26 replies to this topic

[jeff 800 ho]

This is my summer build, I found a 2002 500 zx on craig s list with a blown motor. went to see it and found it was equipped with doo gas shocks, hood had some cracks, but nothing I can't fix. seat was ripped, but plan for a boss or rev seat, depending on what I fine. Donor Motor is from a 97 Formula Z. I started by removing everything from the ZX. I then removed the wiring harness from the Z and installed into the ZX. I had thought about using the Z oil/water tank combo , but ended up with the ZX. I will need to drill a hole in it for the oil line to the rotary valve. I am using the Z fuel pump, I wanted to use the shut off valve but could not find a good place for it.hope this does not come back to bite me,I installed the primer in the old rer hole by the pull start. I purchase a motor plate for this mod from the crank shop (see pic). this fits nice and low, with the front being flat it does not interfere with the oil pump. I have install the motor in there, I have to turn the carb boots upside down which tilt the carbs up at a angle a bit but clear the jackshaft protecter or by about 1/4". The Z exhaust will work , I plan on using the complete system and will have to re-drill the exhaust exist hole at a later time. I also plan on using the zx air box, but have to do some work on it as the rotary carbs are closer together than the reed carbs. I will need to cut/move the air horns and plastic weld a piece to fill in the opening. In the other pic you see that I moved the steering shaft forward 7/8" . that is the thickness of the plastic half bushing that goes around the steering shaft. I cut the aluminum bushing in 1/2 that goes inside to help support. I have a 2000 700 jackshaft and found that to be about 1/2 lb lighter than the stock 500 shaft , I also found the 04 rev X brake rotor was about 4 oz lighter than the 500 brake rotor , so I will be using those item's. I plan to run the 11 wide chain and sprockets that came stock on the 500 , 22 top 43 bottom unless I find a 23 top. I will be using the clutch puck support from the Z as it lines up. The zx support has a downward angle and did not line up at all. the z support fits around the jackshaft bearing correct but I will need to drill a new third hole. I did finish the electrical in the dash today. I put the hand/ thumb in there spots. I install the heated shield and pull off switch on the other side. I wanted to get rid of the key switch, but I zip tied it to the steering shaft support under the dash. You can still get to the key if you open the hood. Looks like I will have to load the pic on the motor plate on the next post.

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[jeff 800 ho]

Here' the pic of the motor plate.

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[583's rule]

sweet, i love seeing rotary motors and tripples swapped in to zx chassis. please post updates and pics as you go along

[IQR670]

sweet, i love seeing rotary motors and tripples swapped in to zx chassis. please post updates and pics as you go along

If I can get my pics up i just stuffed a mod 670 in my IQR fitment is tight!!

Sweet build, I looked for that motor plate on TheCrankShop site and could not find it, I'am planning on putting a 720 in my Zx once the 800 ho motor sells and would like to find out how much the motor mount cost? Thanks.

[jeff 800 ho]

If I can get my pics up i just stuffed a mod 670 in my IQR fitment is tight!!

Sweet build, I looked for that motor plate on TheCrankShop site and could not find it, I'am planning on putting a 720 in my Zx once the 800 ho motor sells and would like to find out how much the motor mount cost? Thanks.

Thanks , Motor plate was 165.00 and included the different style mounts for the front.

[Dxray]

I may be putting a 670 mod in a zx soon. Would you be able to take some pics of the stock motor plate and the crankshop one side by side? Would like to the difference.

[IQR670]

I may be putting a 670 mod in a zx soon. Would you be able to take some pics of the stock motor plate and the crankshop one side by side? Would like to the difference.

They look the same but the tabs you seen on the crank shop plate towards the jack shaft and upwards as are the mounts. I think you can get away using it but would have to raise the motor for carb clearance and use a shorty cover/boots but you loose oil injection. Iam also looking into Seadoo intake/carb set up as you can run the carbs tipped up but don't have to funds right now to buy the parts to give it a try and I really could use the room and would like to lower my motor even more and pull it back as far as possible. Next season or mid winter going to test Seadoo intake/carb and see how the carbs like winter, only doing it as none I can find has tried.

Any more pics of the build?

[jeff 800 ho]

I will get some pics for the motor mounts . I am pimary doing this on saturdays so it will basicy be a week between reports.Not this weekend as I have to help my son get his car to be inspecable (brakes,brake cylinder and lower ball joints) I did some research and there was a person running a 670 in a rev with his carbs tilted and he said it worked fine.I did set my motor on the zx plate and you are correct as it did interfer with the oil pump. I did not want to delete the oil pump.

[calypso92]

U need to mod the 583/670 by cutting and rewelding 2 motor mounts then u r good the carbs barely make it over the jackshaft but it.works great 4 me with k&n filters

[jeff 800 ho]

I may be putting a 670 mod in a zx soon. Would you be able to take some pics of the stock motor plate and the crankshop one side by side? Would like to the difference.

