From one Joe to another, might I make a suggestion? You should list the year, make and model on all your video titles. This will help you generate more views in the future. Lots of people come to UA-cam to find "how to" videos for their broken machines. The first thing they type into the search engine is the year, make & model. By listing your machines with that info in the titles, you'll continue to get views from people wanting to see how you did this or that. You might even go back to your video collection and edit the titles to include the info. I want to thank and congratulate you for your hard work at building a great channel. Your videos are a good source at showing the inner workings of engines, transmissions and so forth. Keep up the good work!
Search youtube for 1986 suzuki lt250 and you will find this video. (Also a cool Suzuki ad from 1986.) Joe puts the year, make and model in the description. 👍
Happens all the time I build motors and motors I get brought to me will have missing bolts on the inside missing clips no gaskets just silicone I always tell people if you have any doubt in your skills to be able to do the job you're probably better to get someone that knows what they're doing even though you may have to pay them but if you build a built motor that cost you five grand to build and you grenade it and five minutes well now it's would have been more economical to pay someone to do it right and it will pay itself back and dividends down the road
And i was wondering why when a truck tire explodes on the highway they dont notice it in time before a car behind them gets totaled from tire debris or someone gets killed.😂
17:27 Joe, you’re half-way to using that spark tester correctly. That tester is designed for you to put a known good (new) spark plug in the far left port, and the test plug or plugs in the 4 ports to the right, and test them simultaneously, then compare results.
@@apet1572 Well, he put a new one in to show us what it should look like, but by itself and in the wrong hole. The tester is designed to fire two or more plugs at the same time (with the good one in the far left hole), and make a comparison, thats why.
Another great video. You tore that machine down quickly and figured out the cause of gears popping out under acceleration. Mission accomplished. Id replace the piston and rings since it's open. I've said this time and time again.....and ill say it again. This is by far my favorite channel. Love the content. 2Vintage I appreciate your time spent making these videos. I look forward to next one.
My very first quad was the 125, and from there, I went up to the 185 with front suspension (that was quite the luxury), but after that is when the real fun began with the QuadSport 230. I loved that thing. The fun it provided still cannot be put into words. My brother had the '85 Honda ATC 250R which was an absolute rocket ship. I wanted to keep up with him so I traded my 'Sport in for the QuadRacer 250. I didn't have it long until I realized that I made a mistake. The 'Sport was more fun to me, but it was gone and there was nothing I could do about it. Those initial quads from Suzuki were a genius maneuver by whoever came up with the idea of basically putting the front end of a truck onto a three wheeler.
Grab a junky bike and just get stuck in what I did when I first got into MX racing I couldn't afford shop repairs so I did it myself with basic tool then buy specialist tools along the way took me 2 months to first rebuild a dirtbike engine but my dad and his engineer buddy showed me bits and bobs as a kid on my learning bikes he helps me put ktm 85 forks and kx85 swing arm on a 160 race pit bike with suspension and wheels I build Rc's now never had a clue 3 years ago now I scratch build them now I've made a 6kg semi and lowboy 💯 metal plastic cab and over a meter long and full Rc
I had a 91 250r as a kid. It was a blast to ride. I ended up trading it for a 93 kx125 and rode that for about 6yrs when I had a really bad accident on it and it got totaled. Sweet find dude and at a hell of a price as well.
It’s at least a 1987 because that was the first year of the power valve engine on them. Also it had the big intake that year. The following years had the power valve but smaller intake.
One of cleanest ones of these around actually ripped around in your backyard years ago. He lived like 4 houses away from you. He had the the lt250 and a very very clean 1988 trx250r.
This was a great eye opener. So many things to remember that go to show you that experience is the best teacher. Working on so many different models and makes you have to be a genius. 😊😊😊
Pretty work as per usual. Big thumbs up and keep using whatever tool you have. Cheers from Canada. Keep your videos coming and your foot to the floor. Legendary!
I just did a complete bottom end in my ‘08 kx100 and when I put the cases back together after double checking everything I found that it wasn’t shifting through the gears for some reason. I split the case a 2nd time and found nothing wrong with the initial assembly but I proceeded to uninstall the transmission and all components and started fresh making sure everything was spot on. Once I put the cases back together it went through all the gears perfectly. I have no idea what I missed because it had to be something really simple and stupid I am still to this point scratching my head about it. However, she’s all back together and everything checks out so maybe you may get lucky and reassemble everything making sure you’re not missing anything and maybe, just maybe it will work. I closely watching this video and I’m in agreement with you that everything looks spot on. Maybe just take a caliper measurement on the shift fork ends to make sure they are within spec but like you and I think everything does look good.
Next time you will check that before you tear down something that someone else has rebuilt. Oopsy!! Still the best videos to watch on motorcycle mechanics on UA-cam!!!
