Iridium, AMD stg2, GY-5 test results

[dieselhead]

Hopefully this will put to rest a few questions on performance of the 2 up grades.
Firstly I had drilled out the exhaust through the exhaust hole with a extra deep 3/8ths drill. I drilled through 2 baffels low and hi for 4 extra holes inside. The bike is ALOT louder, probably too loud. But ill fix that this winter by cuting the end off and making a bolt in glass pack perforated core. other than that, I had the trottle needle clip 1 notch up from the bottom. With the bike in this condition, it would slow down to 49mph on a long grade before toping the hill.
I installed a new Denso IX24 Iridium from http://www.bikebandit.com/product/A5222794 and didn't expect any difference except longer plug life, but I was wrong. The bike actualy idled on its own cold with out the normal minute or 2 of reving i had to use to get the stock plug to idle. Next, I droped the thottle slide E clip down to the bottom notch giving max fuel out of the stock jetting. Here at start up the bike picked up about 200 rpm's at idle with the richer fuel setting and a very slight mid range hessitation disappeared.
With the bike in this condition, I hit the 3/4 mile hill. Right off I noticed the bike would pull 8K on the tac for 60mph before hitting 5th. With stock fuel setting, you had to wait for ever to see 8K on a slight hill! the bike now pulled the hill at 54mph!
Now i install the stage 2 AMD box and right off the top, the starter sounded like I had a week battery. It did start tho and when it did, the idle was way up to 3K. So I turn it down some and found it rather rough and uneven idleing. I hit the hill climb and much to my dismay, the bike seemed a tiny bit lazyer to get to my 8K shift point giving me a approch of 59 mph at the base of the hill. The hill slowed the bike to 53mph. I went back and put the stock timing box back in and hit the hill. Again, I pulled it just at 53 or just a tad under 54 and I noticed it would recover stronger toping the hill over the AMD box. I other words, Does anybody want to buy a once used AMD stage 2 box for 30 Bucks?? Torque wise, I know I wasted my money.
The only other mod Im thinking about is possibly scrounging up a pair of titanium push rods. I used to have an old CL100 as a kid and that OHC engine would red line at 11000 rpm's. The push rod cart racing engines are all running light wieght titanium rods. With steel rods as long as they are in this engine, I bet you would find a noticable power difference with no MPG penalty. There are a few outfits that will make up custom titanium push rods. Would anyone be interested in going in on a pair?

[mebigdave]

This is similar to my findings. I do however think the type/model of the motor does make a difference. I think you may see less of a difference in power with the shorter stroke motor. I guess I may some day drop my longer stroke motor back in my bike and test the AMR Stage 2 and Stage 3, but am not in any hurry because I find the short stroke runs better and helps on the hills as well as with a head wind.

I do however think we are missing something here! We still have not found a way to increase the power from these motors. All stock motors will give you a little something extra with a few mods but we are yet to find it.

The only thing that has really help a bit is a pod type air filter and exhaust mods.

Things that would normaly help:

1. An advanced CDI should help
2. A bigger carb
3. Rejetting
4. Exhaust mods
5. Cam grinding
6. Racing plug
7. More compression by skimming the head
8. Rebore
9. Port and polish

I think we have tried all but the cam grinding, head skimming and reboring.

Any one have any more to add?

[IronFist]

"The only other mod Im thinking about is possibly scrounging up a pair of titanium push rods. I used to have an old CL100 as a kid and that OHC engine would red line at 11000 rpm's. " dieselhead


I know for a fact that the cb 350 racers use titanium upgrades, for internal engine parts. But doesn't using titanium parts on a cheap bike defeat the purpose of getting a cheap bike? I mean unless you are racing. I guess if you got the money brother give it a go and take pics. Theoretically, I think it would spin faster and be stronger.

[alonzo]

how about an old yz 490 engine? that should give the power we are demanding

as for the upgrades, I would like to see more torque so I dont have to cruise at 8,000 rpms until I can get a significant gain in the torque the stock sprockets will stay on :(

oh ya if we can change the fulcrum point on the rocker arms, that would be cool.

Sombody has to say it sooner or later, so here goes, most of our bikes are 30 year old technology with pushrod engines. They are only 200 cc's with all the performance parts we can find to put in them you will be better off finding a used jap and running it stock.

or you can always go for the vtwin engine!!!

[katoranger]

I know now not to waste my money on the AMR CDI.

I have a new plug, 108 jet and UNI filter that needs installed. I already have the free flowing extra LOUD exhaust that scares the kiddies.

Will be dropping the clip to the bottom notch also. Its time for some power.

