[Tom Schmitz]

Paul - The photos are of the oil passageway in the clutch cover that connects the oil pump outlet to the main oil galley right at the test port.

The first picture shows the shape of that passageway and the corresponding hole in the gasket.

The second picture has the gasket in place on the case, covering that passageway.

Is the stock gasket similar, or does the cut out match the passageway?

Tom

 

[Normk]

I found a used gasket which I think was the original off a Gen1. It has the same triangle shape with round hole as yours shows. Not absolutely certain it's Kawi.

 

[pdwestman]

One round hole, about 6mm + diameter.
Enlarge IT, if you think it might help.

We are in 'uncharted territory' here ,Tom!

What is the diameter of the 'vertical supply pipe'?

 

[Tom Schmitz]

The 'vertical supply pipe' is ~.320"Ø. The hole in the Tusk gasket is ~.340"Ø.

Can't help but thing that opening up the gasket wouldn't be a bad thing.

Tom

 

[pdwestman]

Can't HURT. Might not help.

 

[pdwestman]

That has been my Whole Point of this project!
I haven't done anything which might 'Hurt' the Longevity of the KLR650!

My mods 'might' help, but 'won't hurt', and are cheaply 'reverseable'!

 

[pdwestman]

Well Guys & Gals,
I do not get the distinction for being the First, to run a KLR650 with a 98% Modified Oil Flow System!

A 50 year+ friend and customer of mine, has that Honor! As of this afternoon.
Run, not yet ridden. Snow in Lander, WY.

Unless Tom Schmitz beat my friend Clark L. to it, today.

I was/am going to Put Off my latest modification Idea, until the 3000 mile oil change mark for oil analysis reasons. About another 500 miles, if I remember my mileage correctly. I was going to go 5000 miles, until we had that 'Brain Storm', while back.
Clark L. knew this. And, I think that may have been in-part, what encouraged him to want to participate in the research to benefit ALL of US. He has been present or party to All of it. 1990 KL650-A4, 45,685 miles, and counting.

We took lots of pics. Which I will e-mail to Tom. In case he needs ideas or tips or suggestions on How/Where to drill the filter cavity.
And He can chose which pics to post.

Thanks for your continued interest in this project,
Ride Safe out there.

 

[pdwestman]

18 Guest's viewing!
That is what I like to See! And I have 'Zero' affiliation with this or Any Site!

 

[pdwestman]

Tom and I will get around to posting up the 1990 modifications, soon, maybe? With pics.

But my mind will just Not leave this entire project and some of the Old Engineering errors (imo only) alone.

I've suggested, hinted, tried to point out that some of the Very Few Failures of the Bottom rod Bearing which I've read about on forums, Might be caused by the Owner/Mechanic!
How can that be you ask?

When we tilt the unit to the R.H. side, to Drain the oil filter Cavity, some of the metallic debris laying in the Bottom of the Cavity goes straight down the Crankshaft oil Inlet Port. Sometimes it can be a 'long-skinny' sliver, which was capable of slipping Thru the oil Screen and passing Thru the oil pump, with-out locking the pump up. But 'heavy enough' to lay in the bottom of the cavity, instead of 'sticking' into the oil filter media.

I personally stick one of the red (shipping only, purposes) air vent nipples, from a flooded cell battery, into that crank oil supply hole to keep the crumbs OUT of there when draining!

But this morning, I had 'another' wild idea! Maybe a 'Replaceable Filter'?
Installed into the clutch cover Crankshaft oil Port, and move my oil control orifice, back into the filter cap.
How much volume does one think this 'stone filter' from the rocker arms and hydraulic valve tappets, from a VN750/VN1500/VN1600 Vulcan cylinder head cover, Might FLOW? Part #14043-1056.

http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1987-kawasaki-vulcan-88-vn1500a/o/m150338#sch57946
My First link won't load on my computer, I'll try an Un-Enlarged link.
http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1987-kawasaki-vulcan-88-vn1500a/o/m150338#sch57946
Sorry Guys, my links may not work!

Food for Thought!
I haven't killed mine, yet.

The Idea Probably WON'T Work! But I thought of IT!