This is not a good mechanic channel yeah he is decent but far from the best. This is a cheap diy for people that don’t wanna spend the money or use the right tools or proper break in processes just cranks em an revs the crap out of em This is crazy 😂. If you wanna see the best on UA-cam watch upallnight this dude is the best
1990 lt250 was my first quad,. I was in the 6th grade when I got it,. I had a Honda CR80 and CR125 but wanted a quad. Some good times!, the only problem I ever had was the dam throttle cable kept breaking,. Had to be replace quite often. Had rear bearing doghouse worn pretty bad when I bought it from a guy at Daniel Boone raceway( local track) he had put a ton of money in it, ran a race and lost so he sold it to me dirt cheap,. Two months later I went bak and took 2nd place that weekend, later to rank 1st 4 more times afterwards,. Then went bak to racing dirt bikes (2strokes) AINT NOTHING LIKE IT!!! Good time fo’sho. 😎🤘
Joe awesome pickup & the price "nice "🔥🔥👍. Have a 1990 Lt 500R on blocks under a cover in the garage. With no place to ride 😔 or should say no time . Low hour machine & just can't bring myself to sell 🤔🎬🫡
AAen is one of the biggest names in the porting world, they make great pipes , great port work and if I remember correctly they make there own cylinders
Oh yeah!!! They've done it all including their own v-4 two-stroker. Had a set of their twin pipes for an old arctic cat wildcat 650 at one time. We were using the engine for mini modified tractor pulling and we sent him the specs of the motor and how the pipes needed to route and he hand-built them one-off for us. It was a great experience dealing with him.
Brother you in fact have the holy grail of them it is an 87 jug on it with a power valve and the difference is the reeds in 87 the intake is much bigger and has 5 bolts 88 and newer they had to cut the intake size to be fair in racing. I've had many of these and there are 10 to15 things to do to make these absolute BEASTS!! Banshee killers! Also dont put the head mounts back on the head studs are very touchy!!!
Your pipe was built buy a small company in Cape Giradeau MO called FTZ Performance. He mainly builds in line 4 cylinder motorcycle engines for micro sprints, but back in the day he did a lot of engine work on quads, including building his own pipes.
When 3 wheelers and quads initially took off in the mid 80's it was common to put your foot down for balance like you would on a dirt bike and ride up your own leg. The hair still hasn't grown back.
Nice work on the diagnosis. That’s how we learn. Next time you run across one with that problem you’ll know to check that bolt. I think I’d order up some new Phillips head bolts while ordering your other parts. Not sure if I’d trust them to go another round. I never liked those Phillips headed screws used inside an engine. That’s why also have a 3/8 and 1/2” impact driver like yous, they’re a must for Phillips heads.
Good deal Joe, I have been working on bikes quads and everything else. You got a good deal on the quad. Sometimes it is good to tear down and rebuild a unit. Now you know what you have. I enjoy watching you tear down and rebuild. Problem solving sometimes is a pain but you are doing good.
This video will be the video of the year. Why? Because I just this at work and I can't wait to get home tonight and watch. Like always I don't read the comments because it gives away the ending. How about you guys and gals?
Good video boss. I always grab the impact drive to remove any of those JIS screws inside the engines. I dont even bother with trying anything else. Especially if they were installed right last time using red loctite. Also if you use a hammer a couple sizes bigger it would help those bolts come out easier. The harder you hit it the better it grabs and the more torque you get. But dont get to carried away those cases can break dam easy sometimes.
So glad you made this vid cuz I’m prob buying a 86 trx250r which is similar to this, the one I’m buying was sitting for 10-15 years and he’s selling it to me for 1400 so hopefully it doesn’t need to much
Figured it eventually. Hindsight is always a wonderful thing so there was no way of assuming the problem was the missing bolt until you checked everything else first. But Well spotted!. Great video. Thanks
I remember when Honda finally released their Fourtrax 250R. It was nearly 100 lbs heavier than the QuadRacer, but boy, was it fast! I was racing quads as soon as they hit the market, and when the Hondas started to trickle into the track, they immediately began smoking the Suzukis. I raced at Southwick Massachusetts under the lights on Saturday night in the deep sand, and the Suzukis didn't stand a chance against the Hondas (unless they had full-on race-tuned engines). First through something like 14th were all Hondas with nearly all of the 'Zooks following from behind. The Hondas were beyond dominant.
@@stkyfngrszmoothcan’t wait to buy one a family member is gunna sell me an 86 model that’s been stored for a while for only 1400, hopefully I don’t die since it’s my first quad
Joe I wasn't screaming at you before you decided to tear the motor down, but man my cousin had one of these things back in the 90s and I swore he had an issue exactly like yours and there was some strange thing he had to do to fix it.. man, at least you're good at what you do and it's no big thing to open a case like this and put it back together.. Plus you got an awesome video out of it.. what a sweet problem to have come across, only took a little time and some fluids and a gasket set! Nice!!
