Topic: One More Chapter in the Epic Story That is "THE PHOENIX"

[Spikeybike]

so when i polish the intake valves, do i want to go all the way to a mirror finish , or am i just smoothing out any imperfections in the metal. 

nobody knows?  come on guys, cough up the knowledge   

[Grumpol]

I`ve heard arguments on both sides, but i would think that a little roughness would help with keeping the fuel air mixture well mixed

[HavocTurbo]

I`ve heard arguments on both sides, but i would think that a little roughness would help with keeping the fuel air mixture well mixed

So have I. I found that polished valves work better in a car (for me) and slightly rough works better in a motorcycle. We used to have a guy here who would set them up in a lathe and make slight tool marks on them in a spiral.... took forever but they looked cool. Sadly we don't know for sure if any of that worked or not.

[Spikeybike]

i'm about to have my 750 pistons machined using the specs from the gentleman's express article. and i'm wondering

will these specs change the compression ratio (i'd say yes) and if so to what? the article made no mention of that

also assuming that it will, can i machine it so that won't happen.    by just matching the wrist pins, and shaving the top off. then adding the valve reliefs ?

i would rather not change the CR if i dont have to 

[paulages]

to answer your question about the compression ratio spikey: yes modifying the 750 piston to fit the 550 cylinder will likely change the compression ratio. however, since it won't possibly fit in the head without turning the edge down, whatever it was before it irrelevant. it's not as if the new piston has an innate ratio... what you'll have to do it turn the shoulder down to the squish band you want (or whatever the GE specs are), make the valve reliefs, and then find the CR. if it's not what you want, you'll either have to deck the head and adjust the squish band (if necessary) to raise the CR, or just adjust the thickness of your head gasket. if you're happy with your squish band and you CR is just a little too high, you could take a little more out of the valve pockets and remeasure.

[Spikeybike]

that sums it up for me .. thanks paul

[paulages]

i'm about to have my 750 pistons machined using the specs from the gentleman's express article. and i'm wondering

will these specs change the compression ratio (i'd say yes) and if so to what? the article made no mention of that

also assuming that it will, can i machine it so that won't happen.    by just matching the wrist pins, and shaving the top off. then adding the valve reliefs ?

i would rather not change the CR if i dont have to 

once you get rough machining done, fit the pistons up with a bit of grease sealing the top ring. carefully measure volume at BDC and then TDC, using a measuring device that measures CCs accurately. make sure the plug hole is positioned upward and in the same place both times so air doesn't get trapped inside the combustion chamber. the volume at TDC will be fairly small: 12-13ccs or so. one CC mismeasured can totally throw off your calculation.

use isoprobyl alcohol with food dye to make it more visible. less messy than oil and it evaporates quickly.

[Spikeybike]

so i just got my stock NOS valves from Brainj (many thanks there) . and again i'm wondering how much to polish. it is my thinking that i could just wet sand them with 400, to bring down the unevenness in the metal,

i'm also thinking i might skip this step altogether , because,  i don't want to polish the seats obviously, so therefor i won't be able to get that close to the valve seat, so that means there will be a little bit of unpolished valve at the seat , so why not just skip it and not mess up my brand new valves , i'm on the fence with this, as you can see (first real modding i've done to any motor's internals)  i just don't want to muck it up
   

[mkramer1121]

mmmmmm...delirium....

[Spikeybike]

mmmmmm...delirium....

that was some tasteful product placement 

[HavocTurbo]

Depending on the polishing element...

I would think you could polish them and then lap the valves afterward without any trouble.

But then again I'm a mechanical moron so........ :-\sorry I'm no help.

[Spikeybike]

so was farting around in the garage, trying to keep my mind off bullsh1t and ended up polishing these forks, i wasn't even sure if this was post worthy ,but,  ... i'm bored so deal with it 

[Really?]

I just did the the lowers on the ole ladies bike.  Those things were a real pain in the backside and it did not come out as good as many other parts.  Waaaaay to many casting marks on those things.

Yours look good.

[Spikeybike]

you are so right ,  way too much wet sanding.  i don't see me ever doing it again 


well not for awhile anyway

[Spikeybike]

[Really?]

Nice work down there!  Looks good.  I am debating whether I should polish the caliper or paint it.  The PO looks like they had this thing in a vise and beat the chit out of it.  I have been doing a lot of filing to smooth things out. My caliper looks different than yours and it might be a little tough getting the shine I want between the fins.

Dude, you have an exceptional looking bike!  I can see a lot of labor in it.

Are those cyclex spikes on the axle?

