Ben's Banshee Transformation

[Ben]

Intake tract tuning does make more HP.  But its one of those super time and testing intensive sort of things that is typically left for the last micro-% of power when all other avenues have been exhausted.

Yeah i figured it would probaly be more work then its worth. Im more concerned with all the other stuff for now anyways. BC ive been meaning to ask you, but would you be interested in doing the cylinder work and head work, along with welding the crank?

[BC]

Absolutely 

[Ben]

Awesome. I'll let you know a soon as it starts coming apart. Looking forward to it

[Ben]

ive been doing alot of reading lately. and i have to ask. BC, where did you learn all the stuff for 2-stroke porting as far as timing and port shapes and what-not? Did you learn it from someone else? Is there books/websites? i'd love to know everything about it. I have a feeling its something you learn from someone else.
Actually i'd love to get more knowledge on performance tuning as a whole. Any tips on where to go to learn more in depth items?

[Jeremy]

ive been doing alot of reading lately. and i have to ask. BC, where did you learn all the stuff for 2-stroke porting as far as timing and port shapes and what-not? Did you learn it from someone else? Is there books/websites? i'd love to know everything about it. I have a feeling its something you learn from someone else.
Actually i'd love to get more knowledge on performance tuning as a whole. Any tips on where to go to learn more in depth items?

Its pretty simple, you just pay to be a member at macjizzys site for a couple years then you are a certified engine builder.  Just ask Neal Stulberg. 

Actually, there are some pretty good books that teach you about 2 strokes.  I think 1 is written by Bell?  Then you just need to get others peoples parts to test on!

[Ben]

if anyone knows the names of the books i'd appreciate it.

Im assuming your joking in the first part. Who is that?

[Ben]

i think a certain yellow 3 wheeler in someones garage right now would be a good test mule
cough, cough, jen, cough

[Jeremy]

http://www.amazon.com/Two-Stroke-Performance-Tuning-Bell/dp/1859606199

[Ben]

cool, thanks. Going to order up that and get the 4stroke one as a package deal. I wonder how dated it is? They had a few other ones on there too.

[Pete]

cool, thanks. Going to order up that and get the 4stroke one as a package deal. I wonder how dated it is? They had a few other ones on there too.

2 stroke is a 2 stroke.  Yea things are newer and cooler now but the principles are still the same.

[Jeremy]

cool, thanks. Going to order up that and get the 4stroke one as a package deal. I wonder how dated it is? They had a few other ones on there too.

Almost any 2 stroke port layout youll be working on is from the 70s and 80s anyways.  IE, banshee, blaster, 250r.  Anyone can learn port timings and how to port a 2 stroke.  What separates the best builders are the ones who know how to apply the theory to the application/specific setup. 

[BC]

The Bell book is a great place to start.  General enough you arent over your head.  Specific enough you can do something with it.

My ability to port motors- comes from many different places.  Research/reading.  Trial and error/Experimentation.  Examples/Discussions with other builders.  Empirical ideas and thoughts.  Mechanical aptitude.

There's definitely not one magic bullet, and I know you're not looking for it.  But the work I was doing even 5 years ago differs from what I do today.  Its continually developing for various reasons.  Sometimes I change something from something I had discussed with another builder- either directly or indirectly.  Sometimes I see flow patterns on piston crowns that make me change things.  Sometimes its just an idea and I try it. Sometimes Im reading my notes from years ago and see something I may not have had all the pieces to figure out back then....

Porting isnt also about just knowing what to cut to.  Its also knowing why.  If I add more transfer timing- the motor should do "this".  If I change this what am I going to get.

Best thing I can say is start small.  Focus on one change at a time.  Take notes, lots of them.  Big holes dont always mean big power.  Focus your time on the area(s) that are difficult to work- I think those while small will often set your work apart(AHEAD) of those who dont want to.

[Jen]

i think a certain yellow 3 wheeler in someones garage right now would be a good test mule
cough, cough, jen, cough

hehe you gotta ask Rick about that one . If it were up to me I'd be all about it!

[Pete]

not to mention, you could know everything about a 2 stroke, and be totally unsteady with a porting tool, so there are alot of aspects besides just the knowledge of what/where/why to cut.

[Jen]

I just talked to my dad Ben-- He said that as long as you don't break it you can do whatever you want to it. I told him that if you broke it you'd fix it. If you want a fun winter project, it's sitting in the garage with the '32 and the 250X. As a matter of fact, you can work on any of those three!