Factory Race Motor

[Teherr]

I thought I would share some of recent work. 

I bought a "factory race motor" from Tory on ebay.  Thanks Tory.  So far seems like a good buy. I checked compressor before disassembly and it had 150psi both cylinders.  Inside looks good. Exhaust and transfer ports raised from stock.  What is most interesting is the intake is widened to except 44mm carbs.  This seemed impossible until I realized the intake casting is different from stock invader - its bigger. 

I have decided to do a little extra porting, buy aaen race pipes (not the trail versions on the web site) and drop it into a liquifire chassis I have.  The extra porting is to remove the web/divider in the top case transfer port, and shape the cylinder transfer web/divider to look like the 4/6 equivalent.  see attached pics. I still have to do some light clean up, but the heavy grinding is done.  The cylinder pic shows stock invader, left, my port work middle, and stock 4/6 right.

Need some input - I have been using winderosa gasket kits.  the drive side seal has a wider than stock raised area that doesn't quite fit in the indent.  I bought a separate seal from Dennis Kirk for this seal and its a two piece.  see pic   stock seal on the end, then 2 piece seal, then Winderosa seal installed.   Anyone have experience with this. 

[rminier]

 Wow....I'm not liking the replacement crank seals you have.....I have used the Winderosa gasket kits often on my various sleds....the last time I installed new crank seals in my Invader was 2010. I used a Winderosa gasket kit, and the replacement seal looked absolutely proper....just like your original seal at the left end of your crank.
 No experience here with the 2 piece seal....but I'm not too sure that it looks like a great idea...
The replacement seal you already have installed inside the gear on your crank.....I agree....just doesn't look right with that thick lip??

[gixxer6]

I have never seen cylinders with wider intakes.  Very interesting! 

I have used the 2 piece seals with great success. 

[Interceptor398]

I have never seen cylinders with wider intakes.  Very interesting! 

I have used the 2 piece seals with great success.

I agree.

[gixxer6]

Is it a 340 cylinder?  The bore looks smaller than the other two in the picture...

[Teherr]

No, they are all 440's in the pic. 

fyi - spoke o Olav at Aaon, and he only started making a race pipe for the invader last year.  I am trying to get that pipe but to fit into a liquifire chassis. 

[Interceptor398]

Do you know any of the history of the motor?

[Teherr]

here is what was listed on ebay - my notes follow

Kawasaki Vintage Snowmobile Factory race engine 440 LC serial # X-108-440 stamping. Yes, there is a story on this engine! This engine was built by the Kawasaki R&D center in the Minneapolis, MN area for one of the riders on the Kawasaki race team. It looks similar to a 440 LC Invader engine, but it is not! Here are the modifications performed on this engine that were relayed to me. Purchased in the mid to late 80's.

- Factory ported cylinders
- Cut heads
- Race pistons (believed to be Marco)
- Balanced crank modified for high rpm
- Stuffed crankcase to increase compression
- Originally set up with 44mm mikunis with an accelerator pump addition (carb boots on this engine are for Mikuni 44s)
- Oil pump has been sealed off. Engine ran premixed race fuel as the oil pump could not maintain adequate lubrication at high rpms.
- Wooden handle was used on recoil. Compression was high and the factory handles were prone to breakage.
- Crankcase modified near electric start area. Trimmed and closed up to fit in the race sled.
- Engine was plate mounted. There is no engine mounting plate on the recoil side.
- Chrome nuts on the heads replaced with stronger nuts.
- This engine was a running engine when acquired.

Terry's notes:  edits - pistons appear to be regular invader. no evidence of stuffed crank,