3½ Racers...

The 3 1/2 forum
Steve Brown
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Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Post by Steve Brown »

I've contacted NLM, AMEX, and DDD... and I could afford a week long bender in Las Vegas for the money they are asking....


:lol: I would do Vegas anyway and see if the winnings wil cover the weekend and a camshaft.
Careful though, I'm not a qualified financial adviser :wink:
moriniuk
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Joined: 13 May 2006 12:00
Location: Levenshulme, Manchester
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Post by moriniuk »

How much are NLM asking for an L5 cam?

I had one copied from an original L5 cam and also kept the former that the company made to make more with in the future. I think EVguru (Paul Crompton) from this site also has one too, and possibly a 2+2 cam. I have a 2+2 cam but no former to copy it.

You need a standard cam to grind into the new profile.

To be honest after all the postage and machining costs, I doubt if it could be done much cheaper. Possibly if there were a number being done at the same time it would be worth it.

H.
EVguru
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Post by EVguru »

moriniuk wrote:How much are NLM asking for an L5 cam?
£225 +vat exchange.
I had one copied from an original L5 cam and also kept the former that the company made to make more with in the future. I think EVguru (Paul Crompton) from this site also has one too, and possibly a 2+2 cam. I have a 2+2 cam but no former to copy it.
There's been quite a bit of debate about the L5 on the Morini mailing list. Stewart says the L5 (marked L5) was never fitted to a production bike. The L cam (marked L) was and apparently there were two versions, that later one with slightly more timing. I bought an unused 2+2 and an L (described as L5) from Herdam and had them mastered by Newman cams. I'm working towards having a camshaft test stand (like the one sold by Performance Trends) so I can actually compare cams. It will then be possible to sort out the different profiles.
You need a standard cam to grind into the new profile.
You need a 20mm base circle cam from a 250, 350, or 400 twin. The 500 cam has a smaller base circle and cannot be reprofiled.
To be honest after all the postage and machining costs, I doubt if it could be done much cheaper. Possibly if there were a number being done at the same time it would be worth it.
Well, I can do better than the NLM price at the moment. I have some L cams available right off the shelf but the price will depend a lot on providing an exchange donor cam.
Paul Compton
http://www.morini-mania.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/user/EVguru
mgill
Posts: 124
Joined: 11 Feb 2008 14:41
Location: Southern Canada

Post by mgill »

Hi Paul,
I've got a Strada cam as a donor, will that work?
Got a Sport Cam too but that's in the bike...
I'm not opposed to the 2+2 either, just everyone seems to run the L5?

BTW the last cam I got from Hermy cost me $90
DDD is asking almost 300 euro...
MRC #2795
EVguru
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Post by EVguru »

A Strada cam should work. Just check the base circle with a set of callipers though. I've been sent 500 cams before now and people swear blind they came out of a 350.

I can't guarantee a 17.5mm base circle when a 2+2 is ground onto a Strada profile, but it should be close. Tom Farrow's 2+2 is down to about 16mm without any apparent problems.
Paul Compton
http://www.morini-mania.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/user/EVguru
mgill
Posts: 124
Joined: 11 Feb 2008 14:41
Location: Southern Canada

Post by mgill »

Any thoughts on the kick start mechanism?
I've got the Tarozzi's and NLM's 12lb. Swan neck lever now...
Would like to do away with it all together but then I'll need a roler starter...
MRC #2795
Steve Brown
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Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Post by Steve Brown »

Do away with the kickstarter gear. You don't really need a roller set either, they bump-start easy enough-all my races were bump start and I had an advantage there.
moriniuk
Posts: 62
Joined: 13 May 2006 12:00
Location: Levenshulme, Manchester
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Post by moriniuk »

I left it on. It is quite heavy, but for general convenience it's good to have. Using rollers and bumping is a pain when you want to start the engine in your garage for a bit of maintenace. Much easier and safer in the pit lane and paddock too.

H.
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Sam Stoney
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Joined: 30 Oct 2009 01:52

Northeast US racing

Post by Sam Stoney »

FWIW, I just put a proposal into the USCRA rules committee to allow 350cc Morinis in the Lightweight Supervintage class - this would puts them in a relatively competitive class of pre-1972 360cc 4 strokes and 250cc 2 strokes. Rules are at www/race-uscra.org. For those of you that don't know them, the club races in the NE US primarily at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

I can't guarantee it will become a rule until the rules committee meeting in Jan, but I'd be surprised if it didn't; I'll be at the meeting to make the case if need be. I hope to build up a bike for it this winter.

Sam in Boston
mgill
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Location: Southern Canada

Post by mgill »

That's great news Sam! I've considered racing maybe one of the uscra events, it's a 12hr drive for me, but no further than 2 of our other events in Canada. I too will be making a rule change proposal to the VRRA, but it will not take affect until 2011 season. Until then it's middle production,
not a bad class.
Have you considered coming up to Canada and racing with us?
MRC #2795
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Sam Stoney
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Post by Sam Stoney »

I used to race Mosport and Shubenacadie, and raced a modern outfit up at Alma once- great experience! We'll see about next year; I'd like to but it's harder now that a US dollar isn't worth 2 Canadian.

