It's ALIVE!!!

[LWilson250]

Well as many of you know a few weeks back I sunk my KX250 in a creek... Not to bright, I know... But it happend.

But today the rebuild is done, it all works! I ran it for the first time in a long long time... It was great! I am starting the break in process and I am just soo happy it brings a tear to my eye.

My first rebuild was a biggie, but it worked. I know now that I can indeed do it and it's a good thing, because I have to do it to my friends RM125 next weekend...

Here are some photos of the KX with it's nice new fuel tank and shrouds.

Lee W.

 

[dave186]

What kind of tank did you have before? I want to get a stock tank for mine, I dont always need 3 gallons and the big bulge on the top is annoying.

 

[LWilson250]

I had a 3.4gal IMS tank... It is just REALLY big.

Lee W.

 

[yzeater]

Nice!! How much did the tank cost?

 

[Adrenaline]

Congrats Lee! Are you going to play submarine captain again? If you are let me know because I have got to see it this time :p :confused:
Have fun with the basically new ride! Awesome tank it's going to be hard filling that bad boy up! I hate stinkin black tanks!

 

[yzeater]

Maybe you should buy MX Bonz Balls. They do a relatively good job at letting you see where your gas is. (I'm pretty sure ping pong balls will work too). The only problem is you need a lot of them because of the size of the tank.

 

[LWilson250]

Thanks guys, I got the tank off of eBay for $75, they cost $274 new from Kawasaki. It is off of a '94 KX125, that is why it's black.

I will NEVER go near water again...EVER! I am done with trying to cross the creek, I can live without those trails.

The rebuild went well, I'm so glad it runs again. Today really has been a great day.

Lee W.

 

[yzeater]

What did you have to rebuild? Just the top?

 

[Adrenaline]

Oh come on Lee! aren't you a fish outta water? :P hehe just playing with you Lee.
I am not sure if ping pong balls work because there made of celluloid (sp?) while Bonz Balls are a hard compound of plastic. I am not the one to find out.

 

[Adrenaline]

I know Lee had to atleast flush out the bottom end. Hey i've got mail. I guess it's telling me that someone has responded to probally this post saying about what I am. Oh darn!

 

[Senior KX Rider]

Looks good Lee. :cool: :cool:

 

[LWilson250]

I really have to thank you Sr.KXRdr, the torque values for the cylinder and jug were important! My dad and I had to make a tool though to reach the bolts, I'll get a pic of it soon.

Here is something I typed up for some friends:

"First I drained all the oil from the crankcase, put the bolt back in, filled the case with fresh oil and swished it around. Then I drained that oil and did it again. And again, and again and yet again until no water was present in the oil.

Next I took off the plastic, you know, side panels, shrouds, tank. Then off with the sub frame.

Next I took off the carb and set it aside. I put all bolts I took off into labled plastic bags, so I don't forget where they go.

I then drained the coolant from the bike and took off all the hoses, and then the rads.

Once all that was off I took off the pipe and then went on to take off the cylinder head and then the jug.

Then off with the piston and the top end bearing and put them aside.

Now there was a LOT of sand in my lower end. Along with water. So I filled the lower end with alcohol and then sucked it out with a little hand pump. After the alcohol I flushed the bottom end with kerosene several times.

After that I had at it with a can of WD40. I sprayed it everywhere in there! It does a great job of getting the sand out. So 2 cans later and about 5 more kerosene flushes the bottom end is clean, I coated the parts with a little 2-stroke oil and covered it all up with a few clean rags.

Next came the cylinder jug... I hit it with some B-12 chemtool to break down the oil and get the power valves cleaned out. I then filled a bucket with hot soapy water and stuck the cylinder in. I have it a good washing then hosed it down with clean water. Then I dried it off the best I could and hit it with the WD40 to drive out all the water.

I did the same with the head, making sure to clean out the spark plug threads with an old toothbrush.

Then I got after the expansion chamber with some Castrol ‘All wheel cleaner’ and a scotch bright pad. Gave it a good scrubbing and then washed it off, again I used WD40 to drive the water out.

I then also cleaned the plastics, re-sealed the airbox and painted the sub frame."

Lee W.

 

[KamikaziRida]

It's great to see you back in the dirt with the big boys, because I know when you sank it you were so bummed (and kinda grouchy :-P)

 

[spanky250]

The bike's lookin' good, Lee. I know a great place with tons of creek crossings we can go ride at for you to break it in... :p

 

[LWilson250]

It was real nice to be back on the bike. I was real bummed out when I sunk it. But with a lot of hard work and some time it's better now then it was when I got it.

Lee W.

 

[LWilson250]

Here is a photo that my friend Marc took today while I was running it through another break in cycle.

Lee W.

 

[Racer_x4]

Good job with fixing your bike Lee. Now if only the rest of my parts would come in I could fix mine! :confused:

 

[biglou]

Congrats, Lee! :)

 

[Danman]

Congrats, you want to come over and fix my bike?

 

[Timr]

Originally posted by LWilson250
I will NEVER go near water again...EVER! I am done with trying to cross the creek, I can live without those trails.

The rebuild went well, I'm so glad it runs again. Today really has been a great day.

Lee W.

I know how you feel. I sank my '96 KDX in a creek .4 miles into an enduro. The creek wasn't even that deep. It took me a long time after to become comfortable with creek crossings again. Now, I just wait until someone else goes through so I can see how deep it is and see how their line works.

BTW, did you buy Smitty's KX? If so, that could explain a lot about your experiences with water. :)

 

[LWilson250]

Originally posted by Timr
BTW, did you buy Smitty's KX? If so, that could explain a lot about your experiences with water. :)

LOL, no, didn't get that one...lol... I really hate water now, I'm just stayinh away from it for now on.

I took the KX out for another break in cycle yesterday and had a blast! The new fuel tank is wonderful. For once all the riding tips that never worked before started working! I was able to carve turns by weighting the outer peg, I could finally jump without being scared and the best of all... NO THROTTLE LAG!!! :p

I love it to death, I am pretty sure I'm going to Lake Summerville in a few weekends to ride and really get some quality practice in.

Lee W.