After using their unit for a long time, many owners think about how to increase the power of the motorcycle. This can be done at home at minimal cost. However, to significantly improve performance, a small budget and special equipment will be required.
Russian motorcycles differ in their piston system, its cooling methods and dimensions. To increase the engine's capabilities, it is necessary to increase the amount of compressed fuel in a short time, as well as reduce losses.
Quite a lot of power is spent on friction of parts in the engine. It is not possible to eliminate such a problem. The only thing that could be improved is the oil. If you filled in regular inexpensive oil, then you should focus on reputable manufacturers. Shell is perfect for Russian equipment. However, there are companies that have perfected the technology for producing their products. One of these companies is Motul.
It is also worth checking the tire pressure, chain drive, etc. Such modifications will not bring significant improvements in performance, but will help achieve better dynamics and reduced vibrations.
The best option on how to increase the power of a motorcycle engine would be to improve the engine efficiency by improving cylinder filling . To do this, it is necessary to completely clean all channels and components through which fuel and air enter. However, don't overdo it. A significant change in the trajectory of the supply of the fuel-air mixture can grossly disrupt the purge system and the exhaust system of combustible gases.
Do not install direct-flow mufflers under any circumstances. They will increase fuel consumption and make noise while driving. At the factory, the engine’s capabilities are accurately calculated, so excessive intervention will not increase the performance, but will only increase wear on the motorcycle’s mechanisms.
In addition to modifying the old motor, you can install new components in it, or replace the engine altogether. For example, by increasing the working volume, a significant increase in performance and turnover will be ensured. Also, replacing the carburetor may be an excellent option. Frequent contamination and poor adjustment interfere with the full operation of the engine. In such cases, it is necessary to clean all components of the carburetor, especially the needle that supplies fuel.
When used correctly, the operation of the motor should not be disrupted. The main thing is to promptly replace worn parts and consumables. For example, replacing air filters and oils is mandatory.
Increasing engine power!
Increasing engine power!
Methods for increasing engine power can be divided into “superficial” and “global methods”.
Superficial methods for increasing engine power, as a rule, do not require a major reconstruction of the unit, but only involve modification of its individual parts.
Global methods involve a major change in the engine, which requires special, professional intervention.
The first option is to increase engine power. This method is classified as “superficial” methods of influencing the engine,” and its essence is to reduce the resistance of the air flow entering the fuel supply system. In general, instead of a conventional air filter, filters are installed, as they say, of “zero resistance,” thereby ensuring that the air flow enters the combustion chamber of the engine with the least loss.
The second option is to increase engine power. Its essence is to accelerate the emissions of exhaust gas from the combustion chamber of the engine. This is achieved by replacing the “stock” exhaust manifold with a manifold, popularly called a “spider”. A “spider” is a name given to a certain type of exhaust manifold.
Traditionally, together with the “spider”, for greater performance, they use a straight exhaust pipe, which is called a “route” or “direct flow”. “Route” is a channel for moving the flow of exhaust gases, made of a pipe with a diameter slightly higher than the diameter of a conventional exhaust line, starting from the “spider”, and, bypassing the resonator with a muffler, ends exactly at the site of this muffler. The pre-existing highway is, of course, removed. It should also be said that when using the first two methods of increasing engine power, you provide the car engine with a device that allows you to save gasoline.
The third option for increasing engine power is to increase the supply of fuel to the combustion chamber of the engine. This method can significantly add power to the engine, but the disadvantage is an increase in fuel consumption. Its essence is to increase the fuel jets (in carburetor-type engines) or “reflash” the injector (for injection engines) - “chip tuning”.
This method, as practice shows, negatively affects the working life of the motor, and in this case, you should forget about increasing the life of the motor forever.
The fifth option for increasing engine power is to increase the compression ratio within the engine combustion chamber. To increase the efficiency of using fuel mixtures, the compression ratio within the combustion chamber is increased. A similar effect is achieved when the surface of the cylinder heads is modified, thereby reducing the combustion chamber.
Also, in order to increase engine power in this way, the “cams” on the camshaft of the cylinder heads are processed so that the duration of opening of the intake valve of each cylinder becomes longer, thus ensuring that a larger amount of the fuel mixture enters the combustion chamber of the engine. This method allows you to significantly increase engine power, while ensuring a noticeable reduction in fuel costs.
