NC30 engine from japan

[krisztian_andre]

I'm looking to buy a spare engine, I found this on yahoo: http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e112922309 what do you think? Are there any other sites with japanese engines for sale?

[superlite]

Not sure why you'd buy a stock engine in unknown condition from Japan? The freight alone (if a deputy company will ship it at all) will cost you about the same as an entire bike (and a very good one at that!)

If you're after a good running engine, just stick a wanted ad on here and someone will be along to help you out

[Cammo]

Surely there must be some spare engines in Thailand?

K-conversions might have a spare engine or know where to get one.

[krisztian_andre]

K-conversions is based in thailand?

[Cammo]

I assume so:

http://www.k-conversions.co.uk/index.ph ... contact_us

[tanto]

There's a few guys in this forum who've imported engines from Japan to Thailand. There's so much stuff going to and from Thailand to Japan, the shipping charges are low. Bangkok has a container port, after all.

If you haven't already, you could try Red Barron ( http://www.redbarronbkk.com/ ) in Bangkok. They've got plenty of experience with imported engines. Their parent company is Japanese. They're usually the most costly option, but they do know what they are doing.

If you can speak Thai, a few of the bike shops in BKK will import an engine for you. Try the NC30 garage 1-2km east of Seacon Square (look out of 2 to 4 brightly coloured NC's parked near the kerb). You'll pass by on the opposite side of the highway on the way to Red Barron. "karlbkk", on here, deals with them regularly. Or, they could probably source an engine locally. They break quite a few NC's for parts.

You might try messaging "JB". He bought an engine recently, although imported from the USA (a modified race NC35 engine). Tyga Performance, between BKK and Pattaya, might be able to offer some advice, too.

My local Honda store said that the recent disasters in Japan mean that shipments are being disrupted. If you're in a hurry, re-building a locally sourced engine might be the best option.

Let me know if you need more specific information.

[krisztian_andre]

Thanks tanto. I'm using red baron to service my bike but I haven't seen any nc30 engines at the used lot next to the shop. I'm not in a hurry just want to have a good low milage spare engine if this one breaks and I figured better to get one now than later.
Just wandering if you do a rebuild of the nc30 engine how do you deal with worn cylinders, you bore and plate them and get oversized pistons or you can sleeve them?

[tanto]

For NC30 engines, you might like to check http://www.mocyc.com/ . Secondhand NC30's come up at a rate of about one different one every two days. Nearly all are totally scruffed after too many years on a low maintenance schedule. Nonetheless, if you're looking for an engine, NC30's without the "Green Book" registration document go for between 20,000 and 35,000 baht. Which would give you a spare engine, and a few other spares besides... Recently crashed bikes are 10,000 - 15,000 baht. Just a thought.

Mocyc.com occasionally lists complete engines. Bear in the mind the difference between the advertised price and the actual sale price. People often ask 10,000 to 15,000 baht. Aim to pay in the region of 5,000 to 10,000 baht. You'll need someone who speaks fluent Thai to negotiate.

Sorry, can't answer your question about re-conditioning an existing engine. These V4's are pretty durable. Just make sure to give your bike regular changes of hot weather 20W-50 oil. A high quality diesel engine oil such as Pennzoil Long Life Z-7 20W-50, in the yellow can, 580baht for six liters, is ideal.

[krisztian_andre]

Penzzoil Z-7 contains friction modifiers. I read that thats not good for a wet clutch.

[tanto]

Penzzoil Z-7 contains friction modifiers. I read that thats not good for a wet clutch.

Short version, the Penzzoil Z-7 works in Chiang Mai on every bike - Honda, Kawasaki, Harley, KTM, Suzuki, et cetera - my local mechanic "German Joe" services. Not one report of a slipping clutch (I did ask).

Medium version, after spending a couple of days reading around the web to research the various oils available in Thailand, and the best oil to put in the NC30, I came to the same conclusion, independently. Z-7 for quality, and it's a reasonable price

Long version, the "additive package" used in Z-7 is vastly superior to "consumer grade" oil. If I may, I'll quote from one of the best write-ups on motorcycle oil on the web, "All About Oil" by Mark Lawrence (you did ask!).

Commercial (Diesel) Oil

The additive packages for C (commercial) certification are designed to promote engine life. The additive packages for C rated oils contain extra buffers and detergents to keep the engine clean and free of acids. C rated oils are far better than S oils at holding and dispersing combustion byproducts and other contaminants, and at not becoming acidic. Traditionally these oils are primarily used in diesel motors, which are very expensive and are expected to last a million miles or more. When an engine rebuild costs $10,000 - $15,000 and puts you out of work for a week or three, you don't mind paying a bit more for your oil. The C certification tests have been largely developed by Mack, Caterpillar, Detroit and Cummins to provide the additives necessary to keep these engines running a long time. The latest commercial certification is CI-4 Plus, which includes extra protection for high temperature high revving motors. Since it's designed for diesel motors, they don't care about no stinkin' catalytic thingies, and CAFE is a place where you get a cup of joe and a donut. CI-4 Plus differs from CI-4 with higher detergent requirements and better sheer stability. The shear stability is exactly what motorcycles need due to running the engine oil through the transmission.

Although C standards are changed every few years, the older standards are enhanced, not superceded. So, newer higher rated C oils are simply better than older lower rated oils.

Although few car owners test their oil regularly, most large trucking companies routinely do oil analysis on their diesel trucks. Used oils are checked for viscosity breakdown, for detergent and dispersant function, and for metal contamination that would indicate engine wear. C oils that don't measure up are quickly run off the market place. To prevent engine wear, the best strategy is to keep deposits off the pistons, rings, and bearings. Therefore, diesel oils typically contain half again more detergents, double the dispersants, and a much more expensive and robust VII package than S type oils. If you go to an auto parts store, convenience store, or grocery store, you'll see that there are dozens of brands of automotive oils, all claiming to be the best. If you look at truck stops, you'll see there are only a very few diesel oils sold, typically Rotella, Delo, and Delvac. Trucking companies find what works for them and won't switch. They're not interested in saving a dollar a gallon on some unknown oil.