The Diesel Project

[cheesy]

The CVT showed up today but I don't feel like messing with it today.

[cheesy]

And here it is.

[cheesy]

There are three sets of mounting holes on the diesel lump to mount that big plate shown on the right in the box. Too bad none of them line up. Looks like I'm drilling four new holes in the plate. Also need to relocate the oil pressure switch.

To quote the late Roseann Roseanna Danna, "It's always something."

[cheesy]

Haha, made you fit.


There was some drama. Holes 1, 2, and 4 happened without mishap. Hole 3, on the other hand, sheesh. There was something in the casting that was harder than the drill bit causing the bit to snap. A string of epithets followed. I used a carbide dremel bit, always handy to have, and hogged out the broken bit and what ever caused it to break. Then finished up. Three of the four holes lined up perfectly. Hole 3 was the prick but that's what rat tail files are for.

One benefit of following the same plane as the original holes is that the bearing support for the driven shaft clears the oil pressure sender. On the other hand, there's going to be some fancy metal work to get this cluster mounted and aligned.

[cheesy]

In keeping with the 'Nothing Is Ever Easy' theme, I present the cluster known as 'Now What?'.


This is how I'll have to mount this to get the inner pulley sheaves to line up. If I mount the lil' sprocket inboard of the driven pulley, where it's supposed to be, there isn't enough crankshaft to mount the driver. If I flip the driven pulley around so the hub is also inboard, like it's suppose to be, again the driver will be lying on the floor.

Apparently, I'm not the first to have this issue. Comet offers a reverse wound spring for the driven pulley. There's another twenty bucks I got to spend on this project. Add that to thirty five I dropped at Mcmaster for the needed longer crankshaft bolt and spacer for the driver. If this keeps up, a Harley trans would probably be cheaper.

[Landsvw]

This is a super fun build! Keep up the good effort!

Btw, I think your next homemade motorcycle needs to be steam powered. Let’s see, a boiler, open flame, tank of water, tank of fuel (or stack of firewood), a piston engine contraption...

[Landsvw]

Also, could you cut off some of the flange of the little sprocket?

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by Landsvw

Also, could you cut off some of the flange of the little sprocket?

I considered that but still won't work. The problems are because of the width of the jackshaft bearing support. I could eliminate the plate altogether and go with a jackshaft supported by pillow blocks. We shall see.

Maybe a ramjet or turbine powered bike next. Steam is so last century. Everybody and their brother is doing electric. Unless I go solar powered.

[Landsvw]

You could go nuclear but then would have to wear lead pants...

[cheesy]

Did some slicing and dicing on the frame yesterday.

[cheesy]

Decided I better get the front caliper rebuilt if I want to stop this smokey dragon. The two piston caliper was froze solid. It took a couple hours to get it apart, clean it up, and reassemble with new rubber. It's back on the bike with a new master and currently gravity bleeding.

[Emerikol]

Originally Posted by cheesy

Did some slicing and dicing on the frame yesterday.

That's always the scariest part! Once you start into the metalwork of the frame, there really isn't any going back! I mean, there's always a cutting torch and welder close to hand in my shop, but still, it's the principle of the thing! Glad to see this one moving along!

[cheesy]

Yeah, I had to take a couple of deep breathes before I started cutting the frame. Bending the tubes and fitting them had it's own set of problems. I looked at the X and Y axis when I bent them but forgot to take in the Z axis of the double down tube frame. Break out the torch. And as you have said, a flap disk hides a lot of mistakes.

It's the Thursday of my vacation and the weather is crappy. I dub today as Goof Off Day. I'll go check on the front brake in a little while, then lock the garage door behind me and maybe go into town for a few hours.

Tomorrow is change the bellcrank on the DeSoto transmission day. And maybe mow the lawn day. Saturday is go fishing in the morning and service the Jeep day. Sunday is ride the maggot to the motorcycle club meeting if it isn't raining day. Ride the Ural if it is raining.
Monday is back to hell day.

[cheesy]

We have a working front brake. Things get better once you flush the crud out of the hose.

[Oddball Matt]

There's definitely an improper joke hidden somewhere...