1981 GSX1100 Katana Based Project

[Shin-Ken 1074]

That's completely normal. I usually put blue Hylomar under the copper washers to prevent leaks.

Yep, not unusual and Plan A was to use a sealer but when my mate offered to mill it I wasn't going to pass on that deal.

[Blower]

Even if the surfaces are good, I still put a thin layer of Blue Hylomar under the washer.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

O.K. another step completed today. The head bolt posts have been milled back to new and the head is now ready for the new valve guides, seat cutting/matching valves and new valve stem seals to be installed. The same workshop is boring the barrels for the new pistons.

I will be interested to see how much lighter the 1135 barrels are when they are bored to 76 mm for the 1197cc kit. As stock they weigh 8,080 grams.

1197h by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

I have seen some bike engines finished with ceramic coatings and I like the look and by some reports the hard wearing properties of the ceramic coating compared to engine paint. So there has been a delay with the head and barrel work to have the ceramic coating applied to the head and barrel. Going with Gloss Black to match the lower engine cases. Should have the finished parts back by the end of next week.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Update on the parts, the people doing the ceramic coating have only just got back from SEMA and so the parts wont be ready for another week. Hope they enjoyed SEMA, what a show!

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Had a phone call today from the engineering shop doing the work on the barrels, there is good news and some bad news. The good news - head and barrels have been ceramic coated and the five plane valve seating has been completed. The bad news - first three cylinders have been bored out however, while boring cylinder #4 the sleeve has spun and done some damage. Number 4 barrel now needs a replacement stock sleeve and then bore it to 76mm so it looks like another week or so to finish the job providing the barrel has not suffered too much damage and can be saved. They are pressing out #4 sleeve now and will inspect the barrel to see what is what.

I hope it can be saved or I'll have a very nice looking, very expensive ceramic coated doorstop.

Running tally = 199.557 kg.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Update on the barrels, the replacement number 4 sleeve has been installed and machined and both the barrel and head are ready to be picked up. While the Kat has been off the road I've been able to modify a few parts to make them lighter, not a lot, but every gram counts and the running tally is now down to 199.211kg. I weighed the OEM fork pre-load units and with the steel core and pin bringing the unit in at 118grams each, I am sure an aftermarket all aluminium pre-load would be lighter so I have ordered a set to test the theory.

Running Tally = 199.211 kg.

Preload Unit OEM by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Picked up the head and barrel from the engineering shop today. The head is looking pretty good now with its new 5 plane seats, ground valves, new valve guides, new valve stem seals, skimmed head face and the head finished in black gloss ceramic coating.

1197 Head1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr




1197 Head 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Number 4 sleeve has been replaced with a new sleeve and machined to suit. I was hoping there would be some weight reduction going from 74 mm bore to 76mm bore and there was, a lot!

The stock barrel with stock 74mm bore weighed 8080 grams, the same barrel with 76 mm bore weighs 7260 grams, another 820 grams lighter! The running tally wont be adjusted until I weigh the stock pistons and pins vs the Wiseco pistons and pins and have the final weights overall.

Had the barrel finished in gloss black ceramic to match the head.

1197 Barrel 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Weighed the 76mm pistons today and three of them are 216 grams and one is 214 grams. Time to get out the wet/dry oxide paper and the glass plate and get all the weights to match up. Another 6 grams off.

76 mm piston1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

76mm Piston2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr