpg.html)
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Looks and sounds good! You may want to check with the tech folks
about the "open" primary, they may want the holes covered to pre-
vent anything getting caught in the spinny bits.
Cheers, Dave
Yes, I understand and acknowledge that. My plan is to get some "perforated" sheet metal, cut and form it to the inside, paint it to match the tank, and then epoxy it into place with 3M automotive epoxy. I'm now trying to get it dialed in and tuned, and then I will go back and finish off the odd bits and pieces.
1 3/8" primaries
Why?
Well, because that's the size that fits into exhaust port! :-D Bear in mind, I essentially have two 350 cylinders with a 71mm bore firing on opposite strokes. It's not like I have big block Chevy trying to pump out 50+ ci of air per hole. Besides, changing to the 2" collector has already opened up the exhaust so much over stock, I no longer have much bottom end. Plus, the Amal carb has been rendered practically useless because the motor is now scavenging so well, it drew the entire fuel circuit dangerously lean. The Amal 930 has a pressed pilot jet and is not replaceable, and it is so lean in the pilot circuit that the bike will run and idle with the air screw turned in tight and completely closed. It should fall on it's face and die when that happens. I have a friend that has a freshly rebuilt 34mm Keihin CV carb off of a Rebel 250 that I'm going to grab Tuesday afternoon. he said to go ahead and try it out, and if it works, pay him $50, if it doesn't just drain it and bring it back. I eventually will install a pair of Mikuni TM32's, but my funds are drained at the moment and need to hold off on that for the time being.
Anyways, here's a short video I put together yesterday. The exhaust sounds killer! Kind of actually sounds like an old race bike. 8-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1ZnHlEXUFU&feature=youtu.be
Scottie,
Have a read of the following, it WILL make the Amal 930 work for you.
http://www.jba.bc.ca/Bushmans%20Carb%20Tuning.html
Neil
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Awesome! Thanks for that Neil! I had heard that you could ream the pilot hole, but I couldn't find out what size bit to use. The carb is only 2 years old, so if for what ever reason it is clogged it is likely a small piece of rust from the tank. I'll have to track down a bit and give that a try. Tho, I am still kind of leaning towards the CV for street use. Living in Denver I go thru some pretty drastic altitude changes when I go for serious rides up in the Rockies. I live at about 5,300' and sometimes ride as high as 12,000' so you can see where the CV carb would have it's advantages. I wouldn't likely use it on any track tho.
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SJ What a bitchin ride you have created---she sure sounded great pulling hard around that curve!!!!!!!!! :cheers:
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The usual pipe size is slightly larger than the exhaust valve.
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SJ What a bitchin ride you have created---she sure sounded great pulling hard around that curve!!!!!!!!! :cheers:
Thanks! :-) :cheers:
The usual pipe size is slightly larger than the exhaust valve.
I don't know the exact diameter but the exhaust valve can't be much bigger than 1".
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Don't know if you have this:
http://tinyurl.com/lsg669w
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Don't know if you have this:
http://tinyurl.com/lsg669w
I actually have the digital and paper copies. But now I have it on my phone too. Thanks!
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Scottie,
Have a read of the following, it WILL make the Amal 930 work for you.
http://www.jba.bc.ca/Bushmans%20Carb%20Tuning.html
Neil
Neil - The other day I followed thru with the carb modification on the pilot hole/jet. I didn't have a #78 bit but I did have a #60, which is only ever so slightly bigger. I decided to go ahead with it as it is still within .040 and the pilot was extremely lean. I used a pair of small vice grips to hold the bit and then I hand "drilled" it very carefully, removing a very slight amount of brass from the jet. Now it's idling quite well again.
And actually, I've been having quite the adventure trying to dial the bike in. Apparently my changes to the exhaust and compression made much bigger differences than I had anticipated, hence why the bike was running so lean. But I was also having big trouble with detonation over the last week. Factory timing is 34* BTDC but I could not get the bike to stop detonating until I was under 30* BTDC. And at 29.5* it just didn't have any grunt to go. So after some research and consulting my friend who runs on corn, and decided to do a 25%-75% pre-mix of E85 and 91oct. It definitely helped, but was still detonating after the engine would get hot. The other day while playing with the timing for over an hour, I once tickled the carb (the engine still hot from my test ride) and the fuel pretty much vaporized as it exited the carb. Grab the carb mount on the intake side and it was hot as hell. So yesterday, I ran to the local Brit parts supplier and bought a thermal spacer and installed it over my lunch. After I clocked out, I fired up the bike and went for another shakedown run focusing on load timing instead of a light, bringing a couple of tools with to correct timing on the road side. After the 3rd timing correction, she was purring like a kitten at idle and growling like a bulldog on the go. I wasn't pulling any more than half throttle because of where I was, but man was she running really good.