Sam

mgill wrote:That's great news Sam! I've considered racing maybe one of the uscra events, it's a 12hr drive for me, but no further than 2 of our other events in Canada. I too will be making a rule change proposal to the VRRA, but it will not take affect until 2011 season. Until then it's middle production,
not a bad class.
Have you considered coming up to Canada and racing with us?
mgill
Posts: 124
Joined: 11 Feb 2008 14:41
Location: Southern Canada

Post by mgill »

I've just read the Morini Performance portfolio, collected articles on road tests, model designs etc... a waste of time really.

I'm a little concerned with the 350's lack of engine performance above 80mph.

Racing, ideally I'd like to see the ton as quickly as possible,

Other than fitting a fairing, will the 2+2 or L5 cam help?
MRC #2795
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Sam Stoney
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Post by Sam Stoney »

I'm a little concerned with the 350's lack of engine performance above 80mph.
Racing, ideally I'd like to see the ton as quickly as possible,
Other than fitting a fairing, will the 2+2 or L5 cam help?[/quote]


Hey - the 3 1/2 is no rocket sled. No doubt a hotter cam will help, but you'd probably be better off first finding a good authority on cylinder heads and having them take a look-see at the Morini one. Yes, I know they're purported to be excellent from the factory, but they're built for midrange, hence the relatively long stroke and low 8,500k peak RPM. This equates to a very conservative 3200 feet/min piston speed; compare this to the 3500 ft/min piston speed of a stock Honda CB350 at it's standard redline of 10,500K! The Morini should theoretically be able to spin up to 10K or so before you get to dangerous piston speeds, but I don't think the head can flow enough to run up to that RPM. Then there's the matter of the pushrods...

I certainly am no expert on head flow in general, let alone on the Morini. But I'm guessing that a cam like the L5 will help a stock motor, but that the 2+2 probably doesn't really open things up w/o headwork and bigger valves. As far as getting 100MPH quick, spend your time and money on making the bike light before you spend your money on HP.

Sam
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Griffo
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Joined: 25 Nov 2009 02:38
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by Griffo »

Hi Magill,
I'm just looking at a letter I got from Jon Green at Elbymoto and another from Chicken Ranch Racing. And thinking about the things I did to get my 344 to go fast.
Get rid of as much weight as you can. I took of as much as I could. Fibreglass seat. Aluminum seat loop. Fibreglass guards and fitted a fork brace as the stainless guard braces the fork. I took off all lug that I didn't require.

Crack test the crank. 10,000 revs will surely test it.

Reduce the squish band to raise compression. I didn't use head gaskets as supplied by the factory. Slowly close the gap until there is no coking on the raised part of the piston. I think you are looking for a gap of 0.075". This get the combustion to burn in the dish of the piston.

Make sure every thing is in balance. I think we ran advanced ignition timing if I remember correctly.

The L5 cam worked a treat. Its now in my 500. I had to grind off the weights on the crank to give it clearance.

I had the factory exhaust system built. I think I still have the plans for them somewhere. This was good, but a cheaper alternative would be to run straight out pipes I believe they should be 27mm inside diameter and 570mm long. I started with a longer length and cut short pieces of to get it right.

Consider polishing the rods.

I didn't run an oil cooler although some would suggest it.

I bored it out to 370cc but the quality of the parts was poor and the gudgeon pins too short. they tore through the pistons and I threw a rod.

The next incarnation was a fairly standard 500 with the L5 cam. It didn't rev as freely.

I did win a few club races on it and placed ok in open events back in the day.

Let me know if you need any clarification on any of this. And let me know how you go.

Oh, the best way to get good lap times is to use the brakes as little as possible!!!

Good luck
Griffo
On the road again
mgill
Posts: 124
Joined: 11 Feb 2008 14:41
Location: Southern Canada

Post by mgill »

Thanks for all that Griffo!
Crack test the crank. 10,000 revs will surely test it.
I've had her up well over 9,000 on the Veglia with no ill affect at all.

The motors only got 3600 miles from new and I had it down this past
winter. I too have deleted the base gaskets. I'd have to check my notes
for clearance #'s...
Make sure every thing is in balance
I'll be taking the motor down again after x-mas to do just that.
There is a drug dealer down the street I think may let me borrow his digital scales. :shock:
I had the factory exhaust system built
That exhaust is high on my list, but will have to wait until next season.
I bored it out to 370cc but the quality of the parts was poor and the gudgeon pins too short. they tore through the pistons and I threw a rod.
Ouch! I've wondered about the 375 kit that NLM offers, it's within the
dispalcement limit for the class I'm running.
I've never heard mention of anyone running that set up though,
just the 400 kit from 3D.

Does anyone know the specs of the 350 Guzzi pistons?
the best way to get good lap times is to use the brakes as little as possible!!!
BRAKES! WHAT BRAKES!!!
MRC #2795
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