A friend from a previous employer was kind enough to loan me his older RMX; he now has a YZ250F, and last put the former away wet, and it sure looked neglected, although I was willing, able, and motivated as this is the middle of the California riding season, maybe the best in a few years as weather fronts are dropping precipitation regularly. To get it to Santa Maria from the Los Angeles area I had removed the forks, wheels, and plastic then stuffed it into the back seat of my rental car. He took pictures before I left, and will ask him where those are then post the address here later for your viewing humor.
Leaving home early Sunday morning afforded me an arrival at Santa Maria before 10am. With that I dove right into dismantling the loaner, but not before a thorough scrubbing. Simple Green does a remarkable job of cutting grime, but not without an ample heaping of elbow grease. Doing a complete top-to-bottom detail brings out an added benefit of close inspection, and notations were made with pencil and pad for replacement parts needed by the tired soldier so he could ride him (her?) into battle again.
When the fork 3x clamps were pulled the lower bearing was found buried in an avalanched of rusted frame tube shavings. The races were pitted, but sufficient life remains. The main tube was flushed, dried then greased liberally. Both bearings were cleaned, repacked and inserted.
The nicks on one front fork tube were beyond repair. Perhaps later I’ll fill them in with metallic-based epoxy then replace the seal and oil, as it was leaky. Once they were reinstalled the steering stem bearings felt much improved.
My bike’s chain, guide, rollers, slider; sprockets, shock guard/flap, spark arrester, pipe union, seat, and gas tank strap went right on the now squeaky-clean restoration project. The lower shock Heim bearing is shot, so I’ll put mine into it. It was approaching 9pm when I called it quits for the day.
Monday I took a break and to get a second opinion on the fork nick/seal.
On Tuesday the top end came apart nicely and looked reasonably, normally worn until it came to the exhaust valve. Although this is only the third exhaust-valved-equipped bike I’ve done engine work on, it set a record for gummed-up build-up. One of the three hold-down screws was stripped but came out with some persuasion via a punch. Heavy-duty cleaning brought the parts to a reasonable condition, but there are grooves in the main valve where it’s restricted travel had wore into, not getting past early carbon deposits; it extends beyond that now with extra tension on the preload spring, but early carbonization will accumulate again soon and it may be back to the former restricted travel. And one of the skinny mid-valves had a progressive hairline fracture, plus the bolt/nuts holding the six pieces together were stripped. This caused a sinking feeling in my stomach, as if I can count on this thing to fail way out in the wilderness…
At that point I had the idea of pulling the engine and inserting it into my frame, along with my engine’s top end. On Thursday I ordered new parts for the loaner when I reassemble the top end two months down the road.
Friday afternoon I took off of work to finish up the transplant by doing another exhaust valve service on my top end (for use with the loaner’s bottom in my chassis). Hmmm: it gets easier the second time. Then as I was placing the loaner’s bottom into my frame things did not line up quite rightly. The swing arm shaft went thru OK, but the two lower motor mounts both ended up being ¼” off. Uh oh. It was 3:30pm, and I was going to Clear Creek Saturday. Panic set in, and from then on it was flying hands, tools, torque wrench and double-checking of everything to avert a trail litter. By 9:30pm the reconditioned loaner – with many of my parts - was ready for a kick; driving to a commercial area afforded two complete heat cycles to seat the ring. It did start and run well, and fuel was secured for tomorrow’s trek. With that major hurdle behind me I then got into bed before midnight, and sure hoped nothing was left out, but at that point with multiple finger cuts and overall body soreness I was too invested to care.
The next morning I was about an hour into a 2 hour-40 minute drive then remembered – as a highway patrol car passed me – the new green sticker and registration was back at my apartment, laying there in the open to be taken along for today’s ride. Too bad, the investment is getting higher. I did not want to leave Jonala and Mcassle hanging.
About 30 minutes from Clear Creek I pull over to do a last, final heat cycle. It runs well as before, but I wanted to get to the camp before Mr. Ranger (remember, expired green sticker is all it had) to slip under detection and get some minimum load break-in riding. With that I left the bike running on the remaining fuel in the carb, and while going down this two-lane country road, I then hear this “BING-ba-BING-BING” and come to the fastest stop ever done. Hitting the kill button did no good, but jamming it in gear did, although it cost me a strap that was holding the rear wheel. Phew!
