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CR500 cooling system design idea

cbc76am

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good note, I'm really hoping the balanced crank and rubber mounting on that EGT/temp/rpm probe works out on the vibes.. but realistically it will likely get smoked.

the hydro clutch is amazing on the stock clutch, buttery smooth and super easy... engagement range on the lever is a tad on the short side. Not sure how it will play on the all tungsten z-start pro I installed, but they get heavy when your on the gas so it should be great.
 

cbc76am

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just because I spent some much, and did so much research here's the build list overview for anyone that is on the CR5 path for reference:

MRE TWIRP case porting/cylinder mods/head mods w/decompressor/billet covers and exhaust flange/custom billet reed spacer for vforce2

Rekluse z-start pro with 27 tungsten balls and m4 spring with makita billet basket - hymec hydro clutch

ricky stator 40w lighting coil for cr250 modified to fit, cr250 flywheel and cr125 digital ignition - trial tech voltage regulator and ktm lipo battery

Koso egt/rpm/temp gauge

Home made coolant heated bars with a pex tube running end to end for distrobution of heat / mounted with Mako 360 full rubber isolation rubber bar clamp

Avid carb heater and thermostat on Lectron 44HV with custom intake made form turbo hose and aluminium tube drilled with hole saw - filter wears

CPI racing is making me a custom pipe that should be done shortly

engine jackets will be made later this month at the canvas shop

tunnel cooler is off an EXT580 artic cat, HPS hoses, crimp on hose binders unless a maintenance area hose fitting, then Norco hose clamps (the best!)

Forks i'm valving stiff - pro sx stack, .60 springs and I added schrader valves to charge with a few psi for bottoming

Stegs pegz - excited for the hill climbs with these little things. rubber calve rests for your boots to get the load off your arms on big pulls

Throttle Jockey original McGrath 1995 race graphics and seat cover kit

CRF newer plastics on number plates and fenders

18 ARO LE 120 kit ran it last season on a 16.5 ktm450 SXF FE
 
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wellfed777

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awesome build

how are you doing your EGT probe mount ?

i'm hoping to get my build out in the snow this season :face-icon-small-hap
 

wwillf01

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Trust me on the clutch with the cr500... That is what I ran and you will want to remove the zstart....over time it will slip incrementally and it will be hard to notice the power loss.. then when you take it out and install the regular clutch you will be like holy crap what was I doing... This is what happend on mine... At least... They don't work as well on high power set ups after the first few rides... Yes I ran tungsten also... keep in mind that with the tunnel cooler it is harder to notice the clutch slip because the bike will keep up with cooling. I never had an issue with the egt on mine breaking because of vibes... And man even with no vibe inserts the handlebars we're like butterfly's
good note, I'm really hoping the balanced crank and rubber mounting on that EGT/temp/rpm probe works out on the vibes.. but realistically it will likely get smoked.

the hydro clutch is amazing on the stock clutch, buttery smooth and super easy... engagement range on the lever is a tad on the short side. Not sure how it will play on the all tungsten z-start pro I installed, but they get heavy when your on the gas so it should be great.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 

cbc76am

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wwillf01, thanks for the input. I'll try it both ways. I had no issues that I could tell with the unmodified z-start on a yz450f or the core exp on my 450SXF FE the last 2 seasons... but I could have been experiencing slippage and not knowing it. I enjoy testing, so I'll try all kinds of setups.

I often have to go into steep and deep just to get out here in the west cascades, but a few buddies bought places out west of the mtns this year, so I should be able to ride and test right out of their garages.
 
N
Mar 21, 2016
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What have you ended up with for forks. I'm assuming you are ditching the crappy 500 forks?

M5
Not sure if you’re asking me but I’ve decided to go with a 06 kx450f frame and 12 KX250F twin chamber forks on mine. I dislike the SFF for philosophical reasons, and these black chrome beauties were too sexy to turn down. I may at some point try to make my own telelever type single shock front end but at this point I’m taking the easy route with a standard front end and focus on the power plant and track setup. It’s a long term project. My goal is to keep it very light weight. Also my engine is an 86 which is the short stroke tight spread gear ratio unit with higher compression. They had more hit than later years.

I actually tore the forks down last night and replaced seals. It was my first time inside a pair of proper modern forks and I have a lake of oil to go clean up in the shop lol.
 

cbc76am

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For now crapy old kyb open bath. I vakved the stack, stiff springs, and schrader valves for a few psi for bottoming. I'll likely drop some sss onto it if the first half a season is successful with the bike.
 
M
Jan 14, 2004
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Any updates on your CR500 project? I keep looking at mine sitting in the shop kit less trying to decide what to do with it.

M5
 

cbc76am

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It's so good M5! Cooling system is amazing. The tunnel cooler keeps things 128-132 in deep snow all day long, radiator kicks in on the icy roads and runs 166-174. I used aluminum rivets to attach the tunnel cooler and it feel off first ride. Had to strap it to the top of the tunnel and refill with bottled water... bur the 1 radiator took me out to the truck no problem. The porting / lectron rips, i'm still playing with the pipe. I got a CPI made, it's explodes in the middle and top, but there isn't any torque down on the bottom... I'm shifting like it's a 125 and it's pretty challenging in the trees. I'm going tossing an fmf fatty on today to see if that's a more broad and usable power - adam millar says that is what I need to try. Should use less fuel also... I burned 1.5 gallons more than the 4 strokes I was out with... but they felt like XR100s when I jumped on them after riding the 500.

The tungsten z-start so far feels completely hooked up, but I've got 6 hours on it. Still keeping in mind that I should try the manual mid season.

So tuning and dialing in the details after my first weekend out. I had a minor knee surgery in mid december and just started riding last week.
 

cbc76am

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pics

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M
Jan 14, 2004
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Nice. I run a Gnarly, its gives up some on the top end but its really good down low. I can lug my 500 like a 450 4 stroke. I'm looking for a kit for my KTM frame if I can find the right deal I will do a full build and move the motor out of the old steely. The 500 isn't a bike I want to ride every day but I still want to ride it. It has its place.


M5
 

cbc76am

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Yeah, it's my only snowbike... purpose built for it and I'm already feeling like it would be nice to have a 450 in the garage as well. I'll try to broaden the power, get the fuel burn backed off a bit with pipe and carb tuning... but it comes with a bit more concern and attention to details on the mtns for sure.
 
N
Mar 21, 2016
599
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NW oregon
Yeah, it's my only snowbike... purpose built for it and I'm already feeling like it would be nice to have a 450 in the garage as well. I'll try to broaden the power, get the fuel burn backed off a bit with pipe and carb tuning... but it comes with a bit more concern and attention to details on the mtns for sure.
It’s one or the other, can’t ride both!
 
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