Started a home built Poorboy

[froche]

I decided to convert to a Poorboy type alternator as my battery (and bike voltmeter)is showing just over 12 volts at starting time. My trips are mostly local and not enough "high speed"to charge up higher. Charging should be higher for a flooded (or pseudo flooded) lead acid battery. Fully charged automotive (motorcycle) batteries should measure at 12.6 volts or above. When the engine is running, this measurement should be 13.7 to 14.7 volts. Mine was at 13.2 at 2500 RPM,

In the past I have soldered the stator leads replacing the connector with 12 gauge copper finely stranded wire. The stator leads coming out of the case were pretty bad and I was lucky to be able tp get them soldered. You know how copper wire gets when the insulation has started to deteriorate and the copper gets oxidized? Well two of the 3 wires were pretty bad and I had to trim the stator wires very close to the stator housing exit to get solder to stick to somewhat oxidized wire.

It has lasted 4 years (and a total of 35 years) and replacing the regulator/rectifier helped by replacing the connectors that were 34 years old, but time ultimately takes it's toll. Also the rectifer / regulator needed replacing once after replacing it. They were only 20.00 bucks but...
So since I had to remove the radiator I figured to:
Replace the fan temp switch which hasn't worked for 3 years (used a on/off switch instead)
Change Antifreeze rather than save and reuse
Do timing belts
See what else pops up its head!

Ebay new mini Chevy alternator no core 37.00
Nuts and bolts 15.00
Alternator adjustment bracket Ebay 10.00
8" Electric fan Ebay 13.00
50 amp 12-24 volt manual reset circuit breaker Amazon 6.99
1 gal diluted Zerex Asian antifreeze Amazon 13.00
Honda o ring thermostat 7.00 Amazon
Pulley free had one and had a friend make a spacer / bushing to make it fit.
Brackets free from scrap
Wire 8 gauge already installed with new reg/rectifer
Some blue locktite from toolbox
That makes the Poorboy about 105.00 Still have to buy a belt after its done and measured.


Gates T070 Timing belts Amazon 14.00 total
Replacement Fan temp switch 8.00 RockAuto 1992 -94 Geo Metro
Correct fan switch connector Complete kit with extra terminals MT-2S-8 https://www.corsa-technic.com/
8.00
That makes another 30.00 for timing and fan switch

Observations
The thread for the Engine to Cooling Shroud is 10mm and is a 1.25 fine thread. I added 1.25 inches to the length and bought that length. You simply put mm to inch (or the reverse) in Google and pick a site and all calculations are done just by putting in the mm or inches.

The thread for the engine timing bolt is 12mm and is a 1.25 fine thread.The length will depend on how long your pulley / spacer is. For mine I have ordered a 12 X 55 and a 12 x 60 and both fit. I had a longer one and it threaded in a long ways, so I am using the 60mm.

I had the spacer / bushing made based on several of the published blueprints. As a result there was a stepped base which did not fit through the timing belt retention washer. I cut the washer in a lathe so it would fit through. I felt that retaining the washer would maintain the Honda engineering. After doing that I thought that it might be difficult since the timing belt retention washer was larger than the hole cut for the pulley so stay tuned for a solution.

Everybody has made the bottom bracket from angle iron, but I used 1.125 square stock. I felt that it would provide a better base, use less spacers and provide a more stable mount. I added an angled riser the fit against the cooling shroud and got an aftermarket alternator bracket and attached that. Alternator in not held by fairing bolts at all.

I have another engine so i also have cutout the timing covers for the pulley and polished them.

Had about 10 hours in designing the bracket and making it and helping with the pulley spacer and using the lather to cut the hole.
Had about 20 hours searching and reading every Poorboy postings I could find.

