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  • #1

    Engine/bike wanted for something wild

    Does any one here happen to know where I could get a good v-twin engine for a pretty wild modification project? It will be so wild that I don't even think that I'll succeed in making it work, but I have to try! I would need the whole engine, in workable condition (excluding rings, head work, rebuild... as these will be done anyway). If it's in a bike, that would be even better. An inline 2 would also work, but a 4 would probably be too much work to get going as a first project. I don't need a big engine, but 400cc would probably be a minimum.

    As this thing may not work, I don't want to pay too much for parts, and the scrap yards around here want too much. If anybody has a non-working bike not too far away, I could pick-up as I have a trailer.


    -Justin
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Engine/bike wanted for something wild

    Originally posted by TheDjost
    Does any one here happen to know where I could get a good v-twin engine for a pretty wild modification project? It will be so wild that I don't even think that I'll succeed in making it work, but I have to try! I would need the whole engine, in workable condition (excluding rings, head work, rebuild... as these will be done anyway). If it's in a bike, that would be even better. An inline 2 would also work, but a 4 would probably be too much work to get going as a first project. I don't need a big engine, but 400cc would probably be a minimum.

    As this thing may not work, I don't want to pay too much for parts, and the scrap yards around here want too much. If anybody has a non-working bike not too far away, I could pick-up as I have a trailer.

    -Justin
    I have a 650/4 honda I'd let go cheap. Come on, tell us what you're building. We won't laugh (not to your face anyway. ;o)

    Geezer
    Hi my name is Tony and I'm a bikeoholic.

    The old gray biker ain't what he used to be.

    Comment

    • #3
      is it a hovercraft?
      79 XS1100F "JINGUS"
      07 V-star 1100
      Do you want it done right or do you want me to do it?

      Comment

      • #4
        No, not a hovercraft. I'm just going to try to convert it to DIESEL. And just to make things a little more interesting, I'm going for a 2-stroke turbodiesel.

        Intake at the bottom of the cylinder(fed by a turbo, so no problem with keeping oil in the crankcase like a regular gas 2-stroke) and all the valves turn into exhaust valves. Some new VW's use a common rail/constant pressure/electrically fired injector system, so converting from sparkplugs to injectors should not be so much a problem since the injection timing is all controlled by the old spark timing system. The low compression(compared so diesels) is also not too much of a problem since the turbo will bring up the total compression to something that *should* work. Traditionnal compression raising tricks will take care of any lack in that department.

        All I would have to do is modify the cams so all valves open at the same time, and change the cam chain gearing so that they all open on every stroke at/near the bottom of the travel, cut out a port in each cylinder, modify the piston with a longer skirt so that it blocks the intake even at TDC, maybe change the intake valves for some similar sized exhaust ones, and adapt the sparkplug hole for a VW(or similar) injector. After that install a high pressure fuel pump(no special timing req'd) and make the piping for the turbo. Presto! Instant diesel motorcycle!

        My biggest concern is the engine head/head gasket. Will they last, or will they just tear themselves to bits under the pressures generated by the diesel explosions.

        I know I'm crazy to think that it'll be that simple... but I can't get that idea out of my head since I saw how the big tubodiesels work in the heavy petrol tanker/container-freight ships.

        I'm a true DIESEL fan and I hope to ride my own diesel-powered motorcycle in the not too distant future. Wether I have to adapt an existing diesel engine into a bike frame, build the whole thing from the engine up, or just buy one(if the bike manufacturers start building them), I want one...

        Thanks for taking the time to read my insane ideas. Maybe together we'll be able to make this work. Or maybe I just need to let go and think of something else real hard for a while so my brain will stop coming back to trying to figure out how to make this work.


        -Justin

        Comment

        • #5
          Wow

          Glad your coming to my rally cause you sure can think out side the box !!! I think i would stick to dropping a small diesel motor into a bike frame they make lots of small 3 and 4 clyinder ones look at kabota tractors etc, just add turbo and the right gearing on a shaft drive,volia diesel power!!!! Converting the gas engine would be a huge job . One problem is the odour yuck, better put the fuel tank behind you lol, but you should get great fuel economy. Good luck cant wait to meet ya.........MITCH
          Doug Mitchell
          82 XJ1100 sold
          2006 Suzuki C90 SE 1500 CC Cruiser sold
          2007 Stratoliner 1900 sold
          1999 Honda Valkyrie interstate
          47 years riding and still learning, does that make me a slow learner?

          Comment

          • #6
            Trike

            How about a diesel trike with a belt drive to a harley tranny!!! OK ill shut up now,your fault you got me thinking ...MITCH
            Doug Mitchell
            82 XJ1100 sold
            2006 Suzuki C90 SE 1500 CC Cruiser sold
            2007 Stratoliner 1900 sold
            1999 Honda Valkyrie interstate
            47 years riding and still learning, does that make me a slow learner?