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The most proven ways to speed up your motorcycle
Fortunately, at the moment there are a lot of opportunities to boost the engine, but improving it without changing the design is quite troublesome. To do this, you need to know the design of the motorcycle and understand it well.
The main problem is that it is not difficult to increase the engine power, but the speed may remain unchanged (if basic additions are not made). And the main one is changing the final drive gear ratio, because the engine has great potential and power reserves. In turn, the absence of a sports or modified transmission can significantly reduce driving performance. Next, we will consider the most proven ways to increase the maximum speed of a motorcycle.
Tire selection
Now that your bike has light or ultra-light wheels, you need to put some really good tires on them. But you should understand that tires have different characteristics - some provide excellent stability, others are good at extreme leaning while cornering. Almost all online forums dedicated to motorcycles have a separate section where tires are discussed. So it's worth spending time learning about people's experiences. But this can't be done without trial and error. Otherwise, you will not be able to find the tires that are ideal for the driver and match his driving style.
The most common tuning methods
First way. The most common method is to replace the stars. If you install smaller ones instead of the standard ones, then it will be possible to increase the maximum speed (there is a special formula for calculating the speed increase). And thanks to the formula, it is possible to calculate the number of teeth needed (to gain a higher maximum speed).
Second way. A very effective method is to adjust the carburetor; this will help increase the speed of the Minsk motorcycle and more powerful models. In certain cases, adjustment helps a lot, but there are many nuances associated with the carburetor model and its characteristics. Sometimes it is enough just to raise the throttle needle (up a couple of positions), which will give an increase of 5-10 km/h (in this case it will not be possible to avoid excessive fuel consumption). You can also increase the engine displacement by boring the cylinder. This will help increase both top speed and traction performance. It is also worth considering the high cost of this improvement and a large amount of time. Some procedures will require the work of specialists (for example, boring a cylinder), and after tuning, the motorcycle will need to be run in and only then checked for efficiency.
Third way. Most motorcycles with an engine capacity of 1000 cc or more have a factory-installed speed limiter that causes the engine to rev more slowly once the designated speed is reached. By turning off this limiter, you can increase the maximum speed (up to 1000 cc - no more than 280 km/h, more than 1000 cc - up to 335 km/h). Additional methods to increase top speed
All remaining methods of boosting the engine are related to increasing its power. New motorcycles are already perfectly tuned in the basic configuration, so it is almost impossible to achieve what you want without reducing its resource. For example, turning off the environmental limit setting (using late ignition) will increase both power and torque (in first, second and third gear). This modification allows motorcycles in the 600 cc class to add about 4 hp, and motorcycles in the 1000 cc class can add up to 14.5 hp. You can also resort to optimizing the program of the injector control unit. Regardless of the quality of production, 2 identical motorcycles on the assembly line (due to the specifics of production of parts) may have differences in power (up to 5 hp). It is for this purpose that slightly lowered, identical engine characteristics are set (in the program responsible for controlling the injector). Therefore, it is possible to optimize the performance of an individual motorcycle using a special device that cannot increase power, but can correct non-linearity in traction and power dips.
After boosting and tuning your motorcycle, you must be aware that you are responsible for your life and the lives of those around you. Therefore, you need to adhere to the rules of the road and stop driving at the slightest signal of a malfunction.
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Boosting foreign cars
If you can’t really work with Soviet motorcycles, then modern foreign bikes are quite suitable for modification. For example, Japanese models, due to economic, environmental and other influences, do not use the maximum capabilities of their devices. On such bikes, the question of how to increase the speed of the motorcycle arises in two ways. On the one hand, achieving an increase in power is not a problem, but at the same time there is a significant loss of resources.
Let's look at an example. The first thing to note is that all Japanese brands have a very small gear ratio. This was done for the safety of the driver, since high gear ratios will provide strong jerks and positioning of the maximum speed, which in fact will differ from the real one.
Increasing the gear ratio is the fastest and most economical way to improve motorcycle performance. Surely, during the trip, everyone noticed that when moving around the city, the 3rd or 4th gears are mainly used, while the 5th and 6th are almost never used. So, by setting the gear ratio so that it includes all 6 gears, you will provide the bike with new dynamics. It will be very different from the standard one and you will have to get used to it at first. After changing the gear ratio, be sure to install a speedometer corrector. It will provide improved ratio shifting ability.