Here's a 6 minute video, starting off with the final timing change, and then a short cruise thru where I work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoOQ6SzEmwc
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Scottie,
Have a read of the following, it WILL make the Amal 930 work for you.
http://www.jba.bc.ca/Bushmans%20Carb%20Tuning.html
Neil
Neil - The other day I followed thru with the carb modification on the pilot hole/jet. I didn't have a #78 bit but I did have a #60, which is only ever so slightly bigger. I decided to go ahead with it as it is still within .040 and the pilot was extremely lean. I used a pair of small vice grips to hold the bit and then I hand "drilled" it very carefully, removing a very slight amount of brass from the jet. Now it's idling quite well again.
And actually, I've been having quite the adventure trying to dial the bike in. Apparently my changes to the exhaust and compression made much bigger differences than I had anticipated, hence why the bike was running so lean. But I was also having big trouble with detonation over the last week. Factory timing is 34* BTDC but I could not get the bike to stop detonating until I was under 30* BTDC. And at 29.5* it just didn't have any grunt to go. So after some research and consulting my friend who runs on corn, and decided to do a 25%-75% pre-mix of E85 and 91oct. It definitely helped, but was still detonating after the engine would get hot. The other day while playing with the timing for over an hour, I once tickled the carb (the engine still hot from my test ride) and the fuel pretty much vaporized as it exited the carb. Grab the carb mount on the intake side and it was hot as hell. So yesterday, I ran to the local Brit parts supplier and bought a thermal spacer and installed it over my lunch. After I clocked out, I fired up the bike and went for another shakedown run focusing on load timing instead of a light, bringing a couple of tools with to correct timing on the road side. After the 3rd timing correction, she was purring like a kitten at idle and growling like a bulldog on the go. I wasn't pulling any more than half throttle because of where I was, but man was she running really good.
Here's a 6 minute video, starting off with the final timing change, and then a short cruise thru where I work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoOQ6SzEmwc
Some general trends for engines, racing or otherwise:
1) more compression ratio, less total timing required
2) lower octane fuel, less total timing
3) higher temperature, less total timing (a chemical reaction speeds up at higher temperatures. Cold engines can tolerate more timing, UNTIL they are warmed up.)
4) lean mixture, less total timing
5) reduced spark path length, less total timing (projected nose plug Vs. regular nose OR regular nose Vs. retracted gap etc)
6) etc, etc
NORMALLY, reversing the situation reverses the timing equation.
What you do not want is: peak cylinder pressure prior to TDC. Peak cylinder pressure should occur somewhat after TDC. Although this is a sophisticated measurement requiring special instrumentation.
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Some general trends for engines, racing or otherwise:
1) more compression ratio, less total timing required
2) lower octane fuel, less total timing
3) higher temperature, less total timing (a chemical reaction speeds up at higher temperatures. Cold engines can tolerate more timing, UNTIL they are warmed up.)
4) lean mixture, less total timing
5) reduced spark path length, less total timing (projected nose plug Vs. regular nose OR regular nose Vs. retracted gap etc)
6) etc, etc
NORMALLY, reversing the situation reverses the timing equation.
What you do not want is: peak cylinder pressure prior to TDC. Peak cylinder pressure should occur somewhat after TDC. Although this is a sophisticated measurement requiring special instrumentation.
:cheers:
Fordboy
Yeppers. That's why I added the E85 and the thermal spacer to the carb, so I could balance the timing out and get a little advance back. Tom Lyons, the Enfield specialist that I've been in contact with, is a very educated man when it comes to performance science. I have had many hours of conversation with him over the phone and we have had this conversation before of what you just posted. So fortunately, I was aware of these possible issues and is how I was able to diagnose the problem. Between the increased cylinder pressure and hot 85oct fuel, it was a pure recipe for detonation. I just wasn't aware that my fuel was getting so hot. But it looks like I'm in the right direction and have it about as good as I can with the basically stock motor before I start building my performance motor. But after putting the bike back together I've decided that I'm going to pull the heads again and replace the valve springs and the primary chain. The springs are just old as hell and the primary chain looked like it's on it's way out the door, and I can't be having that. :-)
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How are you checking your air fuel ratio?
