Project Car / Motorbike thread. Let's see 'em.

[link1896]

Finally was able to sort out my air in the fuel issues today with the tractor. One of the olives on the steel line returning to the secondary filter was worn out and loose. New lines got it sorted and there's no air at the 4th injector line.
View attachment 393762
But, give it some throttle and the dreaded white smoke is back. Slight miss in there as well but it revs up spectacularly...but smoky. And I've no real clue what else could be wrong. Unless there was a compression issue...

And then I start to hear it as the tractor warms up and at the sort of revs you use when running attachments via the PTO. A light, sharp, squeaky repetitive banging. Chasing it down with earmuffs on did the trick. The head gasket is blown at the back of the engine on number 4 and oil/diesel/whatever is squirting out....

Looks like I'm going back in...

When I was helping a mate build supergas drag car engines, supercharged big blocks engine in a full road chassis, circa 1500 hp, we used permatex ultra cooper spray on any MLS gasket that didn’t have viton facing, also used it on other lesser engines getting composite gaskets.

Helps deal with surface imperfections too, while it’s easy to face the head, dealing with a block deck that’s rough was always a PITA.

The ultra cooper will make it a PITA to pull apart in the future, so much so one trick was to mount slide hammers to the head to get it off.


Fingers crossed it hasn’t turned a block thread into a slinky.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Pretty common for the precombustion chamber caps to leak on those, they're near impossible to seal sometimes.

Fortunately, this is a direct injection Perkins AD4.203 so no combustion chamber caps on this one!!!

 

[silentbutdeadly]

When I was helping a mate build supergas drag car engines, supercharged big blocks engine in a full road chassis, circa 1500 hp, we used permatex ultra cooper spray on any MLS gasket that didn’t have viton facing, also used it on other lesser engines getting composite gaskets.

The head gasket in this is a massive copper thing. Perkins recommend a non hardening compound like Hylomar on either side for this and my mechanic has recommended a spray version.

Given I've already replaced the rocker cover gasket ($8) because someone in the past reused the old gasket and covered it in RTV to make sure rather than invest a fiver in a new one.... I'm guessing/hoping that much the same half-assed approach has killed the current head gasket.

 

[Flow-Rider]

The head gasket in this is a massive copper thing. Perkins recommend a non hardening compound like Hylomar on either side for this and my mechanic has recommended a spray version.

Given I've already replaced the rocker cover gasket ($8) because someone in the past reused the old gasket and covered it in RTV to make sure rather than invest a fiver in a new one.... I'm guessing/hoping that much the same half-assed approach has killed the current head gasket.

Yeah, that's what I've used before, the copper head gaskets come with a shellac coating that you need to remove in order for the hylomar to stick to it, people just spray it over the top and the gasket fails. If you've got those nylon fuel line on it from the fuel tank I would buy some more olives, once you overtighten them that's the end of them to seal again.

 

[Haakon]

Used DMF testing. LUK with a bearing (not a bush).

Tests well within freeplay - 4 teeth play with 7 allowed by LUK. Tilt/rock is about 1-1.2mm with 1.6 allowed - noting it’s 0 when new….

Worth refitting…?

 

[Dales Cannon]

Used DMF testing. LUK with a bearing (not a bush).

Tests well within freeplay - 4 teeth play with 7 allowed by LUK. Tilt/rock is about 1-1.2mm with 1.6 allowed - noting it’s 0 when new….

Worth refitting…?

Are you keeping it until next week or next year? Change it.

 

[Haakon]

Are you keeping it until next week or next year? Change it.

Don’t know how long… I do know I can’t really justify spending another $700 on it!

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Pulled the tractor apart again and have got the head off. The current gasket went in dry with no sealant. That's the problem...also the head nuts didn't seem to be at 60 ft lbs as they were a doddle to undo.

Looks like there's been some leakage between the cylinders and out the back via no.4 but the coolant channels have be kept locked away. Block and head both seem fairly flat based on a straight edge and a feeler gauge. Some valves aren't pretty but still seem to give the right measurements, despite seemingly being original...so I'm sticking with them. Same goes for the tappets.

No gaskets, only thin films of RTV under the endplate and thermostat housing connections to the head. How they haven't leaked is a mystery. There was a gasket and RTV in the thermostat housing itself though!

No shortage of scale in the head which is painful to get get rid of but I've got a bit of time whilst I wait for the gasket sealant to come in to my local parts shop.

 

[Dales Cannon]

Replaced the brakes and tyres on the track XR4. Nankang AR-1s. Look great. Bloody brakes fought me every step of the way. Pistons didn't want to wind back in and then the new pads kept grabbing. And it was chucking it down and the carport is not ideal in those circumstances. Then the fronts wouldn't accept the new pads. Ah well. Then worked out I can't make the next Doonan sprint. Overbooked.

 

[latheboy]

Bike is on its wheels for the first time since March or April.. can't remember.. and it make brum brum pssstttt pssstttt sounds too ..
Modified cam journals to hold the roof on the motor. They are renowned for breaking, 3 failed and let the oil out the top.. Only 33 years old with 7 years of boost in there so I didn't try for warranty.. new swinger with 8" penis extensions meant new exhaust, move oil cooler back (15mm), move battery back(25mm And 5°) and fuel system change.
also made custom linkages and dog bones as swinger, frame and shock are not compatible with std parts.
tidy up some wiring while I was at it.
Carby rebuild because it was off the bike anyway.

 

[latheboy]

 

[latheboy]

 

[latheboy]

 

[latheboy]

 

[Dales Cannon]

How is that registerable???

 

[Minlak]

How is that registerable???

It is registerable if it was always registered - Insurance now that's a whole other story

 

[Dales Cannon]

It is registerable if it was always registered - Insurance now that's a whole other story

Wasn't a complaint just a question.

 

[latheboy]

Wasn't a complaint just a question.

Sorry I don't understand the question...
Why for you think this can't be registered?
Because turbo??
Serious question... As I have complied to all the rules.. 100% will pass a roady any day of the week.. I have made sure of it.
Insurance, well they have a list of every single part and mod and it's not a problem ..

 

[Dales Cannon]

Yes because of the turbo. The inlet trunking and filter and turbo. I have no understanding of bike stuff.

 

[latheboy]

Turbo,
well It makes under the power requirements for engine mods for an engineers cert in a special way, when I want it to.
Filter out the side is not a problem.
Everything is within the mirrors ..
Bikes can be lower to the ground than a car, ADR requirements are that no part of the bike can touch the ground when the tyres are flat. That's about 40mm for me .
Very different rules in most cases.

Look at all the hipster cafe racer shitboxes, most of them are on the verge of catching fire or not stopping.. but that's fine..

I built my bike to go fast and not die on, while being legal..