Maybe I will get to do this stuff tomorrow.

Allen

[mebigdave]

Well, we do know that the xr200 hads alot more power than our bikes so there must be something we can do! I'm not looking to win any races but to be able to maintain 60mph in any conditions work be neat!

[mebigdave]

Originally Posted by alonzo

how about an old yz 490 engine? that should give the power we are demanding

I have a tricked out YZ250 that belonged to "Shane King" and would drop most cars valued at under $70,000 on the way to work but could not afford the fuel on a monthly basis. Would be fun though and the bike cost me about the same as my Shineray when I bought it new!

The 300cc chinese bikes are starting to come into New Zealand now. Only off road water coold ones for now but maybe by the end of the year we will have a road reg one to upgrade to!

[dieselhead]

Thanks for the feed back guys. Just to state my personal goal on these bikes is simply what can I do to keep the best fuel economy out of a bike that runs as well as it can with the simplest of mods. Im not looking to port n polish, biger jets and pipe just from the mpg penalty standpoint. But "drop in" titanium push rods for a faster and higher working rpm band may be worth the 50-60 bucks at most (im guessing) for a pair. Im going to look into it cost wise and ill get back with an update. 54 mph on the hill is my speed to beat. You gotta admit, wouldent YOU want to know what a pair of drop in rods will do on my hill? Like iron fist said, theoreticaly, it should make a difference.

[katoranger]

I am not sure how much mpg I will loose with the larger jet. I have gained since I installed the muffler and cleaned the air filter.

Allen

[ambassador]

Still at 70+ using an AMI 3 everyday back and forth to work, I will say that the starter kicks back every now and then but overall it works??

[maf119l]

The only mod i have made is dropping the c-clip from the middle to the bottom and it made a huge difference.Current budget not alowing any other mods right now

[IronFist]

Kato: Your torque should go up a bit, when jetting up, shouldn't it? Mileage slightly down as well. Wouldn't be my first time wrong, just what I think. :?

"But "drop in" titanium push rods for a faster and higher working rpm band may be worth the 50-60 bucks at most (im guessing) for a pair. Im going to look into it cost wise and ill get back with an update. 54 mph on the hill is my speed to beat. You gotta admit, wouldent YOU want to know what a pair of drop in rods will do on my hill? Like iron fist said, theoreticaly, it should make a difference."

The difference is that they can work at a faster rpm without failing. That's not to say that it in it's self will make the bike faster. Even if it did make the bike faster, what's to say something else wouldn't fail?

"54 mph on the hill is my speed to beat. "

dieselhead:
If your bike slows significantly going up a hill, I have to ask, have you over sprocketed your bike? What's your final ratio? What sprockets are you using? I found that a 42 tooth made my bike labor too much. I went back to a 46 and hills were a breeze again. Even on a flat road, I found that a 46 pushed against the wind better too. Faster, but the bike really wound out full throttle( I had no tack). Let me know if this makes any sense at all.

[dieselhead]

I have the stock sprockets right now as I am waiting for JR sprockets to fill their back orders so I can do the 520, hi low conversion in the sticky. I believe you are correct in suggesting a few more revs on the hill will keep the speed at the best the little 200 can muster up. I don't look at titanium rods as a fail safe mod. What you have to look at is the material will be at very least half the weight of the stock long steel rods. Imagine that weight moveing at a fantastic speed into the lifter pocket. Then just as quickly the inertcia of that weight needs to completely reverse direction. I believe there is a power gain to be had by relieveing the engine of (half by wieght) the considerable inertcia forces against the lifter cam lobe. A chain driven valve trian has 0 resistance by compairison. Aside from the engines need to increase the revolutions of the weight of the chain, the inertcia of the chain is always in the same continuous direction. Titanium reduces the internal engine resistance proportionaly to the rpms being demanded. Of course this is just my opinion but I don'y think Im far from the trueth. Any way, this winter when I pull the top off for a valve adjustment, Ill swing a rocker out of the way and see about mailing a rod out for a light wieght repro. I think over the long hall, a slight mpg gain would be expected.

[IronFist]

That's the thing to do.
This winter I intend to do my engine. Gaskets, oil seals, for sure. Rings, pistons, reboring, camchain tensioner, and anything else if needed.

In the winter I'm not paying for gas, oil, insurance, plates, and I'm hurting for riding. I will have the cash to do upgrades in other areas too.

dieselhead, your mod doesn't sound too expensive just time consuming. When bad weather hits, I'd say go for it, and do a write up, no matter the results.

[mebigdave]

As I recall from the last time I had the motor open, the pushrods are aluminium with steel caps for wear strength.