The Suzuki LT250R was a sport/racing ATV manufactured between 1985 and 1992. It combined a lightweight fully suspended frame with a 249cc liquid cooled two stroke engine. Nicknamed by Suzuki as the QuadRacer, it revolutionized the (ATV industry). Before this model was released, the ATV racing world was dominated by three-wheelers. Four-wheelers up until this time were heavier, less powerful, and designed more for utility purposes. Then came the Suzuki LT250R. Its light weight, high horsepower, and well suspended chassis gave it all of the advantages of its three-wheeled cousins, plus the added stability of an extra wheel up front for cornering at high speeds. Several aspects of the original LT250R are still commonly used on today's sport and race quads, such as: Double "A-Arm" front suspension Solid axle rear wheel drive Powerful lightweight liquid cooled engine Manual transmission and clutch Front and rear hydraulic disc brakes Chain drive The Suzuki LT250R “QuadRacer” even had a few extra weight saving features that are rarely found on modern race ATV’s. These include the use of a lightweight 2-stroke engine design, kick start with no battery or starter motor required, aluminum swingarm, and no reverse gear.
This is an 87-90. It does have a power valve. You can see the window on the right side of the motor. The swingarm and frame are also gen 2, which is 87-90, and the seat is also the 87-90 seat.
This guy is a jack wagon. That is an 88-90. Its not an 87 because 87 was the 1st year for the power valve cylinder and had a much larger reed valve compared to the 88-92 cylinder. Its obviously not a 91 or 92 because they don't have the goofy shock linkage like the this one. 🤦🏿♂️
Young man i look forward to all your videos and they are fantastic. Your knowledge on all types of machines is in mind blowing. To all the ppl who put negative comments are just haters joe. You have been doing things your way and man has it pay off. Keep doing it your way. Thanks for all the great content
Great video as allways. And great job on the diag you saved me from tearing mine down I was having same issue after crank install and sure enough my bolt had backed out. Big thanks for this video.
good diagnosis Joe, I was thinking shift forks . id be a lot happier with this quad stripped and inspected as your doing . least you know it will be right when done should be a hoot
Yep that does suck BUT it was a learning experience now you have another simple fix in your ever growing bag of tricks !!! Like they say you never quit learning stuff !!
And again I spoke too soon! Ugh! Good on yah for finding that bro that was a really good find! People think I’m nuts sometimes when they watch me work on their bikes but being thorough pays off because it can be the most simple thing such as that which will make or break your builds.
Nothing is for nothing, you have learned a lot since doing this. The basics, check air filter check carb check AIR VENT HOSE ON TANK and other things. Now when you get something in with a shift issue you will first check under the access cap..
Just a suggestion... Why not mix it up a bit and spend some time maybe freshening up some suspension components, rebuild brake calipers? Disassemble all pivot points(Full Floater suspension has several important pivot areas to be addressed, as one example) clean and grease up said areas...You know, to get away from the oil change, carb clean, valve clearances etc. You could go back a forth on the content. That's all, good day Joe.❤
He really don't fix them up ever... he gets them running again but not much more. It would be great if he tore them down and restored them. He is missing a lot of things you would think he should have. He needs a sand blaster. I dont even think he has a parts washer. It is even rare to see him use an ultrasonic cleaner for the carbs.
Honestly my absolute favorite quad. Lightweight, reliable, pretty good power and decent suspension travel. oh yeah pretty easy to work on as far as a quad goes.
Was about to cry and say where is part two, but i now see the video has only a couple of hours up. Its my birthday if i was close i was going to ask you for a good price on that bike! I'm A Fan!!!!!!!
Haha damn, Joe. That one hurt a little. Still amazed at your ability to just tear an engine down like that. My 2 stroke skillzzz growing up essentially consisted of carb rebuilds and coil/spark plug replacement lol. Don't let that farm land go too long without being worked if you still want the option of leasing it out. It doesn't take long before it gets taken over and farmers won't want to pop tires trying to make it useable again. Just a thought you may have already considered. Love the videos bro.
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊Hay Joe hope you and your family are all fit and well Two things I would like to chat about the child's voice at time stamp 1.00.14 And the word (Perfect) you must of said it 2 million times 😅😅😅 I think your channel is brilliant and yes you didn't need to take the engine apart to put the washer and bolt in but that's what you do best But 1985 anything will never be perfect Keep up the fantastic videos 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍
before you order the piston! its very common on these modified engines to use rm250 stuff so double check its not for one of them. I say this because its ported
I'm thinking about something I've seen a lot on clients bikes and quads, engagement pockets do wear out on gears. Try to clean em up but ultimately best fix is new gears. You'll be able to see when you split case.
That's a pretty clean quad. It's hard to tell on video but it sounded like it was running pretty good for having a bad plug. I like that plug tester. That's handy to have and fun to watch when you turn up the rpm's... That really sucks doing all that work only to find out that it was about a one minute fix., but at least you don't have to spend a bunch of money on trans parts.
hey, love the channel, watch it all the time.. i have a little tip to restoring the faded plastic on these trikes or any motorcycle plastic...there is a product called Flood Penetrol..iit will basically take away the chalky look...home depot has it..just rub a little bit on some faded plastic to see the affect...put it on lightly...rub it in..oh... make sure the plastic is washed first so no oil or grit...