Also, environmental restrictions interfere with the operation of the motor. Disabling them will improve engine performance. This applies especially strongly to the Suzuki and Kawasaki brands. Their parameters include indicators that ensure a minimum amount of atmospheric pollution. This is achieved by late ignition in first gears. By disabling such a program, you will increase the power and torque of the engine when driving in first gear. Even engines with a small volume will gain about 5 hp, and with large volumes from 15 hp. To turn it off, you need to buy a special device, like a gear indicator with a built-in delay shutdown unit.
The main ways to increase power on motorcycles are listed. Don't forget that modifications will help you increase power, and proper maintenance will help you maintain factory performance.
Increasing the power of a 2-stroke engine
Many people believe that in order to restore the engine's former power, it is enough to replace worn parts with new ones and carefully break them in. This usually happens, but often, after completing the repair, they note with bewilderment its low efficiency and, having unsuccessfully tested various adjustment options, they conclude that it is impossible to get more from this engine. In fact, if all other systems are in good working order, very often it is possible to significantly increase the main parameters (power, throttle response, efficiency) of such a motor by fine-tuning, or rather, by mutually adjusting some of its parts.
The fact is that due to the requirements of mass production, such as the motorcycle industry, some dimensions of parts, especially those produced by casting, have a fairly significant spread. If we add to this the frequently changed casting molds, which do not always exactly repeat the previous ones, it is not difficult to imagine that inconsistencies between some parts and others in the event of an unsuccessful combination may well occur during assembly.
This discrepancy is most often observed in the cylinder and crankcase of two-stroke engines, where the channels and windows do not always completely match. This causes not only a decrease in flow areas, but also turbulence in gas flows, which worsens the charge of the mixture, and therefore the power, acceleration dynamics, and fuel consumption.
Fig.3. Scrapers for channel processing.
Let's take as an example the YAVA motorcycle engine of the “634” type. whose owners are the most demanding in terms of power (recommendations apply equally to engines of other brands).
So, we install the cylinder in the corresponding half of the crankcase. Here you can detect a discrepancy between the lower (bypass) windows of the cylinder and the beginning of the purge channels in the crankcase (Fig. 1).
Most often, there is a circumferential displacement, which it is desirable to eliminate. To do this, you have to remove metal both from the cylinder and from the wall of the channel in the crankcase. The entrance to the purge channel should be smooth, without ledges. The upper outer edge 4 of the bypass window can be rounded. Sometimes, in order to ensure an even smoother entry, the lower window bridge in the cylinder (6) and piston (5) is removed completely, and the lower edge 7 of the crankcase channel is rounded (Fig. 1.6). But such a measure can reduce the life of the piston and partially increase noise. according to our observations, slightly change the engine characteristics in favor of higher speeds. At the same time, it completely eliminates the risk of spontaneous breakage of the lower piston bridge, which, unfortunately, happens. Among experienced JAVA owners, such a piston reconstruction (Fig. 2.6) is very popular.
If you decide to keep the window bridges in the piston and cylinder, pay special attention to the piston. Due to certain casting errors, there may be sharp cuts on the lower lintel, especially in the places where the corners of the window are rounded. This defect must be eliminated so that the transition from the piston skirt to the bridge is smooth, without stress raisers (Fig. 2.a). Having filed the window and definitely the lintel in this way, polish the edges to a shine, dulling them around the perimeter with a radius of up to 1 mm. This will reduce the risk of piston breakage from vibrations.
Fig.5. The back edge of the window, which should remain sharp.
The processing of the channels must be sufficiently accurate, otherwise a violation of the symmetry of the left and right is possible, often leading to even greater power losses due to deterioration of cylinder purging.
Fig.7. Displacement of the intake channel in the crankcase halves.
There is no need to increase the cross-section of the exhaust channels, but it is advisable to grind their inner surface near the windows, which will reduce the possibility of carbon deposits.
