Ninja 250 turbo

[gsuelzle]

I am building a Kawasaki Ninja 250 turbo and need some technical assistance.  Please help!!!!
 
 Grant

[firemanjim]

Check out this bike at Bonneville and maybe Hank will be willing to tell all.
 http://www.scta-bni.org/
 Go to friday 13th pictures, page 3,last picture.According to markings its running in the boosted class.

[clark kane]

I think the best place to get help re. turbo questions is Majestic Turbo  in Waco,Texas.
 Kevin Draper or one of his engineers can help you for sure..
 
      Clark kane.   good luck. go fast safly

[ddahlgren]

What type of tech help do you need?
 Dave

[gsuelzle]

Dave, I have been looking at Garrett turbos but am not sure which one to incorporate with the bike.  I have a call into them but no response.  Also, do have any information on a stronger crankshaft and camshafts?  
 
 Thanks, Grant

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Well, well, it had to happen eventually -- we build and race the world's first and only Ninja 250 turbo -- and here come the rest of you!
 
 Anyway, we had Terry Kizer (Mr. Turbo) build up a system for us.  Nancy raced it at Bville last week and put a recod in the book for M/PS/BG 250.  The little blower was sourced from Kevin at Majestic, all right, but I'd suggest you go directly to Terry for better information.
 
 The bike ran okay, but since this was a shakedown appearance we found some gremlins that needed overcoming.
 
 We still have stock internals -- but if we continue campaigning the scooter we'll do the rods-pistons-everything else route.  As far as we know, nobody makes off-the-shelf stronger components for this motor.  Carillo said they'd build some rods, for instance, but we'd have to send the stock units to them so they can measure and duplicate.  Expect 10 weeks, at least.  John Noonan at JE can make low-compression pistons -- but only in sets of four, so plan on ending up with spares.  Nobody makes stronger valve springs, so you'll need to send in the stock units so they can be measured and duplicated in unobtanium (hey, did you know that this motor has rocker arm, not shim&bucket valve actuation?).  And once you've got stronger springs you'll want to consider stronger valves to take the heavier loads from the new springs, and that will, in turn, suggest that the valve seats might want to be reinforced.
 
 Unh, the stock ignition is sorta suspect - might not be strong enough to spark under high boost.  Also be ready to change carbs.  The bottom end needs attention to make sure enough oil gets delivered to the right places at the right pressures.  Have some strong head studs fashioned to keep the head from dancing around under boost while you're at it.
 
 As for cams -- nothing there yet.  Hey, on second thought -- why not get in touch with Terry and see what help he can give you?  Probably will save tons of your time.
 
 By the way, yes, that is our bike in the SCTA photo, while we were waiting in line for nancy's first run on it.
 
 Be in touch if you've got other questions upon which I can shed some light.

[joea]

Jon, why do you suppose that your 250 ninja
 turbo charged by Mr. Turbo went 20 mph slower
 than when it was stock
 
 I am sure there is a fitting explanation, I am very curious as I have had others ask me this very question, including one who is actually turboing a 250 ninja,  he wants to find help
 and is looking for positive results
 
 Joe  

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Real simple, Joe -- the bike went 112+ on the first run -- but on the return run the next morning we neglected to check things out real carefully -- and found. . .
 
 ...that when the turbo comes loose from the exhaust pipe, and there's a 3/4" gap between the end of the exhaust pipe and the inlet of the turbo --- for some reason, the dang thing just won't make any boost!
 
 Remember, this was a shakedown outing.  We've got lots of time to spruce up the motor -- that's why we're going to bub's -- make a bunch of runs and see where we are.  I'll change gearing down a couple of teeth and see if working it harder helps boost speed, I'll make some runs to see if I find things that Nancy isn't reporting, we'll fiddle and twist and see where we are.
 
 Then, over the winter, we'll have a much larger database from which to work as we decide what's next.
 
 We feel we did have some pretty positive results.  But, from a very realistic-al standpoint, I'd suggest that turboing a Ninja 250 isn't the easiest way to go fast without lots of time in the shop inventing lots of new stuff.  Turboing a Ninja 250 is a great way to spend lots of time R&D-ing, though. . .
 
 What'll the bike do as it sits now, assuming everything is working as well as it can AT THE PRESENT STATE OF DEVELOPMENT?  I'd guess there's another 5-10 mph worth of hp lurking around -- check with me after Bub's.

[joea]

awesome!!
 
 thanks for update
 
 and go fast next week!!
 
 
 Joe  

[Sumner]

Jon, congratulations on the records you set and the work you are doing on the Ninja sounds really interesting.
 
 Sorry I didn't get a chance to chat with you more about the 4-corners area.  We ran twice on Sat. and twice on Sunday and then I was sicker than a dog on Monday and we left Tuesday.  I had a great time helping Hooley with his Stude, but didn't have hardly any time to visit or look around the pits.
 
 If you are ever in the area please stop by.  I'm easy to find at the Purple Sage Trading Post on the south end of Blanding.  I know some of you other guys from Texas and the south travel through Blanding on the way to the salt and my house and shop are always open if I can help you in anyway.
 
 c ya, Sum
 
 Hooley's 207 mph B'ville
 Experience