Finally started and had about 4 hours in so far today.
Removed the lower faring
Removed the seat and tank cover
Loosened the plugs to make the engine easier to rotate
Removed lower housing and drained water
Unplugged the fan and removed the radiator
removed timing covers.
Removed the thermostat housing, cleaning off the crap caused by someone using water or very dilute antifreeze. Removed Honda fan switch installed Geo metro fan switch. Installed correct switch connector.
Turned the engine until both timing wheels were pointing up and found the T mark.

Cleaned up and rested. m tomorrow!!

[AZgl1800]

that's a good start, but I think you should have been using a Battery Tender to always keep the battery topped off in between rides.

[froche]

Well I have a battery tender but I ride the bike every day so it shouldn't need one. Also the stator is not generating or the power generated isn't getting through the oxidized wires / to new clean copper wire solder connection. When I first soldered the connection and replaced the rectifier reg it was charging at about 14.1 while riding. Now its down a volt.

[froche]

So another day done.
Got the timing belts done, took my time and figured out that they move when you look at them!
Got the timing mark and the two cams point up at the same place as they were before. Started fine after turning by hand for 2 revs
Moved the plug gap from .40 to .45 (yes the books says .30 or .35) but if you followed my changes I put a Dodge neon coil in last month and set the plugs to .40 ran fine so I am trying .45. According to the "book" when you increase the voltage by changing the coil you can increase the gap to get a longer spark that lasts a little bit longer. My plugs were perfect, a light golden brown so another .005 should be fine.

Got the alternator in and mounted, lined up the pulleys, measured and ordered a belt. Should be perfect at 33.25 inches.

Got the rubber gaskets drying on the timing belt cover. used a little permatex to hold them on.

Reinstalled the thermostat cover, and hooked up the Geo Metro fan switch.

Another day

Alt bracket

Alt bracket with 19mm wrench foe size

so you can see the square tube

old K&L belt inside

Geo metro fan switch

[Ohara]

Nice job on the braket.

[froche]

Yeah lots of time on the bracket, Saw one that had a upper mount as part of it so i started by measuring and then drawing then finally used CAD. Boy its great lining in the age of technology! Cardboard Aided Design works great. Of course from drawing to drawing to CAD to CAD to mockup to finally cutting the first piece it changed.

Nice working at our museum machine shop with all the retired machinists to bounce ideas off of! Welding done there too and one of the guys made a pulley shaft extender / bushing with the correct hole for the crankshaft bolt, even a little step at the end.

[froche]

So today I wiring as Amazon hasn't yet arrived with new parts needed.

Since I used a generic rectifier / regulator, that looks like the expensive ones sold on the net, the 8 gauge wire was already in place. Just had to remove it and rerun it. By the way the generic rectifier / regulator costs about 20.00 bucks with all the plugs! Anybody interested, I have one with unused plugs as well as used plugs.

So I attached the Manual reset 50 Amp circuit breaker on top of where the removed 3 wire connection was for the stator (took it out 4 or 5 years ago and soldered the wires) Then made the positive connector from the battery to the breaker and also had the positive side of my battery tender on the battery side of the breaker, That way the tender works regardless of the circuit breaker. Next ran the Alternator side of the breaker to the Alternator. Didn't use the extra connector on the fusebox, instead I found a switched line at the now unused Honda OEM rectifier regulator plug. As I recall there were two wires (black with a white stripe) disconnected those and extended them to reach to exciter lug on the alternator. You have to use both or the starter doesn't work.

Amazon came and back to the pulley.

Attached the crankshaft timing belt washer by clamping it in with the pulley and put superglue on the back side to hold it in place while attaching the timing covers. (Amazon brought superglue and 6 mm x 35 coupling nuts).

Took the timing covers with the gaskets glued on with Permatex and trimmed at the opening for the pulley. Installed them, need cleaning after polishing them and getting greasy fingerprints and a bit of Permatex on them! Installed the pulley and used some Blue Loctite on the threads. Tightened by hand and then with an air impact wrench.

