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Project The Yamaha R4 (Glacially Slow Project)

Discussion in 'Other Projects - Other Bikes (non 250's)' started by maelstrom, Dec 20, 2014.

  1. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Handy Hints:
    I prepare the crankcase mating surfaces by using a clean rag on one finger and spraying it with Brakleen. Then I repeat that until the rag remains clean. You think they are clean but when you do this you see how dirty they really are.
    Engine_00.jpg Engine_07.jpg
    Fitting the oil pump
    Wire brush the screw threads and prep with solvent, then apply red Loctite. Only use grease on your new gasket. This is what you should always use on gaskets (excluding head). If the mating surfaces are extremely dodgy then I will use Loctite 515. Please don't post here that you use Hylomar, Permatex or some other gunk and it works really great for you. Put it in your own thread.
     
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    Last edited: Jul 5, 2020
  2. Simon

    Simon Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    Awesome job there buddy..all coming together nicely!!
     
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  3. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Had to get the head vapour blasted to match the rest of the engine.
    CylHeadVapBlasted copy.jpg
    I bought a Chinese electronic torque adapter 3/8" drive, it seemed okay for the M8 case bolts, but I didn't go up to the 8kg-m for the RH crank bolt. I still trust my arm more. For the M6's I have a 1/4 drive that I really use as a double check thing and again I trust my arm more than the tool. Not recommending that you throw your torque wrenches away :) Just me.
    torque.jpg TimingCoverOn copy.jpg
    Just waiting for some diamond lapping paste to come from the US and I will put the head together.
     
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    Last edited: Jul 28, 2020
  4. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Yes, Vegetable Man is finally doing something, lapping valves:
    Now puritans, and I am one, will say that valves and seats should be ground. Well good luck with that here in Thailand. I would need to spend a billion dollars to get the equipment, so that is never going to happen. In any case the valves and seats that I have inspected look quite reasonable.

    Trigger Warning:
    I don't care if I offend you. This is my thread, go and make your own.

    Things I use. That is diamond lapping paste that jewellers use. I bought this from the US and it is not expensive. I have a broad range of grits but for the valve you see here I used 1050, 1500 & 2000. I need the loupe because you have to spend all of your time inspecting and very little lapping.
    Tools.jpg
    ExValve1-1.jpg
    Exhaust valve Cyl 1. Sorry did not get a good before shot of seat. Just use your imagination :)

    ExValve1-1_After.jpg
    The after shot.

    seat.jpg

    Diamond cuts very, very fast. If I made a video of me lapping this valve you would say "Is that it, you're finished?". You need to feel and hear what you are doing. When people say "I just use an electric drill and pull the valve into the seat", I almost have an aneurism. Metal on metal in other words. This is the opposite of what you should be doing. The idea is to maintain a thin film of lapping compound between the two surfaces. When I do this I have to wait for traffic to go past because I can't hear the subtle difference in sound that the lapping makes as you rotate the valve. I have to buy some bearing blue and then I will take a pic of that too.
    Cheers
    Blair
     
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  5. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    I've got some carborundum dust, 2500 grade from what I remember, which might do the same thing, although I love your use of jewellers polish
     
  6. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    My friend who used to work on F-111's in the RAAF put me onto it. Could never go back to using gravel. :)
    It is a little bit of an art in using it though. Very little downward pressure on the stick. You have to wipe the old paste off and put some fresh stuff on very quickly too. You don't want lines in your work. They will pop up immediately if you have any metal on metal. This is why I use the loupe to inspect the finish and decide if I can go down in grit size. Also I am a bit rusty and this is very much a feel thing. I'm really happy that I haven't lost my touch.
     
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    Last edited: Feb 5, 2021
  7. DannoXYZ

    DannoXYZ Well-Known Member

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    yeah, WOW!!! What amazing craftsmanship and cool project!!! :thumb_ups::bowdown::)
     
  8. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Haha thanks, it just appears exciting because you are a recent member. All the other members are wondering if they will live long enough to see it finished. Come to think of it, so do I. :)
     
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  9. DannoXYZ

    DannoXYZ Well-Known Member

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    What width did you end up for contact ring between valve and seat?
     
  10. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    I'll worry about that when I have finished them all. From the look of that one a top cut wouldn't hurt.
     
  11. Linkin

    Linkin The Mechanic Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    How does it go again... crown, face, throat for the seats... contact area width and margin for the valve face?
     
  12. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Well they are all the details, but I don't have any rules about the order. I just make the decision on the state of what I have. For example, old Ducati's have very short valve guides and it is a real art to grind the seats and not stuff it up. If you top and bottom cut first then the narrower seat can make the job even more difficult, but if you have fitted new guides then you will need to do that first and so on. Like most things there is no replacement for experience. Sometimes I find it hard to explain why I do something a certain way. Use the force Luke.
    I just started on Inlet Valve 1 but it looks quite ugly. Like someone has used the usual gravel to lap it. If I had a valve grinder I would do that now and see how it looks with a gentle touch. I could always do what @Murdo did and adapt my lathe with a die grinder. Time for a think.
    On a side note I hate these shitty valves and I love stainless steel versions. They just work brilliantly. Gets expensive when you have 16 of them though.
     
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    Last edited: Oct 1, 2020
  13. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Waiting on some bits and bobs, as usual. Meantime fit the clutch.

    Picked up this tool from the UK on eBay, and they didn't charge a kidney for shipping.
    Engine_10.jpg Engine_09.jpg
    I used new dowels throughout. They don't cost much and saves a lot of time farting about getting used ones to function. New gasket and greased of course.

    Engine_11.jpg
    The screws are actually from a Honda, but I made them concave instead of convex and had them nickel plated. Don't like the cap screws that are OEM.

    Engine_08.jpg
    Oh no, it is starting to look like an engine. I did not fit the noise baffle on the inside of the clutch cover. If it is a bit too noisy then I will do it later.
    I have to send my alt cover to the US to get it Cerakoted to match, but that is not going real well. Many US small businesses don't know that there are people who live over the endless sea and that their money does not actually smell bad.
     
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    Last edited: Oct 3, 2020
  14. Andych

    Andych Moderator Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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  15. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Thanks Andy. I will get a price from them. Sendle can ship back to Thailand for a reasonable price too.
     
  16. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    So I had to fit an FZR600 camchain and shorten it. Then comes the joining link issue. The Taiwanese tool I bought for breaking it is useless for staking, the Chinese ones are rubbish, MotionPro are rubbish. Bugger, what to do? Then I came across this https://www.ktmatvhq.com/forum/xc-engine-carb-drivetrain/12516-cam-chain-tools.html
    [​IMG]
    Yep, that is what I want. Bought one, modded it a bit to suit the smaller chain and presto.
    Camchain.jpg
     
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    Last edited: Sep 26, 2020
  17. Murdo

    Murdo The Good Doctor Staff Member Contributing Member Ride and Events Crew

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  18. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Yep, that is where I bought it from.
     
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  19. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Made a new seal ring from 7075 and will send it off for anodizing. If it leaks I will make it it from 4140 steel and hardchrome.
    S__3801095.jpg
     
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    Last edited: Feb 7, 2021
  20. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    Hard anodising should be durable
     

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