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Swiffer's Francine 06 project

30 posts Started 8 Dec 2005 Last recovered post 17 Apr 2006 Wayback Machine snapshot 19 Oct 2006

#1
If you remember, Francine got a new rear and front end last winter. Now it's time for some additional changes.

For those of you that want to see what she looked like last summer, please check out the Francine 05 thread


I'll post as I go along (that means seldom and irregularly) and I start with a reference pic - this is what she looks like today - 2005-12-08.


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molested


And this is the reason for tearing it apart:


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More than 783
#2
Ooooh, BigBore! I'm green with envy! dry.gif biggrin.gif
#3
I'm jealous too Swiffer. fing02.gif Does compression go up as well with the kit? Looking forward to some dyno results,... Francine's gettin some attitude! beer.gif
#4
Francine's gonna be soooo butch...deeper voice and all!

Can't wait to hear how it turns out.
#5
fing02.gif beer.gif wheel.gif
#6
While some of the engine internals (crank, rods) are on a trip to get balanced, I keep myself busy in my wrenching cave.

The engine mods use up most of my money so I don't have enough to get aftermarket plumbing. I just have to clean the stuff I have, for now, and send it away for heat resistant coating.
While I'm at it I take away the first internal welds in the headers, in a desperate attempt to increase gas flow a tiny bit (must have too much time on my hands).

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DIY exhaust cosmetics



I bought a set of heads off e-pay. Noone else seemed to want them so it was almost for free (shiping was more!). I've been wanting to port a set of heads "MOTOMAN style", epoxy and everything, for quite some time.
According to my racing friends quite a few on the Swedish roadracing circuit do this or something similar. The beauty they say is that it adds torque over a wide RPM band.
Check out his site at "Mototuneusa" or something. The guy seems to be a nutcase and his site is allmost unbarable but apparently Stigefelt and Harms' Honda 600's in the world supersport 600 DarkDog team had their bikes prepared in this spirit.
Anyhow - gotta try!

First, however, I have to do the regular "sneak porting" or "polishing". Meaning taking away the edges and sudden changes in diameter that the unprepared stock ports have.

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PICT1938b.jpg

Its hard to see in the pic but there is a 1 mm step at the arrows before porting (no, don't worry, they are not done in this pic). Its even more in the exhaust ports. What I don't have a pic of is the process of taking away the the same kind of edges between the intake rubbers (nomenclature?) and the head/carbs.


I just Dremel away until there are no edges that can be felt with my fingers.
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porting away


It takes quite some time since there are no room for error - one slip and you may have to cut new seats. After a while you are almost in a meditation like state. OooM!

#7
Sweeeet, wish I had the confidence to "just dremel away" beer.gif fing02.gif
#8
johne, Jan 5 2006, 04:00 PMSweeeet, wish I had the confidence to "just dremel away"  beer.gif   fing02.gif


I was hesitant too until I saw the original finish. "Can't do any worse than that" is the immediate thought when you see it.
#9
That's what I like to hear. I assume you have a special relationship with your Dremel like I do? "Enabler" is the word that comes to mind...
#10
Just in case you were unaware: Years ago, port and POLISH was the watch words. Then someone discovered that the sanding marks caused a slight turbulence that caused better atomization of the air-fuel mixture. I haven't seen polished ports in years. The short turn radius is the critical one. Be very careful what you do there. If you have access to pictures of airflowed ports so you could copy the design, I'd highly recomend such.
#11
I tend to agree with Dr.Toto. In the 70's a good port and polish on my two-stroke Suzi 380 resulted in a somewhat rough intake tract and smooth exhaust. Has it changed over the last 30 years?
#12
Polish refers to the exhaust port...
#13
Some years ago, there used to be a service available where they pumped this slurry-like substance mixed with an abrasive media, through the ports of your engine's head which smoothens the intake and exhaust tracts and ports, Haven't heard much about it for a while. Is it still done out there??
It could provide the quickest turnaround time for porting your heads.

Beck
95 vfr
#14
Beck, Jan 5 2006, 09:15 PMSome years ago, there used to be a service available where they pumped this slurry-like substance mixed with an abrasive media,  through the ports of your engine's head which smoothens the intake and exhaust tracts and ports, Haven't heard much about it for a while. Is it still done out there??
It could provide the quickest turnaround time for porting your heads.

Beck
95 vfr




Would that be these guys ?
#15
dr.toto, Jan 5 2006, 05:40 PMJust in case you were unaware: Years ago, port and POLISH was the watch words. Then someone discovered that the sanding marks caused a slight turbulence that caused better atomization of the air-fuel mixture. I haven't seen polished ports in years. The short turn radius is the critical one. Be very careful what you do there. If you have access to pictures of airflowed ports so you could copy the design, I'd highly recomend such.



