buell s1 lightning '97 Manual

 

The V

 

2

 

 Evolution

 

TM

 

 engine is a two-cylinder, four-cycle, air-

cooled, overhead-valve V-twin. It has three major component
assemblies.

 

The cylinder assembly includes cylinder head, valves, rocker
arm cover, rocker arms and piston. Cylinders mount on the
crankcase in a 45 degree “V” with both connecting rods con-
nected to a single crank pin.

 

The up-and-down motion of the piston in the cylinder is con-
verted to circular motion in the crankcase. The multi-piece
crankshaft consists of a crank pin mounted between two
counterweighted flywheels, which rotate on two end shaft
bearings. The lower end of the rear cylinder connecting rod is
forked to fit around the single-end front cylinder connecting
rod, allowing a single connecting rod crank pin connection to
the flywheel.

 

The gearcase is located on the right side of the crankcase.
The gearcase houses the gear train, which operates and
times the valves and ignition. The cam gear train, consisting
of four cam shafts with one cam lobe on each shaft, is gear
driven. The engine valves are opened and closed through the
mechanical linkage of tappets, push rods and rocker arms.
Hydraulic lifters, located in the tappets, automatically com-
pensate for heat expansion to maintain the no-lash fit of valve
train components. Tappets serve to transmit the cam action to
the valve linkage. Valve timing is obtained by aligning timing
marks when installing cam gears.

Ignition spark is produced by the operation of a microproces-
sor-controlled electronic ignition module, ignition coil, and
spark plugs. Spark timing is determined by a trigger rotor,
magnetic sensing unit and vacuum-operated electric switch.

The trigger rotor has two openings which time the cylinders.

Both spark plugs fire simultaneously each crankshaft revolu-
tion. The spark plug in the front cylinder will fire at the end of
that cylinder’s compression stroke, igniting the air/fuel mixture
in the front cylinder. At the same instant, however, the spark
in the rear cylinder will fire ineffectually during the end of that
cylinder’s exhaust stroke. During the next engine revolution,
the simultaneous firing of the spark plugs will occur during the
middle of the front cylinder’s exhaust stroke and at the end of
the rear cylinder’s compression stroke (igniting the air/fuel
mixture in the rear cylinder).

 

Buell motorcycles were designed to obtain the best perfor-
mance and efficiency using unleaded gasoline (91 pump
octane or higher). Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline/alcohol
blends as a fuel. The type and amount of alcohol added to the
fuel is important.

 

●

 

DO NOT USE GASOLINES CONTAINING METHANOL.
Using gasoline/methanol blends will result in starting and
driveability deterioration and damage to critical fuel sys-
tem components.

 

●

 

ETHANOL is a mixture of 10% ethanol (Grain alcohol)
and 90% unleaded gasoline. Gasoline/ethanol blends
can be used in your motorcycle if the ethanol content
does not exceed 10%.

 

●

 

Gasolines containing ETHER: Gasoline/ether blends are
a mixture of gasoline and as much as 15% ether. Gaso-
line/ether blends can be used in your motorcycle if the
ether content does not exceed 17%.

 

●

 

REFORMULATED OR OXYGENATED GASOLINES
(RFG): “Reformulated gasoline” is a term used to
describe gasoline blends that are specifically designed to
burn cleaner than other types of gasoline, leaving fewer
“tailpipe” emissions. They are also formulated to evapo-
rate less when you are filling your tank. Reformulated
gasolines use additives to “oxygenate” the gas. Your
motorcycle will run normally using this type of gas. Buell
recommends you use it when possible, as an aid to
cleaner air in our environment.

Because of their generally higher volatility, these blends may
adversely affect the starting, driveability and fuel efficiency of
your motorcycle. If you experience these problems, Buell rec-
ommends you operate your motorcycle on straight, unleaded
gasoline.

 

The engine has a force-feed (pressure) type oiling system,
incorporating oil feed and return pumps in one pump body,
with one check valve on the oil feed side. The feed pump
forces oil to the engine, lubricating lower connecting rod bear-
ings, rocker arm bushings, valve stems, valve springs, push
rods and tappets. Cylinder walls, pistons, piston pins, timing
gears and bushings and main bearings are lubricated by oil
spray thrown off connecting rods and crankshaft, and by oil
draining from each rocker box through an internal drain pas-
sage in each cylinder and each tappet guide. A small amount
of oil is sprayed through an oil galley jet onto the rear intake
cam gear in the gearcase; oil is transferred to the teeth of all
the cam gears by way of the gear meshing action. The oil-
scavenging section of the pump returns oil to the tank from
the engine. See 

 for

further information.