Jgorm's 04 ar230 build

[Jgorm]

I got some 1/0 welding wire, and used some actual welding wire to feed some power. I can't believe the po used 8g.


Hydraulic crimpers are the only way past 4g.


I pulled off the crimp on the welding wire. The hammer crimps suck. I pull as hard as i can on every connector.


I've been in this thing too many times!


I use a bolt for the ground distribution.


300a cheap breaker. I hope it works! $14
Still gotta hook up the battery.


Mini anl fused distribution. Don't buy anl fuses, buy mini anl! Gotta return those and run the 4g to the amps. I'll have plenty of capacity to add another amp.

 

[Jgorm]

Finished all the amp wiring. I really love my 16 ton crimper! It far from show quality, but i have too much going on to make it pretty. Function first. At least the amp won't be starving by sucking through a 8g straw. I just need one more rca that's on order. I might buy another fx140 this weekend at the river. Asking 2800. Too bad i can't bring the boat on this trip. I'll be slowing down while i prep the rv for a Yosemite trip.

 

[Ronnie]

When are you planning to drive north to visit Yosemite?

 

[Jgorm]

When are you planning to drive north to visit Yosemite?

May 10. We have 6 sites booked in lower pines. If you've ever tired to book one site, you know this is no easy task. I planned a giant family reunion. I've been there dozens of times a but this is a first for a lot of them. First time camping for a lot of them too!

 

[Jgorm]

No boat progress but I'm packed for the river to check out another fx140. I pulled my battery, flush hose, compression tester, pipette to sample oil, ysd, computer, tools, and cash. It's probably a fresh water only ski. I won't get burned on this one! My buddy said "yo dawg, you got a backup engine for your backup engine". I must have an addiction to the mr1 that may have started with the 04 r1 i bought back in 04. Insane machine. Yamaha for life.

 

[Ronnie]

Yosemite sounds like fun, let us know how you like it, I need to check it out someday. Was checking if you would be close or here June 2nd for a boating trip to Old Sacramento.

 

[Ronnie]

No boat progress but I'm packed for the river to check out another fx140. I pulled my battery, flush hose, compression tester, pipette to sample oil, ysd, computer, tools, and cash. It's probably a fresh water only ski. I won't get burned on this one! My buddy said "yo dawg, you got a backup engine for your backup engine". I must have an addiction to the mr1 that may have started with the 04 r1 i bought back in 04. Insane machine. Yamaha for life.

Sounds like you like “gearing up” for an activity as much as I do. Good luck with the fx. How were you burned before? I just bought a used fx 140 in December. My second since my first’s ecu went bad. It is a great ski but I wish I paid a little more for another fx 160. They accelerate a lot faster and have about a about a 10 mph better top speed. They are also lighter somehow.

 

[Jgorm]

Yosemite is amazing. I've been there dozens of times and highly recommend it. Don't go in summer or winter. Summer is like a theme park. Winter can get nasty.
My fx140 has something up with #3. I can't thread in the compression tester, but it pulls half the vacuum of the other cylinders. The plug threads in weird almost like it's at an angle. My ar230 had bad compression on my second day and milkshake oil. That's when i figured you need to run the engines for a while, then pull a sample of oil to check. I'm getting the fx140s because they are the same engines as my boat. I'm not a big sit down guy. They are fun for the family, but i really needed a superjet! I've got 1000s of hours on sit downs and the only ones that excite me even a little are the new 250+hp 70 mph ones but they cost as much as i spent on my boat and suck tons of gas.

 

[Ronnie]

I hear you I had an ho and got an fx 160 (along with my 140) because it had the same engine, thankfully I never had to gut the 160 to replace a bad boat engine but would have done so in a heart beat.

Sounds like your fx #3 May be cross threaded. So what was wrong with the boat?

I’ve gotten used to the big three seaters over the last few years, the only smaller ski I would consider is the Seadoo spark but the used prices are still to high for me and going back to a small two stroke Seadoo like and rx or xp is no longer an option for me, to much wrenching not enough riding. Regardless of the brand or model the price of a new pwc is just ridiculous, even a Yamaha ex at my local power sports store is selling for close to $10k with a trailer. The same place is asking $18k for a new gp1800, for context I bought a 2006 sx 230 ho in 2008 for $23k. Maybe by 2028 I will be able to afford a 2018 gp1800 but I think I will be done with pwcs altogether by that age.

