Speaking of speed... broke 83mph today...

knothead · 01-09-2008, 05:37 PM

.. and that was on the GPS, speedo said 87mph, this was ona flat road with no wind. I don't get it, I have never gotten this thing much over 65mph...
Could it be the swan song of my Lifan? A couple days of running really good before it just implodes?
I don't get it, usually things suddenly run worse, not better!
And yeah, I tried it three times and got over 80mph each time

EDIT: Anyone know how the timing signal gets sent to the CDI box?
Last time I rode the bike I dinged it pretty hard coming out of a mudhole and killed the engine. I'm wondering if I didn't somehow bump a bit of advance into the timing by knocking a pickup loose/around. The bike is making better bottom end power as well.

Thorgram · 01-09-2008, 05:49 PM

Wow, that's some speed there man! I think the fastest I've had mine going is 70 on the highway. I haven't tried or had the opportunity to push it faster. I have a feeling in the right conditions it could do more. Especially if I loose some weight. :wink:

Once mine was broke in it seemed to ride with a bit more oomf. Maybe you just finally reached the breaking point?

AZ200cc · 01-09-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knothead

.. and that was on the GPS, speedo said 87mph, this was ona flat road with no wind. I don't get it, I have never gotten this thing much over 65mph...
Could it be the swan song of my Lifan? A couple days of running really good before it just implodes?
I don't get it, usually things suddenly run worse, not better!
And yeah, I tried it three times and got over 80mph each time

EDIT: Anyone know how the timing signal gets sent to the CDI box?
Last time I rode the bike I dinged it pretty hard coming out of a mudhole and killed the engine. I'm wondering if I didn't somehow bump a bit of advance into the timing by knocking a pickup loose/around. The bike is making better bottom end power as well.

Hmm, You may have found a trick out without even trying.

knothead · 01-09-2008, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ200cc

Hmm, You may have found a trick out without even trying.

I'm thinking I may have. What made it click was an article I read on getting better performance out of a Yamaha FZ1. That entailed grinding a bit from the plate the pickup mounts to and rotating it for more advance. I think the Lifans only run about 6 degrees max advance (all in the CDI module), which I don't see why it wouldn't take 12 or 14 degrees (or more) once the air/fuel mix was richened up a bit. Betcha' I've have increased my advance... It makes sense, to get EPA certified I can see a manufacturer retarding the timing to reduce NOX emissions at the cost of some HP.

Scary part is? I can wheelie this thing like a monkey now, it comes up so easy. I didn't think about it at the time, but after I killed it I was lfting the front up to get over stuff on the trail. I spent some time today getting some distance on the back wheel. I'll see if I can get some vid of it tommorrow as proof. (I kinda' suck at wheelies, but I'm learning!)

The downside is, if I did knock some advance in it, I'm likely to have damaged something. I might wind up pulling the case to check. (I hit hard, it sounded like I broke the bike!)

madmaximum · 01-09-2008, 09:07 PM

This is pretty interesting. Be sure to let us know what you find.

Just how does a monkey wheelie anyway??

Jim · 01-09-2008, 10:04 PM

Maybe I should lend you my bike, you can beat it up a little to give me a knothead pro performance boost too?

ScottFla · 01-09-2008, 10:11 PM

Yeah, dont complain or go looking for the cause! Enjoy it! Well, maybe take a quick look to see if anything is obviously wrong but otherwise, dont act like you noticed anything....

mebigdave · 01-09-2008, 10:39 PM

I going to ship you my bike too! Or maybe I should start trying to hit every thing in stight... LOL.

I started riding mine to work this week (125Km round trip). The bike went really well today and I was even over taking cars for a change on the motorway! I'm getting 26.23Km/L

I still can't get those dam tappets quiet! I end up with a new vibration today though.

ambassador · 01-09-2008, 10:39 PM

The real question is, can it be advanced without any ill effects to the motor? I've heard about advancing on older engines due to compression loss but these engines aren't that old?

knothead · 01-09-2008, 11:09 PM

The knothead mod! HA ha! Funny!

I'm looking around for exploded views of the engine, I can't find anything.
If anyone finds any documentation on the engine or pics of anything to do with the ignition timing, post it up. I know I'm right about the advance, but I can't prove it yet. I don't want to open the engine up, but that's what I'll wind up doing (might have busted something inside, just waiting to grenade itself). I need to know what the correct specs are before I can tell what's changed (unless it's something obvious). Thankfully I should have the TDM back on the road tomorrow and won't be without a bike.

I need to figure out a way to check the timing, what it should be stock and I'll need to order gaskets and seals before I start.

knothead · 01-09-2008, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmaximum

Just how does a monkey wheelie anyway??

If I can get someone to hold the camera for me tomorrow I'll show you. 8O
hmmm, I may be treating the monkeys a bit harsh.... they would probably do better than I do!

mebigdave · 01-09-2008, 11:59 PM

I have a strip down manual! How do I upload it?

mebigdave · 01-10-2008, 12:01 AM

Try this http://www.compucall.co.nz/download/ENGINE_MANUAL.pdf

knothead · 01-10-2008, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mebigdave

I have a strip down manual! How do I upload it?

