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XJ600/FJ600 Custom Bike Build with Microsquirt

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by Jonathan Calkins, Dec 8, 2015.

  1. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Thanks, and thank you to everyone else for all the encouragment and ideas. I think I'm in it too far to turn back or give up now. I'm practically almost there! Not really, but I keep telling myself that.

    The FJ will be pretty nifty, if all goes right, it will be EFI, e85 capable, handle decent-ish, and an electronic steering stabilizer in in the works as well, using an arduino.
     
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2015
  2. Kickaha

    Kickaha Active Member Premium Member

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    I will donate the postage as well if you can use it
     
  3. JPaganel

    JPaganel Well-Known Member

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  4. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Well, thanks a lot! I'll let you know if I will end up being able to fit it in my design. Going to take some tank measurements and brainstorm my options.
     
  5. Isaacson06

    Isaacson06 Member

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    I've done this efi conversion on my xj650 look at some of my old post I'll be happy to help you
     
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  6. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    I drew up a few designs in CAD quick, of the intake manifold design. It will be in three pieces, and then welded together. A friend of mine is a machinist, so I will most likely enlist his help.

    The darker gray is the piece that will mount to the stock FZ6r throttle body mounts. (The FZ ports are oval, so I will die grind them out to make the transitions smooth)
    The lighter gray is the part that will bolt to the FJ cylinder head.
    throttle body design view 3.jpg
    Here is a view looking "directly at the cylinder head"
    throttle body design view 4.jpg
    3D view
    throttle body design view 1.jpg
    And another
    throttle body design view 2.jpg
    I may shorten the distance between the two flanges, but that will be easy since the piece connecting the two will just be tubing that I can cut, and change angles.
     
  7. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Since those posts were before the migration to this new platform, how about if you dig up the links to your forums?
     
  8. uhoh

    uhoh Member

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    You may be able to get away with one piece depending on your bolt patterns.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Great idea! That is a good looking flange. I actually thought about that, but the throttle bodies I have are shorter from one pair to the other, than the ports on the FJ head are. I could extend the fuel rail and the linkage connecting the two, but I don't mind having to offset the flanges and using angled tubing in between the flanges. If I was building a bike with more power and more race focused, then I would probably go your route with the flange, and then extend the rail and linkage.
     
  10. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Update, a friend of mine is going to cut out the flanges, so that will really move things along.

    Once I get the flanges on, then I'll start wiring in the MS and get to setting up the tune. My new to me cylinder head and trigger wheel are here now, and the fuel pump in on the way.
     
  11. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Worked on the subframe all Sunday and spent about 8 hours cutting, measuring, cutting and tweaking. I only had 6ft of tubing, so the saying "measure twice, cut once", couldn't have been more true. Spent a lot of time on the bends, but I want it to be perfect (or as close as it can get) and to have the right look I'm going for. Horrible Freight's pipe bender works really well for $90 and I have no complaints what-so-ever. I have found a new love for Harbor Freight, yeah some stuff isn't the greatest, but most of everything works well. There is more than one way to skin a cat, especially if you're crafty and resourceful.

    Little fun fact for the day, a clutch cable from a 07 R6 is about exactly the same as a clutch cable from a 1984 FJ. The only difference is the cable diameter, which is smaller on the R6. The cable from my 03 R1 looks about the same as well, so if you are ever in a bind and need a clutch cable, 03 R1 and 07 R6 clutch cables will fit on the FJ. I also have a 07 R6 clutch perch on the FJ solely because its easier to get 10 year old parts than 30 sometimes.

    I thought this cable thing was interesting, viewing it from an engineering and manufacturing standpoint. Why have 50 different clutch cables, when the designers can just factor that spec'd cable into their design. Pretty fun to think about and makes you wonder about what else all these bike have in common. No sense on reinventing the wheel.

    Here are some pictures

    Thinking of a 4 seater:
    fj long seat.jpg
    Kidding

    Here is what it will roughly look like:
    13184667_10156789264705526_5067862_o.jpg
     
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  12. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, I've been waiting for this update - hows' the efi going ?
     
