6G Celicas Forums

So here's the story,
I bought my bike off of a seller on CL back in July 2008. The shop I was going through (Hare Racing) had just closed, so I bought the bike non-running for pretty cheap. Well, I fixed it up and started investing some time (installing a jet kit, tuning the carbs, cleaning, general maintenance) and everything was working fine till I started having my clutch basket rub while in gear. Around the same time, I started buying up new fairings to re-paint (while also keeping the stock ones that have started to fade). One of the sellers I met had my old mechanic's number, so I called him up and drove it up to see him for a look over. He whipped out a mechanic's stethoscope and also found that I had a bad rod bearing...

The bike ended up being left at his house, and we've been working on it since March (can only meet on Sundays to do work). We've torn apart the stock engine and found that:
A- It's been rebuilt before
B - Bad rod bearings (a couple hundredths out...)
C - Bad rods
D - Bad pistons (skirts are fine, just where the pins connect)
E- Bad piston pins

So we ordered new rod bearings and rods before we found out about the pistons and pins. Since we still need to order parts, do gap checks on all of them, and re-order if needed, I decided to find a decent loaner to swap in until we can finish up on the stock engine. Needless to say, an old seller that I bought from (same guy who sold me the jet kit) had a spare engine he was trying to get rid of. He replied to a WTB add on CL, and I was able to bring home his swap. Here are the pictures of what's to come for my bike.







So I was able to get all this off of him for a steal.

Engine:
-'97 750 (same year, last of the carb'd 750s)
- Upgraded cams (not sure by who, but definitely larger lobes)
- Adjustable cam sprockets
- Ape manual cam chain tensioner
- New starter (less than a year)
- Barnett slipper clutch (less than 200 miles)
- Factory Pro race covers (Starter and clutch)

Extras:
- Spare set of forks
- Spare cluster
- Spare wire harness
- Spare radiator
- 2 complete sets of carbs (one has a factory pro kit in it)
- Spare coils
- Spare oil sender lines
- Spare CDI
- Spare rectifier
- Spare air box w/ new K&N filter
- Second set of wheels

My plan is to do the swap (should be on the 19th), build up the old engine, swap over the goodies, rebuild the new engine, and then buy up the missing pieces and make another bike over this winter. Dunno what I'll do with it, probably either stunt it or race it (or both) but I have about 65% of the materials needed. I do know that once I get that original engine re-built, this sucker will haul. Just imagine all of those parts, on essentially a brand new engine with a full titanium akrapovic exhaust installed... I'm definitely going to get it Dyno'd. It's 138 stock, and this is essentially the most built it can get without going stroker, turbo, or with expensive upgrades that don't yield huge benefits (ie. titanium valve springs).

I'll try and keep updating this with progress. Let's just say that July will be a paint filled month...

Oh, and this is how the bike started out,



-TC

This post has been edited by razor7: Jul 18, 2009 - 3:33 PM

thats pretty sick........yes sick

Alright, so here's an update.

Ended up not being able to go on a trip down to SD, so we got the engine installed on the 12th. The swap gave us some issues, for starters my old battery was dead. The new carbs were no where near being tuned enough to ride, and the lights were drawing too much power for the stator to overcome. So I've swapped to the old stator, bought a new battery, installed a new headlight (i'll get the other later), and have just finished rebuilding a second stack of carbs. Now I just need to tune them and hopefully it'll run. I do have an issue though, the bike is making a "slapping" sound around 26-2800 rpms. It is most likely either a timing problem or that my new stack of carbs are way out of sync. If one or two of them are running rich while the others are running lean, it'll throw off the balance of each cylinder. Worst case scenario would be that I have a rod that's going to blow soon. Hopefully... not.







With any luck, I'll get it up and running well enough to ride soon. Then comes tires and paint work.

-TC

145 hp stock from a 97 750? sounds a bit optimistic i dynoed a 97 750 non California model about 3 months back with after-market carbs that were dialed in correctly and it made 127hp at the wheels and u figure a chain drive system is about 85-92% effective so it was making maybe 137 at the crank and this was on a dyno jet 250i with winPEP 7. I love the 750s i just have come across a lot of carb problems with these bikes, but nothing an hour and some dyno runs cant fix.

