Blackbird Rush
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| posted on 10/2/12 at 08:47 AM |
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Fireblades
After a bit of advice from the friendly folk here on LB 
Having pulled my Blackbird engine out (and having a replacement to refit) i'm looking at the oil system to prevent the next motor going bang,
looking at an accusump along with a sump baffle to protect the motor from surge etc, however the cost is a bit higher than i was planning which got me
thinking........
Rather than replace the bird (i can resell the spare engine if needed) im considering swaping for a blade (did think originally about an R1 but the
cost of all the other changes required put me off)
Questions....
1. Will i notice any difference in performance from the blade Vs. the bird?
2. Are the exhaust ports the same i.e. can i just swap over my current headers?
3. Are all variants of the blade bullet proof ie just a baffleplate & overfill OK for the trackdays with sticky tyres?
4. Any variants of the blade to be avoided?
The Blade looks like a more compact unit which would give me better ground clearance too.
Good idea or am i barking? as most seam to increace their cc's not decrease them!
Cheers
Ash
[Edited on 10/2/12 by Blackbird Rush]
[Edited on 10/2/12 by Blackbird Rush]
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MK9R
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| posted on 10/2/12 at 10:56 AM |
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which year blade?? the 2008 ones fly!!!!
Cheers Austen
RGB car number 9
www.austengreenway.co.uk
www.automatedtechnologygroup.co.uk
www.trackace.co.uk
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Tris
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| posted on 10/2/12 at 11:08 AM |
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Hello Ash
1. Will i notice any difference in performance from the blade Vs. the bird?
Depends on what version of the blade engine you go for
-CBR900RR (carbed 919cc, fuel injected 929cc or 954cc
-CBR1000RR (998cc,999cc)
Your looking at power outputs ranging from 128BHP with the old 919, through to 178BHP with the new 999 (which is the 08 year engine Austen speaks
off). I have a 999cc version but they can be hard to track down.
2. Are the exhaust ports the same i.e. can i just swap over my current headers?
I understand that they are different
3. Are all variants of the blade bullet proof ie just a baffleplate & overfill OK for the trackdays with sticky tyres?
Doubt you will ever get a bullet proof answer to this one, but for my money i would always go for a new billet sup.
4. Any variants of the blade to be avoided?
Not that i know off, wouldn't go earlier than the 919's though - there's just a large difference in price
Cheers
Tris
[Edited on 10/2/12 by Tris]
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whitestu
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| posted on 10/2/12 at 11:09 AM |
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I think Birds have 164 bhp and later Blades have 154 bhp, so not much difference.
As it sounds like they are much more reliable that doesn't seem like a major negative.
If you stick with the Bird engine you are always going to be listening for it going bang.
Stu
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PAUL FISHER
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| posted on 10/2/12 at 11:43 AM |
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Your problem is, by the time you have bought a new exhaust manifold, had a new engine frame made, wiring loom changed, new clocks etc etc, you may as
well just buy another bird engine, as you can pick them up very cheap, and they make very good power for the money, but then dry sump it!, and dry
sumping a Bird in a seven is the only way to go in my opinion, Nova Racing sell them, if you do go in this direction, I would also have a word with
"Indy bird" Sean on here, he knows his stuff on these engines, he ran a dry sumped bird and a turbo dry sump Bird in a Dax, on the road
and track.
[Edited on 19/05/04 by PAUL FISHER]
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probablyleon
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| posted on 10/2/12 at 01:14 PM |
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I was in exactly your position after blowing up my Blackbird (with Accusump) on a trackday last summer. I toyed with the idea of replacing the Bird
when I considered all the costs involved with taking another route. I had originally thought there might be lots of common ground with the Blade and
Bird installations, apparently not so. I eventually bit the bullet and went with a 2006 R1. While I was considering replacing the Blackbird I did
discover that Caterham were selling off what they had left of there Blackbird installation parts, including some dry sump bits, all at around half
price. Was very tempting. I think removing the balancer shaft and blocking the offending oil way might go a long way to sorting the reliability
issues.
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Blackbird Rush
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| posted on 10/2/12 at 10:37 PM |
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Cheers for the replies.
The simplest solution would be to keep the bird and either accusump or dry sump it, however the cost of both of these along with selling my spare
engine is a long way towards a different motor.
Thinking about it as much as i'd like to try a different motor the time involved in re engineering the fit makes it a non starter.
Looking at the Pace/Nova dry sump pan i'm not convinced it will fit in my chassis as the pipework from the pan looks like it will clash with the
lower engine mount so looks like my best option is an accusump & baffle plate, also investigating the removal of the balancer shaft to relieve
bearing #3.
watch this space....... 
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