 

[Jgorm]

I passed on the fx140. #3 plug was frozen in there and i didn't want to break it. Compression was 200+ on 1 and 4, but 125 in 2. Fresh water ski with 78hrs. I offered 1000 and he said 2k minimum so i walked. I'm sensing a theme on these engines. either that or i have terrible luck! 3 out of 4 have had these very similar issues. Oh well we had a blast at the Colorado River and took out the canoe until the wind picked up with 50mph gusts.

 

[Jgorm]

I'm gonna have to put this on hold for a bit for some other priorities. I dropped off this $600 bag of parts that was supposed to ship to the shop.



He said hopefully done by the end of the week. Multiple valves seats are going to be cut and installed and the block flattened.

 

[swatski]

I'm gonna have to put this on hold for a bit for some other priorities. I dropped off this $600 bag of parts that was supposed to ship to the shop.
View attachment 73258

View attachment 73259
He said hopefully done by the end of the week. Multiple valves seats are going to be cut and installed and the block flattened.

Man, that's intense!

--

 

[bronze_10]

I know the mr1 are the old work horse for yammies but now that they are replaced by the 1.8 it is easy to think that they are old, simple, low engeneered engines from way back in the day... But looking at that head you can see they are highly engineered, well thought out powerplants. That one head has 20 freaking valves! Amazing!

 

[zipper]

I'm gonna have to put this on hold for a bit for some other priorities. I dropped off this $600 bag of parts that was supposed to ship to the shop.
He said hopefully done by the end of the week. Multiple valves seats are going to be cut and installed and the block flattened.

How much are they milling off the block to "flatten" it? Just wondering if it will bring your compression up to a 12:1 ratio. I like this thread, it gives us an understanding of what is inside the MR-1's head. Nice work!

 

[Jgorm]

How much are they milling off the block to "flatten" it? Just wondering if it will bring your compression up to a 12:1 ratio. I like this thread, it gives us an understanding of what is inside the MR-1's head. Nice work!

Not sure. Not much, probably just enough! It's not going to change the compression a noticable amount. Maybe 1 or 2 thou.

 

[Jgorm]

I got 2 out of 4 broken studs off the tow bar where i broke all 4 heads off. Pb blaster for days and heat didn't do much!


I'm going to tig weld it to this plate i have.


I got the heads back yesterday. $825, 2 seats cut on the exhaust, all new valves and seals ($600), and lash set on everything. I'm going to double check the lash before i remove the cams. I'll probably gasoline leak test them before installing. I'm hoping I'll get to the boat this weekend. I ejected a spark plug on my crown vic, and failed smog on my boosted mustang for a pcv catch can so I'm going to try and get those fixed before the weekend.

I noticed that Pistons 1 and 4 are in sync and 2 and 3 are in sync, but the valves are 360 out. Makes sense i guess. Hopefully i get another 400+ hours out of this engine!

I talked the guy with the stuck 3 plug 02 fx140 to $1600 and I'll pick up that project at the river the weekend after memorial day.

 

[Jgorm]

The heads look awesome!

Intake valves. Look like they need a cleaning.

Other intake valves

Exhaust valves. The two in the middle look pretty crappy. I'm guessing those were the ones with the corroded seats.


I'm going to verify the valve clearance while the cams are still bolted in. It's an impressive engine.

 

[buckbuck]

Are you going to adjust the valve shims yourself?

 

[Jgorm]

Are you going to adjust the valve shims yourself?

I hope not. I'm just making sure the shop set them within spec.

 

[Jgorm]

I got the bildge pump working, installed the muffler, glued in the cup holders and fire extinguisher holder, removed there cams, and checked a few valve clearance. You need skinny shims to check some valves. I checked about half and they were within spec.
It's been 4 years since i moved and this will be the first time firing up the tig welder. It's a 500lb monster from the 70s or 80s. It needed some work. Hopefully i can weld up the tow hook tomorrow.