All.
This is the thread where I will put the general progress of my Savage build. I use to do it like this, on forums, so that I have an archive of my work.
This forum is an increadible resource of information, the fact that I could find info on the carburettor fix for the lean idle and low needle range helped me to get the bike running well. For a short period, now it is inside the workshop, waiting s couple of mods.
The forum will save me a lot of grief due to the procedures outlined regarding the protusion of the cam tensioner, as seen in the attachment.
Now that the cover is off, I will also beef the clutch up to DR650 standards.
The oil pump gears will also get a reverse treatment.
Lancers Mikuni carburettor is ready on the shelf, and I am pondering how to weld a nice airbox for the accompanying filter.
A used, but good cylinder head is on the way, and I will try my hand on some porting work.
I have been studying flow benches recently, and it would appear to be not all that difficult to get started with some reasonable gear.
There is a good forum called flowbenchtech.com, where there is some really usefull information on the working of flow benches.
There is also a spreadsheet to calculate the size of the needed orifice plates to measure the flow rates.
https://www.flowbenchtech.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=73
I have learned that it is a good idea to make silicone rubber casts of the port you want to modify, and use it to create a plaster model of the head, and then try the modifications on the plaster model, before getting carried away and potentially ruining a perfectly good cylinder head in the process. I also imagine that getting the port shape out in the open, in the shape of a rubber plug, can give some intuitive input as to where it might be beneficial to alter it. It has been said somewhere, that the inlet tract should converge all the way from carburettor to valve seats.
This should all be keeping me busy for the coming very dark months up here at 56deg. lat.

Yes, "something" has to be done. I beleive you have a mod, and I can replicate that in my workshop.
Something worries me, though: when the chain stretches, and the slack is taken up on the "idling" stretch of it, the cam timing must retard.
Have I seen another method where the leading (front)chain guide is used to take slack?
Hard to keep track of all the great tips on this site.
Cheers, Finn Hammer

When you are setting the bike up - you can make an adjustment if the cam timing is out of wack.  The number of teeth on the cam chain drive sprocket on the crank, and the number of splines on the crankshaft are not equal.  If you rotate the sprocket on the crankshaft and move the chain on the teeth you can make adjustment to the timing.  This is a violation of just using the factory marks......but it does work for those talented enough to fiddle with it.

There is a thread about how to do it.......maybe somebody can help us find it (was it Armen that invented this trick?).

I read:

Use it with an extended CCT and you will have all sorts of options for increasing compression, tightening quench clearance, etc.
 
I find this topic very interesting. What does CCT stand for?

Ok, this is cool, I learn something every day here.
The juggeling of the teeth on the cam chain reminds me of something we did on old WV Beatles based beach buggies back in Kenya in the seventies, to lower the rear end. Different amount of teeth in each end of the torsion bars, so advance 3 teeth on the inside and retard 2 teeth on the outside. Or the other way around, memory fails me.
Cheers, Finn Hammer

For reference, here are some hubs off Ebay that all exibit various decrees of gnawing from the steel plates

Ok, end of rant today:

Inlet valve distance C-C 28mm so that is the biggest valves possible in the Savage.
Wouldn't it look snazzy with bronze seats?

Now that Honda chain guide is a work of art.  Yesssss!  Something like that would clearly resolve the issue, but alas, there isn't much room for a beefy guide like that.  Thanks for the pictures.  

While the jack bolt isn't nearly as trick, it is very effective at resolving the problem, plus it allows more options for adjustment.  Sounds to me like you are planning on some earth-rotating rear wheel power.  If you can manufacture those trick steels you will have a pretty unique clutch.  I'm curious how you intend to cut those plates.  Seems to me if you have the equipment and skills to make stepped-steels, you could probably manufacture a new hub out of steel instead of aluminum.  That might eliminate the need for the stepped steel plates.  You really do think outside the box Finn. Keep the ideas comin.

I second Dave's comment on the hybrid clutch.  It works pretty good and so far it's holding the power.  Don't try to eliminate the wave-washer assembly.  Leaving it out does add a small amount of additional friction surface, but the clutch action stinks without the wave-washer.  You can assemble a really good clutch with the old DR hub and an additional set of plates.  Add the Sneezy cam so that you can increase spring preload and it will hold quite a bit of power.  The early DR650 springs are a lot stiffer than the stockers.  Barnetts are moderately stiffer.  You need the Sneezy cam if you want to use stiffer springs.

I'm not sure how you arrived at 28mm for max intake valve diameter.  The stock engine comes equipped with 33mm intakes.  I increased mine to 34mm and it works pretty good.  I'm planning on trying 35mm intakes but I need to get some valve seat grinding equipment.  It's simply too hard to do the mod with hand driven carbide cutters.