Powerplus or Bust, Eh?

[Shaky Jake]

A quick update on the intake valve cam follower and lift lever reverse engineering project. I'm on the second iteration of the follower prototype and the first iteration of the lift lever prototype. I'll probably have to do one more version of each before I finalize the designs. In this picture, the lift lever is closest to the camera, and the cam follower is behind it:








Here are my test results so far. The data was taken with the parts installed in the Cannonball engine, lift values measured at the valve, and the degree wheel mounted to the motor sprocket. Look at the far right column for the latest test. I'm very happy with the numbers. The duration is a little better than stock, and I've gained.090 inches of lift at the valve:








When the parts are in the engine, they work together like this. The cam lobe pushes on the cam follower here:








The cam follower pushes on the lift lever here:








And the lift lever then pushes on the tappet which pushes on the valve stem once the clearance is taken up:








What I've learned is that I can change the valve timing and lift by changing the configuration of that little bump on the top of the cam follower, that pushes on the lift lever. The little bump is essentially a little cam. So it follows that, as that little bump wears over the years, and/or gets reground to refurbish it, the valve timing and lift change, usually for the worse. I'm anxious to see the affect on performance with the new parts.




More to come...


Kevin


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[Shaky Jake]

very cool Kevin, please keep me in mind when the time comes

Of course. I did take my first prototype to Davenport with me, and showed it to some of my PowerPlus compadres. There was quite a bit of interest there also. It's something I could give back to the Antique Motocycle community.




Kevin


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[Tom Lovejoy]

very cool Kevin, please keep me in mind when the time comes

[Shaky Jake]

Hey Kevin if you are pleased with your cam followers your having made up. Any thought's on making a couple extra sets for others ? I am sure my followers are probably worn to, though I have not checked yet, just curious. Looking and thinking about things I can do to try and have a good performing engine. Enjoying your post, the work shop looks like it well be very nice. Wish I had some room like that.

Hi Tom. I'm thinking I'll run them on the 2018 Cannonball, and if they prove themselves I'll probably offer a few sets for sale, to try and recover part of the cost of developing them.




Kevin


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[Tom Lovejoy]

Hey Kevin if you are pleased with your cam followers your having made up. Any thought's on making a couple extra sets for others ? I am sure my followers are probably worn to, though I have not checked yet, just curious. Looking and thinking about things I can do to try and have a good performing engine. Enjoying your post, the work shop looks like it well be very nice. Wish I had some room like that.

[nuklhd]

Kevin, that will be a nice area to work in. I like the spray in insulation.
I will watch the build thru the window and not bother anyone

[painterdale]

Well, since no one else chimed in, Kevin, I'd be in for a kazoo or two!

Dale

[Shaky Jake]

Intake Cam Follower prototype #2 has now been designed, drafted, and submitted to the Machinist. I made some small changes to the design, based on the test results. I should have something back around the time that I return from Davenport.

In other news, I have decided that since there are no longer any kids in the house, I hereby claim the 22 x 24 detached garage next to the house as my new moto shed. I'm not giving up the basement shop, but it will become more the engine shop, and this will be more for working on rollers. It will also be handy when the tractor breaks down in winter, etc., by providing a warm place to work. Stage I was to empty it of all accumulated junk, err, I mean treasures, and strip it to the studs, and install additional outlets, including two 220v outlets for the welder:









Stage two was the application of spray foam insulation:












Drywall installation is currently in progress, then I will hang some LED lights. LED because my power panel is limited, so the plan is for all lighting to be off of one 20a breaker. After that, I will be looking for a good used wood stove to provide heat.




Other than that, due to the fact that the Team Kelly's Heroes Cannonball Moto Van needs some paint and front brakes, I am thinking about a fund raiser. Would there be any interest in that? T-Shirts, or hats, or trinkets, something like that? Let me know what you think.




Also, I got a tip from Joe Walano, aka The Guzzi Doc, on a guy in Chicago who repairs chipped cooling fins. I talked to the guy on the phone yesterday, and I'm going to hand off my cylinders to Joe at Davenport so he can drop them off for me. I'm also looking at Nikasil plating for my cylinders, rather than boring them any more.




That's all for now, more to come.




Kevin


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[Shaky Jake]

I finally got the time to test Intake Cam Follower prototype #1 yesterday. I gained 21 degrees of duration and .076 inches of lift, at the valve, over the refurbished parts that were in there during the 2016 Cannonball. I feel like this is a success because I have proven that minor changes in the geometry of these parts can make significant changes in the valve action. During the test I could see a few minor tweaks that can be made to my Cam Follower design that will further improve things, so I will now revise my CAD drawing and take it back to the Machinist for another prototype. I could also see that I need to reverse engineer the Intake valve lift lever, because there is some interference between the refurbished one and the exhaust Cam Follower, that is limiting the lever's range of motion. I believe the tweaks on the Follower and the new lift lever will get me where I need to be as far as Intake valve lift and duration.




Kevin


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[Shaky Jake]

I know it is a bit different but the '15 parts list has part number A5291 Intake valve lift hardened point, is it possible that the Powerplus had something similar and the bit you are questioning is that?

Cheers
Steve

Well Steve, I think you are on to something there. I checked the 1916 parts book, it lists H522 Inlet Valve Lift Hardened Block, and H526 Inlet Valve Lift Hardened Block Rivet. These parts are absent from the later 1916-19-20-21-22 parts book, so they might not have been available as a separate part in those days, I suppose. The hard surface may have been worn off of the ones that I tested. It would be great if a new original Intake Lift still existed to look at, but I've never seen or heard of one.




Kevin


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[panthersteve]

Being on the other side of the world I did not know Lonnie but have heard his name many times, it is always sad to hear of the loss of a member of this fraternity. RIP

[panthersteve]

So, at this point, it is not clear to me what the purpose of that rod is. If anyone knows, or has a good theory, please share.

Kevin

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I know it is a bit different but the '15 parts list has part number A5291 Intake valve lift hardened point, is it possible that the Powerplus had something similar and the bit you are questioning is that?

Cheers
Steve

[Steve Swan]

my thoughts and condolences are with the Isam family.

they've helped bring alot of J's and JD's back to life, i couldn't have finished mine without their help.

[Shaky Jake]

With much sadness, I feel it important to announce in this forum that Lonnie Isam, Jr., founder of the world's most difficult vintage motorcycle event, the Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Rally, succumbed to cancer yesterday after a three year battle. Once again, Lonnie leads us to our destination. Lonnie made his mark on the world and on very many people's lives, including my own. I will remember him as a quite and fun loving man who was not afraid to follow his vision. I would be appropriate to raise a glass or observe a moment of silence in his honor.




Kevin


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[Shaky Jake]

You may have noticed that there is a round rod pressed in perpendicular to the wear face that rides on the cam, and pinned in place. It's not a roller. I originally assumed it would be harder than the rest of the part, but it is not. The rod and the body of the follower are the same hardness, and they are the same hardness as cam lobes and lifters in a modern airplane engine. Here are some pictures:










So, at this point, it is not clear to me what the purpose of that rod is. If anyone knows, or has a good theory, please share.






Kevin


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