HondaCB650

I had my cam chain guide snap in three and no one sold them, but luckily I am an Integrated Engineer and am currently building them using stainless steel as the skeleton and an epoxy base as the contact service. After testing I will let all of you know how it goes.

Can't wait to hear the results!

Epoxy? I doubt this will withstand steel rubbing for long. Not sure about long term oil resistiveness either. I'd rather prefer something like polyethylene.
If to be done as "one part" drill and insert (with cement) metal pins or maybe bolt/rivet a glider/guide to a stainless steel backbone rail.

It's an epoxy type it cost me $250 for a quart and is special formulated by master bond, they are an epoxy company designing bond for oil and chemical companies this has a tensile strength higher than any O.E.M. Guide I know of plus can withstand 1200 degrees F and is a smooth finish for the guide part. So I believe this application will work just dandy.

First test done. I have built three to the exact same specs. The first test was temperature break done of part. This part max. Temperature in degrees F. Is 800 degrees for 15 minutes before composite break down, then takes 10 minutes before chain contacts stainless steel surface. So pretty impressed so far. In the next day or so I will get the results for the tensile strength and also structure composer to see any weak areas to improve.

Good idea to do external tests before installation.

I will get in line. Sign me up.

Test #2 results: strength testing, bending in the middle and ends, and breaks or fractures in surface. This test went well and close to the calculations we predicted for this part. Bent in the middle at 438 lbs applied directly, broke welds. Fractured surface in middle at 280lbs. ends bent at 318 lbs and fractured at 212lbs applied. So to say the least stronger than O.E.M. And can handle the heat as shown in test #1 results, next test actually in motor running. I will let you know how it goes and I will try to post pics of it soon so you can see what the changes are.

Thank You for the update. Good Progress.

This is good stuff! Thanks!

Bbarnellb wrote: This test went well and close to the calculations we predicted for this part.

Calculations? You take this really serious.
I'm impressed.

Yes I did, I built the product first into a CAD program and applied the necessary materials. With that built, we ran a stress analysis and also heat range inputting the various factors. This gave me the calculations for both scenarios and we got very close results.

New times.
Maybe in a few years we will also use 3D printers to make our obsolete parts ourselves.

Pictures of the new Cam Chain Guide. In #2 you will see some imperfections in the guide surface, and it looks to be a crack is not its just the way this epoxy base cured. This is the Second guide I built the first was uglier but it was the test project as well and is no longer serviceable as it went through stress analysis earlier in Test #1 & #2. But this is what they look like and on the pins we are applying a small amount of another poly base as a shock and friction absorbent to lessen the chatter movement and solidify the part in the motor.