CAM, LIFTER, and VALVE:

[Tonastke]

Thanks for welcome and glad to be here

I like this site... I like talking to humans who talk human rather than some lingo only youth can interpret. Dayton is good town although it is in some rough times right now with GM on the skids and layoffs are eminent just before Christmas. My youngest daughter lives in Englewood and is a field accounting auditor for Dayton Freight. So I've spent some time in Dayton and the Wright State area back in the baby girl's college days. So with part II on the way, I'll hold all questions until after "Whizzer Cooling 101".

Talk to ya' later
Tom Schisler
Portsmouth Ohio

 

[Quenton Guenther]

Hi Tonastke,
Part 2.
It is easy to at least double the power, and even possible tripple it [not hard to do when starting under 2 HP]. First the WC-1 top end needs to go. Next you need to find quality parts to make the needed changes. And the replacement parts need some TLC.
The majority of the replacement parts suffer from poor quality control, but most can easily be modified to become durable. Whizzer makes a cylinder upgrade kit [$466.10], but is often out of stock, and the kit will reflect the current production parts. Several items offered in the kit are either not needed or create additional problems. The kit contains a 22 MM carburetor which is way to large for the stock WC-1 camshaft & intake valve. Considering the 22 MM carburetor is jetted on the rich size [started at a 95 main jet, reduced to an 88, but 85 or 82 is much closer to correct]even with the high lift camshaft. Another item in the kit that is problematic is the exhaust manifold. The exhaust manifold used in the kit fits the larger exhaust pipe used on the last production NE motors. And my all time favorite is the new piston, and I wonder if my motor at 500 or 600 miles needs a piston, NOT. The piston is not fitted to any cylinder and is a "shelf" item, therefore it has no value in the upgrade.
I am sure by now any future kits will use the same parts as the new NE-R motor, so in my opinion it might be to your advantage to locate the upgrade parts in the very near future. The previous comment is not intended to bash, discredit, any company, person, or persons.
I will share the results of my efforts to modify, enhance, improve, upgrade, and engineering changes to the new edition Whizzer motor. The majority of the changes require removing metal. Almost all NE cylinders have an extrusion at the top of the exhaust port, use a Dremel grinder and remove the aluminum blocking the top. It will also help if the top corner of the port is "rounded" about 1/8". On some of the later NE cylinders the port has a few grooves, and will help if the port is smoothed out to blend them in. Never make any large increases in the exhaust port size or basic shape. Removing metal from the head will also help in at least 3 ways, Milling .060" will balance the motor closer to match the larger intake valve and porting. Milling the head also increases the area around the 2 large headbolts, because the chamber narrows with depth. Removing metal from inside the head's combustion chamber to smooth the radical angles for a cleaner more efficient burn will also add power to the equasion. Another way to remove metal and improve performance is to simply "deck" the top of the cylinder. I deck every cylinder to remove the deep "tool" marks to promote a better cylinder to head seal. By removing a small amout of metal around the valve seats [I use a New Way cutting tool]it sometimes creates a 45 degree edge that may not have been there from the factory, or widens a small cut to aid in valve seal. I personally "lap" the valves in with valve grinding compound and liquid test the seal. Always remove a little metal from all the 8 MM head bolts [shorten by 3/16"] because they will bottom out if using a milled head. If using the Whizzer "mushroom" lifters, take a 3/16" drill and hollow out the lifters [stop before the bottom 1/4" of the lifter]. While removing metal from the lifters, take some extra time to level the bottom of the lifter [I have seen some over .125" off level], once again removing metal. Another way to remove metal and help durability is to remove the "lock washers" on the head bolts, if that version uses them.
My next modifications will add some metal, first use the thicker copper head gasket. To slow down the oil entering the lifter chamber I suggest a small aluminum tube [O.D. .475"] be installed in the large hole at the base of the cylinder and extend within 1/8" of the top. Drill 2 small holes at the base [level with the bottom of the chamber] of the tube to allow return oil.
After advancing the camshaft one tooth I usually set the lifer clearance a little different that factory guidelines. On the WC-1 camshaft I set the intake at .009", and the exhaust at .011". Using the NE camshaft I set the intake at .006" and .008" exhaust, but never use these settings unless you are sure the mushroom lifters are correct [straight base].
The ignition timming can be advanced by moving the "trigger" plate on the flywheel. Re-locate the trigger forward [counter clockwise] 9 degrees will net 23 degrees BTDC. If the trigger is moved forward too much it will become out of sync with the magnets in the flywheel and the fire can become intermitten. If the rear of the trigger plate covers the center of the original mounting hole it will be at 23 degrees. I have made special adjustable plates and can alter my timming from 14 to 41 degrees BTDC, but 23 degrees BTDC is best all around and easy to do.
Hope this answered your questions, if not, just ask.

