fzr400 exup

**Paul in NZ** · 14th June 2007, 14:13

Just a quick update today folks and sorry - no pictures as the fat prick of a photographer was only semi functional last night. Jeeze what a day, John Denver sang 'Some days are diamonds and some days are stone', well yesterday was a boulder buried in a mudslide... bleugh!

Anyway - back to the FZR400

I pulled the barrels off the pistons last night in between dropping things, tripping over things I'd dropped and generally being bad tempered....

Anyway sadly I'm far more used to crappy old 1960's technology so I don't REALLY know if what I'm seeing is good or bad so any advice is welcome...

The VERY good news is the pistons look ok - a couple of scuffs font and back on the thrust faces (normal) but the rings have been sealing and the pistons are not all burnt to buggery and discoloured. The bores look sound with no
scratches but a bit of discolouration from where is sat in Japan before being exported here to NZ.

The pistons are looser on the wrist pins than I'm used too. ie they just slide side to side with no effort. Hmmm! There is no 'rock' in them though - just 'loose' but the reality is that this engine revs twice as hard as the Moto Guzzi or the aged Triumph it sleeps with so I would not want it too tight....

The conrods rock a little on the crankpins. ie, grabbing the rods below the piston I can move the rod side to side (well thats expected I guess) and I seem to be able to rock the piston 2mm side to side and it appears the rod is rocking on the pin. I can't feel any up and down which is very good!

Anyway - slightly 'worried' by the loosness of everything i trucked off down to see the lads at 'Headmaster' with the barrells tucked under me arm...

I explained all my concerns and they gave me the 'there there' look Vicki reserves for when she finds a wounded kitten or a button falls off my shirt and sat me down with a cuppa and a bikkie and told me that was all 'normal' and i must not worry.... They were just working on the head and the good news is that everything should clean up OK, there was just a thick layer of carbon on everything (and I mean THICK!). The valves have all been recut and the seats look OK so it's into the tank with the lot to disolve the carbon!! Wazoo!

The headmaster team will chuck the measuring sticks over the bores but they think (after eyeballing them) that there looks little problem. The bores look good and so we will give it a clean and a hone, new rings, gaskets and I'll reassemble...

Time to order parts.... Git me mah credit card woman.....

Paul N

ps - still don't know there this carbons coming from - it will be interesting to see how rich it is when it's running. I suspect the carbs will be coming off a few times!

**Str8 Jacket** · 14th June 2007, 14:17

I admire your patience Paul! Keep up the good work mate! To be honest I am kinda looking forward to see how its going when your done

**MSTRS:Me** · 14th June 2007, 14:27

Originally Posted by Str8 Jacket

I admire your patience Paul! Keep up the good work mate! To be honest I am kinda looking forward to see how its going when your done

Gonna use the buyback option?

**Str8 Jacket** · 14th June 2007, 14:32

Originally Posted by MSTRS

Gonna use the buyback option?

Hell no! Im saving up for a couple of years to buy a new bike. From the shop. With a warranty and all that. Still it was my first 'real' bike and I invested alot of time and money in it. When it went, it went really well. I suspect (well KNOW really) that its gonna be a neat little bike when Pauls finished and im interested to see how she runs!

**MSTRS:Me** · 14th June 2007, 14:36

Fair enough. Understand that you are gun-shy on this one. At least it'll be well sorted once Paul's finished with it.

**Str8 Jacket** · 14th June 2007, 14:38

Originally Posted by MSTRS

Fair enough. Understand that you are gun-shy on this one. At least it'll be well sorted once Paul's finished with it.

Yep. I hope that he can make a bit of a profit on it for all the work he's put in. Maybe you should just keep it yourself Paul? Can just see you riding it now!!

**Paul in NZ** · 14th June 2007, 14:46

I'm hoping this will be a nice bike when we have finished with it BUT it is a 1988 model - nearly 20 years old and it's glory days are now gone. I want desperately for Helen to ride it and tell you all how good it runs and what a clever prick I am, but Helen and I agree that this is not the bike for her.

Originally I offered to do this for nix for her because she is a mate but as it turns out she is a sensible (and determined) person making a sound life choice - I support that 100%. The bike will be sold - there is now a fully documented process so whoever buys it will know exactly what I've done and can evaluate its worth. I'll ride it on a few KB rides to shake it down.

My intention is to recover my costs because I'm not a wealthy guy and then a decision will be made on the profits (if any) but the biggest gain to me thus far is the experience in working on it and a few new 'mates' I've made who have helped me, I'm flattered, grateful and been enriched by the whole thing and it would not have happened without KB. So when we slag the mods etc - remember that! The world is full of good bastards and a lot of them are on here!

Cheers

**Str8 Jacket** · 14th June 2007, 14:50

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

I want desperately for Helen to ride it and tell you all how good it runs and what a clever prick I am, but Helen and I agree that this is not the bike for her.

lol! Dont worry Paul I will gladly take it out for one last ride, if not for you but to satisfy my own curiosity!

**Paul in NZ** · 14th June 2007, 14:56

Originally Posted by Str8 Jacket

lol! Dont worry Paul I will gladly take it out for one last ride, if not for you but to satisfy my own curiosity!

Jest you be carefull young missy - Ah been dun 'race tuning' the mirrors an mebee yu all maught jest find her a bit of a handfull now... Ah even purt some additives into the fluffy dice....

Yup! Lets hope it's finished by the next sprints - I might enter you....

**Str8 Jacket** · 14th June 2007, 15:00

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

Yup! Lets hope it's finished by the next sprints - I might enter you....

Ah ha. So you're putting all this work into the bike only to have it destroyed by 'one last ride'! (j/k) sounds fun, I always wanted to enter the FZR into the sprints but didnt think crashing starting it over the starting line would be very acceptable, lol!