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XJ600/FJ600 Custom Bike Build with Microsquirt

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

  1. MattiThundrrr

    MattiThundrrr Not a guru

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    I was curious about that as well. Another member made an intake from PVC for his 2 carb setup (@Orange-n-Black maybe?) and it became soft and flexible due to exposure to gas vapors.
     
  2. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    You are correct. I made my 4 into 2 carb intakes out of hot water PVC initially and they did deform due to fuel and heat from the motor in a short time. However, it did give me idea's of what design would work best for my setup.
     
  3. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    I think it's awesome that so many have tried/are trying to get the right FI system on these bikes, but there's a easier way that will will solve the CV carb problem.
    Plug the YICS tube with a steel rod if you have the YICS head, get 4 appropriate sized Mikuni Round Slide Carbs, setup a choke system, the right throttle cable and throttle and your in business. You can do whatever exhaust mod or filter mod you want and cleaning/setup adjustment is a lot easier.
     
  4. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Thank you all for the input. I really appreciate it.

    Plans have changed a little, I have been busy fabricating fork compressors and concentrating on my final semester at school, so that has taken most of my time.
    Revisions will include 3d printing the manifold, then making a mold and casting it in aluminum. That way I get the exact shape I desire for flow characteristics, and I won't have to worry about finding a polymer that is capable of resisting 200+ deg F. In the next few weeks, I will be doing some re-wiring and plumbing the new fuel pump and fuel pressure regulator.

    The purpose of this project is not to take the easy route, but to learn. Learn what works, learn what doesn't. To provide information to those who are also struggling with their projects, no matter the application. Things learned in this project can be basically adapted to any engine, in any application. It's just something fun to do, and to be able to see exactly what an engine is doing, to squeeze the most power and efficiency from it, while maintaining reliability. If I wanted to take the easy route, I would have just kept it running on carbs, where I had it running perfect.

    I'll post pictures as I update, but don't hold your breath, it may be a handful of weeks. Thanks again for all the input and support.
     
  5. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    The biggest issue when trying to get the flow right is the YICS channel. You have to plug it when adjusting the original carbs, then unplug and adjust again. So IMO it's best to just completely plug it off. The bike will perform fine without it, which is why Yamaha quit using it. Too much trouble for too little benefit. I'm sure some will disagree with that statement.;)
     
  6. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    Fascinating reading - both this one and yu's 750 efi project. Yu, not sure if you're about these days but I haves some history with microchip pic controllers - I built a FI and ignition system based on a 16F877 some years ago, it was an engineering degree final project. It controlled the fuel pump, spark advance and fuel according to coolant temp and accelleration. I did mean to take it forward commercially, but it fell by the wayside for reasons I won't go in to.
    As for microsquirt, I am contemplating going to speeduino for my xj650, not quite now, since I would like to get my project roadworthy first, but eventually a turbo engine will need efi and ignition control....
     
  7. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    Jonathan, thanks for popping back from time to time - most people wouldn't bother but I see you're made of sterner stuff. Look forward to the pics when they come. God's speed.
     
  8. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Alrighty ladies and gents. Enough wasting time and kicking rocks. I just ordered the intake manifold flanges to get 3D printed in PLA. This is for prototype purposes only, to check for fitment. If they fit like I expect, I may try to get the bike running just to hear some motivation from it's 3 slumber. And by "try", I mean it probably won't start and I'll get bummed out. But that's the nature of this game. After fitment checks, I will then cast the manifold in aluminum. I need to make my own foundry for melting down aluminum and I also will need to make a mold out of the 3d printed flanges.

    I am currently trying to get my 1971 RT1 ready for a hare scramble, so I'm kind of flopping between the two as I get parts in the mail. Thanks for the support everyone. With any luck, we might hear my 1984, beautiful piece of junk, fuel injected, FJ with my handmade 4-1 exhaust; run before snowfall this year.

    Hopes are high, expectations are low. Haha, have a great weekend everyone
     
  9. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

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    Same path Henry Ford followed.............!
     
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  10. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    As I may have said before.. you are a man to be admired. Good luck with all the projects, sadly I'm a man only too aware of my limitations.
     
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  11. JeffK

    JeffK Well-Known Member

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    When I was developing solutions to fabricating tapered headpipes for one of my H1 engines(green bike), I invested hours into vacuum infusion forming. You fabricate a mold, then with High Temp polymers/kevlar cloth, you can actually produce this stuff at home with a vac pump but it's very time consuming. In the end, I found pipes with my specs for the head section then I grafted them to the specified barrels.....was expensive but much faster.

    Nothing to write home in the "looks" dept since this is a Testbed bike...

    Good luck!

    jeff

    stable of tagged bikes.jpg
     
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  12. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Little update, y'all are learning very quickly that I cannot stick to one project haha.

    Little summary since the last update; The manifold I had 3d printed fits perfectly. Come this spring, I am going to set the bike up again and go through the wiring to make sure it all makes sense since I put it together last. My plan is to get the manifolds 3D printed in ABS as that material is gasoline resistant, we'll see how long they last. I have designed some reusable negatives for mold making in casting sand. So, I have that as a backup. The 3 year slumber is turning into a 4-5 year slumber lol. Wow, time flies.

    I have brought my side business up to a little bit more to a part time status rather than just a hobby. I have been working on the website and doing upholstery, photography, design, all kinds of stuff. So that has taken up most of my time in addition to my full time job. Dirt biking and hiking as has also sucked up a lot of time. Not trying to push/advertise my business on here, so that's enough about that. Feel free to contact me if you are interested to check it out.

    A dream of mine is to take the FJ out to the salt flats. It won't break any 600cc class records, but it would be fun to have a time for an FJ going down the track. At a bare minimum, I'm aiming to take the FJ down a drag strip to get some kind of data on it to measure progress. Maybe I should start with getting it running first!!

    Feel free to call me out for not making progress haha, I think I need to be held accountable of finishing this bike. It's so fun to ride, I don't know why I get so sidetracked.

    To do list on the FJ:

    Check Microsquirt setup, parameters, etc
    Throttle cable
    Plumb fuel pump and FPR
    Cylinder head temp sensor
    Wiring check
    Crank position sensor check
    Brakes (who needs those right?)
    ...That's enough things for now.... Trying to set tangible goals to actually make progress.

    That will be about it for updates until around May 2020 for now, bike is in cold storage for the winter. That sounds like an achievable timeline for me. Wood/metal work & sewing is done in the winter for me.

    Thanks everyone for checking in, and for the input. I read everyone's comments. Happy New Years!
     
  13. hogfiddles

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

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    Glad to hear from you!
     
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  14. Jonathan Calkins

    Jonathan Calkins Member

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    Here is what I have been working on. Feel free to chime in, but I'll use the 4 halves to make the inside of the intake tract, then the 2 negatives of the flange will be used to make the mold void, then lay those 4 small intake tract pieces suspended to cast each side as one piece. It will be printed out if I end up needing to make a mold out of CO2 activated/hardened sand.

    That's about the best that I can explain it, I did some research on casting and looked up on youtube university (lol) and came up with this approach. This will allow for repeatable aluminum castings. I won't necessarily go this route unless the ABS or nylon of some sort does not last long/cannot handle the temperatures or resistant enough to fuel. A big part of me wants to cast these anyway because that would be ultra cool.

    mold 1.jpg mold 2.jpg

    Hope this makes sense, something to look at anyway.
     
  15. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    Hear hear!
     

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