finally found a 250sx

[King Trikester]

I picked up an 85 250sx yesterday, I dont have pics yet, Its winter up here, dark when I go to work and dark when I get home. I will take some tonight after work and see how they turn out.

Its not perfect, but it runs great, the selling point for me was that it's about -15c and she fired up for me, she wasnt happy about it but still manage to fire up. its not much to look at but im really happy about it, they dont exist around these parts, the PO has had it for 5 years and he has only ever seen one other sx. This is the only one i've ever seen in person.

The only history I know about it is that the PO "saved it from a barn" unfortunatly its spent the last 5 year in the harsh out doors, it brutal up here,
temps exceding -45c, 6 feet+ of snowfall in the 6 months of winter.

The fenders arent to bad from what i could see, no cracks, but not very "shiny", they are missing the supports so the poor old girl looks sad with sagging fenders, but on the bright side its been taken care of mechanicly, it came with a lot of spare parts including a couple rear ends, a box full of ignition components and wiring harnesess etc.

Other than changing the engine and diff oil and spark plug is there anything else I should do? the carb doesnt need to be cleaned it runs perfect.
188913188914

[dougspcs]

I'd still get into cleaning that carb and the tank and petcock for that matter..

Any sediment sitting in the fuel tank, petcock or float bowl will start getting sucked up and cause you issues..start by cleaning and you'll know where you stand!

Think of it as one of the tasks to help you get 'intimate' with your machine..before you head off into the trails just to have something preventable happen go over everything!!

Fuel system, fluids, electrical system and connections, brakes and mechanicals..pretend you don't know how much work has or hasn't been done to it over the last 25+ years!!

You may just find a few things that make you glad you checked before it caused you a trail breakdown 10 miles from no where!!

The question is more directly because of it's age, what don't you check??!!

[King Trikester]

yes i forgot to mention draining the old fuel and giving the tank a good cleaning, it is in good shape, minimal rust, but it weeps a tiny bit of fuel on one side, what product can i use for a tank liner and where do i find it? I want to fix it properly not temp fixes for me. you have talked me into cleaning the carb you make a good point.

[sp8twn]

Your better off just cleaning the tank and petcock properly and puting a filter on the line instead of putting that crap(creamcoat) in your tank.. 80% of the time it turns out no good anyways!!

[dougspcs]

Your better off just cleaning the tank and petcock properly and puting a filter on the line instead of putting that crap(creamcoat) in your tank.. 80% of the time it turns out no good anyways!!

Except that SX you got from me huh, Shaun..damn but the PO did a nice job on that one!!

Haven't seen one done better before or since!!

[sp8twn]

Doug!!!! That's the only one I've ever seen done properly and actually doesn't seep
Except that SX you got from me huh, Shaun..damn but the PO did a nice job on that one!!

Haven't seen one done better before or since!!

[King Trikester]

so how else would you fix tiny pin whole leaks? i dont want to do a temp fix like jb weld or something. like i said it just bearly weeps, and its seem to be periodic, not constent belive it or not. I want to fix it at this early stage before it gets worse and becomes a problem, the PO said it just started leaking within the last month or so.

[dougspcs]

They ain't pretty but a replacement plastic tank will save a lot of screwing around.

Unless you luck out and find a decent steel tank from a member or something.

[King Trikester]

Time for an update on this.

The fuel tank started leaking a lot worse soon after I bought it. I came across some jb weld that was petrol/hydrocarbon safe so I decide to try it. I sanded down the seams and applied a layer all along the seam on both sides, followed by some spray bomb. It turned out good, the tank looks a lot better than when I bought it and its been holding for at least 3 months so far, but just a temp fix I realize that the corrosion is working inside out.

I plan on slowly restoring it piece by piece, turning it into a nice daily driver.

I picked up the fender supports and handle bars from ironbear, I also received a new front tire and rim in the mail from
Rocky Mountain Atv, really awesome place to buy.


Bear claw 23x7x10, along with a aluminum Douglas 10x5, 3+2 offset. So far I love it, it handles a lot better and is noticeably lighter. I'm waiting for all new break levers, cables and pads. Next will be a seat cover, then rear wheels and tires. After that I will tackle the fenders, I might try to wet sand them or maybe just buy maiers I haven't decided yet.

Here's some pics for now, I will keep posting updates. 188949188950188951

[p26575r16]

I have an '85 back in St. Louis. I'm hoping it's still there when I move back there in august. I love that trike, even more than my 350x. Anyway, I don't know if it will work on red plastic fenders, but I took my white 350x fenders and knocked down the heavy scratches with with some sand paper. Then I gave the fenders a bleach bath. After washing and letting them dry I hit them with some tire dressing and wiped most of it back off. They came out looking very nice, not quite as shiny as new, but all of the dirty marks and staining was gone. I need to do it again, that was 2 years ago and there starting to get a little dirty again. Another thing I've heard is that you can polish them with aluminum wheel polish and that will take out some of the finer scratches. I have not tried that for myself though.

[HondaXRider]

I have used this on my jeep tank and my dad has use it on his dodge tank and it works great it stays kind of rubbery so the gas won't penetrate and it seals pin holes. Just make sure and coat the hole inside us plenty and poor off the exes. You can get the kit but we jut use paint cleaner to clean are tanks and let them set so the paint thiner would evaporate. http://antique-tractor-parts.steinertractor.com/search?p=Q&lbc=steinertractor&uid=952171243&ts=customv1&w=fuel%20tank%20liner&isort=score&method=and&view=grid&af=sec1%3abestsellinggifts

[UPNATM]

Is it just me? I can't seem to get your attachments to open.:wondering

[MRSOUND]

Nope...I can't see them either

[ZacH_GrifF]

Me either.

[HondaXRider]

It still works for me:wondering

Just go to Steiner tractor parts and search fuel tank liner. Should take you right to it.

[King Trikester]

Is it just me? I can't seem to get your attachments to open.:wondering

Weird, they should be fixed now

[UPNATM]

Weird, they should be fixed now

Sweet, I can see them now. Looking good, I like the polished rim. Keep those updates, and pictures coming. :w00t: