tried to do some maintenance, ended up just breaking things. why do i bother

[kilabeez0]

so i've never changed the oil in the differential in my 250sx since I got it a couple years ago so seeing as though I have a new shaft boot ordered up I figured I'd get on that. I've only ever taken it in the trails once with it's ripped boot when I first got it. It's mainly to use around the house with a trailer on it for yard work. Anyway I've uploaded some pics of what the oil looked like in that. Second I've been sitting on a new throttle cable so I figured hey I might as well put that on. What a nightmare. Not only did I snap another screw on the top cover of the throttle leaving 1 of 3 intact but a screw snapped off that holds the bracket onto the handlebars. Awesome what else could go wrong?!?! Well the throttle cable adjustment is frozen solid into the housing so I was using pb blaster and a torch and slowly working it back and forth and making slow progress at backing it out. Now I had a pair of vice grips on the adjuster and one on the throttle assembly case for leverage as it was off the bike. I tried doing it on the bike but since 1 screw was broken it wasn't staying it was just moving back on forth on the handle bars. So while I'm working this adjustment screw back and forth the casing snaps a huge chunk out. Whole thing is junk now with 3 snapped off screws in it and a chunk taken out so now I need to buy a throttle assembly all because I was trying to do a little maintenance.:mad:

[tri again]

so i've never changed the oil in the differential in my 250sx since I got it a couple years ago so seeing as though I have a new shaft boot ordered up I figured I'd get on that. I've only ever taken it in the trails once with it's ripped boot when I first got it. It's mainly to use around the house with a trailer on it for yard work. Anyway I've uploaded some pics of what the oil looked like in that. Second I've been sitting on a new throttle cable so I figured hey I might as well put that on. What a nightmare. Not only did I snap another screw on the top cover of the throttle leaving 1 of 3 intact but a screw snapped off that holds the bracket onto the handlebars. Awesome what else could go wrong?!?! Well the throttle cable adjustment is frozen solid into the housing so I was using pb blaster and a torch and slowly working it back and forth and making slow progress at backing it out. Now I had a pair of vice grips on the adjuster and one on the throttle assembly case for leverage as it was off the bike. I tried doing it on the bike but since 1 screw was broken it wasn't staying it was just moving back on forth on the handle bars. So while I'm working this adjustment screw back and forth the casing snaps a huge chunk out. Whole thing is junk now with 3 snapped off screws in it and a chunk taken out so now I need to buy a throttle assembly all because I was trying to do a little maintenance.:mad:

I've gotten into so much trouble lately fixing stuff that wasn't broken.
Don't feel bad.
No one got hurt and parts are available.
Last time that happened to me, I broke the fork casting with the front axle bolt.
Now? I walk around everything I own once a month with some liquid wrench and put a drop or 2 on anything that looks like it's gonna give me trouble in the future.
Thanks for posting.
I hope you find parts free or cheap to get back running soon.

[90guy]

Hmm that sucks. Trying to do good and it just gets worse. A little water in the rear diff. Thats exciting to see. But thats why we do these things to help do maintance on these machines that hasnt been done in lord knows how long just to keeep these machines moving for years to come.

[Dirtcrasher]

And thats why the 86/87 250SX is the better model. Big water entry problems on the 85 but it looks like you have other issues as well.

Just gotta keep moving forwards.........

[kilabeez0]

Ya I'm sure when i go to change out other parts I'll break more things. The chocolate milk in the diff actually wasn't as bad as I had expected. I found and ordered a decent throttle assembly off ebay for $25 shipped and it should be here in a few days. Hope when I go to change the shaft boot I don't run into any issues. From what I've read I should be able to pry it back enough that someone else can slip the old one off and new one on. We'll see!

[kilabeez0]

when i got this trike I wrapped a plastic bag around the ripped boot. That was 2 years ago. How's it look now lol? I just took it off for the pic as a new one should be here any day. And can someone tell me where the end of this breather hose goes? It comes off a split near the air box tube. Thanks.

[kilabeez0]

It splits off at a T in the red circle and the end I'm not sure where it goes is the blue circle. Thanks