| Author | Message | ||
     Bobo |
I want to yank the side covers where the left one helps with rear cylinder cooling. I have a set of 1200XL 06 cylinders with only 4K on them. I can probably get a set of XL 04 and up heads pretty cheap. Why would I put these on a 2000 X1? Because the fins are bigger on the XL and thus hoping that helps with cooling especially if I take that left side cover off. I see that I may need rocker box covers as well and if I keep the FI I would need to drill and tap for the head temp sensor. Thoughts? What am I missing? Am I suffering from a form of Buell modding disease. I sure suffered from it with my Sporty. The plan is the Buell will give my Sporty a rest  | ||
| Jos51700 |
The extra cooling is probably not a bad thing, but that pesky front cylinder obscures airflow to the rear, so since both are bigger, I think you're going to be about the same... The bigger fins will probably skew the ET sensor readings, but probably not enough to make a huge difference. If anything, it would probably add a little more fuel, which would run a little cooler in itself. I don't know if the '04 and up heads will accept a Buell compatible motormount bracket. Why go to all this trouble and expense to cool a motor that probably isn't running hot in the first place? If you want to overcool your engine, there are plenty of oil coolers that will suffice. | ||
| Bobo |
Motivation started with the good cylinders I have just sitting here and just how ratty the X1 cylinders are looking. So, I agree. Probably not the thing to do. for now just going to try and get this together so I can ride it. | ||
| Alex |
Put Your X1 heads on the Sportster cylinders and it will make the engine look like it has at least 90 cui. | ||
| Djkaplan |
There are aftermarket billet engine mounts for XB/XL heads on tubers available out there. I think you'd also need to change the Firestorm pistons to work with XB/XL heads... I don't think the Firestorm piston domes are compatible with the new flat squish band heads. | ||
| Aaomy |
i would just stick with what you have and be happy.. it would be of no gain to tear apart your motor just to switch cylinders. if you are going to switch cylinders then you should wait until you can switch heads and pistons so that you can get some small gain form your investment.. your current thunderstorm pistons will not work with the newer firestorm heads, unless you send them out and have the tapered squish band cut into them to match. you will also need a new front motor mount. some people just elongate holes, but with the motor hanging form it i would do the job right..also the firestorm heads are .025 shorter than previous heads. your pushrods should be .040 shorter than current.. although the .200 of hydrolic lifter adjustment can take this up. i replaced the pushrods with adjustable ones to keep adjustment in the center of the range of the lifters.. personally i would probably just stick with the thunderstorm heads and cylinders until you need to rebore.. i run xb heads on stock cylinders but didnt have to replace pistons because the s2 used flat top pistons and stock sportster cylinder heads. it was a big jump for my bike going from stock sporty heads past lightening , past thunderstorm, to current firestorm heads.. if my bike had thunderstorm heads to begin with i probably would not have made the change.. | ||
| Tombo |
The late model XL heads are essentially xb heads. You will get better cooling from the extra fins, and more power from the improved combustion chamber, but you will need the right pistons (the stock XLs won't give you as much compression as xb9 pistons). You will need to change the front motor mount to one designed to for xb heads on tube frame buells. You may also need xb style rocker covers for the breathers. This is a relatively popular conversion. |