Might not need to, I think I've found what I'm looking for. If the LF200 is made the same as the GY 5, the ignition pickup is mounted on a thin metal bracket. A good knock might be enough to bend it and change the timing.
Here's a pic:

The ignition pickup and bracket can be seen in the upper left of the pic. Looks kinda flimsy to me.

If you don't mind going to the trouble, see if there is a good picture of the stator mounted in the engine. If so you'd need a scanner (or a digicam and a hand lens, I can explain how to do it if need be.) and just upload the pic to www.allyoucanupload.com, then link the pic here in a post. It would be really great if you can get something for us to look at! Thanks!

knothead · 01-10-2008, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mebigdave

Try this http://www.compucall.co.nz/download/ENGINE_MANUAL.pdf

Good deal! The first and last pics on page 25 are what I was wanting to see.
In the first pic, it dosen't look like the pickup would move even with a hard hit. In the fourth pic you can see the end of the crank is tapered and has a keyway cut into it. I'm worried that when I killed the engine I may have partially sheared the key, allowing the magneto to rotate just a bit, causing the timing to advance. If that's the case I could wind up completely out of time or messing up my crank.
The upshot of that is, offset keys are avalible, there might be one to fit a Lifan. If so it would be a cheap mod.

01-09-2008, 05:37 PM	#1
knothead Join Date: May 2007 Location: In the land of the busted up ricebowl Posts: 815	Speaking of speed... broke 83mph today... .. and that was on the GPS, speedo said 87mph, this was ona flat road with no wind. I don't get it, I have never gotten this thing much over 65mph... Could it be the swan song of my Lifan? A couple days of running really good before it just implodes? I don't get it, usually things suddenly run worse, not better! And yeah, I tried it three times and got over 80mph each time EDIT: Anyone know how the timing signal gets sent to the CDI box? Last time I rode the bike I dinged it pretty hard coming out of a mudhole and killed the engine. I'm wondering if I didn't somehow bump a bit of advance into the timing by knocking a pickup loose/around. The bike is making better bottom end power as well.
	0

01-09-2008, 09:07 PM	#5
madmaximum Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Central PA Posts: 284	This is pretty interesting. Be sure to let us know what you find. Just how does a monkey wheelie anyway?? __________________ 2005 RSX-200E 2004 Suzuki Eiger 1999 Arctic Cat 250 1977 Kawasaki KH400, aka Green Ripper
	0

01-09-2008, 10:04 PM	#6
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Maybe I should lend you my bike, you can beat it up a little to give me a knothead pro performance boost too? __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

01-09-2008, 10:39 PM	#9
ambassador Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bradenton, Florida Posts: 1,200	The real question is, can it be advanced without any ill effects to the motor? I've heard about advancing on older engines due to compression loss but these engines aren't that old? __________________ 06 Lifan 200 GY-5
	0

01-09-2008, 05:49 PM	#2
Thorgram Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 145	Wow, that's some speed there man! I think the fastest I've had mine going is 70 on the highway. I haven't tried or had the opportunity to push it faster. I have a feeling in the right conditions it could do more. Especially if I loose some weight. :wink: Once mine was broke in it seemed to ride with a bit more oomf. Maybe you just finally reached the breaking point?
	0

01-09-2008, 10:11 PM	#7
ScottFla Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tallahassee, Fl Posts: 21	Yeah, dont complain or go looking for the cause! Enjoy it! Well, maybe take a quick look to see if anything is obviously wrong but otherwise, dont act like you noticed anything....
	0

01-09-2008, 10:39 PM	#8
mebigdave Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 196	I going to ship you my bike too! Or maybe I should start trying to hit every thing in stight... LOL. I started riding mine to work this week (125Km round trip). The bike went really well today and I was even over taking cars for a change on the motorway! I'm getting 26.23Km/L I still can't get those dam tappets quiet! I end up with a new vibration today though.
	0

01-09-2008, 11:09 PM	#10
knothead Join Date: May 2007 Location: In the land of the busted up ricebowl Posts: 815	The knothead mod! HA ha! Funny! I'm looking around for exploded views of the engine, I can't find anything. If anyone finds any documentation on the engine or pics of anything to do with the ignition timing, post it up. I know I'm right about the advance, but I can't prove it yet. I don't want to open the engine up, but that's what I'll wind up doing (might have busted something inside, just waiting to grenade itself). I need to know what the correct specs are before I can tell what's changed (unless it's something obvious). Thankfully I should have the TDM back on the road tomorrow and won't be without a bike. I need to figure out a way to check the timing, what it should be stock and I'll need to order gaskets and seals before I start.
	0

01-09-2008, 11:59 PM	#12
mebigdave Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 196	I have a strip down manual! How do I upload it?
	0

01-10-2008, 12:01 AM	#13
mebigdave Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 196	Try this http://www.compucall.co.nz/download/ENGINE_MANUAL.pdf
	0