The TRX900 Project kicks off

[coxylaad]

Spent this afternoon stripping the TDM down and advertising the bits that I don't need.

I thought this was interesting:



The original TRX airbox is the one on the right.
The TDM one doesnt fit and fowls the cross member on the trx frame, so I am going to have to do some work to make something fit.

This was a nice surprise when I opened the TDM airbox though!



for all the inlets on the TDM airbox are smaller, the air filter is area is considerably larger.

[alextrx850]

...guessing this beast is injected..??if so ,,carb or injection...??will watch this one.

[alextrx850]

what year TDM have you chosen and have you tried any measurements yet...guessing the TDM must be a bit higher in the frame and width..be a shame to start cutting frame...

[coxylaad]

I am putting the engine and fuel injection system in its entirety from a 2002 TDM900 into my TRX.

It pretty much fits, but for the need of a small amount of welding on the cylinder head.

[scarfacehugo]

First thing you do BEFORE you start a project like this is to get a decent camera and a tripod.

I refuse to post the oil tank without seeing you a decent picture of what you're doing.

[coxylaad]

haha ok

those are iphone 4 camera shots, the camera on the iphone is immense for a phone.

going to try and do a bit more on the bike this weekend.

regarding the mounting points of the engine, I am considering altering my frame so it has a triangulated piece that runs to the TDM 900 engine mounts to the frame.

what do you lot think of that? I am worried it will look sh1t lol

[alextrx850]

HANDS UP WHO WANTS PHOTOS....!!!

[scarfacehugo]

haha ok

those are iphone 4 camera shots, the camera on the iphone is immense for a phone.

I said a good camera , not a good phone

[coxylaad]

Cack!

just thought I would have five minutes and take the exhaust off the TDM, and yes you guessed it, 2 snapped bolts.

So I am just going to wait until I have the engine out and on a bench then see what I can do with a lot of heat and some mole grips.

will get some pics up over the weekend.

[coxylaad]

Finally got the engine out of the TDM chassis:



It took a bit of flak in the removal process, and in it current state it needs two snapped exhaust studs removing, and part of the flange where the right exhaust header entered the engine needs welding up, (collateral damage from battering the siezed exhaust off!)

once I have rid of the rest of this TDM and I have a bit more space to play, I will be offering it up in trx chassis, and I will working out what I am going to do about this mounting issue.

[alextrx850]

gosh shes a bit grubby...please dont go and use the the good ladys new TOOTHBRUSH like i did...once...you need to get into those fins there i said.... ..anyway ,,a thought...as the TRX engine has carbs and therefore gravity feed to fuel the motions and the TDM has the [hamster] in the tank for the injection...will you be looking to use a fuel GAUGE to warn of an impending PUSH ---as with the carbs..you have the reserve option on the tank...maybe use the TDM cluster..??and how might the fuel pump be located..same as the TDM..??

[coxylaad]

a thought...as the TRX engine has carbs and therefore gravity feed to fuel the motions and the TDM has the [hamster] in the tank for the injection...will you be looking to use a fuel GAUGE to warn of an impending PUSH ---as with the carbs..you have the reserve option on the tank...maybe use the TDM cluster..??and how might the fuel pump be located..same as the TDM..??

I am going to have to graft the TDM intank injection pump into the tank, which will give me the fuel gauge as well. Yes I intend to use the TDM900 clocks.

[coxylaad]

small update:

borrowed a spare frame off zednine to have a mess about with and see what potential problems I am going to face:

The upshot is, the rear top mount fits no problem:



the bottom mount needs a custom bracket making up I think. I havent got a TRX one to try, so one of those may work with a little modification, but the one shown here is the TDM900 one and its a million mile away:


Now's where it starts to get interesting. I think the back of the engine is no problem, here's the front right mount:


Thats going to work, just needs drilling out and tapping, as its just a blank.


Here's the front left mount:

yep, none existant. This is fairly common knowledge but its nice to see the pictures
I will set out my options below

Never noticed the little mounts either side of the frame just behind the front engine mounts, with the little triangle plates that bridge the gap between the engine and the frame - how important are these? because as you can see, there is naff all there on the 900 lump!



Do I need to make something up for these, thats the question?


Re the front engine mount, I think I have 2 options:

1. Get some very clever person to weld a mounting lug onto the back of my cylinder head. Dont know how feasible this is going to be as its right next to the head gasket, so any warpage could mean my engine would end up toast.

2. the TDM900 engine has big sturdy mounting points on the front of the cylinder head as shown below:



I think the simplest option would be to create a triangulated piece of frame that drops down to these mounts and secures the engine. This should be pretty straight forward to do, might completely change the look of the frame though which I am conscious of.

Question is, if I do this, what do I do about the other mounts and little plates I am missing?
Are they necessary?

Is the frame using the engine as a stressed member? I would hate to do this only to find the bike is now like a jelly in the corners.


In other news, I think the only reason you cant use the TDM900 oil tank is because it fowls the left hand little side mount. If I cant use that I may as well chop the sod off and have the 900 tank fit! I have to check see if the fuel tank will not fowl the oil tank, but its a pressed lump of steel and I am sure it can be persuaded to fit

[Kayla]

Question is, if I do this, what do I do about the other mounts and little plates I am missing?
Are they necessary?

Is the frame using the engine as a stressed member? I would hate to do this only to find the bike is now like a jelly in the corners.

Yes, the TRX frame uses the engine as a stressed member, which is partly why the left and right side mounts are assymetrical. The main mounts are at the head and rear, but the side mounts are also pretty beefy.

In other news, whoever you choose to do the welding on the head could heat the head up first to reduce the temperature gradient and minimise any warping

[coxylaad]

Ah right, then I am definitely leaning toward the welding a lug on the back of the cylinder head.

Just got to find someone talented enough to do it!

Anyone got some close up shots of the side of the TRX engine so I can see how those little side mounts work?

ps Nice to meet you yesterday Kayla