OzVMX Forum

Marque Remarks => Honda => Topic started by: fred99999au on August 10, 2018, 07:59:43 pm

Title: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 10, 2018, 07:59:43 pm
Hi All. Got a mate who I owe a favour to who has a 1985 XR250RF that doesn't go. He's been told not to touch the carbies on these which is a surprise..

He had an expert around who first off cut the indicator wires because "Yeah, nah you wont need them", then pulled stuff off to get to the carbies. Then never came back.

Luckily the bits he removed are all in a bucket. Allegedly.

Anyone have any pearls of wisdom as to why this gadget might not start apart from the fact it has too many strokes?

It has spark, and was running when parked many years ago.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: matcho mick on August 10, 2018, 08:12:10 pm
you gotta touch the carbies  :o, :P
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 10, 2018, 08:37:03 pm
Was hoping someone was gonna say that.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 10, 2018, 10:03:25 pm
make sure immigration grabs that bloke if he tries to get back in the shed >:( The carbs will need a full strip down and clean as well as the airfilter if it hasnt turned to dust allready and been sucked into the carbs while trying to start it.....old fuel turns to pooh inside the carbs. the starting circuit and pilot jet are prob full of concrete or calcite and the rest will be like some jelly. They are a pig to get out so good luck with that.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 11, 2018, 06:58:08 am
Thanks. Have ultrasonic cleaner, will travel.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: bazza on August 11, 2018, 07:17:33 am
you only need compression,spark and fuel,you have 2 of them so go fuel. Old petrol goes to rubber/jelly/shit and yes check airfilter not turning to dust if foam
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 11, 2018, 05:35:57 pm
And the basis of comedy is also required. Timing. And in this case cam timing etc.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 11, 2018, 10:01:12 pm
shouldnt be anything wrong there??
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: GMC on August 12, 2018, 10:32:14 pm
One easy trick is to put a squirt of petrol in the spark plug hole then quickly put the plug back in and kick it over, you should get a brief 'fire'
If you do then you have carby problems.
if you don't then you may not have done it right :o
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 14, 2018, 08:43:31 pm
well, the bike lobbed into "The Empire Of Dirt" today and bugger me did old mate have a crack. seat off, tank off, shock unbolted, carb clamps undone headlight off, blinkers off, kicker undone,  collection of removed parts in a bucket.

Only thing he didn't remove was the bloody horn.

I removed the carbs spilling manky stale fuel everywhere, and I have come to the conclusion that this bike was built around the carbs. They were rested on a block of wood on the assembly line and the rest of the bike was built around them.

I thought I'd give it a short blast of ether to see if it popped. Nada. Need to pull the plug and see if I have spark now and if I can get the kick lever back to the top.

No idea why I do love jobs.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 15, 2018, 07:14:08 pm
you thought you could get it going in 30 mins and spend the week blasting around on it.. :D
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 15, 2018, 09:08:29 pm
Nah, we had a go at starting it a couple of years back. I suspected that the carbs were full of shmoo.

Today I discovered that I was right. No idea why Old Mate loosened the kicker, but that kick knuckle is very sad looking now. Bolt looks newer, but munted.

Also talking to a mate, he reckons that the 85 model had a habit of cracking heads...maybe it will go to the tip after all (his missus words, not mine)
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: TT5 Matt on August 15, 2018, 11:33:02 pm
yeah quite common for the xl/xr250's to crack the head between the plug hole and the exhaust valve seats and do it again after being welded and new exhaust valve seats fitted,maybe honda should have fitted an 8mm spark plug then the 12mm they come with.if its got enough comp it should go though.those twin carbs arnt that bad to remove,still a lot easier then a bank of 4 carbs from a inline 4 cyl bike
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 16, 2018, 11:21:05 am
a mate of mine is a honda nut and vinduroed a 250 rf for a bit but after its 3rd pooh session he lost interest.

they were a disaster for honda when new and getting older hasnt really helped.

As a bike to ride they were what everyone wanted...turn, stop, suspension and quick motor. unfortunately, a F1 maintenance schedule didnt figure for most riders (let alone checking the oil :o) and many failed while being ridden to work buzzing down the freeway after a big weekend of valve bouncing. reduced oil capacity combined with a super heating engine saw many boil off enough oil to die horribly at 100k's. i saw one tear the front engine mounts boss out of the cases after being dropped into a river (very cold river) exposing the crank cheeks (it went red with embarrassment.... 8)).

so lots of work to check some basic mechanicals...if its ok tho, its worth resurrecting.

sorry for the rant.... im on holidays and have a morning to kill... ;)
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 16, 2018, 02:16:16 pm
No drama, mate. that is the reason I started this post. I know bugger all about it, other than it is also full of spiders.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 16, 2018, 04:07:29 pm
old bike from a dark shed?? give it the pea beau recondition first!
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 16, 2018, 08:55:52 pm
Should I hit em high or hit em low?
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 17, 2018, 06:59:15 pm
Well, that was a good start. Had a mate come around today for some other work and he used to own one of these gadgets. Rode it from Melbourne to Queensland when he was 21.

I had cleaned the carbs in the ultrasonic bath over the last couple of days and reassembled them this morning. Blasting any remaining crap off with brake cleaner.

Passed air through all channels I could find, ran soft copper wire through the jets I could and then brake cleaner. Put them back on the bike with a dab of 2 stroke and we had spluttering then it roared into life. Even bloody idled. We topped up the oil and it took quite a bit.

We put the new rear wheel on and fitted the chain, sans o rings given the bloke who took the chain off lost them...

started it again , put it in gear, nada. Sprocket no move, clutch ceased or buggered.

Hope to drop it on its side tomorrow and take the clutch cover off and see what the deal is. Will I break anything by laying it on its side to remove the clutch cover?
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 17, 2018, 09:02:40 pm
cant be too much in there?? could there? should be able to download a parts manual on the web somewhere that will give you a heads up on all that stuff...how much fun is this?? ill bet ol mate has pulled the clutch off as well... >:(
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 17, 2018, 09:13:33 pm
Yeah, my thoughts too. Wouldn't be the first time one of these laid down for a nap. Will see if I can download a Manuel.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: Hoony on August 17, 2018, 09:29:47 pm
as its been laying around for awhile the clutch plates are probably bound together.

Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: fred99999au on August 17, 2018, 09:31:43 pm
Quite the opposite mate. Lever is hard, but the cable seems to move a little, but no drive in gear.
Title: Re: 1985 XR250RF issues
Post by: Hoony on August 17, 2018, 09:35:30 pm
I had one of those back in the day and also the model before raced them hard in MX ( what was i thinking) and Desert races. fast bike at the time for a 250cc 4T.

did the 6 hour pony express with a mate and when we finished i dropped the oil, it was boiling on the ground i couldn't belive how hot it was.
i always ran castrol GPS i think it was, exy oil for the time. have some old pics but don't have them hosted. had a lot of fun on that bike.