Been getting some of my ZXR parts ready for engine builds and having some spares just in case. It's always a feel good moment when you take a piston that look like crap... ...and make it all nice and newish again. Making sure all the rings are correctly gapped and all parts are weighed and ready to go (if needed). Manual says to gap test them 10mm and 60mm from the top of the cylinder. I also check them where they should never be other than during assembly. Amazing how well these bikes are put together. These 4 barrels are almost perfect.
Well, since the MotoGP and the visit from the Chief and Dr Murdo, one of the main things I have been trying to do is get the Black/Yellow ZXR250 ready for a test & tune session at my local drag strip. Those of you playing at home, will recall that Murdo built a solid rear end and wheelie bars for the bike. We called the bike “The WASP” and I even went out and bought some Wasp stickers to put on it. However, every time I went to put the stickers on the bike, I couldn’t bring myself to soil the paint job Murdo had spent time putting on it so I decided we’ll drop the “WASP” name and go with something else. I’ve always entered my Red/White ZXR250 as “Team 2fiftycc – Lucky Strike”, because it has a Lucky Strike themed paint job. So, I think we’ll just call this one “Team 2fiftycc Ninja” since the name is right there on the side of the bike. After bringing the bike back from Tamworth, I needed to pull the engine which has a smoke issue and a rattling clutch. Smoke seems to be valve oil seal related, so some work to do there. In the interim, another ZXR250 engine is going to be put into the bike for initial runs and testing. I went to pull the smokey engine out and noticed the rear tyre was a bit flat. Further investigation indicated the valve was leaking and giving it a gentle push meant lots of air coming out. So, off came the rear wheel and down to Pablo’s we go to get a new valve fitted, balance the wheel and check the tyre was going to be okay for drag racing. Stripped the bike during the “engine swap” exercise and started becoming familiar with its layout and changed ride height etc. During the removal of the smokey engine, one of the front engine mount bolts broke. It was in there good and hard and even though I took my time (and got it half out) it still broke. Further angst was endured as an easyout broke off in the bit still in the frame...D’oh! Removal was painful, but successful in the end. Next, the other ZXR engine went in; Running COP setup; Water, oil & fuel went in (some fuel came out). New exhaust also has a bung for us to run an O2 sensor. We won’t worry about plugging the O2 sensor in until the bike is running properly. Had plenty of issues from a leaking fuel tap, tank not sitting right and fairings not fitting properly, but now most of these are either fixed or a band aid is in place. Replaced the grips and moved the starter. This bike runs a keyless starter, so I replaced the fuel cap with a keyless unit…no more looking for keys! I also had to move some dash bits around so the steering was not being impeded. Started engine to ensure no major embarrassment at the strip and all seems in order. The bike is now ready for its maiden outing. We won’t run the wheelie bars initially. I have never ridden a solid rear bike before, so it will be something new. If she goes as good as she looks, I’ll be very happy.
With a solid rear-end, all I can say is....thank god the race last only 10+ seconds Bike looks awesome mate
Well, you can thank Murdo for the bike's looks and finish. The first time I sat on it, I nearly ruptured something; you have the inbuilt automatic motion to bounce the rear when you sit on a bike...not good with a solid rear end!
After the frustration of yesterday and finding the front wheel buckled I decided that today I would do a little rearranging in the garage and put up my 10 Tonne press so I could press the bottom bearing on the stem.. It is so much easier to do that bottom bearing when you have a press and you run zero risk of stuffing up the bearing. That was enough for me.. time for some more medication and a nap I think.
Went for a cruise through the national park. On the way out at the set of lights, someone rolled forward into a suzuki adventure bike. I stopped and helped the guy lift his bike up and stuffed my lower back... so a trip to emergency for me in agonizing pain... sprained my back muscles and couldn't stand up or sit down on my own... not fun!
Spewing mate , kudos for helping out I got my silver zxr running today , probably hasn’t been started in 3 months , took some coaxing. She needs a good ride to blow the cobwebs out
Do you know an osteopath or chiropractor? Will be good to catch it before nerve inflammation takes hold if it's a herniated disc
Because I'm so slow, it takes a week for me to do enough to be worth mentioning. Not that I got much done. I finished the kdx200 rebuild, chucked the motor in the bike, ran it in (any excuse to blast a smoker around the paddock, chuck a few wheelies), then pull the engine out, again. But when put the coolant (back) in, it was like kombucha for a bike, with a culture growing! I spent a bit of time trying to work out how to mount it in the new frame, getting a kickstart into non-kick frame, a swingarm-axle-mounted engine in a non frame. It doesn't fit, unless I cut it (gasp!) so I looked at a different frame. The second frame is much easier to fit the engine, but the frame is a step backwards, so I'll cut the first allow frame. Also, I had my latest zxr250 arrive this week, it fired up under choke, but stalls out on throttle. Carbies will need cleaning.