LOL joe-san, now you know next time is just to remove that cover and check if it has the bolt :D glad to know you found it! I was just seeing the progress bar in the video and stressing out if you were able to find the issue. always a pleasure to see your videos and explanations.
Cool (Youre ones my favorite channel - and i dont 'love' mechanics, why ? thats it... you natural, explain, easy english to understand, clean video mount....). Sankyü.
Make sure you check that thing out good. If AAEN did the cylinder, then they may have done deck work and head work. Make sure you know what you need for the proper plug and whether or not you should be running Race gas for your "corrected" compression ratio!!!
No offence but because I was a mechanic for 50 years it bothers me that you use a claw hammer to work on engines. If I lived closer I would send you a good machine hammer. I really enjoy your videos. Your a great mechanic. Thank you for sharing.
Well just a question. Why does it pain or bother you sir? It works perfectly for him in ALL the work he have done. Why try and make him a mini you? To me it seems if you mericans cannot live a day without complaining about someone or something.
I know this is not something you typically do but would love to see the blue back on those cases. Just to give it its colour back. It’s already apart wouldn’t hurt to throw some paint on it
Sucks that you did all that but whoever gets the bike after you're done with it's gonna have a really nice wheeler. Always a good feeling when you're finally fine the smoking gun.
Something isn't set up properly somewhere. Maybe there's a missing/defective spring or bolt or something similar that's not in place and doing its job. I suggest you check the manual because chances are you're going to find something either missing or out of place.
Love the videos! Joe, you should really invest in a hose pick. I've thought about sending you one but I'm not sure where to do that. Lol! But it would make a lot of situations taking these lines and carb boots off much easier. Just my experience at least.
Chalk it up a learning experience Joe , I figured it was the shifting star I was close but sometimes we have to learn the hard way to learn something new!!
From one Joe to another, might I make a suggestion? You should list the year, make and model on all your video titles. This will help you generate more views in the future. Lots of people come to UA-cam to find "how to" videos for their broken machines. The first thing they type into the search engine is the year, make & model. By listing your machines with that info in the titles, you'll continue to get views from people wanting to see how you did this or that. You might even go back to your video collection and edit the titles to include the info. I want to thank and congratulate you for your hard work at building a great channel. Your videos are a good source at showing the inner workings of engines, transmissions and so forth. Keep up the good work!
I know he would get a ton more views if he did that.
I've been thinking that too. I upvote this
I have suggested this to him a couple times as well. 🤷🏻♂️🙂
no he prefers titles as (no one could fix this),or (seller said).
Search youtube for 1986 suzuki lt250 and you will find this video. (Also a cool Suzuki ad from 1986.) Joe puts the year, make and model in the description. 👍
Love how you didn’t give up and finally figured it out. Awesome job!
Your composure after all that turning out so simple of a fix shows your maturity and level headedness…….
That is an 87 it has a power valve that's what that window under the cylinder is
Dam, that was a lot of work only to find a bolt & washer was missing. Great diagnosis Joe!
Happens all the time I build motors and motors I get brought to me will have missing bolts on the inside missing clips no gaskets just silicone I always tell people if you have any doubt in your skills to be able to do the job you're probably better to get someone that knows what they're doing even though you may have to pay them but if you build a built motor that cost you five grand to build and you grenade it and five minutes well now it's would have been more economical to pay someone to do it right and it will pay itself back and dividends down the road
I’m a truck driver and I enjoy your videos while in the road 👍🏽😩
I do same exact thing
While driving 😲
Yep, you put the phone in the instrument cluster
And i was wondering why when a truck tire explodes on the highway they dont notice it in time before a car behind them gets totaled from tire debris or someone gets killed.😂
@@resdawgs bro 17 out of 18 wheels is still pretty good
I had the 1988 version. Upgraded the reeds...pipe and bored it out. Best machine I ever had.
Had a 92. Miss that machine!
I have your 88 🤙
17:27 Joe, you’re half-way to using that spark tester correctly. That tester is designed for you to put a known good (new) spark plug in the far left port, and the test plug or plugs in the 4 ports to the right, and test them simultaneously, then compare results.
but he knows what a good plug looks like what difference does it make xD
@@apet1572 Well, he put a new one in to show us what it should look like, but by itself and in the wrong hole. The tester is designed to fire two or more plugs at the same time (with the good one in the far left hole), and make a comparison, thats why.
Another great video. You tore that machine down quickly and figured out the cause of gears popping out under acceleration. Mission accomplished. Id replace the piston and rings since it's open. I've said this time and time again.....and ill say it again. This is by far my favorite channel. Love the content. 2Vintage I appreciate your time spent making these videos. I look forward to next one.