4 trips to the auto parts store buying and exchanging belts until I got oue that worked. i used a vee belt 1/2 width and a length of 34 and 1/2. Not too much adjustment but it fits. Started the bike and saw the belt running and the battery charging. Didn't leave it running as no water no radiator etc! i did have to cut the end of the bolt holding the Alternator as it was interfering with the belt.

Tomorrow have to play with fitting the radiator, that is what the 6 mm x 35 coupling nuts were for, as they screw onto the radiator screws attached to the frame.

Haven't decided exactly how but i can cut threads further down on the studs and or I can drill out part of the coupling nut threads...tomorrow will tell! I have 4 of those so I can try both ways. Then I can use 6 mm bolts to hold in the radiator rather than 6 mm nuts.

So far about 15 hours not counting making bracket. And that includes timing belts.

[Ohara]

Using the square stock for the lower mount will give lots of strength to stop the braket from flexing. Looks great so far.

[froche]

Got waylaid by the weather! Even though I have a car port, the rain runs through making it hard to lie down for some stuff. And walking through the rain is not fun. This is heavy rain, on and off but heavy (So Cal)

Got started on moving the radiator out. Cut more threads on the threaded extensions for the radiator and screwed on coupling nuts. looks like a good fit. Can't find the bottom fairing mounts, i put them in the segmented box with all the other parts but they are not there so... gotta find them before finishing. I have another Goldwing taken apart so i can look in those parts. Hopefully I will find them. Don't want to have to make them
.
Decided to use an 8" push radiator fan and spent some time getting it fitted. Waiting on Gates 21008 radiator hose to make new ones.

[AZgl1800]

you should move to AridZona where it never rains and Taxes are cheaper.

[froche]

Well got the radiator on and the fan mounted and wired. ]

Boy the top radiator hose is hard to do! Got it but haven't put the clamps on the bottom end just on the top. Going to change from Honda wire clamps to aftermarket and those can be put on after the hoses care on.

I really had trouble with the bottom hose, so back to more research and measuring. Turns out that i needed to obtain a spacer that moves the bottom hose (cap,water pump) out approx 1.5". This is done by a Moroso Big Block Chevy water pump spacer and longer Metric flange bolts, 6mm x 1.0mm x 50mm or maybe x 60mm.

Spacer

Had to order it and the bolts, the spacer is supposed to arrive on the 27th of November, that's about 5 days from ordering, hopefully it will arrive sooner!

So I can used the time to cut the COVER, L. COWL (LOWER) (INNER) to fit, and play with the outer cowl (fairing lowers) to see what if any i have to heat and bulge.

Still have to figure out what happened to the lower fairing mounts that magically disappeared!

[AZgl1800]

just a word of caution on the aftermarket clamps.

you will need to check for seepage every spring after the cold winter months, and tighten them up just a bit.

the OEM spring clamps tend to keep getting tighter and tighter all on their own.

[froche]

Got the spacer parts, bought longer bolts that were too long! Cut some more threads on them and shortened. Got the bottom water pump housing cover installed and all the hoses tightened. Started filling with 50/50 Antifreeze and it looks like a crack in the bottom of the radiator tank!

I have another radiator so I am thinking about how I want to do this... trying to repair the cracked radiator or trying a used radiator?
i have successfully soldered tanks in the past, but it sure is easier to just replace it, but the used replacement could leak too.

I really want to get it up by the weekend!

[DenverWinger]

Might be worth taking it (them) to your local radiator shop, they should able to solder, and even pressure-test them.... They could tell you which of them is best to use.

[froche]

Got lucky and found a radiator shop that pressure tested both and repaired the one that had a leak. The other was fine as well! As it turns out it was the bottom outlet to tank solder joint. Soldered it while I waited and watched, cost 25.00!

Got it put back om the bike and the rain started so I cleaned up. Can't remember if I used a gasket, had to use gaskets on the Moroso spacer.

Tomorrow will come and I will try filling up the radiator.

