Project Phoenix: The YamaZong Rises from the Ashes
 

Last May I dropped my Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra) in a mud pool, and flooded the engine with dirty water. After pumping the water from the engine, I was unable to start the bike, so a friendly ATV rider delivered me home.

The next day I returned, and got the faithful Zong to start. After riding the bike down to the parking lot, I trailered the bike home.

After several oil changes, the oil filter finally stopped catching silt from the oil. I installed new piston rings, but after several hundred miles, the Zong was burning oil, and the bike didn't shift as well as before. Therefore, after riding my faithful Zong over 70,000 miles, I declared the original engine dead.

Here is the final odometer reading. I had ridden the bike for several hundred miles with a broken odometer cable, so I know I the final mileage was over 70,000 miles. ;)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps7ntwfl2t.jpg

I considered splitting the crankcases, and rebuilding the original engine. However, before I tore the engine apart, I noticed more water and silt in the used motor oil. I also noted considerable slop in the connecting rod. ;) With over 70,000 miles on the original engine, I decided not to spend more money on a tired power plant. I strongly considered parting out my faithful Zong. :ohno:

However, while searching eBay, I discovered a used, 1992, Yamaha XT225 engine for sale. :tup: I decided to buy the engine, and convert my 5-speed, 196 cc Zong into a 6-speed, 223 cc YamaZong. :)

The engine swap is now complete. The bike is running great, and my faithful Zong has arisen from its own ashes, like the proverbial Phoenix! :D

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps3wuhphf7.jpg

The engine bolted directly into the frame, and all parts aligned perfectly, including the carburetor and the sprockets. :tup:

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps5itkagtv.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...pssb4otzy9.jpg

I needed to transfer the flywheel, stator, pickup coil, and stator cover from my old Zongshen engine to the fresher Yamaha engine. I also transferred the hex head bolts from the Zong engine to replace the Phillips head bolts on the Yamaha engine. ;) Here are some photographs of the remains of the old and tired, but faithful, Zongshen ZS200GY-2 engine. :)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps5bsbldln.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...pshkmky7qc.jpg

I also transferred the kick starter from the Zong engine to the Yamaha engine. All the transferred parts fit the Yamaha engine perfectly. ;)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...psbnxx0rma.jpg

I gained 27 cubic centimeters of engine displacement, and a 6-speed transmission with the engine swap. :tup:

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...psglfpcbci.jpg

Because of previous modifications, my ZS200GY-2 (Sierra) motorcycle now actually has more Yamaha parts than Zongshen parts. ;) Hence, the bike shall now be officially called my YamaZong Phoenix. :)

After taking the bike for two rides, and approximately 70 miles, I have verified the engine is running well. :tup: Here are a few photographs from today's ride. :)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...pszsepvb27.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps72fsi6h1.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...pseu3g0kh0.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...psuzxzrwro.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...psyxpdp9vc.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...psivn5fwv5.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps6zgkingc.jpg

Congratulations and a very nice job Spud. A rebirth and I bet you didn't gain a pound.

It does not look like 'Big Orange' has missed a beat!!

Good for another 70,000 miles... ;)

jb

AWESOME!!!! :tup:

Very cool!


/

Or mud puddle :p

Looking great Spud :yay:

Congrats Spud! Proves how "clone" these really are with all the bolt on parts! Very happy to see the YamaZong alive and well!

Thank you for your kind words, gentlemen. :) I am enjoying the extra power from the fresher, larger engine. I am also enjoying the wide ratio, 6-speed transmission. First gear is lower than the Zong's original first gear, and sixth gear is higher than the Zong's original fifth gear, providing a very nice overdrive gear. :tup:

The Yamaha engine was clean as a whistle, and obviously had low mileage based upon the tightness of the connecting rod, and very little wear on the clutch basket. I also found very little carbon deposited on the piston and cylinder head. I do believe this Yamaha engine is good for another 70,000 miles. :tup:

Tomorrow I will install a new speedometer, with 0 kilometers recorded. I am going metric with the new speedometer, since I purchased it from Taobao, and they don't sell Imperial speedometers in China, or anywhere else, except for Liberia, Burma, and The United States of America. :crazy:

:hehe:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/55895...-metric-system

http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/...stem-map_0.png

Could always pull the speedo apart and make your own in MPH :) I actually plan on doing that sometime after I get my motorcycle (might be a good winter/down time project)