My very first quad was the 125, and from there, I went up to the 185 with front suspension (that was quite the luxury), but after that is when the real fun began with the QuadSport 230. I loved that thing. The fun it provided still cannot be put into words. My brother had the '85 Honda ATC 250R which was an absolute rocket ship. I wanted to keep up with him so I traded my 'Sport in for the QuadRacer 250. I didn't have it long until I realized that I made a mistake. The 'Sport was more fun to me, but it was gone and there was nothing I could do about it. Those initial quads from Suzuki were a genius maneuver by whoever came up with the idea of basically putting the front end of a truck onto a three wheeler.
A Great Opportunity to clean the engine properly and also re-paint items.
It’s honestly so impressive how this guy can seemingly always diagnose and fix any issue he runs into. Wish I could be like that one day.
He showing common issues and fixes you can do this also
Joe is learning by using the best method of all - the hands-on approach trumps all when it comes to educating ones self.
Lots of teaching/learning moments
I think he breaks it before he starts taping. Just kidding
Grab a junky bike and just get stuck in what I did when I first got into MX racing I couldn't afford shop repairs so I did it myself with basic tool then buy specialist tools along the way took me 2 months to first rebuild a dirtbike engine but my dad and his engineer buddy showed me bits and bobs as a kid on my learning bikes he helps me put ktm 85 forks and kx85 swing arm on a 160 race pit bike with suspension and wheels I build Rc's now never had a clue 3 years ago now I scratch build them now I've made a 6kg semi and lowboy 💯 metal plastic cab and over a meter long and full Rc
I owned one back in the mid 90’s. Great machine and lots of fun.
I had a 91 250r as a kid. It was a blast to ride. I ended up trading it for a 93 kx125 and rode that for about 6yrs when I had a really bad accident on it and it got totaled. Sweet find dude and at a hell of a price as well.
Check the oil before you get on it? I had the exact bike and loved it!!! Whatta beast! Good find!👍🏼
It’s at least a 1987 because that was the first year of the power valve engine on them. Also it had the big intake that year. The following years had the power valve but smaller intake.
Great diagnosis mate
One of cleanest ones of these around actually ripped around in your backyard years ago. He lived like 4 houses away from you. He had the the lt250 and a very very clean 1988 trx250r.
Brilliant video Joe watching from Edinburgh Scotland UK 🇬🇧 👏 👍
Your confidence is very inspiring. Thanks for your time today.
This was a great eye opener. So many things to remember that go to show you that experience is the best teacher. Working on so many different models and makes you have to be a genius. 😊😊😊
Pretty work as per usual. Big thumbs up and keep using whatever tool you have. Cheers from Canada. Keep your videos coming and your foot to the floor. Legendary!
I just did a complete bottom end in my ‘08 kx100 and when I put the cases back together after double checking everything I found that it wasn’t shifting through the gears for some reason.
I split the case a 2nd time and found nothing wrong with the initial assembly but I proceeded to uninstall the transmission and all components and started fresh making sure everything was spot on.
Once I put the cases back together it went through all the gears perfectly.
I have no idea what I missed because it had to be something really simple and stupid I am still to this point scratching my head about it.
However, she’s all back together and everything checks out so maybe you may get lucky and reassemble everything making sure you’re not missing anything and maybe, just maybe it will work.
I closely watching this video and I’m in agreement with you that everything looks spot on.
Maybe just take a caliper measurement on the shift fork ends to make sure they are within spec but like you and I think everything does look good.
Next time you will check that before you tear down something that someone else has rebuilt. Oopsy!! Still the best videos to watch on motorcycle mechanics on UA-cam!!!
Thebearededmechanic he's better.
@@biker6991yeah, Craig is a much better bike mechanic.
@@jangles1839 He's certainly hairier .
This is not a good mechanic channel yeah he is decent but far from the best. This is a cheap diy for people that don’t wanna spend the money or use the right tools or proper break in processes just cranks em an revs the crap out of em This is crazy 😂. If you wanna see the best on UA-cam watch upallnight this dude is the best
@@hunterstump9748 Try to be a bit more positive .
1990 lt250 was my first quad,. I was in the 6th grade when I got it,. I had a Honda CR80 and CR125 but wanted a quad. Some good times!, the only problem I ever had was the dam throttle cable kept breaking,. Had to be replace quite often. Had rear bearing doghouse worn pretty bad when I bought it from a guy at Daniel Boone raceway( local track) he had put a ton of money in it, ran a race and lost so he sold it to me dirt cheap,. Two months later I went bak and took 2nd place that weekend, later to rank 1st 4 more times afterwards,. Then went bak to racing dirt bikes (2strokes) AINT NOTHING LIKE IT!!! Good time fo’sho. 😎🤘
Joe awesome pickup & the price "nice "🔥🔥👍. Have a 1990 Lt 500R on blocks under a cover in the garage. With no place to ride 😔 or should say no time . Low hour machine & just can't bring myself to sell 🤔🎬🫡
Bud... them screws for shift detent are always locktight glued in ... little heat and they will come out way easier
AAen is one of the biggest names in the porting world, they make great pipes , great port work and if I remember correctly they make there own cylinders
Yeah! A Norwegian dude. Olav aaen.
