Installing the "new" engine

The engine that I got to replace mine was from a ZZR 250, a Canada only version of the bike. Overall it is the same engine but there are a few parts that would not work on my bike. I had to change the generator cover because the electrodes would not work with my ignition coils, the clutch cover because the clutch cable "stay" was integral to the cover on the EX250 but was frame mounted on the ZZR. The oil screen covers had minor differences, none of which affected performance, but I changed it out to maintain an intact gasket.

As a nearly final step of the install I removed the cam chain tensioner to clean and inspect it. Upon reassembly the retaining spring slipped off its perch and scarred the push rod passageway, preventing the pushrod from engaging the cam chain guide. I had to file the burrs down in order to have a functioning CCT.

Changing the exhaust header was the last thing to do on the bike before firing it up. There was nothing notably wrong with the ones that came with the engine but mine were prettier. :) Getting the header off the bike however, turned out to be very difficult. Under attack from large pry bars, blow torches and every other non-destructive method extraction I could come up with the header held its ground and wouldn't come off. I decided to leave the ugly header on the bike for now.

After getting the bike up and running a coolant leak showed up. We broke down the engine to trace that down. Test run number 2: no leaks! I went for a short test ride and when I returned there was more water coming out of the engine. We tore into the engine again. It turns out the o-ring on the coolant pipe from the head to the thermostat has scored and that was the cause of the problem. We swapped the pipes and things were great.

All of this took a couple of days to figure out with each small problem causing large delays. Throw in some fun helping Woot's dad throw hay into his barn and other small distractions and it wasn't until Sunday that I did a proper test ride of ~150 miles down to Blanford and back. A great ride to test out the bike.

One of the distractions was watching the tidal bore. This phenomenon is just the tide coming in from low to high but with the geographical layout of Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy the tides are extreme here. It is in the Bay of Fundy where the world's greatest difference in tides is.

Pictures:

Day 27

Day 30

Day 31

Tidal Bore time lapse *WARNING* This will take some time to load fully, even on a broadband connection*


Day 32