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Project "Sloth" - 1975 Z50 rebuild from a newbie's perspective

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#182 ·
Homer said:
finally decided to start playing with finish off the motor. isnt called project "sloth" for any other reason.. :)

....

Beginning to wonder if the cam cover style matters... notice the valve head's opening has no inner slot to keep it in place on the new head versus the old head? there are two cam covers i know of: one has an external notch sticking out (see new head pic) to prevent the cover from spinning and the other uses the internal notches (see old head pic)...
my question: if i put the inner notch style cover on the outer notch style head, will i be in trouble someday?



View attachment 171633 View attachment 171634
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I can tell you from personal painful experience that the earlier cam cover will bolt right on, and slightly contact the cam sprocket screws, causing them to loosen, eat further into the back of the cover, throwing aluminum shavings down the timing chain galley, and eventually throw the sprocket, bending the remaining cam screw. Other than that, its all good.
 
Discussion starter · #183 ·
sh!t. where can i get the new styled cam cover? i havent even checked tbparts or chp yet, if i find one there ill update this post. i ordered the oem old style for it, ill put that on a diff bike then.
 
#187 ·
davmo said:
I can tell you from personal painful experience that the earlier cam cover will bolt right on, and slightly contact the cam sprocket screws, causing them to loosen, eat further into the back of the cover, throwing aluminum shavings down the timing chain galley, and eventually throw the sprocket, bending the remaining cam screw. Other than that, its all good.
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I have recently experienced this on an engine I tore down to replace the shift forks. Happened exactly as you described with the bolts loosening and spitting shavings into a freshly assembled motor. The whole time I was MFing myself for forgetting to tighten the cam bolts, now I know I didnt. Thank you for pointing this out.
 
Discussion starter · #188 ·
not dead... just busy.. between jobs, mini hunting addiction.. pole barn etc... hope to get back to the motor soon. have been looking for a good 75 tank original paint for this lil guy. apologize to any followers ive dropped the ball due to said things for quite a while now...
 
Discussion starter · #189 ·
mini-bike AA (a.k.a. beer) is starting to work.. im clean for like 2 months now without buying anything... pole barn up... electricity sooner or later then its crazy time on projects...

went down to the motor on this project today and put the intake, carb, cam cover on.

few things going through my head

1 - how the hell will i shift with that larger crf50 cover barely making any room to even reach the shifter shaft.

2 - wow, the intake plastic insulator has a huge fin...

3 - wondering if this huge shengwey, or way, or whatever carb will fit under the tank on a z50, especially with the insulator on. or maybe cut the nipple off of carb drain and remove insulator..
 
Discussion starter · #191 ·
thank you. ill hunt down a bent gear lever if they are for sale anywhere..

anyone know if i happened to use a crf50 shifter on this project (trx70 4up gears, stroker 108 crank) if it would have worked out fine? food for thought next time i do one of these. lesson learned.
 
Discussion starter · #196 ·
loopiemclooperson said:
I want to see that shop filled with goodies!


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Well... you build a barn you fill it right? I'll have to make a mini video or something. Its not finished but its filled haha. i need to finish up plans for water and how ill be draining, and where ill be draining to (e.g. pipe to house and existing septic with pump?) so i can insulate it this year and close walls up.

ive sold off much of what i collected so far, id like to narrow down to just a few toys in the z50 and ct70 realm that i can use often. so i want to finish this 75' bike project, the motor is there but now i have to figure out what im doing with the rest and get my sh%t together and a plan together. i dont even remember what i bought.

i just tore everything off the frame that was left and was surprised to see loose ball bearings on the neck upper and lower versus a closed bearing system (are they all that way?).

i want a more stable ride and if i recall i bought an xr75 swinger or something, ill have to confirm and follow up. can i add ct70 wheels to the xr75 swinger with some longer shocks on this 75 z50 frame? if yes, what do i need to do on the front fork setup to balance it out and also gain a little stabilization for riding? i have ape hanger bars somewhere that will have to work with whatever i do on the front fork setup.

ill gather what i can find from my hunt years ago for this particular project and get pics together to see what i have, need, and have questions about.
 
#197 ·
All of the Z50s had the loose ball bearings in the steering neck (21 up top and 21 on the bottom), but I believe the XR/CRF70 had a "caged" bearing setup that works just fine.

If you use the XR75 swinger you'll have to trim a bit off the inside edge at the bushings for it to fit on the Z frame. Some people trim the frame hole, I prefer to do the swingarm should I ever want to put it back to stock. The CT70 wheels will fit just fine, I used a set of HD springs and +1 fork legs on an '83, to me it sits right with the CT70 wheels front and rear. 12mm flat washers may be needed to shim the wheels straight and true.
 
Discussion starter · #198 ·
Ok.... so its been 7 years. life happens.

I jumped back on here to look for some 78 ct70 suggestions and thought I'd mention that the rebuilt 108cc 75 z50 motor sits in my barn waiting for its 1st mount and use. I never got back to the frame and rest of the bike, something I'm much less familiar with than the motors. The bike is all torn apart and lots of junk needs replaced but the motor sites aside its frame waiting. Dunno if ill ever get to it. Sometimes i think i should just sell it.

anyway, there's the update. hehe
 
#199 ·
Wow. blast from the past! Good to see you are still around, dude! Sorry, can't help with your CT70 parts (1978 is one of the years that have never shown up around here, for some reason.) Get your 75 project started up again, and I'm sure there are people who will help on the forum!
 
Discussion starter · #200 ·
hey davmo! how's the south going?

We'll see. id be asking a crapload of questions, I know nothing about frame stuff, powder coatings, etc, etc. Engines, no biggie. lol. I need to go dig out all of the stuff I bought for this and see where I should go with it.
 
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Homer
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