[froche]

Got the radiator filled and found a leak, called it quits and thought about it all night.

Sunday I tightened the top radiator hose at the radiator, it was loose! Got it filled up and drove it to the gas station. BTW i got about 38 miles to the gallon! Best so far!

I have a very tiny leak at the bottom pump cover / Moroso Spacer. Gonna talk to the Machine Shop guys about fitting in fillers re-drilled to match the 6mm bolt holes used by Honda and making an O Ring groove. Or making a entire piece out of aluminium ... Whatever they think.

Gonna leave off the tank and lower fairing pieces for a while while i check it out and because I may have to remove the radiator after the machine shop gets done.

Getting (by the bikes voltmeter) high 13's at idle after it warms up and low to mid 14's while running. Yesterday i had 14.5 at the battery while running at about 1200-1300 rpm.

[froche]

Took it for a short ride, got off and it was steaming!

Apparently the radiator to overflow tank hose cracked at the tank, and the overflow tank was FULL!

Shortened it by the half inch it was cracked at and drove it home after hanging out at the Machine Shop / Tractor repair area for a few hours.

Helped a Massey Harris model 55 tractor get restarted after 3 years apart to fix the transmission.

Drove home and no steaming!

Thought about the Morose spacer and figured out that I could make flat aluminum plates for each end, 1 with a o-ring grove and the other big enough for the o-ring to seal on it. Drilled with the 6 mm hole and spacing for the Honda water pump and reduce the Moroso plate by the total amount of the thickness of aluminium plates, and drill and tap the Moroso to have the plates screwed to it. Then assemble the plate/Moroso /plate sandwich using RTV for "gasketing" the metal to metal parts, screwing them down maybe with blue locktite, letting the RTV dry and making sure any excess RTV is removed.

I think that way it retains the Honda O Ring gaskets.

What do you guys think?

[froche]

Talked with a master machinist, he thinks it will be easier to make both sides out of aluminium and cut the Moroso spacer down and sandwich it so ity goes water pump cover - o-ring - new part attached to spacer -spacer - new part attached to spacer - o-ring - pump "base".

Gonna try that.

[Rednaxs60]

Used the Morosso spacer on one of the '85 LTDs I did the alt mod to. Worked pretty good but found that the holes were too large for the bolts and aligning it was a PITA. Used some PVC tube the size of the bolt holes and reamed the internal diameter to suit the bolt size for the bike. Worked much better after that. Cheers

[froche]

So they are making me a spacer to replace the Moroso. Turns out to be a full spacer made out of 3" diameter aluminum rod.
It's going to be a larger hole in the center with a oring slot to take a 2x46 (stock size oring 9) with two holes either side to match the water pump cover.

So it's gonna be;
Water pump cover - oring - spacer -oring - water pump.

As a result I am gonna have two Moroso spacers available if anybody is interested, 1 unused and 1 used.

When I get the part I take a photo and post it.

[froche]

OK got the part:

End view with o ring groove

That part goes against the water pump outlet and is sealed by a 2X46 o ring (stock size)

End that the water pump covrer / rediator inlet goes on

This end "becomes" the place where the water pump outlet cover attaches

Showing how it going to go on

This photo shows the parts in the way they get assembled

3-d sorta

This view shows the sides.

It was made out of 3" diameter aluminum and the hole the water goes through is approximately 1 3/16" about 30 mm. That is the size of the Moroso parts hole, but it can be bigger but it has to be smaller than 46 mm cause the o ring is 46 mm. 1 1/2 is probably the limit, that's about 38 mm and leaves about 3 mm each side to seal.

[froche]

Well removed the Moroso part and installed the custom made part. Here is a picture.

part installed

Fits much better, uses stock oring (x 2) and the bolts just line up exactly!
No leaks.

It was made out of 3" diameter Aluminum.

if i was making it again I would have the bottom cut closer to the outlet cover as there is a drain that cannot be opened with it the way it is.