My RD LC Athena 421 Hybrid with RGV suspenders

[RuZty]

You got me going through all the various rads I have and measuring volumes and such. The Aprilia RS250 looks good and has more volume and almost the frontal area of an RZ500 rad (ergo should cool a hot rodded 350). Also found this one;
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/271986750230?_tr ... EBIDX%3AIT

[JonW]

haha, cool.

Hmm not sure on the Shiver rad, its not cheap enough LOL and the YFZ might be much the same size, its hard to tell from the ad but my biggest issue is the location of the exit pipe, its quite high on the tank, id rather that was lower so you get the coolest water out of it. Ive not got an RS250, so no experience of that one, sorry.

[Jessy]

Hi Jon

I fitted an R6 radiator to mine, pretty easy to do also got the twin fans, just a couple of brackets and spacers. Surface area is double the std LC and capacity is about 50% more.

I'm building another with improved angle also loosing the fans, don't need them.

Bike runs sweet 55-65 degrees.

Jess

[JonW]

Hey Jess, Great bike! Glad its done and looks amazing! Id forgotten about you using the R6 rad, and its great to know that its worked well for you. Good idea to take the fans off if you never use them, they provide a lot of barrier to the airflow, so you might find its cooler without em, especially more upright and in the airflow as Im guessing you were going to riase it a bit as well to get it above the mudguard?

[JonW]

The new radiator solution moves on a little further with the arrival of a hose joiner... Not exciting perhaps, but needed as I’m joining a cut down siiicone YFZ hose to the RZ silicon hose (now flipped upwards) that’s already on the engine for the rad outlet by the waterpump. The RZ waterpump hose is interesting actually, for no obvious reason its a larger ID on the pump than the rad and makes you wonder if that’s by design or accident, I always thought that opening the passageway would be detrimental to the flow when next forcing it through a small opening for the pump but im no expert, either way Yam kept the same sizes when they went from the LC to the YPVS, so felt it worked I guess.

While doing this I mused that it is interesting in that you can build bikes a number of ways; from doing it ‘so it works’ to Smokers ‘best of everything, mostly custom’ approach and Ive realised Im further down Smokers end of the scale than I thought I might be. Obviously, this is not a problem at all, it just takes more time and a little more coin, yet you are rewarded a number of times during the process; Firstly when you find something ‘perfect’ (its like detective work), then when it arrives and you hold the new ‘jewel’ in your hand, again while fitting it, and later knowing its in play.

The boring old hose joiner is a case in point...

I could have use a piece of 19 or 20mm tube from the hardware store and moved on... No locating lip and a naff solution, so I didn’t.



I could have bought one of these cheapo flaired pipes... Gawd they are rough, so I didn’t.



Or with a bit of searching I found that for a few pennies more (not as many as you might think actually) I could buy a far nicer made alloy pipe from a car motorsport seller from the UK... That’s what I did. I think Smoker would approve. :)






As a side note...

Someone mentioned to me the other day that they find my in depth explanation of the work im doing to take away from the ‘majesty of the finished item’ (their words!). Gulp... that came as a bit of a shock... To be honest I hadn’t even considered that it might be detrimental for people to see things come together blow by blow. I really thought guys might want to do similar work and would welcome the info on where things came from, what bits and bobs worked and how I did it. And that it would save the thread from a bunch of questions like ‘what’s that bit from’ and ‘what mods were needed to get that to fit’ that I've seen on other build threads. However, I do take the point that the explanation can ruin the fun; a bit like knowing how magic tricks are done.

Ok, so while the rad still has a new more twists and turns that I will document, the next big job that I do I promise right now that I will just just show the finished article and keep quiet about how it was done, we can all believe it was just a bit of “abracadabra” if we like! :D

[South_Oz]

Jon, dont let one persons opinion change the way you are documenting your builds.

I for one thoroughly enjoy them.

Dave.

