How many hours you get before rebuild?

[crackshot]

How many hours on engine do you get away with before top end rebuild on liquid cooled 250R's ?

The manual says every 30 hours. Do you guys get more than 30 hours on your top ends before you rebuild?

[darrel632]

8 years out of a Kawasaki T-3 with an average of 100 hours of ride time per year, the compression was as 161 which is 16% less than stock, I could have kept riding it for another year maybe; as long as your not on it full throttle all the time, change crankcase oil every 20 to 30 hours and use a good 2 stroke engine oil - 300 to 800 working hoursis more realistic (based on a "stock" machine) the more you change to increase the performance the faster you have to rebuild

[crackshot]

8 years out of a Kawasaki T-3 with an average of 100 hours of ride time per year, the compression was as 161 which is 16% less than stock, I could have kept riding it for another year maybe; as long as your not on it full throttle all the time, change crankcase oil every 20 to 30 hours and use a good 2 stroke engine oil - 300 to 800 working hoursis more realistic (based on a "stock" machine) the more you change to increase the performance the faster you have to rebuild

Wow, 8 years? That's pretty good. Do you just do blurts at WOT?

[darrel632]

NO,
I'll run up full throttle to get to speed and back off a 1/8th to 1/4 inch on the twist, you maintain speed and power and your not flooding excess fuel into the head which it doesnt need .
I will not run full throttle for more than 2.5 to 3 min tops, I will not run the machine at over 180 degrees F under a load its better to downshift and ride with power. I run with 2 guys who ride similar machines as mine on a regular basis, I have the standard 84 fuel tank, they are running 85 machines / tanks, which I believe are the same capacity. they are running WOT all the time, I ride backed off 1/8 to a 1/4 inch I'm with them all day, except at the end of the tank, they're on reserve, I'm not even close. They are running 180 to 195 for temp I'm 172 - 180. All things equal I think my machine is healthier and will survive longer riding similar circumstances. It's only my opinion though, they both are in the 200 lb class I'm 180 they're both in their 20's I'm over 40. Both of their machines are over 200 hous since they did rings (no sleeve)
Think about it though in 86 a 250r would cost 3 grand, how many would Honda have sold if people knew they would last 2 or 3 long weekends before it needed a rebuild

[crackshot]

[CODE]I will not run full throttle for more than 2.5 to 3 min tops[/CODE]

You mean seconds right?

[darrel632]

No in deep sand or deep powder dirt, I'll run 2 min if I can see the end of what I'm running in,at very close to full throttle the controlling factor is 180 degrees ---downshift if it goes over, get to hardpack and run lower RPM's to cool out

[crackshot]

So how do you know what temp is running? You have a gauge?

[darrel632]

I put a guage into the hose running up the backside of the rad, you can see it to the right and infront of the fuel tank, but behind the radiator. I used a stainless steel "T" adaptor so everything is free flow with the 1.5 in industrial guage offset and anchored off the holes drilled in the rightside rad mount that are parallel mounts for the brake cable / hose guides. the guage is marked from 150 F to 220F only, so its very specific, but it was free so it works perfect!
And ya, anyone who's an amateur rider who wants a head to survive needs a temp guage, or really be skilled at reading their bike. I can ride semi-seriously for about 3.5 to 4.5 months on occational weekends and ice race for about 2 months on weekends in the winter when the "honeydo" list is at a minimum, so I'm not skilled enough to "feel" 175 or 195 on the head, lots of the Socals and Idaho riders ,etc. who ride every day or every week know their bike far better than i ever will.

Darrel

[crackshot]

Where do you get those types of gauges from?

[darrel632]

mines a fisher scientific, we had it on a piece of equipment which became obsolete so the millwright pulled it off and gave it to me

[yzboyx]

Ebay.............

[69HemiGTX]

My friend bought this 88 250R brand new, in the crate. He put it together, raced it for many years, and then used it for recreational riding, mostly in the dunes, but with occasional trips to the mountains in Colorado. He put the first new piston in it in 2001. It still ran good when it was replaced. Not bad for a stock piston.

[crackshot]

Did he buy that in 1988?

[yzboyx]

Here is a link for one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/bansh...39685337QQrdZ1

here's another that is still going on...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/bansh...QQcmdZViewItem

[Enigma]

I just replated the cylinder in my 86 Tecate earlier this year. I am the seconed owner and the first owner said he never did anything to the cylinder, but he did put 2 new pistons in it. It ran like a champion until I blew the head gasket, and now with a new cylinder and piston its like a different bike. Its even more of a champion now .