CL450 Racer - Syncing The Carburetors (Homemade Vacuum Gauge)

This is a quick video post to show the custom Carb Sync Vacuum Gauge set that I built. Most of the available sets use regular vacuum gauges and an adjustment valve to smooth out the engine ignition pulses. Without this valve, the needles would rapidly jump in time with the engine vacuum from the intake stroke, so it is difficult to take a reading. 

Instead of this design, I built a gauge set that uses Glycerin-filled gauges. Glycerin is a thick liquid and fills the entire gauge, which resists the movement of the needle and causes it to move slowly. This action dampens the needle's response to the vacuum pulses, which smooths out and stabilizes the reading.

Steam Engine Restoration - First Start in 80 Years (Video Post)

Last Christmas, the stationary steam engine that I received from my grandfather looked like this, the result of spending most of a century neglected:

But now, after 9 months of work, this engine is a runner!

CL450 Racer - Installing New Mufflers

Unfortunately, I had to remove my custom mufflers this weekend. I pulled over to fill up, and when my foot hit the pipe I heard a loud rattle. When I inspected it to tighten the hanger bolts, I discovered that the mounting rail on the EMGO outer shell had suffered metal fatigue and cracked off.

Busted!

I will try to repair this at a later date, but the metal is so thin and weak that I suspect a weld repair will never really hold for too long. Instead, I installed a pair of stock mufflers that a friend took off his new Harley. They are nearly the same size and have a similar diameter. However, they are so wide near the clamp that they interfere with the frame rail of the bike. I made an extension piece to move them back a bit and clear the frame. They have certainly robbed a little bit of power, but have significantly quieted the bike down (and made me more popular with my neighbors). When not racing, I will probably keep these installed.

KZ400 Diesel - First Try at a GoPro Riding Video

After a long hiatus without any actual "alt-fuel", I've pulled the diesel out of storage, repaired the transmission damage from last year, and tried my first attempt at a GoPro riding video.

Last year while putting the bike in storage, I noticed extensive damage to the supercharger drive sprocket and chain. Looking closer, I found that I hadn't correctly lined up the drive chain, so the sprocket was being eaten up by the chain. I finally cleared through enough projects to get the diesel back on the lift to address the problem.

The drive sprocket was shot, so I made and installed a new one.

Steam Engine Restoration Part 10 (Video Post) - Casting New Babbit Bearings

After months of research and watching tutorial videos, I finally took the plunge and started the process of casting fresh crankshaft bearings for my steam engine.

This engine uses Babbitt bearings on the crank, which are cast in place between the structure of the machine and the rotating shaft it will be carrying. These were extremely common in old industrial machinery and engines of all types because they could be easily made to a high tolerance using basic hand tools.

Engines that utilize these bearings have hollow bearing blocks, which act as cups that hold the finished bearing in place. To cast the bearing, the rotating shaft is placed into the bearing block and suspended in the correct location using shims or collars. I machined a pair of steel shims that rested on the edge of the bearing block and held the crank vertically in place.

Crankshaft locating shims

The steam engine base with crank shims installed

I purchased a used casting ladle off of Craigslist and melted down the Babbitt metal brick using the propane forge. This burner maintained steady heat and quickly liquefied the brick. 

Finally getting to use the propane furnace!

Melting the Babbitt brick

 I packed clay between the bottom of the crank and the bearing block and poured the molten Babbitt into the cavity (detailed above in the video). After cooling and trimming down the excess material, the bearings were ready for test fitting. The next step is to pour the bearing cap bearings.

Trimmed and installed in the bearing blocks

Bearing halves removed for cleaning

The crankshaft installed in place for test fitting.

Steam Engine Restoration Part 9 - Shimming the Bearing Surfaces

The next step in the re-assembly of my steam engine was to measure the clearances in the bearings and install spacer shims. Vintage engines, especially those with babbitt bearings, require the use of shims of varying thickness to achieve the correct fitment tolerances in the bearings and sliding surfaces. 

Additionally, these shims increase the service life of the engine by allowing you to tighten-up worn bearing surfaces. By replacing the shim in a loose bearing with a thinner one, the "slop" in the bearing is eliminated.

I purchased a set of steel shim stock from McMaster. This set came with individual sheets in a wide range of thicknesses. I have heard from some sources to use brass shim stock, but carbon steel is (effectively) noncompressible, so it will not get hammered thinner by the reciprocating motion of the engine.

While I had it in pieces, I also took the opportunity to drill a grease passage in the wrist pin, so that the upper bearing of the connecting rod can be lubricated without requiring disassembly

Package of steel shim material of multiple thicknesses

Determining the required shim thickness with feeler gauges

A pair of shims for the valve slid cover. Loose enough to not bind, but tight enough to keep from rattling.

Boring a grease passage in the wrist pin

This will allow grease to be pumped directly to the bearing surface from the end of the wrist pin

Tapped to accept a Zerk fitting

Shims installed in the top of the connecting rod. This sets the fit between the rod and the wrist pin. 

Checking final fitment.

Modified wrist pin re-installed. Now the joint can be lubricated without disassembly.

CL450 Racer - Installing the Steering Damper (Video Post)

This is my second attempt at a video blog post. I've substituted a better camera, took more footage, and have been learning some more functions in the video editing software. It's still rubbish, but it's slightly better rubbish!

Video blog #2 is presented with better resolution, actual dialog, and 100% more Beach Boys: