Vintage rides

I am working on insulating my garage right now, so didn't have much time for the projects. Managed to finish all welding and grinding on the frame and primed it with Tremclad Rust Primer.

Here are some pictures of the frame:







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Traded some motorcycle parts to this 1975 Puch Maxi moped, it has E50 single speed engine: runs pretty good;) I need to make more pictures...
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I was planning to paint the frame last weekend, but didn't have any time:( Also, I need to figure out seat mounting - bolting it on frame isn't the best way... I want somethinf different. Need to think:)

Decided to spend some time on steering parts: I left skis assembled, but the skis themselves are scrap metal, so I needed to separate useful parts. I have to admit, they fighted me hard. My victory cost me a few dulled drill bits, broken table (broke the corner with the vice), and sore hands...
Here is the result of using wrench extension:
Reinforced vice:)



Rust is number one enemy of any sled restorer. Surface rust isn't that bad, but then it works like a retainer of axles, bolts, etc. - it's terrible!!! It took me a good couple hours to dissassemble those ski legs... Bolts had to be drilled out. Now they are ready to go in rust removal bath...

Result of drilling...


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I added new section to the blog: manuals. Here you can find Ski-Doo shop and parts manuals. I will try to figure out how to make them downloadable...
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Spent some time clearing the room on the floor in the garage. Assembled Elan takes much more space then parts bins:) I can continue work on the frame now.



I was doing ongoing inspection during the disassembly: most of the parts are in better shape then those I had. When I was picking the sled up I felt that it wasn't smoothly rolling on the track and I found the cause: the left axle bearing was destroyed and inner race of the bearing wore the axle beyond repair. Gear case isn't damaged.


Frame got some damage in the tank area and some rust on the tunnel - not too bad.


Bogies' tires are worn and 2 bogies shafts are in bad shape. One is reusable.
Track is original, but cracked badly. Everything else is in useable shape. Just some cleaning and repainting.




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Worked hard a couple nights and now Elan needs only seat...

Did I mention, that I worked hard in front of my computer searching local ads for cheap sleds? I missed one really nice Elan - dirt cheap... And found this 1973 model (manufactured in Feb. 1972) for sale. For the fair price I got it home yesterday: now I have plenty of spares:) Mechanically it's in better shape then my first one and I will use some parts to complete the first project, then, maybe, I will restore this one.
So, now I got second motor with good compression; the hood (poor shape, but fixable); clutch/brake/gear assembly; steering is in really good shape. Will check bogies - maybe they are in better shape as well.
Here are some pictures:

















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Couple things happened: I brought the boat to my place in city and I pressure tested the Yamaha sled engine - it passed!!!

The pressure test surprised me with good result! I was prepared for the worst scenario and brought tools to remove the engine from the sled. I blocked the exhaust with rubber sheet


and plugged the inlet with tester adapter,

pressurized to 8 psi: lost the pressure in a minute!!! Sprayed the engine with soapy water - no bubbles, but I could hear the air escaping somewhere... It was a pulse line for fuel pump! Blocked that and pressurized engine again to 8 psi.

Waited a couple minutes - still 8... Left it for 10 minutes - 8 psi... Great! Put everything back together - will test-drive the sled when we get the snow.
Now I think, that I could make the test a bit more complicated by cranking the engine a couple times before it, but I think it wouldn't make a big difference: if I will have a leak at seals, I would find that anyway...




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Today is "small things" day! Those little tasks always can wait until you get the bunch to do them at once. Wheels’ dust cups got their grease fittings today; vegetable cutter got the blades fixed; I assembled a leak down or pressure/vacuum tester for two stroke engines.


For those who are interested here is a bit more information on the tester >>>>

What is pressure testing? The pressure testing of a 2-stroke engine is a test performed to verify air leakage (actually, you don’t want air leakage). An air leaks will cause lean conditions in air/fuel mix with a possible result in engine damage (seizure, detonation, hole in the piston, etc.)
For more information how to perform the test and how to build the tester you can check these links:
www.duncanracing.
www.macdizzy.comh
www.greenhulk.net
www.allthingsmoto.com
Last week I received the pressure/vacuum gauge in the mail and today I put the tester together. At first I wanted to use the valve from tire tubes, so I can use bicycle hand pump, but I couldn’t find it in my bits bin… I decided to use the leak down tester set up I have for 4-stroke engines. It has regulator, so I can increase the pressure safely. I don’t have a vacuum pump, so I will do only pressure testing for now…
The gauge I use is common engine vacuum/pressure tester available from some auto parts stores.

I got mine from ebay for 16 dollars shipped. It comes with a hose, so all you need are fittings, brass T, some kind of check valve or just a shut off valve like I used and source of pressure/vacuum. Actually, you can use whatever you have: the gauge is suppose to be able show you low pressure precisely enough.


I am going to test my Yamaha Excel engine, so I use taper rubber plug with maximum OD 1.8” – it fits right in rubber intake manifold. I am going to seal the exhaust with rubber sheet.
I am curious to see the result…

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It seems like ehen I have a spare minute I try to weld something to the Elan frame:)


Looked at the frame and tried to weld all the holes along the footrests. Lots of grinding ahead...
Here are the pictures:








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