Oh yeah!!! They've done it all including their own v-4 two-stroker. Had a set of their twin pipes for an old arctic cat wildcat 650 at one time. We were using the engine for mini modified tractor pulling and we sent him the specs of the motor and how the pipes needed to route and he hand-built them one-off for us. It was a great experience dealing with him.
Interesting!! @@ar2043
Brother you in fact have the holy grail of them it is an 87 jug on it with a power valve and the difference is the reeds in 87 the intake is much bigger and has 5 bolts 88 and newer they had to cut the intake size to be fair in racing. I've had many of these and there are 10 to15 things to do to make these absolute BEASTS!! Banshee killers! Also dont put the head mounts back on the head studs are very touchy!!!
yeah when he said "No power valve on this motor" i was like, what? lol
Your pipe was built buy a small company in Cape Giradeau MO called FTZ Performance. He mainly builds in line 4 cylinder motorcycle engines for micro sprints, but back in the day he did a lot of engine work on quads, including building his own pipes.
When 3 wheelers and quads initially took off in the mid 80's it was common to put your foot down for balance like you would on a dirt bike and ride up your own leg. The hair still hasn't grown back.
Nice work on the diagnosis. That’s how we learn. Next time you run across one with that problem you’ll know to check that bolt. I think I’d order up some new Phillips head bolts while ordering your other parts. Not sure if I’d trust them to go another round. I never liked those Phillips headed screws used inside an engine. That’s why also have a 3/8 and 1/2” impact driver like yous, they’re a must for Phillips heads.
Good deal Joe, I have been working on bikes quads and everything else. You got a good deal on the quad. Sometimes it is good to tear down and rebuild a unit. Now you know what you have. I enjoy watching you tear down and rebuild. Problem solving sometimes is a pain but you are doing good.
I don't think you wasted your time with the engine, good find!❤
This video will be the video of the year. Why? Because I just this at work and I can't wait to get home tonight and watch. Like always I don't read the comments because it gives away the ending. How about you guys and gals?
Good video boss. I always grab the impact drive to remove any of those JIS screws inside the engines. I dont even bother with trying anything else. Especially if they were installed right last time using red loctite. Also if you use a hammer a couple sizes bigger it would help those bolts come out easier. The harder you hit it the better it grabs and the more torque you get. But dont get to carried away those cases can break dam easy sometimes.
So glad you made this vid cuz I’m prob buying a 86 trx250r which is similar to this, the one I’m buying was sitting for 10-15 years and he’s selling it to me for 1400 so hopefully it doesn’t need to much
You have balance shaft, on the gears are dots for timing to crank shaft gear don’t forget to align dots , beauty of a Quad you got there
Figured it eventually. Hindsight is always a wonderful thing so there was no way of assuming the problem was the missing bolt until you checked everything else first. But Well spotted!. Great video. Thanks
well done that was a tough one
This and a honda 250r are on my bucket list.
I remember when Honda finally released their Fourtrax 250R. It was nearly 100 lbs heavier than the QuadRacer, but boy, was it fast! I was racing quads as soon as they hit the market, and when the Hondas started to trickle into the track, they immediately began smoking the Suzukis. I raced at Southwick Massachusetts under the lights on Saturday night in the deep sand, and the Suzukis didn't stand a chance against the Hondas (unless they had full-on race-tuned engines). First through something like 14th were all Hondas with nearly all of the 'Zooks following from behind. The Hondas were beyond dominant.
@@stkyfngrszmoothcan’t wait to buy one a family member is gunna sell me an 86 model that’s been stored for a while for only 1400, hopefully I don’t die since it’s my first quad
Joe I wasn't screaming at you before you decided to tear the motor down, but man my cousin had one of these things back in the 90s and I swore he had an issue exactly like yours and there was some strange thing he had to do to fix it.. man, at least you're good at what you do and it's no big thing to open a case like this and put it back together.. Plus you got an awesome video out of it.. what a sweet problem to have come across, only took a little time and some fluids and a gasket set! Nice!!
The Suzuki LT250R was a sport/racing ATV manufactured between 1985 and 1992. It combined a lightweight fully suspended frame with a 249cc liquid cooled two stroke engine.
Nicknamed by Suzuki as the QuadRacer, it revolutionized the (ATV industry). Before this model was released, the ATV racing world was dominated by three-wheelers. Four-wheelers up until this time were heavier, less powerful, and designed more for utility purposes. Then came the Suzuki LT250R. Its light weight, high horsepower, and well suspended chassis gave it all of the advantages of its three-wheeled cousins, plus the added stability of an extra wheel up front for cornering at high speeds.