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Plug chops. But I hope to have it on the dyno this summer and put a sniffer on it.
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Plug chops. But I hope to have it on the dyno this summer and put a sniffer on it.
Clean spark plug cuts are the tried and true method most racers/tuners use to evaluate internal combustion chamber conditions. It works great, as long as you know how to read plugs for detonation and pre-ignition. It also helps to patiently adjust your "tune-up" in small increments.
My experience is that you can survive a "toe" over the line, but a "foot" over, kills your engine . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
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This pic isn't from actual chops, but this is the overall burn from my 20 minute ride at between 1/8 and 1/2 throttle.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0211150630_zps0xjvwsnr.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0211150630_zps0xjvwsnr.jpg.html)
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I looked at the original pic on photobucket but I can't see enough detail to say anything, except that there seems to be a small difference in mixture strength and/or oil consumption between the cylinders.
Beg, borrow or buy a Champion, lighted spark plug viewer with magnification. It's the best way to read plugs, and the only way to see deep down on the insulator. Watch out for the specks of dark "fly sh**" which signal danger. Small aluminum beads or balls are self-explanatory. Inspect the side electrode for "spark mark". It is the best indicator of "tolerable" advance.
Best advice is: Find a spark plug tech from one of the manufacturers who will show you what to look for. And keep in mind that street plugs look different from race plugs.
Also: If you suspect it is hurt, STOP and do a thorough evaluation, including a compression and leakdown check. Slightly weak engines are always better than a broken one . . . . . .
Hope this helps.
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Thanks for the input. And yes, the right cylinder is just slightly richer than the left. I believe this is due to the left primary pipe being 4" longer than the right, and slightly better scavenging.
Does this pic help any?
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0211150630-1_zpsmawj9nhj.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0211150630-1_zpsmawj9nhj.jpg.html)
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Thanks for the input. And yes, the right cylinder is just slightly richer than the left. I believe this is due to the left primary pipe being 4" longer than the right, and slightly better scavenging.
Does this pic help any?
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0211150630-1_zpsmawj9nhj.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0211150630-1_zpsmawj9nhj.jpg.html)
Yes, that's better, but get the plug magnifier anyway. Looks like street plugs? Notice the difference in side electrode appearance, due to the difference in mixture strength. Everything affects everything else . . . . . .
Those little differences between cylinders add up. And that's the trick, to get every cylinder equal AND optimized . . . .
Be happy you don't have a V12 . . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Yeah, buying plugs in quantities of 12 used to be no fun. I'd ask the counter man for some Champion xxx and he'd always bring out a pack of 8. He didn't want to sell 4 more loose plugs. Guys running 4 or 6 cyl engines probably had the same problem.
When I registered my car in AZ (a long time ago) the girl at DMV asked "How many cylinders?" I had to convince her that a car could actually have 12 cylinders. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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All good...............consider that leaded or unleaded high-octane race gas with a colder plug will be more difficult to read........especially if you start out somewhat close to optimal................I've also noted on my single and 4-cylinder bikes that 3rd-gear chops read differently than top-gear chops. I've given some thought to doing a plug-chop at the end of my first run..............
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I think my ignition coil has crapped on me. It is the coil that came with my Thorspark EI conversion, it replaces the points plate in the mag with a trigger plate and external coil. Bike has been running great, but Thursday I tried riding it home about 30 miles, and after about 20 minutes of riding, it developed a bad misfire. So bad, I had to get off the highway and call a tow truck. It's doing the exact same thing that stranded me last year before the tear down and rebuild. At that time, I thought is was a bad fuse holder, and that I had fixed the problem with the new wire harness. However, I haven't ridden the bike long enough until Thursday to recreate what had happened last fall. I emailed the company where I got the ignition, and they said
Hi, the primary resistance should be around 4.5 to 5 ohms, we have used a few different batches of coils over the years, but all should be roughly that.
Primary resistance is testing 4.7ohms, but there is absolutely NO secondary resistance, no matter how I try to test it. Oddly enough, the bike stills starts on the first kick without any throttle. Yesterday after testing the coil, I rode around the block, replicating the exact same riding conditions that was causing the misfires the day before, and not 1 single misfire at all. I'm currently looking at replacing the coil with a 3 ohm Dyna Coil DC6-1. Any thoughts?
Here's a short video of the testing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgFDQJ7zjdE&feature=youtu.be
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Scottie,
Very Important.
DO NOT use a 3 Ohm Dyna coil, you will over stress the Thorspark ignition. :evil:
Dyna will supply a suitable coil if you ask them.
