Flash 8: The 50-MPH Dio

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

OK, so this isn't as much Building as it is De-Constructing, but there may be some interest in cost-effective ways to optimize an otherwise affordable SA50 to run reliably, economically and Spunkily for years to come.

First came the best-packed engine I've ever received.

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The Master Packer sprayed some of that polyurethane insulating foam into the polyethylene Roughneck. Let it set up a while then drop the engine, wrapped in a PE bag into the semi-solid goo. Throw in the bagged hardware, some bubble wrap and fill the container the rest of the way with more spray foam. Light weight, secure, solid as a brick. Not a thing wrong on arrival.

Unfortunately the Cuss-Worthy Carb Cable Nightmare was immediately resurrected. I've had carb caps that could just be popped off, but mostly have had to destructive methods to salvage a cable. Hacksaws, Roto-zip, TNT in some cases... Until I examined the situation:

F8CussCarb_resized.jpg (51.33 KiB) Viewed 10657 times

See the little half-circles inside the cap threads? A trusty set of mechanics picks, firmly inserted into those holes with the cap clamped in a vise and a good plier gripping the cable end, and... well just a few more minutes of cussing, the cable popped out. I needed it to because I plan not to swap the OKO cable but adapt it to the PA carb cap. (I really hate disassembling the headset plastic and all the rest.)

Once I get it to work, I'll have a nice clean low-mileage dual-pull Elite cable for sale.

[1man8scoots]

Oh no I have several others I can send with the other misc parts.

[ped]

hi wheelman.
first nice packaging. props to 1man8scoots.

a good 50 mph scoot
Parts needed: Polini contesta Bbk, 9to1 gears, 92 jet for stock carb.

Thing need to do: remove washer from stock pipe inlet. open second air tube on stock air box. tie oil pump on full. add one ounce of oil at fill up to tank. reduce or add oil as necessary depending on smoke. if you add too much cylinder may overheat.
I occasionally add a capful in the tank, about half ounce.

I'm not an expert. this is one of my personal experiences, and have done well. 5 years iand about 5000 miles still riding 50mph.
hope this helps wheelman. GL.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Thanks, Ped. The Flash 8 block already has the pump deleted, so Premix-only for Ms. Wheelperson's Flash8. 32:1 AvGas is what she'll burn until the 4-gallon can is depleted. The second air inlet appears open from the Factory, too. What washer needs removal?

Flash 3 was all stock except for variator, 9:1, and 90/90 rear tire. It went 49. I can't imagine this tuned 49cc stocker won't crack 50 with better tranny tuning and the pump drag eliminated.

[ped]

oops I meant to say the weld that inside your stock pipe on the inlet side

a stock Af16 with a variator, 9to1 gears, a little tuning, will go over 50 mph.
it will take a little longer to get there.

[1man8scoots]

It's a sr pipe he's receiving, I don't think it has a restricter. It already does 50 up here so he'll be cruising well down at lower elevation I think. I hope ha.

[ped]

It's a sr pipe he's receiving, I don't think it has a restricter. It already does 50 up here so he'll be cruising well down at lower elevation I think. I hope ha.

A SR pipe, he should be all set. no washer or welds inside that one.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Uncrated Flash 8 needed jetting situation checked. Stock 78 appeared to be loaded. Thinking it would need a bit more for the sea-level altitudes of Deepinaharta, I installed an 82 from my early days collection. Think again. It barely ran with any throttle applied. In fact it still felt very fat after I reinstalled the 78, even running the box without a filter. Also nicely clearanced by The Previous Owner for my ZX setup and the Met 660mm belt I selected for the occasion. Pushing 9:1 gears, stock power can use the bit of downgear the big rear pulleyZX setup provides, but that advantage is decreased a little with the 654 belt as it rides inboard of the rims of the pulley. 669 actually hurts top speed, so I split the difference. Besides, my other belts were a bit thin.

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Once assembled, the Stock+ engine was reinstalled in the 2001 frame. I started with 42 grams in the vario and found max throttle RPMS didn't make 7K. Dropped to 5.6, and saw 7200, but it was actrually slower. Split half and half for 37 grams seemed a reasonable compromise, but now I gotta wonder if it's still overshooting the stock engine's powerband. I guess I'll load up a bit more weight just to see what happens. Regardless, Ms. Wheel-person loved our little ride down the Deepinnaharta waterfront tonight, and touched 37.6 MPH on the Vapor.

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Sometimes, for some people, Stock is Just fine.
(Don't tell her, but I'm going to try to fine a 76 and 74 main and do a little more tweaking...)

[1man8scoots]

I can send you 10:1s if you want to trade them. I'll press the final and send them with the exhaust shield if you do.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Eh, the 9:1s are OK for now. It seems we are not the only ones afflicted by the Slippery Slope of tuning for more. Ms. Wheel-person already has indicated she'd be up for a little more take-off Torque... Now have to start shopping for a Contesta or Malossi Iron kit. Aw, Shucks!

[ped]

Hi wheelman.
I would just run all stock parts.
more mass on the zx drive slows the stock bore.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Polini Contesta "Sport" cylinder to be installed, creating Flash 9, so time to wrap up Flash 8: We hardly knew ye...

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The piston is in extraordinarily good shape - confirming the 300-ish mileage.

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The cylinder looks immaculate as well:

F8CylRZ.jpg (220.1 KiB) Viewed 10458 times

F8 was always a little hard starting. It ran OK once warmed up, but needed coaxing atypical for bystarter-equipped stock Honda engines. I believe I found the reason:

F8Malossi ReedsRZ.jpg (47.33 KiB) Viewed 10460 times

That black line is the Polini carbon reed, installed sans stopper and without washers. They tend to bend up and don't close all the way when installed this way, and the hard-start symptoms are predictable.

Anyway, F8 is no more, replaced by 72cc. My one regret is that I'll probably never see the 50MPH from 50ccs that was my goal with this engine. I doubt the Iron Polini cylinder will make 72MPH with the stock airbox, carb and pipe that Ms. Wheelperson wishes to keep.

[maddog]

Hey wheelman, I got 54mph out of a stock derestrictied sa-50 engine, given the info I now have its an an easy 60mph, if only you knew what speed is all about

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Yea, verily MadDog; I am but a sand spur on the hem of Your timeworn robe, lingering and longing to know what You say You know. If only You would share a snippet of Actual Wisdom. Alas I know we are not worthy of thy divine benevolence, and thus doomed to struggle in Your August shadow, while showing Actual Photographic Evidence of our pathetic efforts to emulate Your grandeur. Perhaps in the Afterlife, we shall all rejoice in Your Actual Teachings, but it is not of this Earth.

[HGbrokenCoS]

Greetimg:

Yea, verily MadDog; I am but a sand spur on the hem of your timeworn robe, lingering and longing to know what you say you know. If only you would share a snippet of Actual Wisdom. Alas I know we are not worthy of thy divine benevolence, and thus doomed to struggle in your August shadow, while showing Actual Photographic Evidence of our pathetic efforts to emulate Your grandeur. Perhaps in the Afterlife, we shall all rejoice in Your Actual Teachings, but it is not of this Earth.

REKT!