 

[pdwestman]

Ok, I think these 2 pics can perfectly explain my suggestion of "DIRTY oil trapped in the cap"!
It has a hard time getting Between some filter Cavities and some of the steel end caps of Some oil filters, to and Thru the filter media!
Therefore, IMO only, more un-filtered oil than necessary 'squeezes' between the clearance of the cavity bore and the External filter Cap end,
and into the 'clean oil transfer holes'.

So, just look at the difference.

1990 KLR650-A4, 45,684 miles. We DID NOT do a base-line oil pressure test! I guess he has faith in me.
Always start with a clean bike. So Saturday evening, Clarks bike got a De-greasing / De-mudding.

Sunday, stripped off the bodywork, skidplate, F. sprocket cover, header pipe, starter motor, oil pipe banjo bolts.
Clark drilled the Oil Inlet Banjo bolt with Two, 1/8th inch holes / Camshaft Banjo bolt with Two, 1/8th inch holes / Transmission Banjo bolt with ONLY One, 1/8 inch hole.
Be Certain to de-burr the inside of the center holes! Also de-burr the outsides of the holes, as the gaskets are a Snug Fit.
(sorry, we did not take pics of the standard or freshly drilled Banjo Bolts.)
(maybe Tom has a pic of each which he might insert Here, if not, sorry.)
We annealed the copper gaskets, purged the oil pipe, cleaned the gasket surfaces and reinstalled the gaskets and banjo bolts and the starter motor.

Drained the 20W50 and coolant, dis-connected the coolant hoses and removed the pump cover. To see a 'Rusty', non-standard nut on the WP Impeller!
Didn't want to 'turn-loose', just turning the engine! A little heat, penetrant, Hammer drive impact wrench, safely loosened. (rust or Loc-Tite?)
Clutch cable and bracket off. Cover off, time to clean-up parts and gasket surfaces. And do a little comparing of parts, as you have just seen!
Quite the difference, ehh!


Thanks Tom.

 

[pdwestman]

Ok, next Clark and I discuss again which is the best point to aim for?
Be it the Vertical oil 'pipe' to the filter cavity or the Large 'pocket' at the base of the PRV? Plenty of metal in that general area to our eyes for some margin of error in Aim.

His bike, his Choice is the Large Pocket. Easier to Aim for and will have more of an Angle of Outlet into the filter Cavity, to spiral the incoming dirty oil around the entire Filter. Sounds reasonable, I concur and suggest if needed, we can use a Dremel burr to open further forward into pipe if needed.

Lay-out the guide lines.

Perfect, Thank you Tom.

 

[pdwestman]

While I got the Dremel and Drill / bit out. Clark disassembled the PRV.

Sorry No pics of the actual lapping.
For my 3 times so far, I've used a 4" piece of 5/16th" rubber fuel line. Cut at just a slight angle, it will Roll the SPARE (Not Original ball, please.) 7/16th" Ace Hardware steel ball in an 'Omni-Directional' Orbit.
Hold the valve vertical above the drill motor and you can watch the ball rotation, to control the pressure applied.

Clarks PRV had very little leakage, so I suggested we use "Brasso Metal Polish" only. We were able to skip the Valve Lap Compound.
After 30-40 minutes of lapping, cleaning, testing, the Original check Ball and OEM spring had an air tight fit and pop-off pressure of 66 PSI, Air Pressure supplied by shop compressor, nothing fancy, confirmed with tire gauge on his bike tire.

Replacement spring, pop-off of 28 PSI. 28 is seeming to be my Lucky Number here, maybe Tom and the Good Lord are correct. 25-30 psi and call it Done.

 

[pdwestman]

Next we used the Dremel tool motor and burr to cut a landing, full depth of the 5/16th inch burr in the 'blacked-out' rectangular box which was aiming just Rearward of the original inlet port and Downward towards the Large PRV pocket.

My thought, had been to use the full Diameter drill bit to make a 'center'.
Use a smaller Diameter to cut first hole, then use the full Diameter again, with maybe just a little correction angularity if needed. Our bigger bit is a foot long! 11/32nd inch. Could be used to enlarge and or clean-up J-B Weld in Vertical oil pipe (5/16 inch, dia.), if needed.
Clark felt the long bit made for Very Easy Aim. He is a carpenter by trade and a good mechanic, has a good aim. He cut a 'center' and a bit more.
He asks me if it looks straight? I say yes. He says, "Feels good, I'm just gonna' drill it, keep an eye on the aim". So, sorry no pics of Actual drilling.

