Well, I have decided to repair the RG, so I have sent the cylinder off to PJ Motorcycle Engineers in Wolverhampton UK, they make their own cylinder sleeves, and will provide me with a piston and hopefully machine the inside of the piston to fit the RG500 small ends and thrust washers ~22.3 mms.
I was hoping to get this done locally, but these guys were cheaper, and the local contact offered to meet me in a carpark to do business, so I wasn't filled with confidence about that, so I preferred doing business with a company with a good website - funny world isn't it!
I haven't decided what to do with the crank yet, the neighbour is an engineer so I am going to ask his advice on the bearings - I think they are OK.
In the meantime, ordered a new disk from Maranello with some rivets, Franco reckons I must have vibration issues causing my engine woes. The French RG forum think it was a bad batch of thrust washers (seriously) and some guy is sending me some old ones - this kinda rings a bell, because if I remember correctly Laurent lost one when I gave them to him, and therefore I replaced that with a new one, - it could have been that one which exploded the first time around and then the replacement exploding the second time around.... although I am kind of doubtful. Franco didn't think it was the clearance as there was not sign of heating or blueing on the remaining part of the thrust washer.
So not really that far advanced in my thinking. I did go to the effort of reinstalling the rear crank and then fitting the rotary disk (on Nr. 4) to see if I could see any clearance issues. as there was some evidence of wear on the rear of the internal rotary disk. But again nothing obvious, plenty of clearance between the internal disk cover and the crank bearing.
I was hoping to get this done locally, but these guys were cheaper, and the local contact offered to meet me in a carpark to do business, so I wasn't filled with confidence about that, so I preferred doing business with a company with a good website - funny world isn't it!
I haven't decided what to do with the crank yet, the neighbour is an engineer so I am going to ask his advice on the bearings - I think they are OK.
In the meantime, ordered a new disk from Maranello with some rivets, Franco reckons I must have vibration issues causing my engine woes. The French RG forum think it was a bad batch of thrust washers (seriously) and some guy is sending me some old ones - this kinda rings a bell, because if I remember correctly Laurent lost one when I gave them to him, and therefore I replaced that with a new one, - it could have been that one which exploded the first time around and then the replacement exploding the second time around.... although I am kind of doubtful. Franco didn't think it was the clearance as there was not sign of heating or blueing on the remaining part of the thrust washer.
So not really that far advanced in my thinking. I did go to the effort of reinstalling the rear crank and then fitting the rotary disk (on Nr. 4) to see if I could see any clearance issues. as there was some evidence of wear on the rear of the internal rotary disk. But again nothing obvious, plenty of clearance between the internal disk cover and the crank bearing.
Plus clearance between the disk and the outer and inner covers. One thing I will do is check that the crank has been put together correctly. The pistons 2 and 3 should be at TDC whilst 1 & 4 should be at BDC, and cylinder Nr3 should be a couple of degrees before the timing cutout in the crank.....
I have also ordered a belly pan and race seat for the FZR600, I was talking to a guy from BB plastics in the UK, but in the end I went for Poly26 locally as the transport from the UK was a bit expensive and a worry. The disadvantage is that Poly26 only do stuff in that horrible grey, and BB plastics would have done a nice black gel coat for some extra money, which would have made painting less of a problem.
Anyway I have applied for my 2016 racing license (training only) and signed up for the Sunday Ride Classic at the famous Paul Ricard circuit on the 16/17th April, so if anyone is down that way....
Happy Xmas, to all!
