Conquest Big block Kawasaki Upgrade

[JohnF]

Alternator Install - Outside Bracket

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That is the finished bracket that the alternator attached to. 3/16 steel. Kind of strange looking at the picture because the shiny spots make it look a little different than it really is. At the top of the slot is a small metal tab with a hole in it for the tensioning screw.

hmm.
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Okay, you can see (this is the FD620D) how the upper bracket has a tab for the tensioning screw.

Because my bracket wraps around the back side of the alternator I couldn't bend a tab here. You'll see.

Right in front of that is shiny because I had to grind off the weld bead. Whoops. It created a clearance issue with the tensioning block that I forgot about when I welded it up. Don't do that.

I did intend on just bending the pivot side of the bracket but the cardboard template maker didn't account for the material thickness and I had to weld it up. Actually, I think welding it is an easier approach anyway.

The three installation holes are match drilled to the inside bracket. The slot I made by putting the alternator in the bracket and carefully, with a bit that doesn't ruin the threads, marked center holes while pivoting the alternator in the bracket. Then, with the alternator off, drilled through on the press and cleaned up with a dremel tool.

Anyway, when it is done it looks like:

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Spacers: 2 9/16 inches.
Bolts: M8x1.25x90 but 85 is the right length. I couldn't find them. 90 works fine.

Install the inner bracket first because you cannot install the middle bolt when the outer bracket is installed.

Attach the alternator to the outer bracket before installing because you cannot when the bracket is installed. Everything is in there pretty tight.

The belt is the L-319 that came with the alternator kit.

I did some mock ups and really feel that there is clearance for this in the Argo. Fingers crossed. I do anticipate that I might have issues with the brake cooling air hose. Another reason it makes sense to use the kit ArgoJim mentioned.

[I'll attach the scaled template for this bracket here when I know how]

I show the installation holes on this on just to give you an idea where I put mine. The only critical part is that you don't put the upper hole such that you can't get to the tension screw when you are done. I've marked that with an X.

To match drill you match up both brackets at the common curve. They fit pretty well. I drilled the middle hole first to 7/32 and then remembered that I use 3/16 rod for pins. So, I turned that drill bit upside down and used it to pin the middle hole and then did the other two holes 3/16. That's why it looks bigger. I meant to do that.

Oh, by the way, I think this could be installed without taking the radiator off, you know, if your engine is already installed.

And oh yeah, I did not paint it. Nobody look. I was contemplating the fact that the bracket is the negative side if the alternator circuit and what to do about it after the install you see in the picture, which was supposed to be yet another fitment test install, when I noticed that it was installed and would work just fine mechanically and electrically... and it was already installed. So, if you paint or powder coat it you will have to ensure you have a ground path for proper functioning of the alternator.

[Nubs]

Nice work there.

[rodp]

Nice work, lot of thought / trial and error went into it I assume ? Just as a matter of interest (these things go through my mind) does it matter which way an alternator spins?

[JohnF]

Thanks guys!

... lot of thought / trial and error went into it I assume ?

Kept me from camping out in front of the TV. Made a few cardboard mock ups.

... does it matter which way an alternator spins?

It can operate in either direction.

[rodp]

It can operate in either direction.

Thanks for the info John, my mind comes up with the most abstract questions at times

[JohnF]

documents

Here's where I dropped the pics, pdf, and various files for you all to peruse. THey'll be here until they aren't.

John's Argo upgrade docs

Stuff I mentioned (or will soon):
Alternator inner bracket pdf
Alternator outer bracket pdf
exhaust flange
FD620D Dimensions
FD750D Dimensions

There are a lot of pics. Most are auxiliary memory devices for the guy doing the project. Extra points if you find the Easter egg showing my work on Captain America's shield.

[JohnF]

Installed it.

So, I see I left you all when I fabricated and installed the alternator.

After that, I installed the now ready powerpack into the Conquest. Hmm, no pictures of that stage.

The wiring was pretty much plug and play except that I had to build the jumper from the coils to the ECU that grounds the coils on key off. I had intended to do that while the engine was out but got distracted by a passing bird.

I wanted a high pressure fine fuel filter as close to the engine as I could get. To accomplish this I made a bracket for a bosch filter that has 5/16 in and out.

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It bolts to the radiator bracket where on an FD750D the fuel pump is attached.

[JohnF]

exhaust fabrication

The dimension of where the exhaust ports are relative to the muffler in a conquest changes. There is no source for a ready made exhaust. This has to be fabricated.

I do have a muffler that comes with the engine that I could have cannibalized but the only parts from it that would have been any use were the flanges. I'll just buy new ones and resell the muffler on ebay. NOT. I could not find a source for flanges. So I made them. <See the above template pdf>

To do that I got out a piece of 3/16 strap, measured, marked, punched, and drilled the port and install holes. That part is pretty on. Then I chopped some chunks off and stood at the grinder a bit and made the rest look close to what a flange is supposed to look like. That part is good enough.