Several aspects of the original LT250R are still commonly used on today's sport and race quads, such as:
Double "A-Arm" front suspension
Solid axle rear wheel drive
Powerful lightweight liquid cooled engine
Manual transmission and clutch
Front and rear hydraulic disc brakes
Chain drive
The Suzuki LT250R “QuadRacer” even had a few extra weight saving features that are rarely found on modern race ATV’s. These include the use of a lightweight 2-stroke engine design, kick start with no battery or starter motor required, aluminum swingarm, and no reverse gear.
Ol' Joe loves his Quads almost as much as dirt bikes. Great looking quad, a seemingly basic design, now let's tear it apart
Not a rig it’s a Atv quad rigs are 18 wheels and u been listening to vice grip with his northern rig crap
LOVE those 2 stroke motors! More, please!
Wow, nice one, that certainly took some diagnosis. At least the engine will be put back together to your standards, with some nice new parts
💯
This is an 87-90. It does have a power valve. You can see the window on the right side of the motor. The swingarm and frame are also gen 2, which is 87-90, and the seat is also the 87-90 seat.
This guy is a jack wagon. That is an 88-90. Its not an 87 because 87 was the 1st year for the power valve cylinder and had a much larger reed valve compared to the 88-92 cylinder. Its obviously not a 91 or 92 because they don't have the goofy shock linkage like the this one. 🤦🏿♂️
Young man i look forward to all your videos and they are fantastic. Your knowledge on all types of machines is in mind blowing. To all the ppl who put negative comments are just haters joe. You have been doing things your way and man has it pay off. Keep doing it your way. Thanks for all the great content
Glad you finally found the problem! Those goofy problems drive me nuts. Great videos!
Great video as allways. And great job on the diag you saved me from tearing mine down I was having same issue after crank install and sure enough my bolt had backed out. Big thanks for this video.
Arrrrre your the man Joe, Nice detective work. This is why most experienced mechanic’s are follicley challenged.
good diagnosis Joe, I was thinking shift forks . id be a lot happier with this quad stripped and inspected as your doing . least you know it will be right when done should be a hoot
Yep that does suck BUT it was a learning experience now you have another simple fix in your ever growing bag of tricks !!! Like they say you never quit learning stuff !!
And again I spoke too soon!
Ugh! Good on yah for finding that bro that was a really good find!
People think I’m nuts sometimes when they watch me work on their bikes but being thorough pays off because it can be the most simple thing such as that which will make or break your builds.
Nothing is for nothing, you have learned a lot since doing this.
The basics, check air filter check carb check AIR VENT HOSE ON TANK and other things. Now when you get something in with a shift issue you will first check under the access cap..
Even if you know what your doing it’s still all really complicated! Fair play to this guy for the amount of patience he has.
Just a suggestion... Why not mix it up a bit and spend some time maybe freshening up some suspension components, rebuild brake calipers? Disassemble all pivot points(Full Floater suspension has several important pivot areas to be addressed, as one example) clean and grease up said areas...You know, to get away from the oil change, carb clean, valve clearances etc. You could go back a forth on the content. That's all, good day Joe.❤
He really don't fix them up ever... he gets them running again but not much more.
It would be great if he tore them down and restored them. He is missing a lot of things you would think he should have. He needs a sand blaster. I dont even think he has a parts washer. It is even rare to see him use an ultrasonic cleaner for the carbs.
@@gags730 he worries about clutch shaving in the oil but doesnt concern about all the dirt he puts into them
@@robertdelinsky7247 haha! Finally, Somebody sees what I see! LOL
I can truly appreciate the effort you put into the projects you have 👏
Honestly my absolute favorite quad. Lightweight, reliable, pretty good power and decent suspension travel. oh yeah pretty easy to work on as far as a quad goes.
What a score! I had one. Insane bike! Wish I kept mine. Going up big time in value!
It’s better the way things worked out in the end bro, now you know that girls mint. Killer work man, keep it up!
Was about to cry and say where is part two, but i now see the video has only a couple of hours up. Its my birthday if i was close i was going to ask you for a good price on that bike! I'm A Fan!!!!!!!
Man some of these comment smh glad I don’t read them very often and just enjoy the content you put out Joe keep up the good work
Haha damn, Joe. That one hurt a little. Still amazed at your ability to just tear an engine down like that. My 2 stroke skillzzz growing up essentially consisted of carb rebuilds and coil/spark plug replacement lol. Don't let that farm land go too long without being worked if you still want the option of leasing it out. It doesn't take long before it gets taken over and farmers won't want to pop tires trying to make it useable again. Just a thought you may have already considered. Love the videos bro.
Excellent video, your patience is commendable,
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊Hay Joe hope you and your family are all fit and well
Two things I would like to chat about the child's voice at time stamp 1.00.14
And the word (Perfect) you must of said it 2 million times 😅😅😅
I think your channel is brilliant and yes you didn't need to take the engine apart to put the washer and bolt in but that's what you do best
But 1985 anything will never be perfect
Keep up the fantastic videos 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍
before you order the piston!
its very common on these modified engines to use rm250 stuff so double check its not for one of them. I say this because its ported
I'm thinking about something I've seen a lot on clients bikes and quads, engagement pockets do wear out on gears. Try to clean em up but ultimately best fix is new gears. You'll be able to see when you split case.
