Meeting the Regulations

After enjoying the track day and a couple of thousand K's on what is now a beautifully running motorcycle, it's time to make sure she meets all the fine print to take her racing.

In particular for todays post, rule 15.1.3.4:

"All lateral covers/engine cases containing oil and which could be in contact with the ground during a crash, must be protected by a second cover made of composite materials, type carbon or Kevlar, or be fitted with heavy duty crash resistant end cases made from solid metal. Plates and/or bars from aluminium or steel are also permitted. All these devices must be designed to be resistant against sudden schocks and must be fixed properly and securly. Bonding alone is not a suitable method of mounting"

So I first went searching for an off-the-shelf solution. I can tell you, finding crash protection for a 14 year old motorcycle is not easy. Woodcraft only do half the job, and the NRC covers (although pretty swish in solid billet alloy) are going to cost over $700 for the generator, idler, and starter covers, and that still left the clutch casing un-attended too.

Time for plan B: "Plates and/or bars from aluminium or steel are also permitted." So today I set about taking care of the right hand side of the engine.

First step was to make up the concept with carboard as it's easier to work with, then transfer that to check plate aluminium.

This is the areas of concern:

Making up the concept, the arrows are pointing to where the casing bolts will be extended to hold the plate on, everything needs to be shaped to both protect the engine cases from spilling oil, but also to still fit underneath the fairings without rubbing:

Now I transfer the pattern onto the check plate:

Cut and bent to fit, and should tuck in nicely behind a new set of race glass :-)

I wont drill and fit it just yet, I'll wait until I do the generator cover first, as I'll need to drain the oil to remove the engine cover bolts.

Cheers,
SammyA

PS: A quick snapshot taken at Broadford by Steven Hendy while testing the engine out :-)

We Have Ignition!

Time to get the engine back in and make sure she fires up before placing the order for Race Glass and reinforced Engine Covers. First step was to use my engine jack to lift the engine into position. This is a fiddly job as everything needs to line up perfectly in order to get the engine bolts in.

 

The two rear nuts for the upper and lower engine bolts are single use "self-locking" nuts, so it's important to get new ones.

 

With the engine in place and supported by the chassis, time to replace those fatigued sump bolts I spoke about earlier, I've used some new stainless steel bolts which should be much stronger than the OEM. They tightened to torque straight away.

Time to re-cable the wiring loom, re-install the carburettors, put the airbox back in, and connect the fuel tank. This is where I'm very glad a labelled EVERYTHING!

With the sump and the radiator filled the only thing left to do was pull in the clutch lever and hit the starter! Damn what a tense moment!

Then... ooops... helps to remember to tighten the radiator hose clamp! This one gave me a heart attack!

Take two!

Now I have a running bike, time to put the fairings back on and run it in for a thousand K's. I'll then change the oil and filter. I've also booked in for a track day at Broadford to put her through the paces and see how she runs at full throttle.

Once the oil and filter is changed I'll go through lock wiring everything off (one of the GCR's I talked about earlier).

Cheers,
SammyA

New Cyclinder Head

The search began for a new head, and I was able to locate one complete, with cams, valves, springs, buckets and shims. I quickly ordered the required gaskets for the changeover and got stuck into it yesterday and today.

The first job was to clean the shrapnel out of the sump and the strainer, even though the sump (and most of the shredded metal) has been emptied, I wanted to make sure I didn't have any left overs sitting in the engine.

Also worth checking the oil regulator while I'm at it

Putting the sump back on I found a couple of the bolts were fatigued and snapped while trying to tighten them to the correct torque setting. I've bought some new bolts (stainless steel), same thread, which I'll machine up as replacements, but I'll do this once the engine is back in the bike.

Next job was to get new head on top of the block. I put a fresh head gasket in while I was at it. With the head tightened on, the cams needed to be installed in the correct position, which meant lining up the markings on the cam gears, with the crank set at "top dead centre"

"Top Dead Centre" marking:

Count out 15 pins between the (3) on the left intake cam and (2) on the right exhaust cam, the zip ties help hold it in position while I work on the rest:

When putting the cams back in its important to coat the journals with "Suzuki Molly Paste", this helps them bed in, and prevents it binding up at first startup:

Once the cams are all in place its a matter of bolting in the top of the journals, putting the cam chain tensioner back in, and with a bit of Three Bond bolting the head cover on.


And here she is ready to bolt back into the bike:

Cheers,
SammyA

Cracked Camshaft Journal

Having now disassembled the Cylinder Head, it's now clear what the problem is. (Cylinder 1 port was a furphy, it was the beginings of a wasp nest.) A broken camshaft journal has allowed the intake camshaft to jump out of the "C-ring" and move around in the head.

The noise was actually the camshaft lobes slapping the head

Extensive damage all the way down the head

Minor scoring of the cam lobe from the metal filings off the head. It can probably be cleaned up/repolished if need be. As the camshaft is made of a harder metal than the head it is pretty much undamaged.

 Next step is to find a new cylinder head, preferably complete with valves/shims/buckets/cams.

Cheers,
SammyA

Touchdown - The Engine Is Out

With the Engine Mounting Thrust Adjusting Lock Nut removed and wiring labelled and disconnected, I needed to make one more similar tool using a 13mm socket as the base. This removed the Engine Mounting Thrust Adjuster. I then removed the remaining engine nuts with an 8mm Allen key connected to a log handled torque wrench, and used the motorcycle jack to lower the engine out of the chassis.

And touchdown!

With the engine out I snuck a look in the exhaust ports and noticed something interesting. Compare cylinder 4 (left) with cyclinder 1 (right).

Tomorrow I plan to take the head off and take a closer look.

Cheers,
SammyA

Engine Mounting Thrust Adjuster Socket Wrench

While removing the engine, I've come across a nut named the "Engine mounting thrust adjuster lock nut", which requires a "Special Tool" called 09940-14980: Engine Mounting Thrust Adjuster Socket Wrench. What is this tool? Lord only knows where I can get one, it's probably 6 week special order, I'd hate to think how much it'd be worth. So bugger it, time to get crafty and make one. I've purchased a 1/2 drive 13/16th socket for minimal cost, marked it up, and with a steady hand - got grinding.

The nut:

Texta it up:

Ready to go:

A bit more work done on the bike tonight, off come the fairings and the air box

 Carburettors and the radiator (it'll need a good clean out)

 Exhaust off as well

 Next round I'll have a crack at getting the engine out.


Cheers,
SammyA