Well able to get back at it. here's the pic of the ZX and Crankshop plates oriented the same direction. As you can see the CS plate uses a different front anchoring method which allows room the the low mounted oil pump on the RV motors.

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[jeff 800 ho]

I drilled the brake rotor to see how much it would lighten it up. 12- 5/16" holes for about a ounce (see pics). I could have drilled more holes but did not want to go overboard as it will be a trail machine for my son. I also drilled the oil tank for the RV oiler.It is a 5/8" hole to install the gorment for the line. I drilled it about 2.5" up from the bottom. I installed the oil tank,jackshaft,rotor and brake. Had the oil tank installed once but had to pull it of to move the wiring harness between the coolant lines under the oil tank. This helped to move the coolant line running to the bottle away from the RV oil line.all for now.

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[jeff 800 ho]

today I attempted to pull off both trailing arms so I can get them power coated.1 came off, the other is still hanging by the lower bolt as it is frozen in the bushing,soaking in breakaway. drilled the rivets on the(they where lose and missing) bushing for the stabilizer bar. pulled that out and the insert on one end was frozen on it. Now that is soaking in breakaway. Set the engine into the compartment and found that no way the fuel pump will fit under the carbs with the oil pump on the motor,the fuel pump hits the oil pump.New plan, checked the mukiuni web site for the fuel pump install and found I can install it under the motor as long as the pulse hose is no longer than 11"and i set it level.I now will be using the ZX fuel pump because I found out it has a auto fuel shut off valve. I pulled the jackshaft back out as I settled on using the F-Z torque plate with the ZX bearing retaining system. I will need to drill a new hole for the bolt that goes though the plate toward the motor as the zx and f z system did not line up at that point. with dropping the motor in on a dry run I now have a plan for the hose routing and air box connection.for the hose that ties into the thermostat I have run it behind the steering post an will be coming up between the carbs toward the air box. moving the fuel pump allowed the room. Wiring seems to be plenty to make all connections.

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[jeff 800 ho]

I finally got back to the project. I have included a pic of the fuel pump that will be under the engine. I installed the engine and I leveled it according to the jackshaft. The wiring seamed to fit up well. I had some tight offsets to make the coolant hose work. So I used 3/4" copper and solder them as needed. I have found with how the motor sets the formula Z Y-pipe sets to close to the frame. I found a 97 mxz y-pipe on E-bay. It seams to point up a hair more than I like,but will work much better. I have a pic which shows the difference between the 97 Z and MXZ Y-pipes (Z pipe on left.). I also found the MXZ Y-pipe weighs 8 oz less than the Z pipe.I had to make a new exit hole for the exhaust. I used the silencer cradle from the Z and it bolted right in. I patched the old hole with the part I drilled out. I installed the carbs, primer system primer it until I got gas. Started first pull then stalled. primed it twice more and away it went. I now have to tie up wires and hoses. Install the rev seat. front trailing arms and springs are at the power coaters.ceramic coat the exhaust pipe, hood needs some work. wiring for the hood ,light and switch to the Z gauges. paint and shine the tunnel. and the air box which will take some time to get right. Still plenty to do.

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[nulty_23]

Any more progress with the sled

[jeff 800 ho]

Well, I had the motor in and running and decided to make some changes. I had a few hoses and wires I wanted to reroute and I need to take it back out to make the holes in the front motor mount longer for proper clutch C-C as I needed to force it to get the centers.I have since installed the base into the machine and alined the clutches again. In the pic with the clutches you can see the tool I purchased at the crank shop for checking my center-center distance. This makes it easy and I am floating my clutch so the other doesn't mater.While it was out I decided to pull the top end to have a look. I had checked the compression before I pulled it from the Z and had 145 cold/141 hot on both.I decided to do some cleanup port work and a head shave to get down to the .65-.70 squish range. When I pulled the right jug I noticed the gasket was into the intake port about 1/8",not good. All else looked good. A friend of mine used to work on these engines and has directed me with the porting as I have gone along. And I have to thank Mazie for the photo's on his 583 build as that was a big help.My object was to clean up the ports/ not change the size of the ports in the cylinder, but I was directed to make the exhaust port wider and remove some sleeve skirt on the intake as I was informed it was a good improvement for this motor. I now know why porting cost what it does, It takes time. The other pic is of me matching the Y pipe with the exhaust port. The exhaust ports ended up about 1 mm wider and .7 mm higher at the exit. I then ported the Y pipe to match. I will need to match the gasket when I put it together. I can see where tunnel porting this thing can be a big improvement, Not this year for me...maybe next year. i will include the port pics on the next entry. I need to get a new top end gasket kit / install and and check my squish for my head cut.

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