I just acquired the bike and it's in mint condition. It's got 1300 original miles and has sat covered for awhile in a garage. It runs and rides but doesnt seem to really want to get up and go like it should. I think (I HOPE) it will need basic stuff to get it up and running well again. I plan on the following: new fluids new plug clean filter new battery clean the exhaust out clean the carb out very the oil injection is free of air bubbles clean & grease the chain inspect a very small leak (just looks wet) that seems to be coming from between the cases on the very bottom of the motor Outside of that - should I be concerned with the crank seals? Anything else I should be concerned with? I would like to get this thing road worthy. Thanks in advance for any help!
Some Suzi 2-T engines used a check-valve and small diameter hose to 'recycle' unused injected oil from the bottom of the cases, back up to the intake port. If that's the leak down below, an easy and obvious fix. If not, could be trouble. The crankcase NEEDS to be sealed, and there's no center gasket on 'em (if my memory serves correctly).......just bonding agent. Crank seals on an old engine are a likely concern. A quick-n-dirty way to check for any leak is to spray carb cleaner in short bursts around crank seals, intake boots, case seams, etc while the engine idles. If the engine speed picks up, ya got a leak. In general, I like those bikes. Good luck, and have fun.
So if the crankcase is indeed leaking, would i need to split the cases? Can the crank seals be replaced without that sort of major surgery? Any info on that? Thanks again -
Man the memories.... I put many a miles in High School on a TS125, and TS250 as dirt bikes, I abused the hell out of them things and they just went. I still got a TS250 setting beside the shop. Its got a TM250 engine in it now. If your passing through Arkansas pm me. I'll never fix it and you can take it home.
First, I'd get a real good look at the cases, and see where the leak is coming from. It might be transmission oil instead of engine oil yer leaking.....and that might be live-able for you. If not, then splitting the cases would be in order. As for the crank seals - I'm sure there's experts on that model here - I'm not. On the ignition side it may be possible, as the seal will be outboard of the main bearing. Not so sure on the primary side, as that main bearing might be lubricated by tranny oil, outboard of the seal. I'm still curious as to why it's not running well, and there could be many causes there - some simple and cheap to fix. Others could get complicated. But if you are doing the work yerself, it could still be a bargain in the end. Yer on the right track, with the simple and obvious fixes first. Good luck!
It may be transmission oil. I'm assuming that when you say engine oil that you are referring to the injection oil. I haven't torn the thing apart yet, but the spark plug is nice and brown, not oily or black. Given that the bike is old, and that 2 strokes really need a good sealed crankcase, I thought I should replace the crankcase gaskets etc. as well as the crank seals. Am I going overboard with this - should I just stick to the basics and not worry about replacing the gasket or the seals. It doesnt leak too much, just enough to be wet and drip a drop or two. It just seemed like it lacked punch when I rode it last.
Any ideas or recomendations as to a tool to split the cases? The old service manual shows a "Special Tool" used to splt the cases, which looks like some sort of puller/pusher arrangement. Any ideas or know anywhere i can buy one? Make one?
Looking for a little help... My son is trying to help his uncle (my ex brother-in-law) get an old '72 TS250 running... and they're wondering what type of fluid they need to put into the transmission. I've never laid eyes on the bike (it's in VA, I'm in NY), and I've never played with 2-strokes before... so I don't know quite how to advise them. I'm assuming it's a wet clutch, and so it will use motor oil, correct? But surely it can't be from the same oil & gasoline bath that runs the engine, can it? So what fluid should they be using... where should it go... and how much should they be using to fill the thing? Thanks...
Best test for crank seal is a leak down test, where they cylinders get pressurized and should hold for a specified time. I am not familiar with that bike in particular..... but being a single you just may get away with changing the crank seal without splitting the cases. As for a case puller arrangement... I've had a lot of engines apart (2 and 4 strokes) with no pullers and they all ran fine when I was done, just be very gentle.
Wow, I had a ‘73 TS 250 in college. Rode it through winters in Champaign, IL. My first bike. I’d love to have that bike back. Anyone have a ‘73 or ‘74 they might sell?
