For reference here is a better picture of what the valve cover looks like on a K8 engine. The K7 engines don't have that plate covering the spark plugs.
That output shaft looks like a Gen 1 item and that is a weakpoint of them,
Hey, guess who was right that its a K7 output shaft?!?!?! 🙂
I called John at Spring Mountain, emailed him some pictures and he was 100% certain it was a K7.
Looks like my car is a Hybrid.
Knowing the trans is K7 internals, the engine serial stamping says it's a K8...
What do they pictures of my engine say to you guys? K7 or 8?
@charleyhradicalsportscarregistry-com
I wouldn't think that a non radical'd engine would have this on it.
@meatman, I agree that is a great sign that it is a “Radicalized” engine. if it started life as a Radical engine it would have a serial number that started with the engine size and then a dash and three did get serial number, like 1500-180. I agree that the engine seal looks like it may have been overhauled by a Radical shop. There are only three Radical approved engine shops in North America (Spring Mountain, Team Stradale, and Radical Canada East) so if you want to know some more history about your engine you could contact them and give them the engine serial number and the seal number and they can tell you if they worked on it. It could also be a George Dean engine because he likes to use the Suzuki FI and ECU.
Is this normal?
You have alot going on with this Josh, as Charlie said make sure it is done right as you will have a lot of frustration and issues going forward if not done correctly.
The X704 is a K8 (Gen 2 Engine) and that is also what your pictures show. As mentioned the Radical factory would restamp the OEM number so unlikely to come from them. You are running the Suzuki OEM throttle bodies and ECU/wiring which was never an option from the factory so it has been changed be someone at some point.
Your engine is fitted with a very early dry sump system, Gen 1 breather pot and output shaft. Also a manual cam chain tensioner which the factory would never fit. My guess is that the car was supplied from the factory with a Gen 1 engine - possibly 1500, which at some point has had a problem. A gen 2 engine has been purchased and fitted to the car along with OEM Suzuki engine management, I assume for cost purposes and they have used the parts from the Gen 1 engine where needed. Why they have fitted a Gen 1 output shaft I will never know, it saves the cost of purchasing a new coupling but the bottom end of the engine would have been stripped to fit this and it is a weaker part.
This is not an engine built by a Radical builder, you have an aftermarket clutch basket fitted which Radical never do - makes Charlie's George Dean principle seem likely. I have seen Radical seal engines in the past that they have dyno'd tested to confirm the power before allowing them to complete in their championships, maybe this is the case here?
There is normally some movement in the section of the clutch that you have video'd but I would say that is beyond normal, guess you will find some wear when you take that further apart.
Will be interesting to see what gears you have in there. Gen 1 is 4 dog and Gen 2 5 dog. Be aware that Radical replace some of the gears in Gen 2 for reliability, although this is mostly in a 1500 I would recommend that you do so also.
Here is a very enlightening video about the Gen 1 Hayabusa clutch noise and rattling that I showed in my video.
Radical already do their own version of this that is fitted as standard to all the engines they build.
If yours does not already have them fitted it is another sign that it was not built by a Radical engine builder.
How do these shift forks look to you guys?
Hard to see in a picture but they are very straight, not bent in the slightest.
From what I can see in those pictures all 3 of them visually look ok.
With chunks that size going through your system I would consider changing your GDU radiator as well.
Finding a direct replacement is tougher than expected, Spring Mountain is still looking, so I was thinking.... I might just install an inline oil filter. That seems like a viable option to replacing the cooler itself.
Thoughts?
