Any Experience w/Watercooled Setups

[nacree]

This is primarily directed at Bakaracer as I know he is currently running a watercooled setup but I am looking for any experiences with the WC setups

Ebay currently has WC kits for sale that look pretty interesting.

How do they run? What are the advantages? Are the temps more stable?

Do you have to use a stroker crank?

Do you have to run a water pump or can you rely on convection currents?

What are the sources for small radiators? I suppose one could use a small heater core from a car.

Any insights appreciated.

Thanks,

Nathan

[bakaracer]

This is primarily directed at Bakaracer as I know he is currently running a watercooled setup but I am looking for any experiences with the WC setups

Ebay currently has WC kits for sale that look pretty interesting.

How do they run? What are the advantages? Are the temps more stable?

Do you have to use a stroker crank?

Do you have to run a water pump or can you rely on convection currents?

What are the sources for small radiators? I suppose one could use a small heater core from a car.

Any insights appreciated.

Thanks,

Nathan

The 54mm wc kit on ebay is a good one.that is a pop brand one and I rode a bike that had one of those kits back in the mid 90's that went mid 15's down the 1/4mile. The kit I have now is a very hard to get 50mm kit pop kit for a mini stroke.The advantage of running a wc setup is optimum running temp of 180deg. and you can run the jetting at a perfect air/fuel ratio so no more running it on the rich side.The kit on ebay you have to use the 52.6mm crank as thats the full stroker kit.If you are going to use it for street riding,you will need custom 1-2mm base gaskets to lower the compression or have someone recut the head to reduce compression.You can use any small radiator from a motorcycle or the wc 4 stroke scooters or 150 scooters.The water pump is a electric pump from a car for there auxilary water system.you can also use computer radiators as I'm using because I want to run it in my undercowl.a water cooled setup will make way more power than a aircooled bore as it stays in optimum temps.to run the 54mm bore you will have to clearance the case for the crank and clearance the top of the case for the bore.

[nacree]

Awesome,

Thanks for the answers. First hand experience is always best.

-Nathan

[elitedio]

Liquid cooling yeah! I think I have my air cooled engine jetted pretty well but you can feel the power sag a bit after holding it open for any length of time.

Does the engine make enough electricity to power the water pump or is there a need for recharging externally?

I had a custom v8 Pontiac Fiero that had an electric pump. It cooled well enough but any interruption in power and the engine would toast itself, not fun.

Has anyone made their own water jacket for their air cooled engine?

[bakaracer]

There was a few guys in hawaii back in the day that welded up the head to enclose it and the cylinder too.There are still a few watercooled heads only.I think kitaco use to make one or daytona.I know there are some taiwan brand watercooled heads floating around.