X-pect 250 mile oil change
 

Got a weather break yesterday to get in a ride for an oil change at 254 miles. Ridetime total since last oil change 5.5 hours.

Metal magnetic. When I took it out I accidentally rubbed half of the flat end on my glove so it is missing a small portion mostly soup but it is a small amount.



https://i.postimg.cc/T3vs27mQ/Metal-debri.jpg


https://i.postimg.cc/wjHd4TW6/metal-debri-cleaned.jpg


Residue with a piece of hylomar sealant. Few pieces appears of aluminum of larger nature and small reflective material either aluminum or clutch friction disk.


https://i.postimg.cc/151x431p/hylomar-residue.jpg


Few pieces of magnetic metal from swirling the residue.


https://i.postimg.cc/xCVGMhfF/metal-swirl.jpg


Discussion: Appears to be a reduction in metal shedding, less magnetic and non magnetic metal and any other debri. This sample taken after 145 miles of riding as compared to the other tests of the first 109 miles of operation. The team has to see what 500 will look like!

I think your doing a great job of explaining why the oil should be changed frequently when the bike is new! If it was like our cars and had a nice filter system, then not so much worry! My Snapper lawn mower is 15 plus years old and still works great, I believe because of the maintenance that was performed over the years….it doesn’t have an oil filter type system. Just thinking out loud…

Oil pump intake screen
 

As the team was putting the bike back together to refill with oil one of the team members reminded me the team leader, we had not cleaned out the oil intake screen since we got this motor running! E—gads! We have been draining the oil from the drain plug. I said that means another post! Right. “You’re killing me with these post requests!” How do we get anything done, we spend half the time blogging about it!

Thinking about it, I would guess there are hundreds of bikes out there that have never had the oil intake screen removed so you can thank the team for this post.

The oil intake screen is behind the large chrome fitting with a six point nut head behind the shifter on the left side. There is the nut with a rubber O ring to seal, a screen, and a spring to keep the intake screen compressed against the engine. It uses a 24 mm socket size or wrench but a socket works best with an extension and you will have to lift the shifter up to turn it or remove the shifter completely. It is under pressure when you remove it so be ready. Checking and cleaning of these screens is needed from time to time but at least once during break in.

Screen sitting over intake after the nut and spring are removed.

https://i.postimg.cc/j5NYLVyc/Oil-intake-screen.jpg

Dirty screen and some on my finger after I touched it.

https://i.postimg.cc/8z58Lfhj/Dirty-screen.jpg


Close up of the screen with big pieces of aluminum stuck to it and something looks like cloth carpet residue.

https://i.postimg.cc/fyKF9Myc/Closeup-dirty-screen.jpg


Clean out.


https://i.postimg.cc/xTfBSNpt/Cleanout.jpg

That’s the “oil filter” I was talking about with you the other day. Surprised you forgot about it after talking about it.

I had smaller metallic sheen in the drain plug effluent. Nothing in this screen.

Love this thread.... What shift lever did you replace the stock one with? My new Xpect arrived yesterday, wanna replace the stocker. Thanks!

X Pect shifter lever
 

Sorry I didn't see that til this morning. This one I used.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


It works real good but it sticks out seems a little too far. I was thinking of trying the IMS that fits on the HAWK but last time I looked they were like $40.

Good! I took a leap of faith and ordered that very one. Thanks for the reply

Ferrous metal stuck to Magnetic Drain Plug.


https://i.postimg.cc/2jBQ7yM6/Metal-pieces.jpg


Drain plug clean off. While on the plug it looked like big pieces of sharp shards but when cleaned off we see it is composed of small pieces and metal soup. As the metal attaches to the magnet, it grows like a cave stalagmite.


https://i.postimg.cc/3x9mxv4L/Metal-cleaned.jpg



Oil screen clean out, very clean except for one piece appears to be plastic maybe a gasket piece and one piece of metal.


