Day One - New Project

[hodakamax]

OK--I just unloaded the new project. I don't know what its future is, but this is the start! Hmmm---Trials Bike? Cafe Racer?? Rat Rod??? So many possibilities. First, better check the engine to see what I have. I'll keep you posted. This could be fun!
Later,
Maxie

[Zyx]

Remount the pipe and lay down the shocks. Done!

[Charlie R]

Max,you sure have a better platform to start from than I do! I see a number of possibilities..... Good luck and keep us up on progress. This IS fun!

[hodakamax]

Charlie--It's not as good as it looks--the cannibals ate all the small but necessary parts like grease fittings, controls, bolts, foot brake shaft, exhaust flange, kick stand and on and on. Whatever that's not missing is broken. I think all I got was a frame and a questionable engine. It will still be fun, just chasing things down. I'm leaning towards a trials bike but I must beware because my wife is starting to look at it!-- It will be a fun story--
You're right, this IS fun!

Maxie

[Pep]

Maxie, the best thing about that bike........is how good the "after" photo is gonna look!!
Tough sledding ahead, and I can't wait to see the end result - you always deliver some nice photos and NICE bikes!
Laurie
P.S. Surely you are keeping the art deco tank paint job...

[hodakamax]

Yes,That art on the tank IS starting to worry me! I probably won't use that tank anyway--Maybe it will be wall art for the Hodaka shop with all my other silly stuff!--Just thinkin'.--
Thanks Laurie!
Maxie

[hodakamax]

Remount the pipe and lay down the shocks. Done!

This makes me giggle every time I go by it. I do have a serious flat on the front. Clarence said to stuff it with Bear grass but we don't have any in Kansas, I wonder if Switch grass will work?

just wonderin'----

Maxie

" I broke the bead filled the tire with every thing I could grab mostly bear grass, popped the tire back on and off I go to the finish line ahead of my class by at least a half hour. -----Clarence."

[Zyx]

Bear grass is tougher than dry sisal. It's like putting hemp rope inside the tire. I don't know of anything that actually try's to eat Bear Grass. This is what it looks like.

[hodakamax]

Step #1 – Disassembly Complete. Now to the engine for Step #2.

Engine #P31678, Frame #A29003, I'm guessing a 1969 Model 92.

Max

[Charlie R]

So is a flat tracker? Trialer? Woods bike? Award winning resto? So many options......

[hodakamax]

Charlie I don't have a clue--but it is fun to have one strewn all over the shop again! I got the engine apart this afternoon and I'm contemplating which direction to go. I'm leaning toward trials or maybe just a fun trail bike for a loaner when friends visit. I'm playing it by ear! I think my friend in Jenks has some small Ceriani forks that would look good on it. I found an old Webco head in the parts shed and a four bolt reed manifold that might be trick. Of course all of these things still don't define any direction but the fun is in the chase! Keep asking!

Maxie

[Charlie R]

Lets's see.....hmmm.....how about an RD 60 fuel tank, clip on handlebars, fiberglass seat/tail combo, rear set peg assemblies, downswept expansion chamber with quiet core silencer, of course the full compliment of required lights to be street legal. Just thinkin out loud........

[hodakamax]

Another great idea! Or, along those lines a cute little road racer with CR tranny and all of the above for track day. You're dragging me off the path again!
I've even considered building it as it was in that era---you know, pipe, reed, head and all of that pre Super Rat stuff. We all had one like it. Kind of like your Webco project.
Anyway--just ramblin'--I think my next step is to find a 93 cylinder (Good luck you say?) One step at a time-----Here are some of the things I'm up against. These are mods I've never seen before -- check it out!

Maxie

[taber hodaka]

I have never seen that before either. wonder how it worked. Are 93 cylinders hard to come by, maybe I should start looking? Clarence

[mac]

I think that was a weight saving mod.Looks like a fun project Max.The really cool thing about these bikes are all of the build options-makes it more fun and therapeutic! I,m wondering if a 93 cylinder can,t be found maybe Rich could port a 92 cylinder to run just as good ? The tank is my favorite part of the bike.Everytime I see it it brings images of the Partridge family bus to mind.I would definitely put it on the shelf for decoration.Keep posting and have fun!

Cheers, mac

[Zyx]

The tank seems to be a very popular item here. Maybe put it up for auction with the proceeds to go to the Athena Museum project. Save a tank- buy a brick.

[bobwhitman]

Max/Clarence-

You might check with Paul. At one time he had some new, but rusted 93 cylinders, which could readily be bored. See if he still has any...

Bob

[hodakamax]

Thanks Bob, I'll check with Paul on the 93 cylinder tomorrow.

Check a little closer on the cylinder picture above.
I'm surprised nobody commented about the bolt shortening devices on the kick starter or the unique but klunky clutch disc spacer replacing all part #s 90402502,3,5 in one unit.

