FJ1500 Turbo EFI Katanaha Project, with a whiff of Nitrous...

[Havoc]

FJ1289 suggested I put together a build thread. The day by day, blow by blow account of the build is detailed on a British site called 'Oldskoolperformance.com' but I think the engine mods especially may be of interrest to you guys.

I had rode the FJ on the road for several years then used it on the Drag Strip for a few more years but retired it. The story started after a stoopid crash at Santa Pod Drag strip on my 1340 Slingshot, ripped my toe off and had to sell the bike on as it was half my brothers and he wanted out after the crash.

Me doing a 'FISH' and ripping my big toe off. Santa Pod Oct '09, doh.

Rooky, mistake, swapped to Micky T's and didn't take it into account on launch..doh.

So, need a new race bike, old FJ motor was a pearl, use that.



Needed it to be street legal for the class I was intending to race. Couldn't be legal in original FJ chassis because of government legal bollox that isn't important here. I did have an old motorless 750 Katana in the shed that was still registered though, simple engine swap it is then. Was going to be NA to begin with but the motor was taller and had a wider sump that the original Suzook so some surgery was neccesary. Bottom frame rails cut out..



and new ones fabbed up.









now the motor

[Havoc]

Bought a 1500cc block and JE pistons from a company called BigCC here in England, but they are OrientExpress I believe. Sent the head and crank cases of to be breathed on. Top cases opened up to accept block and +2mm on both inlet and exhaust.



Flowed the head as well.



Now the headers. Made up some collets out of 10mm Ally plate.







Headers had to be off set very slightly as I'd offset the motor by 5mm for the chain run. Headers made from stainless originally destined for a milking parlour.



Had to make some split ring collets for the pipes as the frame rails were too close to the motor.











Got to go pick up daughter, continue when I return..

[Havoc]

Incidentally, front end is FZR1000 Genesis forks and triples with a GSX1100F Suzuki stem(Powerscreen model). Genesis wheel, chrome effect powder coat, with R1 Callipers on original rotors. The Genesis front end was a direct swap into the FJ originally, might have missed out a lock nut, just had to swap the stem out for the Suzuki Head Stock.

The rear is also Yam, was originally a Genesis arm and wheel, needed swap out the wheel to go 17" for the rubber but the 18" Genesis wheel was excellent on the road. And the arm went to be replaced by a Harris arm of the correct vintage for the Kat, which I then lengthened and braced a bit. Still to make the Calliper mounting plate.

On with the motor. Had the crank, box everything checked by a company called SEP Engineering. As good and as strong as they can be. FJ limitations being the strength of the crank.



The Carillos were going to prove a problem on build up. Time to put the plot together. Is everything still there (2 years at this point).





The bolts on the rods caught the cases enough to stop rotation by hand.







You can see the contact mark.



Took enough metal off cases to allow for heat expansion, really wasn't much, no issue with continuity I think.

Supplied manuel cam chain tensioner from APE was an issue with the big block, had to grind it down to fit.





This was last Easter.

[Havoc]

I had tried to cure the documented 2nd gear issue by swapping out the 1100 box for a later 1200, I've had the dogs and cogs x-rayed and there doesn't seem to be an issue, guess I'll find out one way or another down the road. The box wasn't able to be undercut like all my Suzooks as they're a differnt shape, please tell me if I'm being an idiot, I have to take people at their word as I'm not an engineer, the guys explaination made sense when he said it...



Because I've had issues with Yam clutches in the past, I've worked of the FJ one a bit. Falicon bilet basket(had an EXUP one explode) and a Barnett spring ajustment so I can use the lock up.



With all the new valves, head work, shims were going to be needed.



And there we are, top end oiler by HSR on your side of the pond, works for me but won't fit in an FJ chassis I don't think.

[fintip]

Well if that isn't an interesting project, I don't know what is. Some days I feel like I know a thing or two, but then I see things like thus and realize there's still a lot to learn.

Thanks for sharing.

[Pat Conlon]

Great build, very cool, can't wait to see the finished product and your dyno numbers.
The dogs on the gears are what is undercut, preventing separation under load. Randy @ RPM has undercut gears for you and at your power level you're gonna need them. I don't know what you mean about the "box" being undercut, I have not heard of that.

Were you able to save your toe?  Ouchy!  Cool build, keep the pictures coming! Cheers. Pat

[Havoc]

Great build, very cool, can't wait to see the finished product and your dyno numbers.
The dogs on the gears are what is undercut, preventing separation under load. Randy @ RPM has undercut gears for you and at your power level you're gonna need them. I don't know what you mean about the "box" being undercut, I have not heard of that.

Were you able to save your toe?  Ouchy!  Cool build, keep the pictures coming! Cheers. Pat

The way the dogs on the GSXR gears are I can see how to cut them down so as power increases, they lock themselves tighter together. Need to learn how to do this with the different shaped dogs on the FJ, need to shearch the forum I guess.

Toe...



all good now though, national health system does work

[Havoc]

I have arrived at the font of knowledge too late it seems. I'm going to use this motor as is because I've run out of money. I'm quite happy that it'll cope, gear box-wise, with the low numbers I'm going to put through it initially, 200+ ish. My Hero Bob S, put quite alot through standard stuff before he got poorly.

Really want to know how to undercut these dogs, and have a discussion with the guys that said 'won't work', need to see one done first though.

[Flying Scotsman]

When they bugger up they leave a big radius on the end so they just roll out of position.
Dogs are initialy cut square at 90 deg so they are the same size at the base and at the tip.Undercuting them reduces the width at the base and leaves the tip alone.Might be a 5 deg angle on either side not sure didnt measure mine.Might be .100" smaller across the base.

[Havoc]

Always undercut the dogs on the GSXR, I know the score engineering wise how and why. Was just told these weren't worth doing as it wouldn't suffer from the same affliction. Could well have been hoodwinked, but they talked themselves out of money if it's true ,they are quite well respected? Happy with the ability of this set up atm, need to dig deeper when I put a decent BB turbo and an Intercooler on to up the boost.

[Flying Scotsman]

Might as well do it now imo.The shift forks get bent the later year forks are stronger,you want those if you dont have them.
I waited a month or so on my first fj and when I did it I wished I had done it sooner.Had an undercut trans sitting there waiting.
If you have all the parts ready it takes less than a day.
I did both my bikes well worth it 

[Dan Filetti]

My opinion, unless you enjoy removing the motor, and splitting the cases do it now while the motor is out.   With the work you are doing it sure would be a shame to be have a missing tooth in an otherwise pretty smile.

Dan

[Havoc]

Unless you enjoy removing the motor, and splitting the cases do it now while the motor is out.

Agree Dan but I only got to earlier this year with the up loads, motor is well finished and in,just doing the wiring now. I really do enjoy spliting motors, got quite a few of them FJ, GSXR etc in various states of build. althought I'd rather it didn't explode. I genuinely think with this first incarnation the plot will be fine, still struggling to see how the uncut I did on the Suzooks could work here, the whole thing meshes differently. There will be a way of making it better, someone will have done it before and hopefully I'll get details on it and it will be done. This cluster will be fine for now though. Over 250 and that's a whole new ball game.

















...........

and the first attempt at modding to go faster in 1982 at the age of 15, PC50, 62cc FS1E motor, Micron Expansion Chamber, YB100 carb, C90 back end. No real brakes 



Very scary ride...

[Havoc]

Also need to talk to 'Randy'...

[FJmonkey]

Toe...

all good now though, national health system does work

And that is with proper gear, wow!