DAMHIK
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Scottie,
Very Important.
DO NOT use a 3 Ohm Dyna coil, you will over stress the Thorspark ignition. :evil:
Dyna will supply a suitable coil if you ask them.
DAMHIK
Yep. Just that I spoke with Dynatek before I heard back from Thorspark, either way, that same Dyna coil comes in a 5ohm configuration as well. Anyway, I spent the whole afternoon yesterday troubleshooting the ignition. After replacing the HT leads and plug caps, no matter what I do I can't get secondary resistance reading from the coil. I even ran some errands up to Lowes a few blocks away, and afterwards continued riding around my neighborhood. Sure enough, after about 25 minutes she started to misfire again. I just sent this email to Thorspark, so let's see if they actually do anything or not. Regardless, I think I'm still going to buy a Dyna coil.
Hi Chris,
I normally don't waste my time writing letters of disappointment, and just cut my losses and call it good. But I have to say that I am extremely disappointed with the quality of the coil provided with the Thorspark ignition conversion. While the ignition does do it's job and is much better than the original points/mag set up, I just can't believe that an ignition coil cannot even make it 10,000 miles or even a full 2 years. Twice now, I have been stranded on the side of the road and have had to call for a tow truck to come rescue me. As of recent, the bike runs great for about 20 minutes and then develops such a bad misfire that it renders the bike un-ridable. The first time it had happened was on last years Distinguished Gentleman's Ride. Not only did I get stranded out in the middle of no-where with no phone reception, but it happened before I even made it to the second stop of the ride. I assumed at that time it was the cheap fuse holder you provided for the ignition source. I had replaced it with a blade style fuse holder, and thought that I had solved my problem. But only going on 2 short rides to the store before tearing the bike down for a rebuild, I hadn't run the bike long enough for it to fault again. A couple of weeks ago, I finished up my winter rebuild. I shook the bike down for 2 weeks making sure I had the bugs worked out and decided to ride it home from my shop. 20 miles into the ride the bike starts misfiring as I'm doing 70mph down the highway in heavy rush-hour traffic. Thank the good lord the bike had not completely stalled causing me to crash in the middle of traffic. Once again, I had to have my bike towed back home. I have now spent the last 3 days troubleshooting every single possibility in the ignition system and rest of the bike. The battery is new and has a full charge, the wiring harness is a brand new custom built harness with soldered connections and bullet connectors only where needed, the kill switch is new, and the fuse panel is new. The entire electrical system is BAND NEW. However, no matter what I do, I CANNOT get a secondary resistance reading from the coil. I even removed the HT leads, and replaced them, and even at the terminals on the coil, there is absolutely no secondary resistance at all. After discussing my current issue with my engine guy, he too agrees that there is a fault with the ignition coil, and even made a remark along the lines of that "it must be the crappiest coil he has ever heard of to die within less of 2 years".
I don't want to give off the wrong impression and imply that I am bashing your product, as that is not my intentions and would also be unprofessional of me. However, I do have a bit of buyers remorse, when I consider that I could have bought a full digital Power/Arc racing ignition for the same exact price that I payed for the Thorspark. But one thing that sold me on the Thorspark is that you advertised it with a 5 year warranty. I seriously have only put MAYBE 7500 miles on the bike since I built it with the Thorspark 2 years ago, and let's not fool ourselves, that just isn't acceptable. I hope that this problem can be resolved in a timely professional manner. I have liked the product up until now and hope that I do not need to replace it after only a very short times use. Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.
Scottie Usher
Bulldog Kustoms Denver
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Scottie;
It is possible to have a spark from a coil but still measure an open circuit in the secondary winding. What happens is that the secondary winding develops a small open circuit-- possibly due to a break in the wire or a connection to a terminal-- that an ohmmeter reads as an open circuit but the break gap is small enough that the high voltage spark will jump across.
This puts an additional spark gap in series with the gap of the spark plug- not good for a reliable ignition.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I sent an email to the manufacturer and explained the scenario and they agreed that the coil has failed. They are sending a replacement under warranty, but probably will take a week or so to arrive from the UK.
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Not much going on around here. I received my replacement coil last week and got that installed. Tests were indicating it is good for 40,000 volts, so plenty strong. The few short rides I've been on I haven't had any misfires, so I hope that problem is gone. Tho, when I topped off with 92 octane yesterday she started detonating again when I'd pull over half throttle, I still have a gallon of E85 at work so I guess I'll have to put that in there again. Thinking I may need to retard the ignition another degree or two as well.
