Kiyo changed out the bearing laces on the cases.
12-27-10
Kiyo makes high compression EL pistons.
Apparently no one makes them, and if they do Kiyo doesn't want to use them, so he thought he'd make his own. Kiyo isn't sure if they'll work, but they look like they will. Both are the exact same weight. He also made a template to make sure they match in geometry.
Tops are nicely polished to make for smoother flow and less carbon sticking. The sides are slightly rough to allow for more oil adhesion.
12-18-10
Kiyo has started to take apart his engine.
It's interesting to watch what he does because he is so thorough. Everything he does is to make sure its done right but also to learn from it. For example, every time his bike made a new noise or something different he took note of it. When he started taking apart his engine, he looked over every detail to see what caused the noises. Then seeing how to fix or make better the next time.
A few days before the David Mann show Kiyo decided to See how fast he could get his EL to go. He changed the drive sprocket from 24 teeth to 26 making the secondary gearing now 26/51. Since it's a stock EL, he did it to get the top RPM higher. Heading home he opened it up, and the EL having very little torque, started knocking and vibrating a bit more than normal.
The next day when starting it up it made a slightly different noise than normal. Kiyo knew a bearing was gone. Maybe it was the pinion shaft bearing or sprocket bearing, or rod roller. The following day he rode all the way to Ventura and back anyway like a champ. Its about 80 miles round trip.
After he got back it was time to start the project of rebuilding. Engine all apart, he found that the sprocket shaft bearing was gone. Oil circulation was good though, and the rest of the engine looked good.
Moral of the story, he learned how important having the right gearing ratio is for a stock EL engine, and the project continues....
12-10-10
So Kiyo is totally rebuilding his Knuckle from the ground up. He started last night. I will keep everyone updated on his progress as he gets it done.... and don't ask if the gas tank or any of the old part are for sale, I already tried. ...I want that tank so bad.