The bike ran flawlessly the whole day at clear creek, and the fork surprisingly did not leak any more oil; perhaps it had already leaked out enough.
Today my crate from Eric Gorr arrived, and my engine will be on its way. Until it comes back in two months, it will be the loaner and me carving.
Leaving home early Sunday morning afforded me an arrival at Santa Maria before 10am. With that I dove right into dismantling the loaner, but not before a thorough scrubbing. Simple Green does a remarkable job of cutting grime, but not without an ample heaping of elbow grease. Doing a complete top-to-bottom detail brings out an added benefit of close inspection, and notations were made with pencil and pad for replacement parts needed by the tired soldier so he could ride him (her?) into battle again.
When the fork 3x clamps were pulled the lower bearing was found buried in an avalanched of rusted frame tube shavings. The races were pitted, but sufficient life remains. The main tube was flushed, dried then greased liberally. Both bearings were cleaned, repacked and inserted.
The nicks on one front fork tube were beyond repair. Perhaps later I’ll fill them in with metallic-based epoxy then replace the seal and oil, as it was leaky. Once they were reinstalled the steering stem bearings felt much improved.
My bike’s chain, guide, rollers, slider; sprockets, shock guard/flap, spark arrester, pipe union, seat, and gas tank strap went right on the now squeaky-clean restoration project. The lower shock Heim bearing is shot, so I’ll put mine into it. It was approaching 9pm when I called it quits for the day.
Monday I took a break and to get a second opinion on the fork nick/seal.
On Tuesday the top end came apart nicely and looked reasonably, normally worn until it came to the exhaust valve. Although this is only the third exhaust-valved-equipped bike I’ve done engine work on, it set a record for gummed-up build-up. One of the three hold-down screws was stripped but came out with some persuasion via a punch. Heavy-duty cleaning brought the parts to a reasonable condition, but there are grooves in the main valve where it’s restricted travel had wore into, not getting past early carbon deposits; it extends beyond that now with extra tension on the preload spring, but early carbonization will accumulate again soon and it may be back to the former restricted travel. And one of the skinny mid-valves had a progressive hairline fracture, plus the bolt/nuts holding the six pieces together were stripped. This caused a sinking feeling in my stomach, as if I can count on this thing to fail way out in the wilderness…
At that point I had the idea of pulling the engine and inserting it into my frame, along with my engine’s top end. On Thursday I ordered new parts for the loaner when I reassemble the top end two months down the road.
Friday afternoon I took off of work to finish up the transplant by doing another exhaust valve service on my top end (for use with the loaner’s bottom in my chassis). Hmmm: it gets easier the second time. Then as I was placing the loaner’s bottom into my frame things did not line up quite rightly. The swing arm shaft went thru OK, but the two lower motor mounts both ended up being ¼” off. Uh oh. It was 3:30pm, and I was going to Clear Creek Saturday. Panic set in, and from then on it was flying hands, tools, torque wrench and double-checking of everything to avert a trail litter. By 9:30pm the reconditioned loaner – with many of my parts - was ready for a kick; driving to a commercial area afforded two complete heat cycles to seat the ring. It did start and run well, and fuel was secured for tomorrow’s trek. With that major hurdle behind me I then got into bed before midnight, and sure hoped nothing was left out, but at that point with multiple finger cuts and overall body soreness I was too invested to care.
The next morning I was about an hour into a 2 hour-40 minute drive then remembered – as a highway patrol car passed me – the new green sticker and registration was back at my apartment, laying there in the open to be taken along for today’s ride. Too bad, the investment is getting higher. I did not want to leave Jonala and Mcassle hanging.
About 30 minutes from Clear Creek I pull over to do a last, final heat cycle. It runs well as before, but I wanted to get to the camp before Mr. Ranger (remember, expired green sticker is all it had) to slip under detection and get some minimum load break-in riding. With that I left the bike running on the remaining fuel in the carb, and while going down this two-lane country road, I then hear this “BING-ba-BING-BING” and come to the fastest stop ever done. Hitting the kill button did no good, but jamming it in gear did, although it cost me a strap that was holding the rear wheel. Phew!
The bike ran flawlessly the whole day at clear creek, and the fork surprisingly did not leak any more oil; perhaps it had already leaked out enough.
Today my crate from Eric Gorr arrived, and my engine will be on its way. Until it comes back in two months, it will be the loaner and me carving.