I'm talking more along the lines of to the crank.

Stock they came at 138. I accidentally put 145 (I think that's what I was hoping it would be. lemme fix it) I figure the inclusion of cams, full titanium akrapovic exhaust, re-jetted carbs, adjustable cam sprockets, etc. etc. should bump me up to above 135 to the wheel, hopefully closer to 140 (though I'm not holding my breath). My redline has already moved way past where it started.

EIther way, I have to keep somewhat optimistic on this. This bike has cost me far too much, and wasted too much of my time.

-TC

This post has been edited by razor7: Jul 18, 2009 - 3:32 PM

Bad news,
The new motor blew before I even got to take it on the freeway. The oil pump gave out and shot BBs and shrap metal all through the block, the motor is as useful as a paperweight.

So the new plan is to rebuild the first engine, swap over the upgrades, and sell the whole lot. I've got too much money invested into this to continue along this path. I'm going to sell it legit over CL (in other words, the owner will know the current condition of the motor, what's happened to the last one, etc.) and save up for a 2005 1000RR. I still plan to do most of the same things (Full sato race exhaust, painted spare fairings white with powder coated bronze wheels, work on carbon accents and small engine mods here and there), but feel that this would be a much better platform to be working from. Hopefully I'll be able to update you guys further once everything settles.

-TC

Man,
Time sure flies when you're broke!

So the original engine has been rebuilt as of today. I'm dropping off the key with my mechanic this weekend so that he can start tuning it to work with the new stack. With any luck, by next weekend I'll have it back.

At the same time, my mechanic hooked me up with a buddy of his, and I'm buying his '04 1000RR off of him (full black). I've already given him a down payment, and am doing monthly payments till it's paid off (or once I sell this GSXR for it). With any luck, I'll have my shiny new black baby in my garage in a few months flat. The seller has been really cool, and has practically bent over backwards for me. I'm paying well under bluebook for the '04, and since I'm a college student working 3 jobs, he's been cool with payments as well.

So where does that leave the GSXR? Well, like I said, I'm going to try and sell it, however if that doesn't work out (which may not, bike are having a very difficult time selling right now) it'll probably be turned into a track bike. With what's on it, I'm sure it'll be fun to take out to Leguna Seca, or a few of the other local tracks. I also have a buddy who is partially interested in it as well, so I guess you never know!



Obviously, these are of the 1000RR.

-TC

man that bike is sexy!

wish mine was an srad! I was going to get a '99 for a few hundred and fix it up but decided against it.

Alright,
Just picked up my new, sexy, black baby last night. Put on about 100 miles worth of mountain riding, still trying to get a feel for it's lower center of gravity. Should be a sweet bike to take out on the track!





I've got a video of her running, kinda kills the iPhone's microphone though... I'll try and get it up later.

-TC

What happened to the GSXR?

Sold it for the 1000RR. Keeping up a bike of that age is a little difficult, plus I needed the money to finally pay off the RR. I will be slowly modding it though, starting with headers and other goodies. Already is pushing about 150hp to the rear wheel, 0-60 in 2.9, and top speed of about 185-190. Hopefully, it'll go just a little quicker once I'm through with her :-D

-TC

That is sick! I have always been into bikes but I feel alot safer on four wheels. So what is the fastest you got it up to?

I killed the GSXR's rod bearings at 182mph (overrevved 4th and 5th). The 1000 I haven't taken to the track yet, and won't be pushing for a little while. I need to re-time the valves and do some general maintenance before really opening her up.

-TC

Went out on a nice long run today and snapped these on the iPhone. Man, I miss my digital camera :-/







-TC

lol all of the hearts are cute around your bike. Where in California do you live?

great looking bike, love the new look

a friend has one of those but blue, he has been trying to get me to buy it for the last year, the bike is flawless and runs great

I'm out in a town called Sunnyvale, close to San Jose. Those pictures were taken at the top of hwy 9 which runs from Saratoga through south sf.



would this be your first bike? If you have prior experience, then do it. If not, then steer
clear. All liter bikes have enough torque to do power wheelies...

-TC