Going to get it as close to accurate as I can get it (using 64 mph = 103 kmh and several other gps readouts as a starting point :) ), and I will also make it in single MPH readings too instead of jumping by 10's... should be much easier for the Mrs. to ride around with out doing any maths at speed or having to guess how fast she's going :lol:

UK also use "miles" in vehicle / road ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_s...United_Kingdom

I didn't realize road signage in the United Kingdom still uses miles, and speedometers still indicate miles per hour. Thank you for posting that interesting fact, HB. :)

http://www.ukma.org.uk/distance-information-mess
http://www.metric.org.uk/speed-limits

I'm not on that much anymore, so I had missed the demise of your Zong's original engine :(.

Happy to see though that you have it back together and mobile again! I suspect you still hold a record for miles achieved with a Chinese engine, heck, lots of big name branded bikes don't even make that mileage!

I've only ever had one Yamaha, the WR250R, but it was an excellent bike so I'm impressed with the marque. Also the smoothest shifting of any bike I've ever ridden!

Looking forward to more pics and ride reports with the Pheonix :).

Don't feel bad, Stew. I just announced the demise of the original Zong engine. ;) Thank you for your kind words. :)

Now that the Phoenix has more Yamaha than Zong parts, I am seriously considering a switch to the Yamaha Blue color scheme. ;)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...psj9if205e.jpg

Krylon Fusion spray paint, in Gloss Patriotic Blue, would do a nice job. :)

http://ll-us-i5.wal.co/dfw/dce07b8c-...6be441f.v1.jpg

Nice work! :tup:

paint it blue and almost nobody will know that its not a yamaha

This is awesome to see for the past month or so I've been scouring the Internet for a crf 230 or 250 motor to eventually put in the hawk and this helps keep the dream alive. My fat butt just needs more power. Just wondering how did the wiring portion of it go.

Great work, I'd love to put something a little zippier in my Hawk too!

I am getting jazzed to paint the Phoenix blue. :) I kept the original Zong painted orange for 70,000 miles. However, now that the YamaZong Phoenix has been reborn, I think it is only appropriate to paint her Yamaha Blue. ;)

The wiring was merely plug-and-play, because I transferred the Zongshen stator and pickup coil to the Yamaha engine. ;) Since the Zongshen engine was a virtual clone of the Yamaha engine, everything fit perfectly. :)

If you swap engines that are not identical clones, you will have a more difficult job than I. ;) However, I wish you luck. I am glad I can help to keep your dream alive. :)

crf230 (66.5*62.2) is plug-and-play . SAME holes in engine... wiring is easy if had proper crimping tool . 1 of the big player http://sanxin.com.cn/Exhibit/index.asp that listed those pin size of rec/ CDI

It won't ever be as fast as orange paint--you do know that! ;)

Hey spud at this point you have really earned back the original investment on that 200cc and them some!

Super job on the 250cc yam swap :tup:

I was thinking about the fusion paint since some years ago it did a great job on those plastic lawn chairs. I think I just saw one around here still showing its red paint. I was thinking about auto paint but I see that fusion says no sanding and priming. That's worth a try for a quick easy job

PAINT IT BLACK :lmao:

:lol:

The chinese nonsense http://www.masterso.com/classroom/classroom3_14.php | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_term
DOB
[8 Aug -> 8 Mar] needs warm color | [6 May -> 7 Aug] needs cold color | [Rest] as u like

That is interesting information, HB. :) I fall into the "as you like" category. ;)

Last year the trip meter stopped working on my original speedometer. On Friday I installed a new metric speedometer, which I bought at Taobao. I use the trip odometer to let me know when I need to refuel. I also like starting out with a new speedometer to record the mileage for my fresher, Yamaha engine. :)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...pscbyvhaie.jpg

Makes sense! Can't wait to see 70k on that one!

Uh... excuse me sir , don't you think it's time to edit that signature....... 2006 zong(___________)

Officially, it's still a 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2. ;) Unofficially, I am calling the bike my YamaZong Phoenix. :lol:

True true you have to stay with the state titled application.

Hopefully one of these days I'll actually recieve my title!

Minor hijack: My Rhino took about 2 months total between getting the first paperwork in the mail to sign and send back, then to receive the temp, then to receive the pink. Here in CA, the dealer/seller has to register it for you. Beats going to DMV. It's never leaving the property anyway so I didn't care much.

Back to our regularly schedules Yamazong thread.