[JonW]

Thanks Dave, glad you enjoy my drivel mate. Im working on the abracadabra moment tho, it will be good I hope. :)

In the meantime Ive been working on the next phase of my rad design, adding a bypass since this rad doesnt have one. Ive got a lovely looking alloy 1/8 npt alloy barb, just got to mount it in the rad... I was going to drill a hole and bolt it though with a wide washer to spread the load, tho the bypass is a light hose.

Ive been considering:

1, using an 1/8 npt thread nut - but they are hard to find and how do I know it will thread on enough?

2, I found a great nut with what felt like the same start to the thread (a few turns), but its not tapered. Anyone know what that thread might be? 1/8 NPS...? I think thats the parallel version of this thread, with the same 27tpi. I dont do much Imperial work, cant you tell LOL! I could find a die and get it down to this size perhaps?

3, turning the threaded area down and using an M10 x 1.0 die. No perfect but the wide end of the thread would yield a good result and thats where most of the nut would be.

Some might question the validity of bolting but my thought was that if it leaks I would just get it welded on, its an alloy barb of course.





Any thoughts?

[Smoker]

I think Smoker would approve. :)

Smoker approved!

[L.B]

What about one of the bungs you fitted? Replace with a solid one then drill n tape or have i got it wrong again....without seeing it,its hard to see what is needed.
I for one read your posts,might not reply to everything but it is interesting for me to see peoples different ways of solving a hybrid problem.

[JonW]

I think Smoker would approve. :)

Smoker approved!

Haha, cool!

[JonW]

What about one of the bungs you fitted? Replace with a solid one then drill n tape or have i got it wrong again....without seeing it,its hard to see what is needed.
I for one read your posts,might not reply to everything but it is interesting for me to see peoples different ways of solving a hybrid problem.

Cant use the bungs, they are on the other side (the front). The issue is the thread on this barb really, Im good with the rest of the fitment...

Thanks for the kind words, glad you find it useful.

[South_Oz]

Could the bypass be fitted into the joiner?

Dave

[JonW]

Thanks Dave. I did consider that, but the joiner is on the return - between the rad and the pump. That idea sort of works, but would be better on the rad inlet side. Of course the thread issue still remains when fitting it on the joiner as well. I appreciate that it's not easy without seeing the whole setup to appreciate what I'm doing, it's just a shame you dont live closer and could pop round, I have beer :)

To be honest I think I've solutione'd it pretty well and I'm good with the idea of bolting it in, it's just the thread issue that I have. I was hoping one of the US or Brit guys who knows Imperial like the back of his hand would suggest something, but the more I look I think i may just get it turned down and rethread to M10x1.0. There should be enough meat for that, especially on the fat end of the thread, which is where the nut will rest when done up. Welding would work best of course, but I need to find someone who will do a good job. LB suggested a mob who I could use, but Id have to go there, twice, and pay someone to do it and even tho its a simple job nothing is sensible money in Aus. The whole rad only cost $84, seems 'wrong' to spend $100 having this welded on etc.

In the meantime I will see if i have a 1/8 NPS die in my 'die collection' (LOL), but Im thinking its an obscure size and its unlikely...

[South_Oz]

Hey Jon, BEER? Im on my way.

I did a bit of reading on pipe threads when I had to make an adaptor to mount my Pingle fuel tap to my RGV tank.

All of the taps are available. (evilbay) They range from Chinese cheapies to trade quality = big $$$. I only needed to tap one hole into some 10mm Ally plate so bought a mid quality HSS one. It did the job no problems. 3/8 NPT was about $16.00 Get some good quality cutting paste, really helps.


BSPT -British Standard Pipe Taper
BSPP -British Standard Pipe Parallel
NPT -National Pipe Taper
NPS -National Pipe Straight

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_odkw ... p&_sacat=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_odkw ... p&_sacat=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope this helps.

Dave

[JonW]

Thanks Dave, its appreciated. I've been researching as well, I love this kind of thing really, it takes sleuthing and messing about, but it will be great in the end :)