Like the other two I reused the y-pipe collector that came with the machine. Here I found something interesting. Some time back I mentioned in the engines forum that my engine appears to run stronger on cylinder 1 than 2. The y-pipe is made by shoving the exhaust runner pipe into a hole in the collector and welding around the outside, leaving a bit of pipe extending into the collector. (I should have taken a picture of this) Anyway, cylinder 1's pipe just stuck through and cylinder 2's pipe was nearly all the way across. Hmmm. Too late to experiment now.

So, I ground off the pipes from the collector sand blasted it and temporarily set it up on the muffler.

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Now all I need to do if fill in from the flanges to the collector with a piece of pipe. And that pipe ain't straight. So I took a piece of #9 wire and eyeballed the shape I needed and we trek back to the shop.

Piece of pipe (sticker shows details):
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To that I welded these:
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Those are just bits of scrap. One has a big hole in it that I welded a nut over so I could screw a big bolt into the pipe. There are very short stitch welds with more not welded than welded to allow a bit of space to hopefully let steam out if it should develop.

So, using a funnel through the bolt hole, I filled the pipe with very dry (so steam doesn't develop in the first place) sand. You want it very tight so smack the bottom on the concrete to settle, add, settle, add, until you can't. Then, install the bolt and crank on it to make the sand tighter.

Next I stuck an end in my vise, heated the area that needs to be bent (using the #9 wire template to eyeball this) with a rosebud torch and carefully bent the pipe. Needing 2 such pipes I made the bend on both ends.

I ended up with:
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I fish mouth the ends that attach to the collector. In the docs directory there is a lousy picture from before I welded it all together but basically I disconnected the ECU and TIG tacked it while in the machine and moved to the bench to finish the welding.

I cleaned it up, painted with a high temp exhaust paint, and baked it in the kitchen oven. I can't find a picture of that - dang - it is a work of art! Well, it feels good to me when things start to get done.

[JohnF]

The battery

I had to nip a bit at one of the heat shields to fit over the new y-pipe.

The new engine consumes some of the space that the battery used in the previous configuration. I had an MT-56 battery - larger than the stock battery but sort of fits in the stock battery bracket. No way, ain't fitting. What to do. I do not want a tiny battery.

Measure. Contemplate. That goes on for a little while and then I bought an Exide Edge FP-AGM34. Bigger yet but it will fit. Yes it will, I'll show you how...

I had to make a new bracket:
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There are a couple more pics in the docs directory but this shows the tabs with the hole that match up to the tabs where the stock bracket was mounted.

And then the battery get installed thusly:
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Yes, the firewall fits without modification.

Dimensions - I made the bracket so that it would fit the end and about 3/4 of the length of the battery. Then I took some bits of strap and clamped them to the mount points on the frame. I jockeyed the bracket on the tabs so that it was as far back as I could go and not touch anything on the sides. Tacked that and welded at the bench.

I slotted with a bunch of holes drilled and then a cutoff wheel in a dremel tool. Battery is held into the bracket by two cam-lock straps.

Oh, painted it black with something I found on the paint shelf.

[JohnF]

The Prestige

What's left? Turning the key. So I do. It doesn't start. No matter what.

I walk around chanting "crap" knowing that I screwed something up in the wiring. Dang. I spend 2 or 3 hours tracing all of that out and find that it is - right.

So I do what any real engine mechanic would have already done, oh, 2 or 3 hours ago, and check to see if I am getting fuel and spark. No spark. Long story short, I installed the coils in their opposite position backwards. They don't run like that. You have to take the radiator out to fix that. You will not like doing that. Don't do that.

So I now it's time to turn the key for the first time! <ahem... >

And it sings to me.

[JohnF]

Issues

I have run into a couple of things.

I went through 2 of those Walbro pumps. The first one ran a few minute and the second about 1.5 hours. I bought a real life Kawasaki pump from the lawn mower guy that sold me the FD791D intake and it has been a champ for probably 20 hours now.

The DFI engine does not like it if I tweek the low idle way down. I can get it to run okay at around 1300 rpm but it really does like being were the book says it is supposed to be at 1550 RPM. The governor isn't sensitive enough down low and the ECU and governor will set up a pretty huge surge.

Initially I tried to get by with the drive pulley spring that came with the Conquest. Engagement is too low for this engine. You could shim a little on the spring and tweek down the idle a little bit but in the end it really doesn't work. So I remembered the discussion I had with the CvTech engineer and figured I needed to go shopping for a CvTech spring. I am looking for 0451-1113 or 0451-1118 and... hold the presses! Argo has a part, 0451-1114; a part number that looks suspiciously like a CvTech part number. If it is the CvTech part it's right in the same ballpark as the other two. I buy it. It works. In fact, it might be worth trying on the FD620D installs - especially for higher elevations. It both raises engagement and in effect lowers the mass.

I've been to over 9000ft and haven't quite got the clutch tuned yet. I've installed the 200g weights and need to go visit again. But WOOHOO!!! I can sail around in high gear all day! (driven in hole #1)


Oh Shoot - probably need one of these:
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