Mac, Partridge family bus---Priceless!--

Thanks gang for all your inputs!

Max

[Zyx]

I thought all kick start bolts looked like that. SOP. But what kind of lube is used on the point cam wiper and where cn we get some.

[hodakamax]

I think it's 2-stroke oil--the crankcase seal below it is shredded although it does appear to be some life form. Probably some of both. Another life mystery. But Hey!--good news, the crank appears to be usable as is and so does the crankcase and inner parts (except seals and bearings of course). On with the show!

Maxie

[hodakamax]

I finally located a 93 cylinder for the project. NOS but rusty. Here's the problem. My first thought was to machine the surface and maybe use 2 head gaskets but more and more, this seems like a bad idea. Does my team of experts have any other suggestions along the lines of fillers or welding processes before I scrap this one?
Thanks,

Maxie

[bobwhitman]

JB Weld? If Harry Taylor could use it to fill cylinders, why not use it on the head surface?
Bob

[Zyx]

For the bore:

Have it NikaSealed. There are a number of places that provide the service under similar names. Basically, the cylinder wall is welded if needed, bored as needed, and then electrochemically plated with a nickel based silicon product that is harder than chrome, less hard than diamonds, porous enough to hold oil film, and will out wear your piston and rings by a factor of ten. Returns such cylinders to use in better than original condition. Very high end stuff. Research on the Internet.

Assuming yours is unbroken, just rusty, you would be looking at an align bore to a spec needed to allow for a proper coating thickness, coating, then honing back to proper clearance. You will need to establish your bore diameter, I would assume standard if NOS. The coating fills in pits and irregularities that may have been caused by rust that are deeper than the depth of bore needed. The shops that do this know how to compute all this so you dont have to. Your only question is which piston to send along with, to use for clearance setup, and money. You are looking at $185 to $260, but you get a state of the art bore that will last. I am thinking of having this done to mine after this riding season, and also to my RD350 to put it back in spec.

The alternative is to see if it really is pitted, and if so, have it bored +10 and see if the surface is clean and free of pits. If not, you would need to go two over. No doubt it can be done, and probably with a one over bore job. Your choice. This is partly driven by what size pistons and rings are available, whether you want stock Hodaka or Wiseco which may be available for your engine, and how much you want to spend.

Some questions can be answered at home for free. Start by oiling the bore with penetrating oil or gear lube and after it sits for a while, wipe it out. Repeat until most of the loose rust is gone, then oil and hand sand with W/D paper until you see bright metal. Look for pits. Then you will know where you are starting from. If this is all surface rust, you might get away with a honing and a new piston. You never know till you try.

For the deck:

As for the head gasket surface, if one won't seal, two will not, either. The same shops that nickel seal bores also weld and machine the surface for the gasket. This is just a machine shop job, not the end of the line. I would not use epoxy. It will not stay in place here. It can be used for static builds inside ports, and I have done this. But not on a pressure surface. Epoxy is not metal. The head deck needs to be welded and machined. I would ask one of the nickel seal shops about this repair and get a quote.

You should be able to turn the cylinder back into an as good as or better than new unit.

[hodakamax]

Thanks Bob and AZ. After finishing two multi-thousand dollar projects in in the last two years (My 94A racer and a Yamaha XS-650 cafe thing), I decided the early plan on this project was to use up as many old parts as possible that me and my old racing friend have collected through the years. Economy is the theme on this one since I haven't even decided what the end product is going to be! AZ's plan sounds really cool but is beyond the scope of this lowly project. I do want the engine to be sound and reliable and if a quick fix is cheap and sound, I'm for it!

So back to the JB Weld that Bob mentioned--Has anyone else tried this in a high pressure/ high heat environment?

Max is not a welding person and asks if the voids could be brazed or welded and resurfaced.

As for the bore, we'll just bore it until it's clean and measure from there. Thanks All, for your input. Everyone needs to know why I'm asking these questions and it's because when I was a Hodaka mechanic there were no rusty cylinders.

Maxie

PS--Thanks AZ for the deck info--I think we're typing and editing at the same time

[hodakamax]

Hey gang--more questions--I not only talk but I can listen. Since I have no usable pipes at all, I'm thinking about a HT-3 pipe to give the project a new direction. Will it adapt to a 93 cylinder with this nut? Are there any issues in fitting it into a 92 frame? I'll probably fabricate or adapt an air cleaner. Just thinking at this point and have zero experience with HT-3 pipes.
While I'm asking questions would the same set up fit on my 94A? That way they could be interchangeable. Hmmm--just looked at the nut on the 94A and it appears a little shorter.
Should have done my homework before I asked two questions.
Thanks!

Maxie

PS--maybe my last question should be; Are the threads on the exhaust nut the same on both the 93 and 94. How's that?