Turbocharged Buell Blast

[piratius]

I've kept a fully updated thread over at buellridersonline.com, but I figured a lot of people here may not know about that site, and I wanted everyone to see it! I've been working on this project for a long time, and it finally started and runs!

I know it's never going to be as fast as an XB, but that's not the point - I have a Firebolt, and I love it to death. This was primarily a project just to see if I could - if my fabrication skills were up to the challenge, and it goes without saying I learned a LOT about welding and forming pipes during this!

Without further ado, here are some pictures! It was dark in the garage last night, I'll get more later!
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s6GxCVHrQfs/U8yVTkm74EI/AAAAAAAADNI/M2Fflz4qXlQ/w939-h704-no/20140720_235919.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cs2Y2bpJ8-s/U8yVJ2PgW_I/AAAAAAAADMo/G0GZUzVmHMo/w875-h704-no/20140720_235846-1.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6DfGf3WsZxE/U8Wpv8quwGI/AAAAAAAADKQ/T_kVRFI_qu4/w939-h704-no/20140714_121212.jpg

And the obligatory proof that it runs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZGl9MCHtxg

I think I'm the first person to ever do this - if so, awesome! If not, Definitely in the minority!

-Brad

EDIT: I know it's not 100% Complete. I need an oil scavenge pump to get the oil back to the tank, I need a Fuel Pump & Regulator to keep the fuel in the carb, I need to weld a support strap onto the dump pipe to help hold everything up, and then to paint the dump pipe. Lastly, I need to wire in the boost gauge! But, it runs :-D

[Cosworth]

Pretty cool little project. Keep us posted on your progress. [up]

[djs2k2]

O my ****! Holy god!

[Loki]

Its such a cute little turbo! What kind is it?

Also I love the project but why the enlarged 2.5" air pipe to 1" into the turbo? Have it one size through out, it will look much better and the flow rate will be the same throughout.

[djs2k2]

Probably parts laying around, "budget friendly build", but I truly would like to see it dyno'd. That works probably be a first to!

[piratius]

Alright! Thanks for the kind words guys!

As to the turbo - it's an IHI RB31. Billed on the Internet as the "world's smallest turbo", this thing is TINY!

The compressor outlet is 1.25" tube. I had to get the size up to 3.25" by the time it went into the carb. I could've gotten away with something smaller at the carb (2.375" I think), but the only easy way to pressurize the carb vent was to use a Kuryakyn air filter spacer, and then use a silicone elbow reducer to start getting the size down.

The added bonuses are that the extra space helps act like a plenum so that the boost will be more stable (singles have a problem with boost fluctuation since there's only one cylinder spinning the turbo), as well as helping the airflow be smoother.

Anyways, I'm at work, so forgive any typos or grammar mistakes. I'll see about linking the updated pictures when I get home tonight.

[heagachongoose]

That is seriously awesome [up] I'd be curious to see some numbers.

Btw where did you get that turbo. I want one for my lawn mower.

[piratius]

EBay! Just search for RHB31 and you'll see them.

They also sell the flange kit to weld up to the pipes, and the oil feed kits. I'm eventually going to shorten the oil line and use bent fittings to clean up the looks.

[bwylie_99]

I've now seen everything. Blast turbo! I love it

[piratius]

Thanks! It's been a fun project!

I'm a little upset that a good scavenge pump costs close to as much as the turbo! The cost of the "things I forgot about until now" is going to add up to almost as much as what I've spent on everything else!

I will persevere though, progress may just slow down to a small purchase per week until it's rideable - no more big pushes to get it done!

[hazardous07]

Dope! Let's see the dyno!

[nicholas900]

This is awesome! I tip my garage builder hat to you sir.

[mothumper610]

progress? this is awesome!

[piratius]

There is progress! I'm sorry it took so long to post - life went berserk, work got busy, and the bikes had to sit on the back burner for a while.

First video - sorry it's in the dark, but I only had a little bit of time to get it running. Idle is high because it was about 28*F when I took the video, and if I pulled the idle, the bike would die (bike/carb wasn't warmed up enough!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8lNMWw7nqw

I have a second one that I'm going to post up, you can see stuff better. Long & Short of it - added a scavenge pump, made an oil drain reservoir with a vent tube for the turbocharger, added a fuel pump & adjustable regulator, tapped the cam cover for the oil return, and did a whole bunch of other stuff that I'm probably forgetting.

Now the oil leaks are all gone (I think!), it doesn't spray oil out of the turbine housing, and it doesn't go crazy lean at throttle (it was blowing gas out of the bowl in the carb). Just gotta get it tuned up, get a few other things figured out, and I'll be ready to rock!

Dyno will be a ways away - I need to get it running well before I even consider trying for bragging rights!

-Brad

[piratius]

Ok, YouTube finally finished "processing" the video I had uploaded, so here's part 3 as promised.

I know I have some rubber lines hanging all over the place - one is a vent line from the drain reservoir that I need to put a filter on, another is the PCV catch can drain - all of them need to be shortened and routed to their final homes. I'm trying to get the major pieces in place and working before I worry about the final details!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfkbYvPUDM

-Brad

[08herobolt]

Get up on that thing. I want to see what it sounds like under load!n:D

[piratius]

It has a little whistle under light throttle/cruise. I haven't gotten it tuned yet, but I have the right jet (I think!) for it, and I'm going to swap it out in the next day or so. The hard part will be getting some time to test it (straight pipe after the turbo, don't want to annoy the neighbors by running it late).

But yeah, I'll keep everyone posted as time progresses!