Have fun,

 

[Tonastke]

Wow

There's a ton of info there. Never having a Whizzer mill apart, I was trying to follow in my mind your guidance. I would say it will all come together in a tear down. So bottom line is I need a new top end and use old stuff for paper weights? Are the cranks and rods pretty much the same across the board? Are wrist pins pressed or clip pinned?

Tonastke

 

[jbcruisin]

Ha,Ha,
Are the wrist pins pressed or clipped. They're clipped. My WC1 when I took it apart ( after it blew at about 100 miles) to do the NE upgrade I discovered that from the factory it never had the clip in the one side. The cylinder wall was worn where the wrist pin rubbed against it.

 

[Majicfingers@1]

Hi Tonastke and Welcome,
I am from Dayton....... Raced AMA dirt track all over Ohio in the late 60 to early 80s. Had a 24" Whizzer Ambassador [in fact 2] at 13 yrs. old in Dayton.
When the WC-1 motor decides to stop running, it is almost always the valve seats [approx. 99%]. The problem is design, but is rushed along by heat. I will do my best to pass along the results of my thousands of miles of personal testing, and the test results of extracting all the power possible from the flat head Whizzer motor. The aluminum used on the WC-1 motor was extremely porous and didn't handle heat well. I have seen motors exceed 600 degrees, of course not for long. The seats were pressed in [I think cold] and the aluminum expanded quicker that the valve seat material. Now we should consider 2 different theories, one concept states if the speed is restricted the motor will produce less heat, second theory states an effecient air cooled motor will run cooler at higher speeds [air cooled is the magic word].
Normally the motors are a victim of heat and most I am aware of didn't make it much past 650 miles. I have heard of motors passing the 1000 mile mark, but have never seen one. I think it has more to do with riding style, for example I live in a very warm climate, and take long rides [ min. 15 miles, and most over 30 miles] and therefore my WC-1 motors seldom made it to 600 miles.
An important note about the symptoms of loose valve seats. The only thing that remains similar is "pushing" or "riding" the bike home. I had the chance to strengthen my legs on many return trips. Most of the time the motor will suddenly act like it ran out of gas, and may "pop" a few times [depending on which seat loosened]. On a few rare occasions after the motor cooled it was possible to "limp" home using the motor. There were some failures that left the seat completely out of the block and those rides required returning home without the aid of the motor.
I know of thousands of dollar wasted trying to keep the seats in the WC-1 cylinder, and I will tell you some of the fixes I tried. Purchase a tool from Whizzer twice [$49.00 X 2] made to "peen" the seats. Results netted 100% failure. "Pinned" the seats in, 100% failure. Had special over sized seats made [.002", 003", .004", .006" O.S.], 100% failure, Had threaded seats made, 100% failure, Used special liquids, such as Loc-tite #620 & #640, 100% failure. Spent $2000.00 with a company in Ohio that was famous for keeping seats in HD motors, never finished testing, but wasn't cost effective if successful.
There ya are the truth and nothing but the truth.
End of Part 1, part 2 to follow.

Have fun,