And the next contender is...............another Katana

my suzuki gt had that CCI system, the oil went to the mains and also to the intake (it actually came up through the block in a complicated way...) so i would say its smart to stick an extra oilline on the intake. or you know, you could just burn it. (i dont like katanas)

 

Hopefully the only thing this is going to burn is the tarmac
This will probably be the last Katana I do, I've done both the LC and AC versions in the last 12 months and parts are getting a bit of a problem to source cheaply. I had thoughts about dropping a piaggio engine into this one at times with all the trouble it's given me, but I really don't like to be beaten, and giving up is not an option.

 

its a morini engine in them right? same as some aprillias if i recall? i cant stand katanas, all the ones ive worked on have been rusty messes, they dont like the salt we use here. not really made for scandinavian winters i guess

 

Yeah, same engine as the early sr50's. The two i've done haven't been rust buckets, just the usual teenage abuse; no oil so shagged the engine, bad wiring, broken panels, etc etc.

 

Well, the oil pipe re-configuration didn't work.
I split just one of the lines off the pump and put it to the carb oil intake pipe, but for some unknown reason the carb seemed to be blowing the oil away from it instead of sucking it in. Most strange.
The crank bearing side of it was sucking nicely, i tried it with a separate length of pipe filled with oil, drained it like a good 'un, in a few seconds actually which is good.
So i created a second vacuum feed instead as i wasn't that 100% happy with what it had, just didn't want to fill the fuel filter properly. Now it does.
I'm coming to the conclusion that the only real way to ensure a proper oil feed to the piston is to premix a little in conjunction with the oil pump.
I don't really like premixing, especially if the pump is working, but with a new race piston and barrel setup, and with the manufacturer saying it needs to be run in for 1200km!!!!!................I think premix is the only option open to me now. Bugger!

 

Well, it runs, it idles, it goes well up to 30mph, because that's all I will allow myself to do while it's running in.
It would seem that the source of my running problems, draining the fuel filter and not re-filling properly, was down to the carbs float chamber for some unknown reason. Sometimes it would shut the fuel off as normal, then it wouldn't, causing the obvious overflow out the air filter, the carb overflow pipes and flooding the plug very quickly.
So, bit the bullet, fitted a new 21mm carb, which i didn't really want to until the running in had completed, had to down jet from a 98 to an 82 for it to work nicely, and it fills the larger clear fuel filter very well now thank you very much.
Didn't like the pull off much, seemed too lazy and not getting into the rev range, so lightened the rollers, put 5gr ones in there, was way too light, engine was revving at a constant all the way up to 30mph.
Changed them for 5.5gr and then 6.2gr and now it's right. A crisp take off without revving it's nuts off, a little drop when the belt reaches just before the top of the variator. Tried a slightly wider belt as well and it didn't like that at all, 2mm can make a hell of a difference on the width of a belt.
When out for a spin several times throughout all of this and not once did it run dry of fuel, no hiccups, no bogging, plenty of pull, and a few younger heads turning. Saw a few of my customers along the way as I trundled past them, then saw them again as they blew past me. Just wait til its run in properly.............
Overall I'm now happy with it, just wish i could give it a fistful, but that will come.
This could well be the end of another scooter project................but keep watching this part of the forum, I'll soon be back with the 172 Gilera Ice.

 

Been out on it a few times this week, seems to be going well. Keeping it to 30mph at the moment due to the new top end, it gets there really well. And if you happen to creep a little above the 30 mark, you can feel she wants to have a play. In between having little run arounds, it's been idling nicely in front of the garage, just to aid the running in process. Be into it's 3rd tank of fuel tomorrow at this rate

 

Being a little boggy on take off, until you give it some, and occasionally stalling at the lights. Can't feather the throttle without it feeling dead and sounding wrong. Dropped the slide needle two slots and that seems to have sorted that. The running in seems to be going well, idling outside the garage on and off for 10 - 15 minutes at a time really helps.