            Comment

            • #7
              monster garage

              I know you were watching monster garage wer'nt you.....lol
              1982 XJ 1100
              going strong after 60,000 miles

              The new and not yet improved TRIXY
              now in the stable. 1982 xj11, 18,000miles

              Comment

              • #8
                Hmmm... just be careful with the valves... They might crash into eachother when all are open at the same time.
                I'd go for something simple.... a moto guzzi plant would be great... but they're expencive in your parts... OK, here too
                Maybe a honda CX 650 turbo? Dunno bout the internals, but guzzi is simple, lotsa space to work with, etc...

                LP
                If it doesn't have an engine, it's not a sport, it's only a game.
                (stole that one from I-dont-know-who)

                Comment

                • #9
                  I don't think there is any motorcycle engine that will survive a diesel conversion. The copmression needed to fire a diesel would rip the studs out of an aluminum case.

                  Geezer
                  Hi my name is Tony and I'm a bikeoholic.

                  The old gray biker ain't what he used to be.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    I'd go with the current small diesel to the Harley xmission the pulley sizes on the belt could be adjusted to get the right RPMs into the xmission because diesels all tend to run at lower rpm not sure if they have to might just be because of the extra weight in the moving parts that makes them stand up to the higher compression. If it works maybe you could get your own TV Show could call it the Smoking Somthing North of the Border Garage. Diesels all smoke right. LOL
                    Russ Neal
                    Milton, NH
                    04 GL1800 ABS
                    04 Kawasaki Concours(Sold)
                    99 Royal Star Venture(Sold)
                    80 XS1000 Special(Sold)
                    83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim(Sold)
                    80 XS1100G(Sold)
                    81 XS 650 Special(Sold)

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Junk Yard Wars

                      This would also make a great Junk Yard War Show They'd have to Race at the end of course with and inclue sidecars just to make it interesting
                      Russ Neal
                      Milton, NH
                      04 GL1800 ABS
                      04 Kawasaki Concours(Sold)
                      99 Royal Star Venture(Sold)
                      80 XS1000 Special(Sold)
                      83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim(Sold)
                      80 XS1100G(Sold)
                      81 XS 650 Special(Sold)

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Revs

                        A frind of mine had an old mack truck rigged up for truck pulls, it had a 318 detroit diesel that turned up to 7000 rpms not stock mind you, and he blew it up a couple times , but would it ever haul as_ He called it the MAC ATTACK !!!!! Point is they will rev but for longevity sake they keep the revs down, bottom end tourqe is the name of the game ..MITCH
                        Doug Mitchell
                        82 XJ1100 sold
                        2006 Suzuki C90 SE 1500 CC Cruiser sold
                        2007 Stratoliner 1900 sold
                        1999 Honda Valkyrie interstate
                        47 years riding and still learning, does that make me a slow learner?

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Yeah, what's diesel compression, 20-1? KaBLOOey...
                          Marty in NW PA
                          Gone - 1978E - one of the first XS11 made
                          Gone - 2007A FJR - the only year of Dark Red Metallic
                          This IS my happy face.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Originally posted by MartyA
                            Yeah, what's diesel compression, 20-1? KaBLOOey...
                            I've heard of diesel compression ratio being as high as 24 to 1. GM made some diesel engines out of the Chevy 350 cid V8 and they were notorius for snaping cranks and tossing rods. The were also hell on transmissions. Nissan and VW make a diesel out of a gas engine but in both of them are iron blocks and use a smaller bore and longer stroke to keep the cylinder walls thicker.
                            Another thing to consider is that any engine with a roller crank is out of the question.

                            It would be far easier to use a Kubota tractor engine in a bike then turbo it for a little more punch.

                            Geezer
                            Hi my name is Tony and I'm a bikeoholic.

                            The old gray biker ain't what he used to be.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Ok, the consensus seems to say that a diesel conversion might end up with me being hit in the groin by the head of the engine I would have worked so hard to convert. Not a very good prospect. I think I'll go with a pre-made diesel on the future bike, just for safety's sake. But I think I'll do the conversion just to see if it works. I can always use it to turn a generator or something.

                              Speaking of pre-made diesels, have any one out there had any luck with the engines out of a reefer unit for a large truck. The largest use 4 cyl liquid cooled engines, but the smaller ones have air-cooled 2 or 3 cyl diesels. Those would probably be easier to find than the kubota engine (are those even sold up here in canada?) I'll be on the lookout for a suitable engine this summer, as to have parts to work with during next winter.

                              That means that I'll also need a bike frame to start with. It'll have to be beefy, so an XJ might be a suitable donor. The only hickup is the back end. It's a shaft drive. How hard would it be to hook up the whole swing arm off of some other bike with a belt/chain drive? Up to that point it would probably be easier to just use the whole other bike frame... Hey Geezer, you have a lot of experience with bikes and all, what would you suggest would be something to look for in the local junk yards for a good strong frame who's engine has a reputation of just dying? Something big enough to carry the weight of a big and heavy engine(but not too big... I know!).


                              Thanks to all for your comments/suggestions. And keep'em coming. I want to have this thing rolling in summer '05!!

                              -Justin

                              Comment

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