Project X

[teazer]

That's good to know. I have a couple of those pumps to install on different projects. You might have just saved me a bunch of headaches.

[madforitkev]

Glad I could help you for a change!!

On a happy note in these troubled times, the bike passed its MOT today!!!

Back to the computer system now.

Mostly built ...

.

Bottom right is speedo and rev counter with its own two computers (board underneath).

Above that is fuel and temp display and an OLED for lots of other 'stuff'.

Little board is the gear indicator

And the big board is the main brain. All inputs (stand, oil, fuel, speed etc.) and outputs (lights, indicators) and a fuse panel.

Tricky bit is the chunk of software in the middle but I'm nearly there.

All fitted into a set of 1200 Bandit retro chrome clocks with tinted screens so it all looks black until it is turned on.

Hopefully a ride to work later this week if the insurance quote isnt too steep!!

[garry55]

Congrats on the MOT pass !

[madforitkev]

carb tuning next......

As you know it runs and actually starts very easily.

Tick over is OK

Done a couple of short runs and it seemed rich. I am deliberatrly not opening it up yet but it seems to be sluggish. Plugs out and sure enough they are black and wet.

Carbs are flat sided Mikuni TM36's.

The current jetting (havent got the needle jet out yet) is;

#50 pilot
6FJ40 needle
#280 mains

Teazer has been giving me a bit of help thus far with this (thanks Rich).

My ignition timing on the HPI CDI was recommended to start at 2mm BTDC, which is a fair way off from the std Kettle but again it seems to run/start so I will probaly not mess with that for now and focus on getting the right fuel mix first.

[madforitkev]

Back to the cooling system for an upgrade.

Avid readers will recall I have two fans in the rear of the bike cooling the under seat radiator. They are run by a Davis Craig fan controller and have a temp sensor in the head.

I also ditched the mechanical water pump for an electric one.

On the computer system, I want to see head temp so needed another temp sensor (parallel feeds from one sensor don't work).

I also had the issues with the cooling system not venting and I needed to create a small vent valve on the pump casing (even though I have over 300mm of head pressure!) and another vent in the highest hose.

The hose one was a bodge to get it running (Sky cable connectors have a nice O ring sealed cap. Bit of weld metal and you are good) so I wanted a better solution that incorporated the sensor and the vent.
The old bodged sky connector one is on the left and the bits for the new one on the right.

and assembled

and neatly sandwiched in above the pump and behind the carbs......

[madforitkev]

My 'production' circuit boards should arrive next week so I have dropped back to looking the displays.

I have a set of 1200 Bandit clocks. Nice big shiney things...

download.jpg (8.02 KiB) Viewed 486 times

But because I have bar graphs and digital displays, I wanted them to be all hidden until they power up, I needed black glass.

This meant stripping the old bezels off, making new bodies etc. etc.

The clock glass is domed and just replacing them with dark perspex looked c**p. So I tried car window tint. Bit of a faff but it looks great and wont scratch up (its in the inside).

So should be able to get the computers installed in a couple of weeks!

[Alan H]

Just a thought/query about the electric water pump Kev. Is it speed sensitive to the temperature or is it constant speed?
I'm not being picky here, I'm genuinely interested in your thought about it. If it's constant speed, what throughput is it pumping compared to the standard engine speed pump which will pump more as the engine runs faster, but (say) after a fastish run and the engine temp is perhaps a bit higher than 'normal', when you slow down (in traffic) then the mechanical pump will be circulating coolant slower away from a hotter engine. Or are you just letting the thermostat limit flow as a normal engine would?
I know that a 'normal' Hippo engine is unstressed and over cooled usually, but just wondered. I'm probably over thinking this and you've already thought it through and any temperature differential from cold start through normal to fast running might be difficult to program a speed controller without quite a sophisticated drive and temperature sensor system. (We used to do similar with weights and flows of liquids and different powders/granules when I worked as Commissioning Engineer at a materials handling company, to drive inverters at different speeds as flow was changed at the start and end of a batch to give an accurate measurement (to a few grammes or centilitres) of product going into a mix, and temperatures to run burner outputs at an incinerator/cremator company I also worked at, but used different PLCs at both to achieve similar end processes.

[madforitkev]

Great question.

At the moment I just let it run.....but......As I can monitor head temp with the new computer, I have the option to cycle the pump and even play with pump speed a little although that is trickier.

In the hot run then traffic scenario, the constant flow is good for cooling, backed up by the fans.

In the cold start scenario where I want it to warm up quickly, I will have the option to just shut off water flow for a while until I see head temp rise. I am not using the mechanical stat but can mimic its operation with the temp sensor and pump control. It is obviously fairly important to let the engine warm quickly (or suzuki wouldn't have bothered with the stat in the first place), so worst case I can just mimic its function but hope to do a bit more control over time. I can actually log engine temperatures and speed if I want so could gather some data over time.

Exhaust design is coming along. Just need to find a source of tapered header tube or work out how to make some.....If the maths are right this could produce 120hp at the crank.......

[canaletto5]

Just a thought/query about the electric water pump Kev. Is it speed sensitive to the temperature or is it constant speed?
I'm not being picky here, I'm genuinely interested in your thought about it. If it's constant speed, what throughput is it pumping compared to the standard engine speed pump which will pump more as the engine runs faster, but (say) after a fastish run and the engine temp is perhaps a bit higher than 'normal', when you slow down (in traffic) then the mechanical pump will be circulating coolant slower away from a hotter engine. Or are you just letting the thermostat limit flow as a normal engine would?
I know that a 'normal' Hippo engine is unstressed and over cooled usually, but just wondered. I'm probably over thinking this and you've already thought it through and any temperature differential from cold start through normal to fast running might be difficult to program a speed controller without quite a sophisticated drive and temperature sensor system. (We used to do similar with weights and flows of liquids and different powders/granules when I worked as Commissioning Engineer at a materials handling company, to drive inverters at different speeds as flow was changed at the start and end of a batch to give an accurate measurement (to a few grammes or centilitres) of product going into a mix, and temperatures to run burner outputs at an incinerator/cremator company I also worked at, but used different PLCs at both to achieve similar end processes.

You are now officially a boring old fart.And who knew you were a Commissioning Engineer? First we've heard of it....

[Alan H]

Don't knock it until you've tried it mate.
I never really did office work, it was nearly always at the so called sharp end where I worked on my own and sorted stuff with little help. Made me very self sufficient and slightly outspoken in case no-one noticed.
I worked as Commissioning Engineer for nearly 28 years until I retired 4 years ago.
Qualifications in electrical, electronic, computer programming, and process Engineering, I worked in Australia, UAE, CCCP, europe (wiv a likkle 'e'), South Africa and of course The UK. Also worked as Senior Engineer for a company in Leicester for a few years.
I've worn the chuffin' t shirt out a few times.
A broad accent doesn't mean daft.
Owt else?