Tecate Tops out at 65mph

[Ragar]

Im Heavy, pulling in a 240.
and realtivly flat ground.
I seemed to only be able to hit 65 on the T3.
From what i read that seems slow

I have 615 Boysen reeds
35mm Air Striker Carb
Stock pipe with Answer Silencer
Stock Gearing, and tire sizes.

Now it Gets there REALLY fast. but i figured id at least see 70mph

[The_Steve_Man]

That probably right for a stock setup. You can go up on the sprocket in the front or down in the back and that will give you more top speed.

[Ragar]

just found out my speedometer was calculated incorrectly. real top speed was 73.25 that's what I was thinking I would have saw

[nd4speed]

sounds about right to me, 65mph

[Ragar]

Did a few runs today, this time with a GPS as well.
I'm able to hit 65-68 consistently. 0-60 is almost instant.
over a long distance it'll climb a bit higher to 70
The speedo I tried out is not working at all. Its for a bicycle so not shocked.
The GPS has been verified as accurate.

I'm not a big one for having the highest top speed, but i definitely want it if I'm supposed to have it.

[just ben]

Tecates don't an aren't soppose to have it.they were intended for track use. Show me a track a trike ever got over. 60mph.even at pine lake where you can really stretch their legs they top about 60 before having to slow down. The pro quads were barely touching 70

[christph]

Yeah, the Tecates are point and shoot machines intended for the track. They accelerate quickly but don't have the long legs of the 250R and Tri-Z, both of which have 6 speed gearboxes for the last generation. I like grunt down low and long legs, so the 5 speed Tecate has been hard to gear to my liking. I like the gearing on my Z the best. 6th gear on the ATC 250R is almost like an overdrive, which is why they changed it for the 88/89 TRX.

[Ragar]

Its easily one of, and most likely the quickest Ive ridden. Previously had a banshee, and work with CanAm so its acceleration is right with those monsters.

I thought the top speed was up there with the others even with the five speed from what I have read.

It doesn't feel tapped out in 5th either, like it'll keep climbing over a long ways.
Im happy with it so far the fastest ive gotten it is about 74... and that was down the road over almost a half mile before I was starting to draw way to much attention (illegal to road ride where i live)

[fieldy]

Now imagine a kx 500 in one, I am. The 500 must have way taller gears than the 250. Sounds like you are running good:p . Wrenching today, watched Sand Mountain 500 video about an hour ago, my gosh! Tecate fever reestablished.

[TecateDan]

Now imagine a kx 500 in one, I am. The 500 must have way taller gears than the 250. Sounds like you are running good:p . Wrenching today, watched Sand Mountain 500 video about an hour ago, my gosh! Tecate fever reestablished.

The 500 gear box is totAlly different. I hardly ever got out of 3rd on my 500 before it was already too fast

[Ragar]

Ran all weekend with an LTz400, DVX400 and a Raptor660 (heavily modified) and a 400ex
The 400ex was not in the same league.
the DVX and LTZ are Slower but seem to have about the same top speed, would catch up in fourth but if i hit 5th id inch away slightly
The Raptor has mods, about the only thing that could pull away. but id didn't do so as fast as he thought it would. He was shocked I was quicker off the line and would stay in front of him for 500 feet or so.

I had everyone on acceleration by far, but they seem geared for longer legs. THink I could fix that with a front sprocket and still have them off the line. :naughty:

[Ragar]

Been a busy summer this year. I went to a 14 tooth front sprocket, and gained an easy 5-6 mph, and i blew the head gasket so i switched to a KX250 head Gasket, its slightly thinner and bumped up the compression, its a moster to kick. With the compression bump i didn't feel any loss at the bottom when switching to the higher gearing. Im like the new gearing alot with the comp boost.

Something strange i knoticed is the bottom end oil looks a touch milky.. not terrible but its kinda got me wondering how...its brand new and hasnt seen any water?

