With the combo of your 8V rebuild, my mechanic (that builds drag cars) and Z-World, I am going to attempt to rebuild my Knocking 8V and my 16V with a worn Key way, into more powerfull and torque delivering engines for both my X-90 and my Kick. It may be this winter till I get around to it, but it will happen.

Zig

I wish I woulda seen this before I tore mine down.

1990 Tracker 1.6 8v. I reused the pistons, bores were good. Had to turn the crank to .020/.020, replaced the oilpump and water pump. There were signs of scoring in the bearings and on the crank. I just wanted the insurance of a new w/p....

I also added a Calmini midrange cam and Calmini header. I am currently in the process of installing the engine in the Tracker, now. Right now, I am tied down with work, taking care of a newborn and flight training. Oh.... and sleep.
BTW... Zag... I find it cool that youre a pilot. I'm a student and very familiar with the use of the Metro 3cyl in experimentals and ultralights.

Here's a pic or three of mine.

Hey Zig

     I was only teasing......but nows a good time to start thinking of the stuff you want to do and start saving for it.....wish I could find a cheap X-90, up here they are worth a fortune and extremely rare, but I have too many projects now. LOL. Oh yeah, check out Wilds proting when he gets the pics up, he's doing all the right stuff.

B1pig
     
     I really hope you're enjoying the flight training, sorry guys, but it will always be my first love. Your engine looks great! Especially for a budget rebuild, I am sure it's gonna work well for you.

     Careful about flying on a 3 cyl, lots of problems, torsional failures, drive failures, I looked hard at them and built one Normally aspirated and one Turbo and dropped the 3 from my research because the 15-20lb weight difference wasn't worth the very serious problems (IMHO).
     But what really worries me is what some guys are advocating when it comes to building them for aircraft. If you check out high performance engine glitch on the board you will see the extreme prep that I believe should go into an engine that is going to fly. IMHO any less and you are risking your life.
     My Dad learned to fly in 1939 and had 38,000hours when he retired (eyes). Flew everything form tube and fabric biplanes right up to jets. Before he learned to fly he became a journeyman mechanic (1935), once he retired he became an high school automotive teacher. So you see where I get it from.
          First time I flew I was 3 weeks old, went on to get my glider and private licences by the time I was 16. I was really lucky and became a member of the Canadian Airforce and went as far as the Tudor (jet that the SnowBirds fly) before an injury took me out of the program. Got some real cool rides in the CAF, wish it had worked out better. Now I do volunteer work with an Aviation Museum.
     How much do I love flying...I fought 15 years to get my medical back to fly light aircraft. I'm glad I did...it eventually lead me here!
     My daughter has been flying since she was 3 and my son who is now 4 months will also get an early introduction.
     I'm really proud of my daughter, she is 13 now and just annouced she wants to join the Canadian Airforce...get her University degree and become a fighter pilot.

Wow see how much I bather when flying and my kids come up......I'll shut up now!

Zag

Ok guys

     Last call for input on this winters on-line project........it's going to be

- 1992 1.6/16v (from my wifes SideKick, whick means I have to finish the 2.0L swap first)

Plan to start in November/December

Current plan
1) DIY fully ported polished cylinder head
2) Performance camshaft, biased to low/mid range
3) Intake will be fully polished and prepped, plus other induction mods

4) Long block fully overhauled with
5) High compression, oversize pistons (probly mazda)
6) Windage tray (just gotta try it)
7) balanced, blue printed, etc

Header, custom exhaust

Goals...
- 95hp |removethispart|@ 4000rpm
- 115 ft/lbs torque |removethispart|@ 3000rpm

Build will concentrate on every little horsepower/torque building mod you can do at home

I want it to be something everyone can copy with minimal subletting....

Thoughts?

***Update***

The original 8v engine build has been sold to a person that has installed it in a 89 Kick 2dr
final assembly included
- Custom Cam 208 intake/211 exhaust duration- .380 intake/.385 exhaust lift
- Pacesetter header with 2 1/8 exhaust
- Custom aircleaner

-Customer reports it goes like a rocket and is getting 34mpg Cdn/27mpg US........
-Claims he can now pull hills in 5th that used to take 3rd (sounds to good to me?)
-Cruises at 120km in 5th easy.

This is apparently the 3rd engine he has installed since Kick was new! 415,000km!
Unfortunatley he will not come on line as he does not have or want internet.

He is an old time regular customer of mine so I will keep bugging him to join us.

Zag

-Customer reports it goes like a rocket and is getting 34mpg Cdn/27mpg US........
-Claims he can now pull hills in 5th that used to take 3rd (sounds to good to me?)
-Cruises at 120km in 5th easy.