The inlet window of the cylinder (Fig. 6) is adjusted exactly to the end of the channel in the crankcase formed by its half 1 and liner 2. Sometimes for this it is necessary to additionally saw the window and the mouth of the channel in order to avoid ledges and make the channel smooth. The protrusion on the upper edge of the window, which serves as a support for the lower piston ring (Fig. 6. a), is rounded from the outside, making it streamlined (Fig. 6.6).
The intake port in the crankcase, formed by two halves, may have the defect shown in Fig. 7. Level the channel around the entire perimeter using a scraper, then grind and polish. In this case, the cross section increases slightly.
Before assembly, all engine parts must be thoroughly washed, paying special attention to any remaining abrasive materials. For example, they most easily settle in the lubrication channels (drillings) leading from the purge channels directly to the bearings. Carelessness here turns into disaster.
The listed simple measures are often enough to ensure that the engine performs no worse than its more successful brothers in the assembly line.
You can get acquainted with other means of increasing the power of motorcycle engines in the book by I. Grigoriev “Motorcycle without Secrets”, published in 1973 by the DOSAAF Publishing House.
Careful manual processing of the channels of two-stroke engines allows you to increase power, improve throttle response, and reduce fuel consumption. Unsuccessful changes in their shape and sections lead to negative results. Therefore, when deciding to modify the engine, take into account your capabilities and experience.
Engineer E.V. KONOP Magazine “Behind the Wheel” No. 8/1979
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Painless changes
You should not assume that any painless tuning for a Ural motorcycle will be easy to do. But, as they say, hunting is worse than bondage. For clarity, we will divide possible alterations into external and internal. The external ones are aimed at correcting the veteran’s appearance, while the internal ones will affect his driving performance and technical characteristics.
Appearance correction
Classic shapes, characteristic of all models without changing, go well with an abundance of chrome parts. Since chromium has good anti-corrosion resistance, it is not forbidden to use it even in the most unexpected places. After this processing, many details will look good:
- Front and rear wings.
- Fuel tank.
- Side panels.
- Engine crankcase, cylinders and cylinder heads.
- Frame and suspension elements.
But if there is no opportunity or desire to do chrome plating, high-quality painting of a Ural motorcycle can be an alternative. There will be room to turn around, especially if you have a modification with a stroller.
Good results can be achieved by installing wings of a different style and size, a different fuel tank, roll bars and even optics. Many favorite modifications - installing a high steering wheel and new control handles, altering the seat, without the right approach, worsen the rider's position, making it less comfortable
Such changes should be made with caution
Inner harmony
Many owners start tuning the Urals to improve the technical characteristics of the motorcycle. Despite some orthodoxy in the design of the engine and gearbox, there is room for improvement here. The following steps can be taken:
- Installation of crankshaft (crank) support bearings, the quality of which is better than standard ones. It is not recommended to reduce the size of the support necks themselves. After all, this removes the heat-treated layer and reduces the strength of the critical elements.
- Reduced weight of pistons and connecting rods. Excess mass of these parts leads to an increase in the moment of inertia and a decrease in engine power. Even simply by removing the casting flash, you can significantly reduce the weight and increase the effective output of the power unit.
- Alignment and grinding of inlet and outlet channels. Grinding in valves. Such procedures will improve the filling of the cylinders with the combustible mixture.
- Manufacturing a new camshaft with a different cam profile, allowing the valve timing to be changed. This is a complex engine tuning that requires special knowledge.
- Installation of new carburetors. A well-proven measure that allows you to get rid of failure during acceleration, which is characteristic of all IMZ models without exception.
This is due to the fact that the manufacturer equips the equipment with variable-discharge carburetors, which are poorly suited for four-stroke motorcycle engines. You can get rid of this by equipping the motorcycle with suitable constant-vacuum carburetors. Both Mikuni and Keihin have such models. To optimize operation, the flow area of the nozzles will need to be adjusted. Ideally, such modifications are carried out on a special stand. In the absence of one, one has to be content with fitting in road conditions. After such engine modernization, the Ural will accelerate much more confidently. - Replacing standard air filters with others that have similar throughput but less resistance.
- Installation of inertial boost. This will only work if you purchase components from a reputable manufacturer. There are often low-quality or even non-functional components on the market.
- Manufacturing of new gearbox gears. Despite the relative labor intensity, this motorcycle tuning is more than justified. Original gears are often not of high quality and not only make it difficult to change gears, but also make noise during operation.
