Lloydz BLOG
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How could you not blog about this.| 1/23/2013 10:15:11 AM | |
Lloydz Motor Workz has teamed up with Klock Werks, Helping with Horsepower and the Pine Bush Support and Enrichment program founded by H.S. principal Aaron Hopmayer.
There's a program in our School district (S.T.A.R.S.) that places the academically challenged kids in a separate Annex building for more one on one education. Having been a 10th grade dropout and a troubled child I can relate 100% with these kids. So a few months ago I wanted to do something to engage them more and have more hands on approach with them. I was drawing blanks in how I could start to get things rolling no less the project we could undertake. So it hit me, I have to travel to Iowa for some business why not set up a meeting with Brian and Laura Klock and ask them. I made the call and the plans were set for dinner. Do to unforeseen circumstances I had to cancel that meeting. I flew home on Tuesday to open an e-mail from the Dean of S.T.A.R.S. asking this. "I wanted to inquire with you at some point to see if there would ever or could ever be a way that (with your help) we could get some of our "motorheads" involved in fixing up a motorcycle or a quad or something like it...even a type of small engine repair. You are an incredibly busy man and I'm not looking to impose upon you or anyone who works for you."
After reading this I said there are too many things happening all at once NOT to make this work! I called Laura and relayed the info I just read and also told her why I wanted to meet with her and Brian. The call was a huge game changer because Laura was so pumped up that she was willing to help us get this started with the help of her charity "Helping with Horsepower" The very next day we made a conference call with her and set the ground work for the program while securing her to come to Pine Bush to give the kids a presentation. Before the conference call was over we had secured the backing of the U.S. ARMY whom was also in the room for the call. Two weeks to the day that we first initiated this Laura and Brian were here in Pine Bush giving a presentation and a new Academy was born. The Pine Bush Horsepower and Engineering Academy Co-supported by Lloydz Motor Workz, Klock Werks, Helping with Horsepower and Pine Bush Support and Enrichment Programs.
So what so great about this program? For one, the people currently involved. For two the kids are going to take leadership in obtaining donations and support while learning hands on and in class what it takes to build a race bike. Aerodynamics, Coefficient of drag, Solid Works, Rapid Prototyping, Custom Fabrication, Design, Internal Engine basics and advanced, Dyno tuning, the whole nine yards.
Through learning all this were going to take a Victory Motorcycle, tear it down, build it back up in race trim and we are ALL going to the Bonneville Salt Flats were they will see their creation go for a National Record. These kids will be experiencing a once in a life time opportunity to be able to work with some of the greatest people in the sport and doing what has never been done before on an Academic level with Helping with Horsepower (Laura, We will NOT let you down)
I could not be happier and prouder to be working with the Klocks and getting this program off in such a short notice.
A special Thanks needs to go out to the Klocks, Aaron Hopmayer & family, Andre Spenilli & family,the Lloydz Motor Workz crew and Family, Lloydz customers, because without them I wouldn't be here and all the STARS that signed into this program. The Next 7 months will be one heck of a ride!
Anyone wanting to get involved with this program by way of help, logistics or donations is highly encouraged to jump in.
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| A LLOYDZ Alert: Alcohol, And it's MISUSE.| 6/18/2012 10:27:24 AM | |
A LLOYDZ Alert on Today's Gasoline and Victory EnginesThe Alcohol I refer to, Ethanol. This Notice relates to problems with todays Fuels. IMO ethanol should have never made it into todays gasolines. Important E10 Ethanol Fuel Precautions:"Ethanol alcohol fuel blends expire in 90 days; when exposed to excessive water, they will expire even much faster. Studies report that in less than 100 days, alcohol fuels can absorb enough moisture to phase separate. If you are not monitoring or "testing" your gas for alcohol and water content, we recommend replacement of gas in your fuel tank at least every 2-3 weeks to avoid alcohol and water related engine problems." (for more info on fuel testers, go to http://www.fuel-testers.com/volume_sales.html) The power sports industry has seen numerous issues involving the addition of ethanol in today's gasoline, mostly relating to fuel lines, carburetors and fuel pumps. It doesn't appear to have stopped there. We have seen issues from the ethanol in gasoline causing a lite rusting of the cylinders, rings and valves on Victory Motorcycles. The more metal in the internal top end of the motor the more this can occur. This issue has become so bad that there are currently lawsuits against the Federal Government and the oil company's about this problem. Just do a Search on the effects of motor damage relating to ethanol in gasoline and you'll be surprised. Motor related damage from this is NOT covered under warranty through any manufacture or aftermarket company as far as I am aware of. To help reduce or eliminate the possibility of this occurring I recommend the following precautions.
