Alaska 2013

[Zwartie]

Time to get the FJ in shape for the ride to Alaska this July. Spent a couple hours on it this afternoon getting ready for engine removal. Took the engine out two years ago to deal with a shifting issue and knew there was a base gasket leak at that time but decided to put up with it. The ride to Alaska will be about 15,000 km round trip so it would be nice to have a leak-free ride.

Here she was in the fall just before I put her away for the winter


Removed the tank, fairing, engine guards and exhaust this afternoon in preparation for engine removal




Will keep you posted on the prep work and then the ride itself. Will also be looking for advice (as usual). Going down to -13C tonight so this is about the best time to work on the bike!

Cheers,

Zwartie

[Zwartie]

OK, I just read my post and noticed that the word "deal" in the third sentence has a hyperlink on it to some website. Does anyone else see it? How the heck did it get there? How do I make it go away? This is annoying!

[FJmonkey]

OK, I just read my post and noticed that the word "deal" in the third sentence has a hyperlink on it to some website. Does anyone else see it? How the heck did it get there? How do I make it go away? This is annoying!

Not a link for me, maybe it has already been fixed. Weird, you have to make a Hyperlink on purpose.

[Zwartie]

Figured it out - I had installed software off of the CNet website and it installed a little stowaway called "Coupon Companion" Working on removing it now. Stupid Interweb!

OK, I just read my post and noticed that the word "deal" in the third sentence has a hyperlink on it to some website. Does anyone else see it? How the heck did it get there? How do I make it go away? This is annoying!

Not a link for me, maybe it has already been fixed. Weird, you have to make a Hyperlink on purpose.

[dogtired]

Time to get the FJ in shape for the ride to Alaska this July <snip>


Cheers,

Zwartie

Just wondering, are you going through Calgary or Edmonton?

If you are going through Calgary, a couple of things I really enjoyed on my trip through there.
Highwood Pass, route 40 through Kananaskis Country, visually stunning, and I think it just might be the highest paved road in Canukstan. Might need to look that up...
http://goo.gl/maps/ZKF0B

Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper, a must do part of the trip.

Are you going to do Chicken and the Top of the World Highway?
What about the Cassiar Highway, it is all sealed and even though I had already spent close to a month in the northern Rockys, it still left me gobsmacked with it's sheer beauty. Worth a look, and saves travelling the same road twice.

I can recommend a good sleazy bar in Fox if you want, 10 miles north of Fairbanks. The Howling Dog Saloon, it is a ripper!

[Zwartie]

Spent a few hours on the FJ this afternoon. Here's where things are at"

FJ sans Engine


Makes a great coaster


Helped my buddy Randy on his '72 CB750 (with an 836 kit)


CB750 sans Engine


2150 cc's on the table


Now it's time to get the base gasket and head gasket dealt with. Randy needs to get a seal redone on his CB750. Hope to get the engines back in place in a month or two...

[Zwartie]

Well, I got the engine over to Raceworks (in Dorchester, ON) to get some work done on the top end - specifically the base and head gaskets, but we'll see what else needs attention. I'll be placing a parts order with Randy at RPM soon...

On the bench


Take note of the "highly customized" engine support. Patent Pending.


Here's my buddy Randy talking with Mike Law (Raceworks) about his CB750 engine that needs a bit of work as well.


Zwartie

[JMR]

Forget the 836....I make a Nikasil plated billet block for the CB. Take it out to 970...or more. 5mm valve conversion kit, Carrillo's etc etc. I have ported over 100 of those heads and built dozens of those engines.

[rktmanfj]

Forget the 836....I make a Nikasil plated billet block for the CB. Take it out to 970...or more. 5mm valve conversion kit, Carrillo's etc etc. I have ported over 100 of those heads and built dozens of those engines.

Do you have a website?   

[JMR]

Forget the 836....I make a Nikasil plated billet block for the CB. Take it out to 970...or more. 5mm valve conversion kit, Carrillo's etc etc. I have ported over 100 of those heads and built dozens of those engines.

Do you have a website?    