I picked up my bike. Well, my newest bike: a (registerable) kdx200. It needs a little work, like lights, a side panel, the tyres are probably too old and a side stand. Of course it needs a clean, and front wheel bearings, rear brakes, number plate holder and clocks. Once I get those sorted, it ready for a roadworthy, after I clean the carby, replace the fork seals, check spokes, rear wheel bearings, sprocket, replace the chain, change the oil and air filter, steering bearings, plastics fasters, weld the holes in the expansion chamber, repack the muffler and whatever other issues I have yet to find..
Got the paint stripper out and after several goes managed to get all the old paint off the engine cases.. I then cleaned them up in the cleaning tank.. got all the shavings etc out from inside.. made sure all the oil galleries were clean and clear. Then had another go at cleaning up the head.. but in the end I will need to get it blasted.. most likely water blasted. I then turned to the Front and rear discs.. the fronts clean up ok and are on spec for thickness.. the rear cleaned up ok but it is at 4.2mm where the specs say 5mm but dont show a minimum thickness.. I dont really want to download the full manual just to see if there is a min thickness... can anyone let me know what it would be please...
Many discs have a 4.5mm minimum thickness and are 5mm when new. Run your fingers up and down the disc... if you can feel a lip at the top and bottom, and if it feels uneven in the centre, replace the disc.
Hmmm ok thanks for that. The rear disc is shot while the fronts don’t have a lip they are almost at minimum spec so looks like I need to get a full set Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Hmmm seems front discs are hard to find... I flatly refuse to use waved discs.. I hate that look. I can find FZR400 discs on Ali-Express and the rear disc but not FZR250 3LN fronts.. GRRRRRR
Yes... I did find that one.. but the price...... as far as I can gather that is $199 each disc.. not for the pair, so when you add in freight it is all a bit scary.. I might recheck my measurements on the existing fronts.
The FZR250R Front disc's also fit- Referenced from here https://japan.webike.net/products/21959575.html YAMAHA FJ1200 88/89/90/91/92/93 Domestic / Overseas mounting position : double YAMAHA FZ400 97/98/99 Mounting position : double YAMAHA FZR250R 89/90/91/92/93/94 Mounting position : double YAMAHA FZR400RR /3TJ 89/90/91/92 Mounting position : double YAMAHA FZR600 89/90/91/92/93/94/95 Mounting position : double YAMAHA FZS600 FAZER 98/99/00/01/02/03 Mounting position : double YAMAHA TDM850 3VD/4EP/4TX/5GG 92/93/94/95/96/97/98/99/00/01 Domestic / Overseas mounting position : double YAMAHA TRX850 95/96/97/98/99 Mounting position : double YAMAHA TZ125 96/97/98/99 Mounting position : right YAMAHA TZ250 96/97/98/99/00/01/02/03/04/05/06/07/08/09/10/11/12/13 Mounting position : double YAMAHA TZR250 3MA 89 Mounting position : double YAMAHA XJR400 93/94/95/96/97/98/99/00/01/02/03/04/05/06/07/08 Mounting position : double YAMAHA YZF600R ThunderCat 94/95 Mounting position : double $210 for a pair inc delivery ex ebay china Note minimum thickness marking is 3mm https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Floating-Front-Brake-Disc-Rotor-For-Yamaha-R1-Z250-SR400-TDM850-TRX850-FJ1200/112194523273?hash=item1a1f509089:g-8AAOSwXeJYHWHR:rk:20f:0 $170 ea here- https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Yamaha-FZR400-RR-1988-1992-Front-Floating-Type-Brake-Disc-Rotor-OEM-Spec/332863466164?epid=4024749947&hash=item4d80356ab4:g:WoIAAOSwHF1b95mp:rk:1f:0 Metalgear are $203ea inc delivery https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brake-Disc-Rotor-Front-L-or-R-YAMAHA-FZR400-RR-EXUP-3TJ-1989/173491307519?epid=10022126821&hash=item2864e343ff:g:uIMAAOSwkfxb9CDw:rk:24f:0 Then there's the the dearer Brembo, Braking, TRW disc's
The only issue with all of those are that the FZR250 3LN discs are 282mm OD where the FZR400 are 298mm. I would need to check the mounting dimensions as well but is there enough clearance in the standard FZR caliper to take the extra 8mm these discs would need?
Ok, sorry i never even looked at that, a 298mm disc wont fit, the spring steel anti rattle shim's in the calipers wont allow more than about a 4mm bigger disc