[barnett468]

Something strange i knoticed is the bottom end oil looks a touch milky.. not terrible but its kinda got me wondering how...its brand new and hasnt seen any water?

i would change the oil

[John_Neary]

milky colored engine oil might mean you have a case seal leak and fluid from your cooling system is getting into the oil

[Ragar]

That was my theory too. Or the oil wasnt standing up to the revs and what making air bubbles that made it look milky in the sight glass.. I'm just running Kawi Oil, might have to step up to something more formulated.

Also it blows some out threw the breather at high rpm.. that normal??? Not much, but i knoticed a tiny puddle. I also didnt measure it the best, wanted to ride, so it could be my fault on that.

[John_Neary]

you could have the oil coming out the overflow because the water getting into your crankcase is adding to the total fluid amount so it acting like you over filled with oil and its blowing out the extra, check your radiator water level and see if its lower than it should be

it could just be a leaky water pump seal and simple to repair, the first thing i would check if your water level is indeed low

[nd4speed]

Water pump seal has been a common leak I have experienced with these motors. Had ATF type F turn to like pink Elmers glue.

Also A leak between the crankcase and the trans can pressurize the trans and cause oil to blow out the breather.

Another possibility mentioned was water boiling off in the trans.

Overfilling the trans is another mentioned cause of breather spitting oil

[Ragar]

The Coolant wasnt Low at all. when i checked this morning,
I also see the fluid isnt milky now after sitting.

IM thinking that its turns to foam in the High Revs..... any recommendations on a fluid?

[barnett468]

The Coolant wasnt Low at all. when i checked this morning,
I also see the fluid isnt milky now after sitting.

IM thinking that its turns to foam in the High Revs..... any recommendations on a fluid?

what fluid are you referring to?

if you have extra oil, drain a little in a pan, if there is water or antifreeze in it, it might sink to the bottom after it has been siting.

[nd4speed]

I have used ATF type F but now just use valvoline 10w40 atv or motorcycle wet type clutch oil.

In the past I have used Belray gear saver and Golden spectro 80w.

ATF type F is cheap easy way to found out if coolant is getting in the oil. It is easy to see the change from contamination.

[phantomtracer]

If it continues, it might be a crank case leak.
Also, verify that the crank case breather tube is not clogged.
Blow into the tube with the oil fill plug removed. It should flow relatively easy.

[Ragar]

Drained out the Oil... Was over full for sure... but the first couple 100 oz was like elmers glue...

Guessing the seal on the water pump?

[just ben]

Yup. The water in the oil is what makes the oil froth up. Easy fix unless it's an 84, still easy it's just trickier to get the clutch cover off.

[phantomtracer]

Make sure the shaft of the impeller is not grooved and/or pitted. If so you might want to replace it, otherwise the water pump seal will not last.

[Ragar]

I pulled it apart, the seal looked fine, but i pulled it anyway, looked like coolant pushed threw it somehow. We have one in stock at work surprisingly, ill pop it in and see what happens. Impeller shaft and everything looks good too.
Thanks for the help Guys.

[barnett468]

I pulled it apart, the seal looked fine, but i pulled it anyway, looked like coolant pushed threw it somehow. We have one in stock at work surprisingly, ill pop it in and see what happens. Impeller shaft and everything looks good too.
Thanks for the help Guys.

if the oil was that nasty, i would fill it up with something cheap and run it for a few minutes and go thru the gears to get oil thru the clutch and gears then drain it out and install good oil.

[Ragar]

Popped in the new seal, rode for about a hour and a half and everything looks perfect now.

I ran some oil 20w50 oil threw it quick and changed it out looked great no more Elmers GLue
switched to MTL by Maxima, it shifted so much smoother i was shocked, and the MTL didnt foam at all.

I actually read the bit in the manual about filling the right side... half way in the window...i was filling till it was to the top of the window...OOPS....so she was over fulled from the start.

[barnett468]

Popped in the new seal, rode for about a hour and a half and everything looks perfect now.

I ran some oil 20w50 oil threw it quick and changed it out looked great no more Elmers GLue
switched to MTL by Maxima, it shifted so much smoother i was shocked, and the MTL didnt foam at all.

I actually read the bit in the manual about filling the right side... half way in the window...i was filling till it was to the top of the window...OOPS....so she was over fulled from the start.

xlnt...back in the saddle.
.