- For Short term storage stuff rags inside the end of the exhaust pipes
- Make sure you add a good fuel Stabilizer to your tank prior to storage
- When storing fill the tank as high as possible
- Although not proven, I'm sure an additive such as Marvel Mystery oil added to the gas and run prior to storing won't hurt
- Store motorcycle in a space that does not see varying changes of temp or condensation (Sweating).
- For Winter storage I would recommend pulling the spark plugs and fogging the motor
- Covering a bike usually traps moisture inside and under the cover.
Take Care of your machine
Lloydz Motor Workz
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| FINALLY We have our VERY OWN CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!| 12/15/2011 5:15:43 PM | |
YES after years of asking they finally granted it! Victory has its own class. prior to this we had to run it the sport bike classes for OHC motors and of course thats just not fair.Tim Sutherland from Coastal Victory put the final push on the guys at ECTA to create a class.
Also the track has changed locations from Maxton NC to Wilmington Ohio. I hope to see allot more speed freaks at these events. 1 mile all out fun!
ECTA announces the Creation of a New Motorcycle Class
The new class will be for twin cylinder overhead cam motorcycles. The designation will be OCT. You will be able to complete in all frame classes with this engine. We expect a lot of older cafe-racer style bikes getting dusted off and coming out to race with us. Now there is a class for Victory's, Ducks and Vrods and a lot of other Overhead Cam Twins.
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| American Pride| 9/13/2011 12:43:19 PM | |
This all starts out on Saturday when I attended my sons Hapkido (Korean Martial Arts) Graduation to Green belt.
After the ceremony the teacher, Master Kuns give a speech to the kids that goes like this.
Class I'm so proud of you, blah blah blah (I'm moving to my point)
I want you all to realize that we teach self-confidence, fitness and pride. He asks if any of the students can tell him what pride is and they return with some good answers that only 6-9 year olds can. He explains that pride is being American and by being American you have to do the right thing. The right thing is supporting other Americans by buying American products and supporting your community buying helping others and supporting local business. He states that we shouldn't buy form Mexico, or China or even some chain stores because they are lower priced, that hurts the American pride. Now I can assure you that there was an ethnic diversity in the crowd. I was impressed by several things from this man.
1 I think he is a Saint, The way he deals with kids is unlike any other teacher I've meet being religious, educational or martial arts.
2 I believe he is teaching the kids a correct way to be a true American ironically the majority of his students have parents from other countries, He did not let that influence his speech. It was direct and to the point without being harmful.
3 If he can stand up to a room full of diverse people and give a speech like that why can?t so many others stand their ground and do the same thing!
4 It made me ask the question to myself, am I being a proud American?
After the graduation was over he made his way around the room to talk to some of the parents still hanging around. I shook his hand and told him that I admired his speech and that I respect what he said.
So Monday morning rolls around and this speech is still in my head. I meet at the local store with some friends for coffee in the morning and the locals call it the "meeting of the round tables". There are some current and some former NYFD people that stop by and B.S. and they were talking about this past weekend?s events at the 9/11 memorial. Well one current NYFD guy walks in wearing a baseball hat with NYFD - remember 9/11- USA proud all over it. I said hey - - - - - where?s that hat made? He instantly flares up takes the hat off and it says China! He says I believe some of the other ones were made in Pakistan and I told them they should have got hats made in America!
Hmmm. What?s this say? I'm not blaming the guy that bought the hats, Hell I can?t get t-shirts made in America anymore so I know exactly what they?re dealing with. It?s ironic that we want to be American, We want to support American business, We want to say "Made In America" but unfortunately they all come with a following now.
"Made in America! Well most of it" "American Labor! Except for the Illegal Immigrants" and so on.
Our Government is so corrupt and out of control that we can?t stop it. All our manufacturing is being out sourced to different countries. We are SO busy now a days just surviving that we couldn't leave our shells and go support these causes. If we did, our houses and everything we worked for would be gone when we got back. It?s really sad what things have come to. I?d love to go protest with AR-15 in hand on the steps of the Capital with 5 million other Americans expressing my freedom of speech and right to bear arms. Fact of the matter is the mortgage is due next week, I have 3 big bore kits to wrap up, the kids have soccer practice 3 times this week and a game on Saturday, the employees want to get paid Friday and that?s just the beginning. So looks like I'm out. This is unfortunately the way most Americans now live their lives.