- Installation of alloy wheels. Such modernization is not always justified. A cast wheel, if it is not spoked, will look ridiculous on a classic.
Whether you make all the upgrades, or just some, in any case, tuning the Ural motorcycle engine will be completely justified.
Ural motorcycle engine tuning: detailed information
Tips on how to tune a Ural motorcycle engine, what little details you should pay attention to and what is used in the work
What owner of a domestic motorcycle has not thought about tuning the engine of a Ural motorcycle? This burning question worries many fans of domestic Ural motorcycles! The fact is that the standard Ural engine has many manufacturing inaccuracies and is technically imperfect. Depending on the model and year of manufacture, the power of the Ural motorcycle varies from 32 to 36 horsepower, which in our time is considered low for an engine capacity of 650 cubic centimeters. In this article we will look at how to increase the power of a stock outdated engine. I would like to note right away that a lot of turning work will be required; find a workshop in advance that will agree to help you in this matter.
The Ural boxer engine has great potential for tuning, thanks to a piston diameter of 78mm and a stroke of 68mm. With this configuration, the engine could be revving, unfortunately the quality of the parts and the purpose of the motorcycle do not allow this to happen. In the article we will look at the solution to this problem, due to which you can achieve impressive results from the operation of such an engine, namely:
Buy or make your dream bike
To save time on tuning, you can immediately buy a powerful motorcycle of the latest modification. But if you don’t have the funds to purchase such a device, you need to buy a cheap, low-power motorcycle and gradually, on your own, turn it into a two-wheeled dream.
It is important to choose the right basis for creating a powerful, exclusive model - it must have an impressive modernization resource. To solve this problem, it is necessary to use the experience of other people and study the advice of professionals.
Engine head tuning
Through the channels of the engine heads, the cylinders are filled with a fuel mixture, and exhaust gases are released. The more efficiently the cylinders are filled and the exhaust gases escape more easily, the greater the engine power. To tune the Ural engine heads, you will need to remove the valves. The diameter of the original Ural valves is only 38mm inlet and 35mm exhaust, which affects the suffocation of the engine. Along with the valves, you need to press out the old valve seats and guides. The seats for the saddles should be bored to the size of the Dnieper saddles. New enlarged seats will allow the installation of larger diameter valves 40mm inlet and 38mm exhaust from the Dnieper. The best alternative to Dnepr valves would be valves from Audi. The quality of automobile spare parts is much higher, and thanks to the fixation with new type of crackers, the service life of the heads can be significantly increased. We recommend using bronze valve guides from VAZ 2101-2107.
Camshaft tuning
This modification requires a very thoughtful approach; as a rule, a new cam shape is created experimentally and may not meet your expectations. A wide-phase camshaft will help to fully realize the capabilities of tuned cylinder heads. For moderate tuning, you can simply install it from the Ural model M 67-36. The photo below shows a wide-phase shaft on the left, and a regular one on the right.
If you want to achieve the maximum from the engine, then it is possible to increase the profile of the cams of the standard shaft. This can be done by welding the metal using argon welding. By increasing the width and height of the cams by a couple of millimeters, it is possible to achieve a shift in torque to the high speed region and increase power also by increasing the speed of the valve timing. Take into account the fact that such an engine will lose traction at low speeds and may even stall at idle. For this modification, we recommend finding a workshop or factory that can properly process the cam profile followed by carburizing. Then, it is important to make sure that the geometry of the shaft is even; there is a high probability that the shaft could be driven by a sharp temperature change; the curvature is checked with a dial indicator by an experienced turner.
Replacing rims
Wheels are a piece of equipment on which many manufacturing companies save money. Heavy wheels are an irreducible mass that will not allow even the most advanced and fantastic suspension to reduce the negative impact on driving characteristics. If you install a good set of wheels, the difference will immediately become noticeable. There are many great options in the market at different price points.
Cylinders and pistons
One of the most important parts in an engine is the pistons. They take on a huge load from expanding gases and temperature. Low-quality standard pistons do not withstand loads well, often have different weights, and the piston rings cannot provide high compression due to their outdated design, this significantly affects the power, and the massiveness and number of rings make the piston very heavy, which prevents the engine from spinning. It is recommended to install forged pistons with imported rings. A good solution would be to install forged pistons from the Ural Wolf motorcycle; they have a convex surface, which will increase the compression ratio and significantly increase engine power.