[Spikeybike]

Are those cyclex spikes on the axle?

no they are homemade, and i had to mod the axle to except them, so now the are not removable, i'd have to cut them off 

[Spikeybike]

so when you buy a new horn , they never tell you that the mounting plate every horn is sold with is essential to it's operation,  some may think this is obvious.   some have to learn the hard way

when i first did the "dual tiny horns" mod, (you can kinda see it in the picture a few posts back)  they were facing out, back to back, mounted to 1/8" plate, witch was too thick to vibrate with the horn, causing it to sound like a duck choking inside a coffee can. 

the new mounts, are two pieces of 22g sheet (i didn't have anything thicker) witch is too thin, so i doubled it up


if anyone who welds doesn't have one or three of these magnets,  .....they should


made a hole for the wires


as i'm all crammed into this space installing the plates, my roommate comes out to the garage, looks at me,pauses, and says while chuckling "dude, are you resting your head on the spikes?" 

i just laughed then heard the camera snap, ..it was on a table by the door



the truth be told, i'm not very happy with the way it turned out, BUT THE SOUND.. ahhhh you have no idea how annoying and embarrassing that damn horn was



i think tomorrow i will cut them down a little so the horns are a little closer together, then it will look far better

now on to the wheel spacer
i've had a carpy wheel spacer kickin around my garage,for the better part of 2 months, that was bartered from mr.Kramer for something that i can't seem to remember at the moment.   so the spacer is for a 750 and the 550 wheel spacer is much longer .   my solution , chop it up    measured it first at 50.86mm .  the new "triple spacer" as i have dubbed it , came out pretty close




well that was how i spent my saturday night!     ...an alot of sunday as well   
 

[goon 1492]

Daaaaammnnn! all that polishing is making my wrists sore.

Looks great, did you get that new master of cheese logo?
I know it made me cheese. I too am envious, my sled is in pieces still and am waiting on a rear sprocket.....

That is truly great work spikeybike.

[Spikeybike]

oh yeah , i meant to PM you , slipped my mind, sorry.  i got the new plate,   should make a great coaster 

[goon 1492]

oh yeah , i meant to PM you , slipped my mind, sorry.  i got the new plate,   should make a great coaster 

 

[Spikeybike]

so my roommate and i where talking about my bike over beers, and he said something along the lines of "do you even know all the stuff you've done,  you should try to make a tech sheet like in the magazines"   

then i thought ...hmmm thats not a bad idea, so i did , now i will share it with the group

 FRAME
1975 CB550F
notched for air filters
many custom ornamental brackets and mounts
ignition relocated
all welds smoothed and molded

ENGINE
barrnett clutch plates and springs
megacycle cam (126-01)
megacycle valve springs
slotted cam sprocket
NOS valves
NOS rocker arms and cam chain
Ported head (done by me)
Mac exhaust w/ unmodified baffle
DynaS electronic ignition
Dyna 5ohm coils and wires
NGK Iridium spark plugs
polished stainless allen head case screws

CARBERATION
stock Keihin - re-jetted
110 main jets, needle second from the bottom, air srews 1 3/4 turns out
K&N air filters


BODY
tapered steering stem bearings
chrome headlight and visor
hand made tail light mount
hand hammered and molded gas tank
formed sheet metal seat/tail section
rear fender moved in 3"
lowered rear end 2"
every piece of aluminum was polished
chrome colony spike hardware

BRAKES

Goodridge stainless steel lines
chrome banjo fittings
phenolic brake piston
drilled rotor
drilled drum

HANDLE BARS
drag style 7/8"
chrome levers
rubber grips

SUSPENSION
MDI/Forsa Shorty shocks
Progressive Suspension fork springs
Bel-Ray 10w fork oil

GAUGES
NOS chrome backing plates
chrome gauge covers
hand laid digits and lettering
needles polished
chrome colony spike hardware
LIGHTING
J&P cycles turn signals
J&P cycles halogen headlight
Custom Chrome halogen tail light

WHEELS & TIRES
stock NOS wheels
All Balls bearings
Dunlop 404 front 100/90-19
Dunlop 404 rear  110/90-18


and i was out snapping photo's yesterday, testing different settings on my camera, so i'll share those too







   

[Spikeybike]

hey looky what i made     a pretty kick ass fork brace !!!



it's not done yet but i wanted to show it off .... it will be painted black , and i still have finish a few welds, shape the ends, and smooth everything out  ,but there it is .     ain't it purrty

[mkramer1121]

hey looky what i made     a pretty kick ass fork brace !!!



it's not done yet but i wanted to show it off .... it will be painted black , and i still have finish a few welds, shape the ends, and smooth everything out  ,but there it is .     ain't it purrty

slow @ work? 

[Spikeybike]

slow @ work? 

you got it