Dune Buggies

I thought I should get on the 110 buggy if we are going to have 2 dune buggies for spring. I went through Dave's yard looking at potential motor transplants. He has a nice new rebuilt 250 for $400, but then I have to buy the carb, clutch and ignition and it would be $600. Then I looked on line, and found the company doesn't sell rings for the 110, but a whole new 110 motor for $300. But then if I spend another $300 I can get a brand new 250cc for $600, but same no carb, ignition apply. Then I finally found on Ebay, new rings for $9, or new rings, piston and jug for $40. No serious design time required, and I have a running, new, machine in hours. I also found the much needed oil cooler, but they don't have the adapter kit for my engine yet, they said next week. Hopefully they are telling the truth.

My break in procedure was the cause of 110 demise I know. I had read some articles on race car break in, and they said to drive it like you stole it. Somehow that stuck in my mind but the "only for short periods of time" was left out of my memory. The extra friction of new rings and cylinder create extra heat and need more cooling than usual. Meanwhile we drove the thing flat out for hours on end until the motor was so hot it wouldn't even run until it cooled. I can't wait to take the jug off and see what it looks like.

A total disappointment. Just slightly scored, I could not see nor feel the scoring until I honed the cylinder with the solid stones, then it showed up, clear as day. I guess the really bad ones are always catastrophic failures anyway. It is not going to be that fun putting these overhead valves and timing chain all back together. Perhaps a good video for youtube when I figure it out.

I am going to change the way I post videos from now on. I have gotten a lot of views of my lame airbag video on youtube, 1300 viewsto be exact, in about 2 months. That is inspiring because I can make way better videos and easily get way more views. Once I have an audience, I not only become a celebrity to people interested in what I do, have a lot of fun making videos, but I also get paid by youtube. I think I need a good million views and a better video camera before I get paid.

So publishing my videos through youtube gets me at least 3 extra views for each video, because I know Anita, Joe, and Kim watch the vidoes on the blog. It also gives me a youtube channel, so people just introduced to our blog, don't need to read through all my gibberish, they have the option of just watching my videos on you tube if they want.

Today I pulled the drive shafts from the ol dodge, and changed the bearing and universals. That was all a pain, took a good 4 hours. But then Dave came over on his sled, and we went for a ride, which was fun but freezing. -12 celcius is too cold to go rip around when you are all ready sort of cold from putting drive shafts back in. I put the helmet cam on, but it spun around on me early on and I didn't get any good video on our ride.

The new 340 was flooded badly, so we took it apart before we took off. Found it needs a new float valve. I'll get one of those tomorrow. Had to drive the ol 250 sled today.