Anyway, I wanted to bring up a topic that was discussed (either on this build thread or my old one) a while back, but didn't get a lot of attention. It was the idea of reversing the fork legs around backwards to increase the rake and trail. Recently while going thru some old threads on the BritBike forum, I found discussion of a couple of guys doing this to their old Ascot racers. Tho there was a bit of debate of whether this actually works outside of flat track racing. Legend has it that flipping the fork legs around does in fact increase the rake and trail and sharpens the cornering, and may have helped lead Guy Lewis and Elliot Schultz to being so successful at Ascot. So while, it sounds like this would be an advantage for flat track and road races, my concern is how well the bike will track on the salt. So far, I have only gotten the bike up to 95mph on pavement (due to never being 100% happy with the tune and constantly playing and discovering 50 year old problems), where it just starts to develop a bit of a speed wobble. I have noticed that the lower the air pressure in the tires the lower the speed the wobble starts. I have also been looking into cartridge emulators for the forks. There are a couple of people on the Enfield forum that have done this mod now and are really liking the improvement in handling for about $100.
Any expertise in this department would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Here is the Shell Thuet tuned Bullet that was very successfully raced at Ascot by Guy Lewis and Elliot Schultz.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f202/Ancientwhiteman/042RoyalEn-27_9221_zpsnb6hdonh.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/Ancientwhiteman/media/042RoyalEn-27_9221_zpsnb6hdonh.jpg.html)
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Scottie,
Reversing your forks will of course move your front wheel back maybe 2 or 3" which will definitely increase your trail by that same amount. It moves the center of the wheel back from the steering axis (a line drawn down thru your head stock center bolt) which lengthens the steering arm and makes turning in either direction require more force. It does not increase rake. It actually slows down the steering. This is considered a good thing in land speed racing, but it doesn't prevent speed wobbles by itself.
In my opinion, speed wobbles can be caused by any of a number of undesirable characteristics of your steering, wheels, frame, etc. A few things that you should look at are wheel balance, wheel run-out, wheel straightness, wheel bearings, spoke tightness, tire pressure, forks bushings, fork oil and springs, triple clamps bolts, axle bolts and axle caps, center bolt bearings, center bolt tightness (not too tight but no play), frame stiffness, swing arm bushings, swing arm stiffness, as well as rear wheel issues as above. Any or all of these things can contribute to initiating a speed wobble and the old British forks are not strong enough to allow the steering to recover if it does get into a wobble. A good steering damper strongly mounted can help but will not solve all the issues. In short, every part of the bike is important and becomes more so as speed increases.
Tom
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All of what the 'Kid' had to say..................and take some mental notes when riding. If the wobble or weave is first felt by you seat and the bars remain steady..........you may have a wheel alignment problem. When riding at speed you might 'test' the bike to see what reaction there is to slightly lowering the weight-center by putting pressure on the foot-pegs. So far, with two builds accomplished, we have no wobbles............but we spend more time setting the chassis up than tuning the motor :-D :-D.
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Thanks guys. So I'm probably better off leaving the forks and focus my attention on other possible issues?
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What we're saying is.........don't grab what you THINK is the problem. Start with the basics and eliminate any irregularities. Speed will show a wheel or rim that is not true..........or a tire/tube that is not balanced to the ...nth degree. Burt Munro was so into his motor that he failed to change the original front wheel bearing :oops:
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Well, then it must be a balance issue. Everything else in the front end has already been gone over, except for the brake shoes and bearings. Both of which have been replaced at some point and are fine.
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Hey everyone! Not much going on in my world. Haven't gotten a lot of work done to the bike as I've been really busy with work. I hit a financial wall so I started working part time at the Hot Rod shop I worked at 5 years ago to try and save a little bit more money to put towards the new motor. So currently, I've just been focusing on making it look good, because I can do that for cheap with investing mostly time and little money. So, Since I last posted, I haven't done much mechanically except for tune the carb and and adjust timing, and have come to the conclusion that I can't get anymore timing out of the bike on pump gas. I'm only at about 30* BTDC before it starts detonating under load. I'd like to get the timing back closer to 32-34* BTDC, factory is 32*. Also, since converting the clutch to a dry set up, it has not slipped one time. I've gotten the tire to break loose a couple times in a turn, but no clutch slip, so that's good.