As for the cylinders, it is preferable to replace them with aluminum ones with a cast iron liner. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is much higher, and effective heat dissipation is ensured. A significant improvement in cylinders is relining. The standard internal diameter of the cylinder liner is 78 mm, and if the volume of the standard engine of 650 cubic meters does not suit you, by replacing the original cylinder liners with liners from Moskvich 412 with an internal diameter of 82 mm, you can significantly increase the volume and, accordingly, power. Select the pistons accordingly for the new diameter.
To combat overheating, a cooling system in the form of installing an oil cooler and by forcefully spraying oil onto the bottoms of the pistons will be useful. To connect the oil cooler, an additional oil pump is needed, since the standard one is very weak. To pump oil through the radiator, it is advisable to install an oil pump from a Dnepr motorcycle. Drive the second pump through an adapter from the standard Ural pump. In order for the additional pump to fit in the crankcase, an enlarged sump is required, which will also have a positive effect on cooling. By slightly increasing the amount of oil in the system, it will be possible to distribute the thermal load, and the new aluminum pan will remove heat even better.
By connecting to the new oil pump an oil line made of a copper or steel capillary tube, which must first pass into the radiator, then cooled oil from it must flow to the inside of the pistons. To do this, the line from the radiator enters back into the crankcase and bifurcates so that the oil supply is directed to the bottom of the piston from the inside. An oil cooler can be purchased at a Japanese motorcycle dismantling shop, and an automatic transmission radiator of the size you need from any car is also perfect.
Suspension
If the motorcycle is not equipped with adjustable suspension, then it is worth installing it - it will completely change the way you ride. The ability to adjust compression and damping settings based on the driver's weight will help adapt to high-speed maneuvering.
You can buy a good suspension setup from the Race Tech brand. But if there is no money for this, you should pick up a set of equipment at a disassembly site and install it on the bike. The front part of the motorcycle deserves special attention here. Over time, the rear suspension can also be upgraded. So tuning will not require significant investments.
Carburetors and ignition
Tuning a Ural motorcycle engine affects all engine systems, including ignition and carburetors. It is recommended to read the information: how to properly configure Ural carburetors. The standard ignition is so outdated that it is not even suitable for everyday driving, let alone anything else. It is desirable to install a microprocessor ignition with the possibility of an automatic advance angle. This article will help you set up the electronic ignition system. Ideally, such an ignition would be installed with a programmable controller with the ability to adjust the firmware. Such ignition systems have another useful feature - speed cut-off. This will prevent over-torque of a heavily boosted engine. Well, for maximum spark strength, in combination with a new ignition, you can use a coil from the Oka or Gazelle. Branded high-voltage wires with silicone insulation and internal resistance are required, for example from Tesla from VAZ 2108. They will ensure an uninterrupted spark in any weather and eliminate the possibility of spark breakdown to ground. As for carburetors, you will need to install Japanese vacuum carburetors with a diffuser diameter of 32 to 36 mm, followed by selection of jets, synchronization and adjustment with a gas analyzer. Tuning on a dynamometer is highly advisable, where you can test different settings and ignition timing and get the most out of your motorcycle tuning!
Additional engine modifications
In addition to the above methods of tuning a Ural motorcycle, there are several more secrets. It is possible to install a crankshaft from the K 750 on the Ural engine, which will increase the cylinder stroke to 78mm.
Thus, it is possible to significantly increase the working volume of the Ural engine. It's quite difficult to find, but it's worth it. Another problem with the motorcycle is the tight response to the throttle and slow acceleration. The reason for this is that the flywheel is too heavy, the weight of which is designed for riding with a stroller and for transporting heavy objects.
According to the drawing, it is possible to reduce its weight by a couple of kilograms. Due to the weight reduction, the inertia of the crankshaft will decrease, and the acceleration dynamics will significantly increase. To fully realize the power on the road, the gears of the gearbox must be replaced with 9 or 10 pairs. In conclusion, we would like to note that tuning the Ural motorcycle engine is justified only for racing purposes; for everyday use, such an engine will have a short resource and significant fuel consumption.
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