There are several theories why slightly rough port surfaces gives more power, increased atomization is one I've heard, to create a boundary layer (pretty much like the reason for honing a cylinder) is another. A guy here in Sweden ports Suzuki heads for dragracing. He uses 120 grit paper in a right angle motion as a finish, so it's pretty far from polished. Sorry for misusing the term. Smoothing is maybe a better one. As for air flowed ports, check the MOTOMAN site.
#16
Check out Kevin Cameron's article in this month's Cycle World where he talks about laminar flow.
#17
johne, Jan 5 2006, 09:27 PMWould that be these guys ?



Yessem! fing02.gif

Beck
95 VFR
#18
Bump, how's the bigbore coming Swiffer?

You can't stay hiding from the FrankenViffer patrol for too long! goofy.gif
#19
Oh yes I can!

Btw the bore is OK (I'm told - haven't seen it myself yet), it's my schedule that's too tight.
#20
I have read that the rough finish on the intake side helps atomize the fuel air mixture. Rough as a ooposed to smooth on the intake side helps mix the fuel and air together. Have you noticed a difference? Dyno or seat of the pants?
#21
HispanicSlammer, Mar 31 2006, 10:48 PMI have read that the rough finish on the intake side helps atomize the fuel air mixture.  Rough as a ooposed to smooth on the intake side helps mix the fuel and air together.  Have you noticed a difference?  Dyno or seat of the pants?



Yeah that seems to be the theory embraced by most people nowadays. And since I'm an amateur I need to pick the experts to believe rather than figuring it out for myself. I do have some problems with people combining the atomization theory with the boundary layer theory since I can't see how they both can be true at the same time...

This is how far I am from any kind of evaluation yet:


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back home

But at least they are home.
Take a look at the liner
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not much left of the liner

The shop had some problems when boring since the cylinder bore wasn't centered in the liner! They had to re-center it not to leave too little of the liner on one side.

Another finding was that one of the con rods were pretty much off (3 grams), all in the big end. A balancing was due!
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now in balance

Now i need to get my priorities straight that damn Ratfink got me goin' biggrin.gif
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Ratfink style on its way


I'll be off then...
#22
Here is a pic to show how off-center the bore was in the lining before the big-bore.

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Before the bore
#23
Swiffer, Apr 4 2006, 05:18 PMHere is a pic to show how off-center the bore was in the lining before the big-bore


That's gotta be worth a few ponies right there ohmy.gif
#24
Finally some progress...

It was about time that I got around to put the stuff together. First, oil clearance check with plastigage to see that the new bearings are the right size.
These are the strips of plastigage before trial installation
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Oil clearance rod/crank


The same strips after the end caps have come off again. Ingenious stuff!

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sqeeeezed plastigage



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now crank/case clearance


When all the plastic is squeezed and the clearances are within the limits its time to check piston ring end gap.

One good thing about having cleaned all the stuff to the extreme is that you can choose a more cosy wrenching environment (and anything beats my usual wrenching cave). And since I'm obviously totally exhausted by all this I take a well earned brake to see what you guys are up to.

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VFRd brake


#25
It is funny how demystified these things are once you tear into them at that degree, they seem to become more down to earth and easy to understand. Its not so complicated at that level anymore, really its just a bunch of nuts and bolts.
#26
HispanicSlammer, Apr 16 2006, 12:04 PMIt is funny how demystified these things are once you tear into them at that degree, they seem to become more down to earth and easy to understand.� Its not so complicated at that level anymore, really its just a bunch of nuts and bolts.



True, and with the service manual and Haynes available it's really down to being thorough! (famous last words...? biggrin.gif )

The oil passages are slightly worrying though. One of them blocked somewhere and the engine is ruined!
#27
Swiffer, Apr 16 2006, 06:08 AMTrue, and with the service manual and Haynes available it's really down to being thorough! (famous last words...? biggrin.gif )

The oil passages are slightly worrying though. One of them blocked somewhere and the engine is ruined!


Keep the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches away from the work area! biggrin.gif

Can't wait so see the finished product and find out how it runs! lurk.gif
#28
magellan, Apr 16 2006, 06:02 PMKeep the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches away from the work area! biggrin.gif

Can't wait so see the finished product and find out how it runs! lurk.gif



Ah, but the peanutbutter is not the problem! biggrin.gif
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Quality of life
#29
Swiffer, Apr 17 2006, 01:17 AM
Ah, but the peanutbutter is not the problem! biggrin.gif
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Quality of life



Candlelight dinner for two: you & your beloved Francine. What happened after the romantic dinner?
#30
Wow! A big bore kit "how to"!
End of thread · 30 posts recovered Wayback Machine snapshot 19 Oct 2006