Other than that, I recently finished up the paint work on the bike. I finally paint matched the new seat pan to the gas tank, and then added some hydrographics to the seat cowl and the primary cover. They didn't come out perfect as I was using an improvised system for the dipping, but they did come out really good and you can't see any of the flaws from over 5' away. Anyway, here's what she looks like now. :-)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0429151943b_zpsfygn92re.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0429151943b_zpsfygn92re.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0429151944_zpstrajcfct.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0429151944_zpstrajcfct.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0429151945_zps8tvc3zu5.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0429151945_zps8tvc3zu5.jpg.html)
I plan on adding some perforated sheet metal to the open areas of the primary cover, just haven't decided exactly what I want to do there yet.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0429151943a_zps20o79z01.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0429151943a_zps20o79z01.jpg.html)
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Looking good. Iwill have to stop by and check it out :cheers:
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So, Since I last posted, I haven't done much mechanically except for tune the carb and and adjust timing, and have come to the conclusion that I can't get anymore timing out of the bike on pump gas. I'm only at about 30* BTDC before it starts detonating under load. I'd like to get the timing back closer to 32-34* BTDC, factory is 32*.
Just a thought here. Don't get hung up on a number goal for total ignition advance. Use the timing/fuel strength that prevents detonation, OR, run higher octane fuel that will permit more advance AND suppress detonation.
You really don't have any other choices that will not hurt the engine . . . . . . IMO
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Hey everyone! Not much going on in my world. Haven't gotten a lot of work done to the bike as I've been really busy with work. I hit a financial wall so I started working part time at the Hot Rod shop I worked at 5 years ago to try and save a little bit more money to put towards the new motor. So currently, I've just been focusing on making it look good, because I can do that for cheap with investing mostly time and little money. So, Since I last posted, I haven't done much mechanically except for tune the carb and and adjust timing, and have come to the conclusion that I can't get anymore timing out of the bike on pump gas. I'm only at about 30* BTDC before it starts detonating under load. I'd like to get the timing back closer to 32-34* BTDC, factory is 32*. Also, since converting the clutch to a dry set up, it has not slipped one time. I've gotten the tire to break loose a couple times in a turn, but no clutch slip, so that's good.
Other than that, I recently finished up the paint work on the bike. I finally paint matched the new seat pan to the gas tank, and then added some hydrographics to the seat cowl and the primary cover. They didn't come out perfect as I was using an improvised system for the dipping, but they did come out really good and you can't see any of the flaws from over 5' away. Anyway, here's what she looks like now. :-)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0429151943b_zpsfygn92re.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0429151943b_zpsfygn92re.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0429151944_zpstrajcfct.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0429151944_zpstrajcfct.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0429151945_zps8tvc3zu5.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0429151945_zps8tvc3zu5.jpg.html)
I plan on adding some perforated sheet metal to the open areas of the primary cover, just haven't decided exactly what I want to do there yet.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0429151943a_zps20o79z01.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0429151943a_zps20o79z01.jpg.html)
There's a nice piece of stainless steel mesh that comes inside the airbag of most cars. I think it's a backing of sorts. You might find hundreds at the wrecking yard.
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Yeah, I plan on trying some 106 and see what happens. I just know she accelerates way faster with a bit more advance and less compression. So hopefully I just need to bump the octane a bit and be ok. And again, just running this motor until I can build a new motor with better internals.
1000, the bike is at home now in Aurora, but I'd be happy to show it to you. :)
Tauruk, I have all kinds of blown airbags at work. Where exactly can I find that mesh?
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FYI this is actually Scottie, just using my TapaTalk account. :)
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Picked up some perforated stainless on lunch and got it sanded and polished. I think this should work. :)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0504151227_zps4l7aiqbr.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0504151227_zps4l7aiqbr.jpg.html)
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Got the primary cover finished. Hopefully it doesn't foul anywhere.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0505151541_zps0cz1xrj0.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0505151541_zps0cz1xrj0.jpg.html)
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Looks like everything clears just fine. :)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/0505151717a_zps5tjxvplj.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/0505151717a_zps5tjxvplj.jpg.html)
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Well, then it must be a balance issue. Everything else in the front end has already been gone over, except for the brake shoes and bearings. Both of which have been replaced at some point and are fine.
If you haven't changed to roller bearings in the steering head you should. They can really make a huge difference and are inexpensive. Any bearing store should be able to help you.
Wheel alignment is really important, too. Try this; use two straightedges (I use 8' fluorescent tubes) bungied over the sides of the rear wheel so they run forward past the front wheel. Adjust your rear wheel until the front tire is centered between the straightedges. Perfect! (or darn close to it)