Is it really "Living our Lives"???
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| More on Intake & Exhaust Leaks| 4/27/2011 6:25:05 PM | |
I wanted to follow up on a tech article I wrote about intake & exhaust leaks. After a long search I finally got the photo I was looking for. I had told the guys in the shop to look out for a leaky head pipe so I could snap a photo of it but I guess sometimes you might as well talk to the wall.
So now that I'm a working stiff again (Got rid of the dead weight in the shop). I can now focus on the details once more. I finally got the photo I was looking for. A 2010 Vision with a leaking head pipe. As seen in the photos below. When I'm trying to resolve backfiring issue or even drivability issue I make suggestions to people and often get responses like this. "Nope don't have any exhaust leaks", ?"Nope don't have any intake leaks", "Nope I checked", "Well it's a brand new bike". Yea Yea Yea. One thing I really don't like is talking just to waste time. So point in case, if I say something you should listen. If I ask you if you have an exhaust leak and unless you tore your WHOLE system off and checked every connection and joint I don't want to hear a no answer. So NOW my photo backs up what I preach. As you can see by the side shot the black soot does not come past the pipe flange and there fore you won't be able to see the leak, however it is an excessive leak too. I'm not always an A-Hole and you may not always have these problems. However, until we put a lot of effort is put in to finding if these problems exist we may not be able to fix the issues.
 
Moving on another issue has been leaking intake manifolds, this unit was removed form an 09 Jackpot and the owner was experiencing symptoms that come with a lean condition. (Surging, Backfiring, poor cold start up) and they were also having what appeared to be excessive soot on the pipes. Two totally separate conditions and a puzzled owner. Which way do you go? Do you install a Power Commander and have a custom map built? Do you install a VFC? Do you change the pipes because it seems like the problem got worse when he installed them? Nope. Fix the problem and then lets see where things lay out. Intake manifolds can be diagnosed better then exhaust leaks. My favorite way is to use Non-Chlorinated Brake cleaner and I use a lot of it. Yes, it is VERY FLAMMABLE and over all these years I have only caught one bike on fire by using this method. You have to look at the percentages sometimes. Use caution and from personal experience I can say if you neglect your spark plug wires to the point there almost falling off the coils and sparking like crazy and you don't see it, your bike WILL BE ENGOLFED IN FLAMES. However like all true professionals always have a fire extinguisher with in close reach. BTW the customer wasn't mad and was actually embarrassed about neglecting his bike like that. It was a good thing cause he was a BIG sumbitch and I thought my time was done.
 
The left photo above appears to be a manifold in good shape. What occurs is the rubbers sodium reacts with the aluminum and delaminates or separates causing a very good intake leak. You can normally see the edges of the rubber becoming loose and use your finger to pull the rubber down to see if it has this issue. Also look for cracks along the sides as these too can become culprits for intake leaks such as in the photo on the right.
- Lloyd
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| The difference with previous Harley owners| 10/18/2010 8:48:22 AM | |
That subject line isn't meant to be negative but just a reflection of what I experience.
I've always received e-mails asking questions such as lift and duration figures for our cams so that they can compare them to the others to make a selection. Now this is sort of ironic as the people that ask are new Victory owners coming off Harleys. I think that the reason they're asking is two-fold.
One, they don't know about me and my personal touch in picking the profiles for the correct application. Two, they've always had so many choices in the Harley world that they needed to carefully pick a grind that was correct for application. Now that also goes to say that they are familiar with the cam specs and how they work in Harleys. The problem that occurs, and it's not like I want to keep it secret, is this... They were, or are, familiar with what works in a 2 valve Harley however they and I should open that to very few people know what works in these motors. So, as a fail safe I ask, "What are you doing with your bike?" and I fill in the blanks. Now most people, ESPECIALLY the ones like me (control freaks) don't really like that approach as they don't feel involved in the decision or just don't trust anyone. This is where I have to say "Trust me" I wont steer you wrong. I LOVE my customers, they are the life blood of what I do so I wont steer you wrong (intentionally) as I want your repeat business and your trust.
Lloyd
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