1994 RVF400R Build Project

I'm pretty sure it had a lot to do with the situation, more than an actual problem. I just about have everything sorted to my satisfaction, but still need to close the loop. Should have things sorted in the next few days. Just waiting for an adapter to perform a test of the oil pressure and confirm everything is good. I won't run it until I definitively know the oiling is good. I will post up what I do, when I get the pieces parts and get after it it.

 

After suffering the somewhat disappointing engine failure of my project moto, I have teamed up with Mike Norman at GForce to start the process of fixing the engine issues I suffered.

I have been talking to Mike quite a bit over the last month or so, and we have settled on a direction for the rebuild. I have decided to go with a 428cc, HRC F3 spec engine, up from the OEM 399cc engine volume. While I can't possibly list all of the things that are going to happen in this post, rest assured, it will be worthy of the effort put into it so far. I hope to have a lot more information soon, this is only just getting started. I would be happy to discuss the direction, if anybody is remotely interested in my drivel.

 

Most definitely interested. We've been missing you around our shop, wondering how it's all going.

 

Yeah, I had to go back to work, Nils. Life and shit...plus the help of Mr. Norman doesn't come cheap. I will be in around Christmas to say hello...hopefully, we can share a case or two of beverages....I will supply, if you and the boys can tell me what flavor I should bring. I will see if Mr. Kerr is interested in joining us, lol.

 

Well crap. At least it looks like your going to have a very nice motor in her eventually.

 

It was going to happen eventually, just hardened my resolve. All things happen for a reason.

 

You are ALWAYS welcome in our shop Ron, and we'll be buying the next few rounds too. Please do be in touch and we'll carve out an afternoon for the purpose. Looking forward to seeing you.

 

Sniff, sniff....you guys ARE my people, Nils. Don't think I haven't missed you guys just a little......tell Alex and Cody I said hey!

 

This is a completely shameless plug, for all of you that don't know who Nils (Noblehops) is, you definitely should. This is his shop in Tucson, AZ https://www.restocycle.com/ . Nils and his crew are, what I consider, the GOLD Standard of bike restoration and resto modding. These boys are top notch cats and I highly recommend that you get to know these folks, if you're into moto's. NONE finer.

 

What was the nature of the engine problem? Did I miss your description of what happened? From reading back in the thread I'm guessing the issue was oil pressure related? But which parts got damaged?

 

That's a bummer. Would love to hear what happened and more so to see what the plan is moving forward.

 

Yep, the oil pressure wasn't even close to what it should have been. The actual failure hasn't been determined. I believe it is a bearing in the bottom end, rod or crank. I will find out more when the engine gets torn down and everything gets inspected. Whatever it is, it will get straightened out. I believe I caught it before it did any serious damage.

 

Cosworth pistons? I'll be watching the rehab of the bike. Lots of pictures would be nice.

 

. I would be happy to discuss the direction, if anybody is remotely interested in my drivel.[/QUOTE]

Hey Noral,
As usual, you are turning your problem into an opportunity. Please keep us posted. Your “drivel” is more interesting than most.
I also missed my dailey check to your thread.

 

Yeah, really looking forward to reading some renewed progress. It's gonna be the motor the chassis deserves.

 

- 1.5mm pin height, 57mm, Cosworth pistons with DLC coated piston pins and ring sets from the FZR 400. Carillo A Beam custom steel rods +1.5mm length, REM and cryo.

 

I Cryo'd and Coated my whole XR400R transmission after replacing a second gear a long time ago (actually under warranty). No issues over a LOT of miles.

And I took Honda's labor money and had my head ported and flowed at White Brothers. Arias oversized piston and a WB cam with Full WB stainless exhaust.

 

Yessir. As far as cryo, I did a bunch of it when I did my 6g VTEC and supermoto engine projects. It isn't a myth.

Going +1mm on the intake valves and std on exhaust valves, stainless.

I could have gone ti on the valves as an option, and all out performance wise, that would be the way to go, but ti doesn't like to be slammed into the valve seats and require special coatings to protect them from that. The stainless valves are heavier, but Mike Norman has come up with custom valve guides that allows the valve stem diameter to be reduced slightly to 4mm and the face of the valve is dished, and will be TiN coated, to lose some of that weight. I figured I would just go with the stainless valves with TiN, for longevity.

As I have learned in the past, the heads are the most important part of making better power, you can spend oodles of cash on the bottom end, which I will make a decent investment into the rotating stuff, but if it can't breathe, it's spinning your wheels. I have my fingers crossed that I caught the issues soon enough to where the crank isn't going to require a lot of extra work to get cleaned up and corrected.

edited to add more info...not typing on a phone.

 

After posting a little too early about my plans and direction for the engine, I felt like a bit of a cockteaser. Prolly should have waited until was able to provide more pics and stuff.

I got back into town a week ago and spent the first few days dealing with shit that I needed to get out of the way to make room for the project.

After staring the moto down for the first four days and getting my head wrapped around tearing it all apart again, I got after it. It took a few days to work through the process, but at the end of today, this is what I had



I had to reassemble the engine, I had stripped off the right side cover, clutch basket, valve covers, oil pan, oil pump, and all the bits on the bottom of the engine so I could take a little look to see if the problem wasn't something simple. Of course, that wasn't to be the case. I'm still not entirely sure of what exactly happened, but I wasn't about to make a mess, what's done is done. I'm sure I will find out, and fingers crossed, it isn't something horrifyingly bad. Anything can get fixed, but sometimes it takes cubic dollars to do it. Hoping I stopped it in time and didn't destroy anything extra pricey.

I do know that the mechanical seal on the water pump is weeping, so that will also get rebuilt. Honda doesn't sell parts to rebuild these pumps, and the pump has long been discontinued. Mike Norman has sourced all the parts and has come up with a kit and a process for fixing this issue. The front, lower, right motor mount threads in the engine were kind of knackered originally, so I'm going to get that addressed when the cases are split.

Tomorrow I'm heading over to my fab guys shop to sponge the use of his welder, his gas, and his wire. I purchased some thin wall chromoly box tubing and I'm going to make a lightweight shipping container for the engine. It will basically be a frame with 2" of clearance around the entire engine and the engine will be bolted in a hanging position and then the frame will get skinned in 1/4" plywood. I will add some skids on the bottom so that it can be lifted by a forklift or a pallet jack.

So at the end of the day, I am back to the same place I was about 8 months ago



Everything is bagged, tagged, and polished up, ready for reassembly when the engine gets done. It's better to just get the cleaning and stuff done now, so it's just assembly.

I also received the last few little pieces I needed to finish up the mounting of the steering damper. Did a test fit to confirm if it would work. They don't make a specific kit, so it was all piecemeal. The first attempts didn't work out like I wanted, but I got it all fixed and it works really smooth now, lock to lock is no problem.





With the final version, I might flip it up to provide more clearance for the fairing and the choke knob, it depends on how everything goes. Just happy that I know I can make it work.

I'll add to this as things progress, it's going to be a long process.

 

love the update.. Send pics of the box once made..