Diff'rent Strokers

[Kneedown]

Hey Everyone

New to the forum from Perth, Australia and hoping to become a regular as soon as I pick a 3XV!

Well, I have been offered a 3XV with a siezed engine. So far this is just early discussions and have very little info about the bike other than it being a 3XV with a siezed engine. I will have numbers and details shortly.

Being new to two strokes I was wondering (I know it is a bit 'how long is a piece of string' type) if an engine can be freed up with just a top end rebuild or will it need the crank rebuilt as well?

I know it is all relative to the amount of damage and I probably won't know until I open the engine up...but is it a likely prospect to be able to just get away with a top end clean up? Or are we talking new barrels, pistons, heads and the rest in a typical siezed engine scenario?

I guess I am fishing for a best case/worst case scenario from owners who have some experience with these 'hand gernades' as described by one of the other members.

Is this sort of thing you just not touch because of the unknowns?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[arlurt]

Hi there and welcome!

I guess I'm one of the people on here who can do you a "worst" case for your 3XV. I bought my 1992 RS about three years ago. It was mis-firing when I got it, which was finally tracked down to a broken top ring, head damage, and the last Japanese owner hiving pulled the head off to have a look and put t back together without new gaskets.

With a new piston and rings, the head cleaned up in a lathe, and nice new gaskets it ran great, but not for very long...

On a run back from a two-stroke meet up, the big end on the cylinder that had the problem let go. I guess the broken ring and resultant carnage in Japan must've damaged the big end. Getting it running properly again overloaded the damaged bearing, and it seized solid. The cage and rollers broke up and jammed the crank in the cases.

I've got a couple of cranks now, both with damage, waiting for me to get the time to pull it apart and build it back up again.

On the plus side...
There's something really nice about having a road bike that shares loads of bits with a TZ250 racer.
The handling is fantastic. The light weight and small proportions of the thing make any other bike you've ridden feel fat and compromised.
The thing that makes parts hard to get, the fact that it's rare, can also make it a great bike to park up anywhere and see what people say when they see it...

So in the end, be aware you're buying trouble, but it's got quite a few up-sides too.
_________________
Light is right.

[Kneedown]

Hey arlurt

Cheers for the reply. I have read your thread from start to finish. I guess yours definitely will have to be a worst case scenario...but as you say there are always positives with teh negatives. Looking forwrad to seeing your bike back on the road.

I am still waiting on details of the bike but TZR250 3XV's are rare as hen's teeth here in Australia as they were a grey import only and even then in very small numbers. To compound the issues the bike is in Melbourne and while I have not discussed numbers with the owner it is going to be a totally blind purchase apart from relying on what the owner tells me and the odd picture. I guess you couldn't ask for a bigger gamble when buying a bike!!

I am also looking at this bike as project bike and not something I will be in a hurry to get on the road the moment I have the key in my hands. I guess best case would be a new piston and worst case a crank rebuild. I am expecting to budget about AUD$1000 (US$750) in engine repairs when working out the value of the bike. I would probably end up splitting the cases and making sure everything is in good order over our winter rather than a rushed temporary fix.

I've just sold my 2005 R1 after spending many years at the track and three years of racing the R1. Having it back on the road was a complete kill joy after riding on the track for so long. Opening up a 160+hp bike on the road is not an option here and have just lost my enthusiam for riding recently. I am looking at the TZR250 as a return to the basics of pure fun and as you say, something exotic as well!