Dead Center!

That was 'Quick' of Clark and Tom both!
Thanks again Tom,
Don't you have your own project to Finish, Tom?

 

[pdwestman]

Cleaning the Old Oil Inlet Hole.

Taping the Old oil inlet hole. It took only 8 layers of masking tape to build-up to the 'shallow' 1990 Ledge. And a Carefully Positioned cap over the inner 1/3rd of old hole.

Leave an Air Vent Slot.

Ventilate the Very Inner Edge of the Old Inlet Hole.

 

[pdwestman]

Filling the Old Oil Inlet Hole.
I Strongly suggest using the runny, Original, slow curing J-B Weld for this step. We fill the Old hole, thru the New Oil Inlet hole.

Stand the cover at an appropriate angle and allow the slow cure J-B WELD to 'drool' down thru the air vents.

Then gently tape over the air vents and let it cure for 12-24 hours.

 

[pdwestman]

Scruff, Clean and Tape the Filter cap Notch, Fill with J-B WELD.

Choose your orifice size and Install.
Clark asked, "What size are you currently running, Paul?" I answer #44, 2.18mm, .086 inches. He said, "Drill it, I'll drill and tap the port." I guess he Really has Faith in my previous testing.

Re-clean the excess epoxy out of the New Hole. Maybe use a rounded burr On the Tighter fitting cavity's, to Blend an Up-ward sloping channel inside the front Half of the filter cavity, like I did on the '06 test cover.

Use drill bit to clean thru the New Hole and up thru the Vertical inlet pipe if needed.

Clean things up, put it together and test run it.

 

[pdwestman]

Tom,

I appreciate your help and patience Immensely!
I was kind of hoping that you would be the first one to do this mod, in '09 Oil Pressure Experiments.

IT'S DRY!

Can you Guys just Imagine the Shock Value, Dis-belief and Curiosity of this, to an Un-Informed Mechanic?

We have .045 inch of Compression of the Secondary 'O'-ring.
It jams in easily, tightly with a mere 60 in lbs of torque. Flush contact of the cover surfaces, so that one has to 'pick-it out'.
We did install a Motion Pro Oil Filter Magnet #11-0064, onto the 'Back-side' of the oil filter. Don't throw it Away!!!

Now do you all remember, that post #(409), up above, that almost got things out of order?

 

[pdwestman]

I rode Clarks bike 10 miles Wednesday. Had 175f. oil temp. when I arrived back at the shop door, in 55f. air temp. (It's gonna' get a T-Bob 2)
Saw a Maximum oil pressure of 28-30 PSI at 7500-8000 RPM.

I idled the engine a couple of minutes. 1200 RPM / 2.75 PSI @ filter cap / 188f.
Fan kicked on. Raised the engine speed to about 2000 RPM, set throttle lock.
In another 5-8 minutes, had 192f.
Raised the speed to 4000 RPM / 14 PSI @ filter cap / 194f.

This was with my 'Old' soldered 2.26 mm orifice in my old filter cap.
The pressure could be just a 'smidge' higher with his chosen 2.18 mm orifice.

 

[Tom Schmitz]

How does Clark like that power bomb? Does it do anything really worthwhile?

Tom

 

[pdwestman]

How does Clark like that power bomb? Does it do anything really worthwhile?

Tom

He has not ridden it. Busy, then sick, then snow.

I'm not sure. I didn't ride it immediately before we did it, ALL!
And we all know how accurate our 'butt-dynos' are.
But I'm kinda' un-certain if my '87 could beat it, with him on his, and he out-weighs me by 50lbs.

It 'squirted' right-up to 7500-8000 in 3rd and 4th gear. Do you recall Normk telling us that his, with MC MOD seems to be very willing to rev to 9000 RPM.
Clarks bike might just do the same, it caught me totally off-guard.
Maybe I need to put a digital tach on it for a ride?

But I do think we may need to richen the pilot jet one size and mid-range needle with a shim, like I had to with the '09 header pipe.

Be certain to Go Back in this project posting, to catch some minor editing, guys.
Maybe you've already done so.