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I was just thinking about the FZ07, and I thought, "Hmm, could mark do something like this?"  Has he already done it?  Is it even possible?

Why doesn't Millyard do it?

What would be the benefits?  Sound?  mow powa?

got any good chuck norris jokes?

So I took Wade's advice and took his "home from work ride" today.  Friggin' HOT.  Thank god for Camelback liquid thingy's...must've drank at LEAST a 1/2 gallon or more of water/gatorade today.  <  Hydrate WHILE you ride...you'd be amazed at the endurance that this thing gives you w/o getting delirious.

So before I started his route off I-5 north to EXIT 74 or Labree Rd.  I decided to take Headquarters road about 20 or so miles beforehand.   Headquarters is a nice clean twisty bit and then you turn left on Silver Lake Road....nice blast up and then Silver lake takes you down to Spirit Lake Hwy (504).  The Johnston Ridge side of Mt. St. Helens is closed, so i headed west to I-5.  I noticed Pacific Hwy paralled the road on the east side of I-5 and decided to explore.  From there it turns into barnes rd as you cross over west side of I-5.  You turn Right on Rogers rd which crosses to the west side of I-5 and then take Jackson Hwy northbound until it "T"s with 505N for about a mile and turns back into Jackson Hwy.  I think i took that all the way to Bishop then left on RUSH! rd to short blast on I-5 to LaBree Rd.  I wanted to avoid the freeway on this 1st part of the trip and this did nicely w/ no real surprise.  If you want detail on Wades' loop, go to the GENERAL section of the forum and you find it there.

Now here's the pictures to Wade's World...no more text....might take me awhile to load each one, so starting now it is 8:03PM pST on 7/19/23.  so you might have to refress a couple times.  Might take me an hour  to load all 14? pics.

enjoy...

W_World1a by Kevin Bayron, on Flickr

W_World3a by Kevin Bayron, on Flickr

W_World4a by Kevin Bayron, on Flickr

W_World5a by Kevin Bayron, on Flickr

So yesterday 7/12/23 WEDS I looked at a short blast west of the Chehalis / Centralia area.  I got a little lost (where Michigan Hill North bound road intersects Prather road)...so i back track to Lincoln Creek westbound/Manners RD/Independence/Michigan Hill (southbound)/ back to Lincoln Creek and into Centralia to the Nike Clearance store for some shoes.  Looks like interesting options in that area...

namely:  Brooklyn Rd (man!) to all the way to Raymond, WA...looks really nice.  Bunker Creek also looks good as an abbreviated run. 

Since I live in Battle Ground, I didn't want to get too tired and I've never ridden out there, but the short loop i rode was fun nonetheless.  On staycation now, might try again in a couple days w/ Wade's advice.

the short loop I ran....

Centralia Loop ltd.



So, what do you Recommend Wade? 

Current jetting:  130 main jet, 175-P2 needle jet, 5L1 needles on 2nd clip from top, #30 pilot @ 1-1/2 turns out. Timing @ 2.0 BTDC w/ zenon strobe. 92 octane non-ethanol gas. stock airjets w/ brass plugs removed.  Airlines removed from the top of airbox and hanging in the breeze.  both carbs have drain lines hooked up (side & bottom of carbs) and routed w/ crank case breather line to back of motor.

Anyway, can anyone verify if this is the current correct info for stock bike carb tune on crap gas??

Setup:  Stock pipes, Uni filter in stock airbox, banshee intake manifolds w/ banshee crossover tube, YZ reeds, XR700 ignition (Crane Cams)

It is so easy to miss the "tiny" details in a post.   Previously, I had the bike jetted w/ a 145 main jet, 175-P4 needle jet, middle clip, 27.5 pilot....if i would have read the old post from 2020 closer, it was for a stock bike w/ DG pipes.  With this setup, the midrange had phlegm past 1/4 throttle.  God help you if you got above 50mph or freeway riding.

So,
It has been awhile since I've worked on the 400 and Judy has been waiting 2? years.  The motor was rebuilt locally (never fired and sitting put together "whole" by builder) and I decided to FINALLY put a little time into the leakdown to see where I'm at.

I found that the left side crank seal was leaking (probably decades old OEM and dried out) and the one left side crank bearing I like to seat w/ a 035 N70 Buna-N Nitrile O-ring (didn't have an o-ring and i didn't want to leave it o-ring"less", instead of red RTV to hold it in place...It has been tested and proven to work w/ RB Designs years ago w/ Nachi bearings. 

I've also got (2) one piece gaskets that I purchased years ago from Vintage Specialties.  They are .36mm or .0014 inches.  I believe they are for the RD and not the TZ.  I found Lyn's old post concerning center between cylinders and decided to use these on Judy's RD400. 

Measurements (digital caliper):  Head gasket = .0013"  Base Gasket= .0014"  Heads "step"= .001"  For comparison, the stock base gasket = .0025".   It looks like the heads were milled long ago, and the stock shape was left alone, but what do I know.  What do you think? Pistons are new Vertex Banshee 64.94mm.


The heads don't look like there's much squish and the local guy must have blasted them.  I'm using stock head gaskets.  I had to scrape the old gaskets off and it seems he used some black sticky stuff to put them in place.  Anyone know what that is or can i just install the base gaskets bare.?  I have the beautiful blue UK hylomar, but don't know if that would be appropriate.

Once i put it back together, I'll do another pressure test w/ my home pressure tester and see what's up.

Oh, one other thing.  I don't have to anneal the stock head gaskets if the motor hasn't been fired up, do I?  Just reinstall and torque to Chuck Quenzler spec?

Meanwhile, here are a few pics (hope they show up):







PS:  if you are wondering what that nasty stuff is on the o-ring?...they came w/ a Zot! candy that had melted or leaked? onto the wrapper.  Haven't touched these in years...just found the bag in a bunch of RD stuff.

I got into RD's when i was 17 (beautiful orange/black R5...120 mph w/ factory pipes...ah yeah).  That same year, my license got suspended.  I didn't get back into riding until the early 90's.

My question:  "How many times have you rebuilt your RDs/ 2 strokes over the years?

I figure this is why some went on to 4 strokes as there are virtually NO rebuilds.  Just disposable ricky racers.

Hardcore riders won't be able to count how many times...I figure I've rebuilt various bikes at least 30X.   Lots of blow ups and mistakes. 

what i call paying your dues...and you do w/ these bikes.  I remember one time with a way too lean needle jet....1/2 throttle and POP!
that was fun.  injector lines falling off carbs...TIMING...when you got it backwards.  Blown tranny seal burning nasty tranny oil...man.  The WRONG piston clearance....brand new wossner's....15 miles and squeeze....*uck me freddy. 

Ain't we got fun.

My jet box is called the holy grail...lots of mains from 120 to 450?   pilots from stock to 60, various needle jets.

Looks like the BR8EIX is the stock option.  Stick w/ stock plugs or upgrade? Would they be as reliable? Ruthenium plugs are N/A for the RD400.  I can tell you on my 2006 Honda Civic that the Ruthenium plugs idle better, smoother off the bottom and right where the torque curve is, it is a little quicker revving.  I ran a cheap set of G NGK's (interim) and it was terrible...hesitant off the bottom and engine even sounded like it was struggling.

I think I read (especially w/ iridium/Rutheniums), that it should require less spark energy or easier on the ignition.

Ignition is XR700 Fireball (for the RD, NOT the Honda  ).


your opinions/experience?