https://i.postimg.cc/d3MTxRp0/OIl-screen.jpg


Oil residue review. A big change, the small reflective aluminum appearing pieces are almost nonexistent. The small reflective particles suggestive of clutch friction disc material are also greatly reduced. One piece of plastic or hylomar is seen. This sample did not sit overnight but only for about 4 hours draining before analysis which does bring in to question on the aluminum as the oil was left draining overnight into a larger tub and there appeared to be some reflective pieces in the small amount (couple of tsp) that drained out overnight.



https://i.postimg.cc/X7bCK89H/Oil-particles.jpg



Thoughts at 500 miles

The last 60 or 70 miles the engine and clutch seemed by feel to be functioning smoother.

What the Team learned:

1) Changing the oil removes contaminants, but costs some money and time.

2) At around 90 to 109 miles the bike picked up 3 or 4 miles per hour at 6000 rpm. Ring break in or just a tight motor loosening up?

3) If the Team could only make one oil change from startup to 500 miles the best time would be at 100 miles or 4 hours total operation and should include cleaning the oil screen.

4) Magnetic drain plugs work very well at trapping and removing ferrous metal particles from oil circulation.

5) Using quality oil feels good! Especially after analyzing oil contaminants!

2 - Yes to both. Rings are starting to seat which increases compression, and thus power. If there is anything "tight" in the entire engine it would be gears. Possibly starter, also transmission. Those could also rob some power.

3 - CSC recommends a first oil change at 200 miles, so fairly close. That was the interval I stuck with on my bikes. Then 1k miles.

4. Magnetic drain plugs do trap some ferrous metal, but a lot of it tends to be caught by the centrifugal oil spinner, or remains suspended in the oil and will never come near the magnet. Basically, they do help, but they only do so much.

5. Yes, it does lol.

X-Pect WOT test run
 

Top speed is not a goal for backroad development. The team was curious and we got some data, and we post it for others.

She ran 56 mph at 7800 RPM today WOT with the stock 15T Front and 46T rear. At 7000 RPM she will cruise at 50 mph.

More important the team is pleased that the stock final drive ratio of 3.07 appears to be satisfactory so far on a couple of backroad rides. If that is not enough, the team picked up a 50T rear sprocket and with that and some front sprocket changes we should be able come up with a ratio we like.

The Team members by consensus, requested I throw in some comparison info for all those Backroad riders that get elevated blood pressure when we start talking about final drive ratios above 3.00 because they know it corresponds to offroad capability. The WOT speed number generated by a final drive is also an easy measure of engine performance and torque which can be used to suggest performance in off-road terrain. I have run the HAWK over the same WOT course with a final ratio drive of 3.18, with an improved exhaust by way minus a CAT, more fuel through carburetion, 21- and 18-inch wheels, and the WOT equaled 58 mph. At 7000 rpm the HAWK turned 51-52 mph. The 200cc stands in with good company!

https://i.postimg.cc/W3wRcP4s/IMG-20...523961-HDR.jpg

X Pect Air Filter mod
 

The first time the Team saw the X-pect air filter and airbox they knew what they wanted to improve. They knew because somebody a time ago had come up with a great idea that worked. Credit for the idea goes to………


http://www.chinariders.net/showthrea...highlight=foam

Thanks for posting it!


Filter frame after paper has been cut away with razor blade and Utility knife.

https://i.postimg.cc/bYQGkkhp/Removing-paper-media.jpg


1 inch foam filter material marked by filter frame with magic marker and cut on the outside of black line made by marker with bread knife and a straight edge. Cutting on the outside edge of the black line helps so filter fits tight in the frame to prevent leaks. A sealant around the edges could also be used between the filter and the frame but it would not then be removable for cleaning and oiling.