  13. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Slow, but I am making progress. I have all the parts I need, or at least I think I do. Now I am just waiting on the manifold flanges. After I get the flanges, finish the subframe and electronics tray, I will wire everything up, and start tuning/getting it to start. I also need to make my exhaust and weld in an o2 bung for the wideband.

    Most of everything that needs to get done is being hung up by not having the subframe and tray finished. I could just have everything loosely wired up, but then I wouldn't be making much progress on the fab work. I have been jumping around on all different aspects of the build, but now I am starting to get an order of what needs to get done, before I move on.
     
  14. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    I created some new flanges on CAD, because my old drawings were garbage and sent the drawing to the local metal working place. They CNC laser cut stuff, so that's pretty cool. A friend of mine laser cut some for me already, but I needed to make some changes, that I forgot to tell him when he made them the first time. So $58.03 later, I have new flanges. I will be welding them up sometime within the next week or so.

    If anyone would like this CAD file or are in need of anything to be drawn up to be cut out at your local metalworking place, please contact me. Small donations would be appreciated, but not required. I drew a new trigger wheel with some holes in it for some rotational weight reduction because anyone that knows me, knows that I'm a power to weight ratio snob haha.

    Here they are:

    flanges.JPG

    They are almost exact matches, going to tweak one of the flanges by about a half of a millimeter, but other than that, they look great. This is the first time that I have drawn something in CAD, and actually had a part made from my drawings. The fact that they came out almost spot on, within tenths of a millimeter, is a real confidence booster.

    Why mild steel? Yes they are heavy compared to the aluminum ones my friend cut for me, but for this first prototype, steel is easier because I do not have an aluminum welder.

    Next laser cut part in the works: FJ fork brake mount to F4i Nissin calipers, and 05 R6 calipers. I have not decided which calipers I will use yet.
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2016
  15. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Got a lot done over the 4th of July weekend. Battery/electronics tray, intake manifold, and speedometer, fuel pump, ignition coil brackets. Excuse the welds, I do not claim to be a master welder, this is the most I have ever welded. Everything appears to have good penetration, just not the cleanest looking.

    Everything that is to be mounted on the bike will have the nuts welded on to the frame, so I only have to bolt everything on and not fumble with nuts. I have worked on too many things that have nuts in hard to reach places that could have been welded on to simplify the install. Anyway, here are some pictures.

    Electronics tray. It has to be that deep because the microsquirt has to be mounted vertically
    DSC_1573.JPG

    Fuel pump bracket and new gas tank mount
    DSC_1566.JPG

    Intake manifold, spare cylinder head for mock up is very handy.
    DSC_1576.JPG

    I swear the welds look better in person
    DSC_1577.JPG

    DSC_1578.JPG
    Yeah the gap in the tank and the seat isn't ideal, and the tank line with the subframe is funky, but oh well. Things can always be changed. Needs to look good enough and run well enough to ride it to Maryland, then to Tennessee, then back to North Dakota the second week in August.
     
  16. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Speedometer and ignition coil brackets.

    20160704_155050.jpg

    Made a riser for the back coil to be able to clear the plug for the wire harness, and the second coil will also need a small riser. Not a lot of room in there for 4 coils, but I made it work. My goal is to make this not look like a slap job, so I'm doing the best I can with the limited time and my current skill level, with the limited tools I have.

    coil bracket fj600.jpg
     
  17. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    You're using a MIG with flux-core wire aren't you? Your welds will never look fantastic, but that's not the point is it? If your stuff stays stuck then you did a good job. Quit bagging on yourself.
    If you want your welds to look better, get a die grinder and smooth them out. Low spots can be filled in with bronze rod and torch.
     
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  18. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Mig with .035 wire and C-25. Might have to take the die grinder to them, good idea
     
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  19. rocs82650

    rocs82650 Well-Known Member

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    Welding through paint. Removing as much of the paint as possible prior to welding creates less porosity, a stronger weld and is less toxic. Adding the efi is interesting...I hope it works.

    Gary H.
     
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  20. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Keep the faith, Jonathan! You're getting there:)

    Hey, I'd love a copy of that cad file when you have it tweaked out just right--- private conversation was sent, too
     
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