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View Full Version : To Rebuild or not to Rebuild, Blown 200x engine



Pickup_man
11-30-2014, 04:58 PM
So a while ago I bought a running 200x with a 185s motor along with a bunch of extra parts. One of the things that I got with it was the original 200x engine that was seized up. Well a buddy of mine and I finally tore into it this weekend to see what the damage was, and it doesn't look good. It looks like what happened was it threw a con-rod bearing and busted out the bottom of the con-rod (see pictures below). On these motors the bottom of the con-rod is wider than the gap in the crank weights except for the journal that it runs through as the crank rotates over it. Once the con-rod went on this engine the crank came back around and wedged the con-rod between the counter weights on crank. It took a punch and a big hammer to get it back out. By the looks of things this wasn't a gentle stop, when that con-rod got wedged in the motor came to a sudden stop cracking the cylinder skirt in 4 places, the piston in 3 places, it had enough force to crack the bottom of the hole where the wrist pin goes into the piston. It also cracked off a big chunk of something in the right side case behind the flywheel, and it even managed to shear the flywheel key clean.

So I've got a few questions for you helpful folks, what should i do with this engine? Is it worth saving? my initial thought is no, but I wanted a few other people to weigh it. I haven't started looking for parts and prices yet but I was also wondering weren't there other Honda engines that used some interchangeable parts such as the CL series? (Or was it a different series?) Would these engine parts interchange with mine? And do you think they might be a little cheaper? Give me your thoughts please.

The list of things I need so far are:
-Right side case (drive side)
-Cylinder/Jug
-Piston & Con-rod assembly, bearings as well
-Gasket kit

I haven't fully inspected the other case half and transmission yet, but first looks look good, it looks like it stopped fast enough that the shrapnel didn't make it through the rest of the engine. I'll double check on that later.

Thanks for the help in advance.

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Bonus: A beauty shot I took of my running trike the other day.
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shortline10
11-30-2014, 05:58 PM
I've rebuilt worse , if you shop smartly it shouldn't be to costly also make sure you rebuild the kicker assemble while its apart and look at the tranny shift forks for wear .
What year motor is it ?

quicksilver
11-30-2014, 06:10 PM
With all the broken parts, it might be more cost effective to start with a running engine. Considering your cases have been tapped for the oil cooler, i'd see about saving those, and try to find a decent parts engine that at least turns over with decent compression, save yourself considerable $$ if it has a good rotating assembly and trans. That bottom end has been through the wringer, many oil cooler equipped engines have been through the Race, Rebuild, Repeat cycle a few times. My .02

Pickup_man
11-30-2014, 06:51 PM
I think the motor is an '83 or '84. I've been looking at parts, it doesn't look too bad to rebuild, but quicksilver is probably right I think the previous owner was a racer so I'm fairly certain it has been raced, so I'm not sure what shape the rest of the bottom end is in, but it does look good from first inspections. I won't be too disappointed if I can't rebuild it, and I'm not sure if I'll look for a replacement engine right away, I have a good running trike, but I have another frame and nearly enough parts to build a second so I thought it would be pretty fun to build one. Thanks for the input, I'll keep an eye on parts and engines and see what happens.

Everybody keep feeling free to weigh in, or offer up parts and prices if you have them lol.

Thanks

Pickup_man
11-30-2014, 07:09 PM
Another question, will 200s/200e/200m/185s cylinders fit? Those seem to be more plentiful and less expensive.

Thanks

YTZ drew
11-30-2014, 10:40 PM
will 200s/200e/200m/185s cylinders fit?
Yup, they all swap. I actually have the complete top end from an XL185 on my 200X cause that's what I had around to complete the engine. All jugs other than the 200X have slightly shorter cooling fins, for a smaller all around dimension that's noticeably smaller than the head at the top fin, but I don't see it making that much of a difference in cooling. I actually like the way the smaller finned jugs look below the bigger head than the stock 200X look with the big-finned jug that blends in perfectly below the head, looks too plain to me (not that that's very important...)

rdonald1979
12-01-2014, 10:37 AM
Also keep in mind the XR200.

jb2wheels
12-01-2014, 11:13 AM
e-start Lifan

Pickup_man
12-01-2014, 05:06 PM
Thanks everyone for the responses. I think I'm gonna let it be, I've got a good running trike and enough projects the way it is. I'll pull a few parts of the motor and parts trike as spares for mine then probably sell off the rest. It's not really what I want to do haha, but it's probably the best idea, That way I can get working on a few of my other projects as well. (Such as my 1950 F3 that I've been dying to get working on)