https://i.postimg.cc/qRFGKnV8/Markin...or-cutting.jpg


The filter installed is 1.19 inch thick cut down from a generator filter purchased on Amazon. Uni foam filter media is also available on amazon in sheets. In the picture upper left top corner two pieces of it can be seen and combined it would equal around 1 inch and it comes in several sizes of filtration. The Team believes at minimum you need a layer size of 60-65 Pores per square inch (PPI) saturated with filter oil, OIL is a requirement. You could mix and match two sizes of filter media to increase air intake or increase filtration.

https://i.postimg.cc/1tFKpX92/Unit-filter.jpg


Oiled and fitted into the airbox.

https://i.postimg.cc/50ftmk1J/Filter-installed.jpg

X Pect Air Box leak
 

After a dusty back-road ride with the new air filter a check reveals the Air-box leaks! A previous ride with the stock filter looked suspicious but not conclusive.

https://i.ibb.co/qMh2pwJ/Dirt-in-airbox.jpg



The new foam air filter is over 1 inch thick and that may be contributing to the leaking air-box because it is more difficult to pull air through it. By comparison a common POD foam filter is about ½ inch. That increases the pressure inside the air-box to pull air from any leaks. The foam appears to also be finer or more PPI (foam spaces) than the UNI filter material which is 65 PPI. This 1-inch generator foam filter could be as much as 80 PPI with smaller pores better filtration but more resistance to air flow.


Dust into the engine is not acceptable, the Team went after removing the air box to find the problem. NOT a task for the faint of heart as it is difficult to remove, the rear half of the exhaust comes off and many disconnections and removal of electronics as the air-box is a mounting plate with many components riveted through the plastic sidewalls. Disconnected it is not easy to get out of the frame and requires a bend side wise to come out. PIA but this team has taken out a Magician Air-box which is more than a warm up for this job
.
The air-box has three main parts that screw together with rubber gaskets for each part. If a gasket does not fit tight that would be an issue. The Air-box did not show any obvious point of entry but the most suspicious area is the first connection or top of the main box that fits over the large bottom box.


https://i.ibb.co/6WYRG53/Airbox-dissassembled.jpg



The Team elected to seal the first or bottom section cover gasket and the air filter gasket where it fits to the air-box with hylomar (Megadan tip-Hylomar). The filter cover was not sealed as any leaks would still be filtered. We also sealed around any rivet points and placed sealer behind the right-side electronics plate and thread lock on the bolts that go into the air-box.


https://i.ibb.co/NmfZ4sx/Airbox-sealed-hylomar.jpg


Thoughts: Testing will tell, if that fixes the problem. She ran 56 mph on the WOT course so could be that thick filter is starving the motor for air up top. Performance wise, the sweet spot might be one layer of UNI foam 65 PPI and on top a layer of 30 PPI both oiled but that test is for another day and depends on the air-box proving to be dust-proof.

X Pect Knobby tires
 

The Backroad Grip!!!


https://i.postimg.cc/XqB4YnHp/IMG-20...538821-HDR.jpg


Kenda K760 Trakmaster II Dual Sport Tire Front 70/100-19

https://i.postimg.cc/m28WWz28/IMG-20...501607-HDR.jpg



IRC 87-5700 Tire Ve-33 Rear 4.60X17 6Pr Bias Tt


No longer a Dual Sport the bike now becomes a true Backroad Bike. A test on pavement reveals gone is that smooth, quick turning, pavement confidence of the 50/50 tire and leaning onto those side knobs is a different feel but there is no denying there is gonna be some Back-road BITE!!


Credit for X-Pect tire knowledge goes to ………

I took my new Lifan X-pect on its first muddy off-road trip (pics) - ChinaRiders Forums

I have the Kenda K760 Trakmaster II Dual Sport Tires on my Hawk. They do handle the street better than the stock nobbies that came on the Hawk. They are real good in mud and sand.

HAWK Trakmasters
 

You can't go wrong (much) ha, hah:lmao: following the JerryHawk250 lead! I was eyeballing those ones on your HAWK for awhile and I think the design (paddle style knob) will work good where the team rides in loose rock and gravel of all sorts up and down, bonus is DOT approved.