Whats a Cdn gallon, is that like a proper English gallon?
120km, sounds fast but Convert says thats 75mph, I guess it depends on your definition of cruising (and your gearing!).

Zag, this sounds good.

Just wondering did you mean windage tray or crank scraper as I'm keen to see how these will work for us.

Hey Rhinoman
   
     A Canadian gallon is Imperial just like the Mother Country. I agree 120km doesn't sound fast but he reports he can now hold it on inclines and hills where he used to have to shift down (he travels between Edmonton and Yellowknife regularly). I think he's exagerating a little, but he's real happy with it's hill power and acceleration compared to his stock motors.
    He's running 5.12's with 235/75/15 tires....wish he would bring me the pics he promised.
It's a nice little Track he has owned since new, no rust, no damage, 415,000km and you would think it was 41,500km. He has always run the 235 tires and has an adapter from somewhere that corrects his speedo. I'll keep buggin him for pics.

Hey CJ

     I plan to do a homemade windage tray and crank scrapper, as well as every other DIY horsepower builder I can think of. Going to do the big bore with compression boost.

Hope this is what you guys want to see for a build.

Zag

 

After reading Rhinomans questions yesterday I called the guy to get some more definitive input on how the engine works

- 89 Tracker 2 dr 5speed
- 235-75-15 ground grips (not off road tires) with 5.12 gears
- Speedo corrected with adapter

Jim reports (guy is another pilot and keeps logbooks on everything)
- When stock engine was new 29mpg Cdn/Now 34mpg Cdn
   (he attributes it to not having to downshift as much and not having to floor it to hold speed)
- Uses no oil at all on round trip to Yellowknife (about 2500-3000km)
- Stock when new hard to hold 120km on moderate inclines without flooring it or
  downshifting/Now no problem
- There is what he calls "The3 mile hill" on the way to Yellowknife, Stock new had to shift
  down to 3rd and slowed to 80km to make it even when new/Now makes it all the way in 5th
  but drops to 100km from 120km while holding steady throttle.

He's not a wheeler and is very good with his vehicles so it's tough to draw a comparision to off roading but.......he's happy, has some more power and is getting good gas mileage.

Guess the first engine achieved it's objectives!

Zag

Sounds good, I winder if I will be able to gt the same results out of a motor that was knocking when it was pulled out of the Kick?

Zig

No reason you can't.....

     All the stuff we did on this build was basic, easy for the DIYer. I feel based on what the end user is reporting and realistic past experience the little 8v is now pushing close to the 16v's power.
     The whole idea of these builds is so YOU can copy it without a lot of subletting or custom equipment. The keys are been super clean, careful and following the routine.

     Heck I'm thinking of making my 13 year old daughter build the 16v (under supervision).

Zag

get em started early

my first engine build was a kz1000 when I was 14 (motor came in a box, about 3 of them actually). that was one sweet machine when done and I could sneak it out for a ride

my supervision consisted of the step father and the local kawi guy who ran the kz100 engine in his drag bike.

Here are a few comments, and questions.

Here in Colorado, when you get up in the mountians, the elevation is quite high.  This is where FI really shines, where carbs need to be re jetted for the thinner air.  Your 16v project only gives 16 lbs more torque, and the same hp at a lower rpm.  Which is good for off road, but cant we have a little more hp?  Mine is a dd, and I do take a road trip once a week, so more power for the hills would be nice.  Your friend now gets 27mpg(US) with your rebuild, but my 4dr already gets that.  You said your wife's rig gets 38mpg, that must be canadian? If that is a US mpg, and with the price of gas now, that would be quite a mod.  What did you do besides exaust and k/n intake?  That speedo converter sounds interesting also.  If I could only get mine to work.....
Did he do any lifting to get the 235's on?
Thanks for this informative post,
Jeff

Hi Echo

     A lot of gas mileage depends on driving style. You'll notice his jumped from 29 to 34. I don't drive with him so I can only look at the improvement. He has the 235 ground grips on stock rims, no lift.
    My wifes is 38mpg Cdn, about 30mpg US. NGK plugs, always in tune, 2" exhaust with Turbo type muffler,KN insert with the airbox opened up a little. Gets alot better scoot and better gas mileage than original.
    On the 16v build......With this engine I want to try and build a real grunt/grind trail motor, that why I'm biasing everything to the low end. It also makes it seem like there is not as much improvement because I am trying to keep it in the lower (under 4000rpm) range.
    RPM makes power when you build with the intent of using it, this same build project could be biased to the mid-range and you would get more hp and torque, but you would be using more rpm to get it. If you're interested we can talk about low vs mid-range options during the build and that way guys can tailor the engine to what they want.

Think that will cover your interests?

Zag

  If you're interested we can talk about low vs mid-range options during the build and that way guys can tailor the engine to what they want.

 

Sounds like a plan.