Make sure its level and secure in housing, any play will cause them to immaturely wear pockets.
Well done for figuring the issue out
Excellent diagnosis Joe. Live and learn. You won’t forget that one, and neither will we. Thanks.
so wholesome
Good investment ! & Good catch noticing the shift drum bolt was missing.
That's a pretty clean quad. It's hard to tell on video but it sounded like it was running pretty good for having a bad plug.
I like that plug tester. That's handy to have and fun to watch when you turn up the rpm's...
That really sucks doing all that work only to find out that it was about a one minute fix., but at least you don't have to
spend a bunch of money on trans parts.
hey, love the channel, watch it all the time.. i have a little tip to restoring the faded plastic on these trikes or any motorcycle plastic...there is a product called Flood Penetrol..iit will basically take away the chalky look...home depot has it..just rub a little bit on some faded plastic to see the affect...put it on lightly...rub it in..oh... make sure the plastic is washed first so no oil or grit...
Good job, that process was a valuable lesson so not totally waste of time.well done
LOL joe-san, now you know next time is just to remove that cover and check if it has the bolt :D glad to know you found it! I was just seeing the progress bar in the video and stressing out if you were able to find the issue. always a pleasure to see your videos and explanations.
I just started the video. You definitely have a ported cylinder. AAEN is a big company and snowmobiling. They also build exhaust systems.
Wowzers....dynamite analysis to the problem.....Man, you're good!!! Appreciate the sharing of some of your knowledge....thank you
Cool
(Youre ones my favorite channel - and i dont 'love' mechanics,
why ? thats it... you natural, explain, easy english to understand, clean video mount....).
Sankyü.
2 vintage if it's popping out of gear and feel like it's in neutral it's called a false neutral this is usually calls by a bent shift Fork
Make sure you check that thing out good. If AAEN did the cylinder, then they may have done deck work and head work. Make sure you know what you need for the proper plug and whether or not you should be running Race gas for your "corrected" compression ratio!!!
No offence but because I was a mechanic for 50 years it bothers me that you use a claw hammer to work on engines. If I lived closer I would send you a good machine hammer. I really enjoy your videos. Your a great mechanic. Thank you for sharing.
Send him one through the mail.
That bothered me too.
He’s got so much know how and other good and decent tools.
But uses a framing hammer on a quad.
@@Chris-ch5nb I hinted around last year for Jade to get him some good ball -peen hammers for Christmas.
Obviously that hint was a popcorn fart😅😂
He does listen or read comments I don’t think Everyone has give him hell over some stuff he does these youngsters think they know it all
Well just a question. Why does it pain or bother you sir? It works perfectly for him in ALL the work he have done. Why try and make him a mini you? To me it seems if you mericans cannot live a day without complaining about someone or something.
Nice job Joe! Never give up, persistence wins the day!
Great work figuring this out Joe!
Not sure how you remain so patient and calm tho...lol
Absolutely love your videos and learn a lot from you. You are very smart at what you do. Keep it up Chris Australia
Like a kid in a candy store, Joe! Good on ya for rounding up the Vin... Missed his appearance last time. Pays to research before going in.
great video and we all learn something new every day. Besides you know what you are doing it was just overlooked. Great job
I know this is not something you typically do but would love to see the blue back on those cases. Just to give it its colour back. It’s already apart wouldn’t hurt to throw some paint on it
Something as simple, been there done that back in the past! Thanks Ray
Love how u ride the crap out of it then check the fluids living on the edge
Great video mate well you said it probably needs a rebuild now it does but built to your standards
Sucks that you did all that but whoever gets the bike after you're done with it's gonna have a really nice wheeler. Always a good feeling when you're finally fine the smoking gun.
Wonder how the bolt and washer came up missing? That’s wild, cool video bud.
I was just going to tell you that lol. Great diagnosis, a little late but better late than never. Definitely enjoy your videos. Thanks.
Something isn't set up properly somewhere. Maybe there's a missing/defective spring or bolt or something similar that's not in place and doing its job. I suggest you check the manual because chances are you're going to find something either missing or out of place.
I had the same bike and I ripped the rear end right off! Local shop welded it all back up for me, watch it on yours
Love the videos! Joe, you should really invest in a hose pick. I've thought about sending you one but I'm not sure where to do that. Lol! But it would make a lot of situations taking these lines and carb boots off much easier. Just my experience at least.
Chalk it up a learning experience Joe , I figured it was the shifting star I was close but sometimes we have to learn the hard way to learn something new!!
Love the mis shifts happens every ride😂 great find Joe ❤
How do you find these deals . Those deals don't happen in New york
Nice Suzuki, enjoyed the teardown and diagnosis!