Archived Posts

[Admin]

Well after many tests, and tons of question asked over the Internet in all the boards I participate to....
Ym T250 almost certainly has either misaligned crank or shot center seals. Ric Brett's advice (from the K board) was really the last straw.
Soooo....
I have the opprtunity to buy a rebuilt motor her in Switzerland
PROs: It's been rebuilt and by a retired mechanic, looks very well restorred (very Swiss!)
CONs: Slight chance that the guy din't redo the center seals…
And it won't be the same Motor# mentioned on the bike's plate.
PRICE 700 CHF

OR

I send my crank to Stan Stephens in the UK
PROs: new crank, no question, fresh start
CONS: slight (very slight) possibility that it wasn't the center seals...
+ strip down again, and eventually new problems
PRICE 500 CHF

I am also skint, start of year here is tax period and it's not looking good. Plus we also have health insurance probs, they're asking us around 12k uS$... So I really have to choose well, as I won't be able to work on too many bikes this year.

[Admin]

That's a tough choice. The other engine would be the better choice IF you knew that the seals were replaced. Maybe the seller wold let you do a leakdown test???


Lane

[Admin]

Hi Spike.
You wrote earlier that you couldn't do a leakdown test because you didn't have anything to block off the exhausts with.
But I was thinking that maybe you could detect a defective crankseal by filling the crankcase on one cyllinder with kerosine. Due to the low visosity of kerosine it should seep out of the cranck case if there are a leaking seal or any other leakage.
You could also fill the transmission with kerosine to see if there are a leakage from the transmission to the crankcase.
I havent tried this my self, and I'm not shure if it would work. If you turn the engine be careful incase of a hydrauliclock. I don't think the kerosine would harm the seals or gaskets, but I'm not shure. Anyone else have any comments on this? Is it a stupid idea?

[Admin]

I'm curious of just how the leak down test. Does this indicate if the crank
seals are shot ? How exactly is it done?

[Admin]

I'm curious of just how the leak down test. Does this indicate if the crank
seals are shot ? How exactly is it done?

Dan

[Admin]

Elbert,

Ric from the Kaw Board described exactly the same problem as me.... and the seals passed the leakdown test... but when motor hot would leak... He is quite a definitive authority on Kawasaki triples so all this points to my center seals being rotten/strange/ acting up when hot.

So new crank or new motor?

[Admin]

Why dont' try a crank reseal from Reiner in Germany? He is doing the job at 130-140 euro plus the genuine parts, he have, to change (bearings, seals, rods, etc.). Maybe is more cheaper than to ship and do the job in England, especially at actual Pound change rate

[Admin]

take a chance...go with the new motor...if nothing else you now have a spare motor to play with. good luck.

[Admin]

In your opinion are stock turn signals ugly spaceship escape pods or handy tools?

[Admin]

I have an old one that I use as a fork puller for seating the fork in the upper triple clamp. So I vote handy tool.

[Admin]

Ugly.....

I'm going to do my best to make the turn signals on the MB as stealthy as possible unless they are in use......

[Admin]

I like my turn signals. They are beautiful and functional. As long as I keep calling them beautiful, they stay functional.

Seriously, I like having turn signals, but the styling is a little on the bulky side. I will be replacing my GT550 turn signals with different ones before Deals Gap.

[Admin]

I don't think that turn signals are all that bad.

[Admin]

On a cafe racer style bike Bob?

[Admin]

Turn signals are great,'cept out here Nooobody looks at them.