One of my customers set up the domain name JMRporting.com and a basic website but it has expired . That fella fell off the face of the planet. To be honest I really don't want a website as I am extremely busy. Most of my business is generated on http://forums.sohc4.net/  In the high performance section I have a permanent thread about the billet blocks and there are many pics (though you have to join to view them). I'll have my son post some here if you like (not wanting to hijack).
90% of my bike related business is vintage Honda's. That includes roadracing/street CL175's, CB350' CB550's and CB750's. I have ported heads for people all over the world with CB550 heads that have produced 71 to 72 HP @ 592cc. Not bad for a single cam engine design about 45 years old.
My 75 CB750F (owned for 37 years) made just a bit over 98 RWHP with a 915 kit (67.5mm piston). The engine I recently installed is over 1000cc (71.25mm piston)....it only has been around the block a couple of times. It should make more HP than many FJ's.

[JMR]

A couple of pics....didn't mean to get off topic.

[Pat Conlon]

ooooh, Mike, that's some porn right there.....I wonder what you could do (if you put your mind to it) with a XJR block with Nikasil sleeves?
Do you have a flow bench? What kind of numbers are you seeing before and after your porting?

Zwartie, back on topic, how far between gas stops do you have to plan for on the AlCan?

[JMR]

ooooh, Mike, that's some porn right there.....I wonder what you could do (if you put your mind to it) with a XJR block with Nikasil sleeves?
Do you have a flow bench? What kind of numbers are you seeing before and after your porting?

Zwartie, back on topic, how far between gas stops do you have to plan for on the AlCan?

Yes Pat...a Superflow 260. Depending on what size valve I put in on the intake (and bore the seat to 90% of the valve OD) around 40% increase on a CB750. I have never handled an XJR block but I am sure it could be reworked. That block pictured starts off at about 65lbs and goes down to around 13lbs if I remember correctly. I love those old CB's....they are the great grand fathers of all our modern 4 cylinder bikes.

[Zwartie]

Pat,

I'm thinking I should be taking enough gas to go 500 km (310 miles). I've been keeping track of the FJ's fuel economy on every major multi-day trip for the past 10 years or so and am anticipating that it's current range with the 22L (5.8 gal) tank will be anywhere from 350 to 400 km (220-250 miles). If I take an additional 8 to 10 L (2.1-2.6 gal) I should be good. A buddy of mine went to Alaska on his ST1300 a couple years ago and made it there and back without extra fuel. I believe the has a 29L (7.6 gal) tank. There are going to be 4 of us on this ride, all on different bikes with different fuel capacities so we will need to make sure we all get roughly the same range. There will be the FJ (of course), Triumph Tiger 1050, Moto Guzzi Stelvio, and a 2013 BMW R1200GS. I'm guessing the BMW will have the greatest range. The Stelvio is a few years old and surprisingly has a really small tank (17L, I believe) but my buddy installed an aftermarket auxiliary tank to take care of that. Not sure about the Tiger. Right now we are in the planning stage - getting the key dates nailed down. I'm really excited about getting the work done on my FJ motor. Going to be placing a large order with Randy soon - all new valves, valve stem seals, gaskets, brake pads, etc. Also, since the top end is off, going to get it cleaned, blasted and repainted so it looks new again. Doesn't make sense to do all that work on the inside and not have it look good on the outside! I was also thinking of getting a replacement V&H exhaust but since Randy is working on an exhaust system, I will just use what I have for the trip and wait to see what Randy's will be like.

Zwartie

ooooh, Mike, that's some porn right there.....I wonder what you could do (if you put your mind to it) with a XJR block with Nikasil sleeves?
Do you have a flow bench? What kind of numbers are you seeing before and after your porting?

Zwartie, back on topic, how far between gas stops do you have to plan for on the AlCan?

[ribbert]

Zwartie, It's one thing to technically have enough range it's another having plenty for unforeseen circumstances, particularly in remote areas. I've spent way too many miles sweating on finding fuel, it can take a lot of the fun out it.  There are many reasons why you may find yourself needing more fuel than expected.

I sometimes carry one of these, mostly I never need them but it's a great feeling knowing it's there.  They are proper fuel bladders and can be stuffed in a bag or strapped on to a rack. These ones have done 20,000k and remain in perfect condition.

One is 8L the other 12L, take them both and you could just about make the North Pole.



Noel