Another one back from the dead (1997 King Quad 300 LT-FWDX)

[Hagbard]

3 hours ago, JustRandy said:

I think there is a piece of metal tacked onto the flywheel that determines the timing.  When it goes by the pickup coil it tells the coil to fire.  So it would be that metal bit in relation to the keyway.  Yeah it would be interesting to compare.

If you need that plate let me know.  I don't think I'd ever need it and I'm sure there's another one on the engine sitting in the woods.

I'd love to grab it from you for sure. I think the stator coils themselves are fine, and I'd ideally like to get that 230S built, with or without having Vince make a frankencrank. PM me an address and I'll send you some loot. I got some handy things in the mail today - case splitter, valve spring compressor, valve guide reamer, and a couple other doodads.  I got a hunch earlier, and just confirmed that it has a Blaster rear fender on it. They cut the airbox out of it and drilled some new holes. It doesn't look *that* bad, but a real 250S seat wouldn't fit. I think that's why someone cut the seat pan. 

I had the little daredevil all afternoon and just had an hour to fiddle with it, managed to get it to fire and purr on a shot of ether. Sounds fukn mean lol. Also figure out that the DG Krome RCM I have is for a Kawasaki Mojave 250. Go figure.

Edited November 18, 2021 by Hagbard

[JustRandy]

1 hour ago, Hagbard said:

I got a hunch earlier, and just confirmed that it has a Blaster rear fender on it.

Maybe because the original disintegrated?  Seems like there was a place that sold aftermarket plastics.  That might be your best bet if you want the original seat.

Did you ever get a compression tester?  Be interesting to know the compression.

[Hagbard]

Started it up today. Still have a bit of an exhaust leak from header to muffler, but it sounds strong.

IMG_1894.MOV

https://imgur.com/gallery/vXhEFgM

Took it for a quick rip, need to adjust float and get jetting right, but it goes like Billy blew sh**. 
Stopping is another story. Bled front brakes, but the pads are toast. Rears not functioning at all yet. Rode it anyway, broke a chair ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Edited November 18, 2021 by Hagbard

[JustRandy]

Sounds good.  Wonder if it has a wiseco.  Can you peer into the plug hole?

[Hagbard]

2 minutes ago, JustRandy said:

Sounds good.  Wonder if it has a wiseco.  Can you peer into the plug hole?

I’ll try to take a look and see if I can find any markings on it.

Incidentally I pulled the top end off of that 230 S motor I got a few weeks ago, it had been sitting in a barn for a while, and it looks like something made a nest in there at least temporarily.

 My best guess is D-Con, mouse sh**, and mold.

it cleaned up nice.

the guy said he re-ringed it before shelving it. Appears to be true. 

[JustRandy]

Kinda looks like a caterpillar nest.

The oil rings look flat from what I can see.

[Bigbuckee]

OK I'm going to start bby sayink that I have a 97 king quad 300 it is giving me problems, one day it starts up not a problem then it sits for a day and nothing it won't have any  spark changed the coil same deal in sure wtfis going on also the bike gets hot and then will not start sometimes

E 

[JustRandy]

4 hours ago, Bigbuckee said:

OK I'm going to start bby sayink that I have a 97 king quad 300 it is giving me problems, one day it starts up not a problem then it sits for a day and nothing it won't have any  spark changed the coil same deal in sure wtfis going on also the bike gets hot and then will not start sometimes

E 

That only thing I can think is the regulator.  Hard starting when hot is usually electrical.  Try a new spark plug.

[Bigbuckee]

2 minutes ago, JustRandy said:

That only thing I can think is the regulator.  Hard starting when hot is usually electrical.  Try a new spark plug.

I have done that but I went to start the bike yesterday's and no spark again and I've swapped out the coial and cdi box and not a hope of anything 

[Hagbard]

Could be a bad pick up coil on the stator. Or a loose/worn connection between any of those components. Could be as simple as the spark plug boot being loose on the plug wire, or loose at the coil and, you never know.

[JustRandy]

26 minutes ago, Bigbuckee said:

I have done that but I went to start the bike yesterday's and no spark again and I've swapped out the coial and cdi box and not a hope of anything 

I've never seen a bad ignition coil or cdi so it probably wouldn't be that, as you discovered.

I always change plugs just because it's easy.  Even if the plug is brand new.  I've seen new ones not work right.

It could be practically anything but if it's associated with heat it's probably electrical.  If it's not associated with heat then I'd check the intake valve lash first thing.  Do you know how to do that?

[Bigbuckee]

No clue on the intake valve lash 

And I could really use the quad around the farm asap 

[JustRandy]

Pull spark plug out.  Take intake valve inspection cap off.  Pull the pull cord slowly until you see the intake valve move.  Then I always put a screwdriver in the spark plug hole to feel the piston while pulling on the rope to find TDC, but there is also a cap covering an inspection hole on the other side of the engine that has TDC marks.  One way or the other, find TDC after the intake valve moves and that should be TDC on the compression stroke.

Once you have it fairly close to TDC on the compression stoke, then just grab the rocker arm and wiggle it up and down.  If there is no gap (clicking or tapping sound) then that's your problem.  It's supposed to be .001 - .003.

Let me know what you find.

[Hagbard]

This might help a little

[JustRandy]

Cool thanks.  I was dreading rummaging youtube for a good video.

[pikachu78]

wow very interesting post with the techniques and troubleshooting!

[Hagbard]

Boo!  Quiet around here.

Quick update for no reason in particular other than hearing myself think. 

Been wrestling with yet ANOTHER LT80 because I thought it would be a quick project, but mainly cuz I'm a glutton for punishment. Traded a different go kart for this one, which "just needed a top end" but also has now gotten new rear brakes, transmission gears and bearings (plug pulled and left dry to rust solid together), new carb, throttle, brake cables and lever, clutch bearings...  

I ended up trading the Blaster (that I got in trade for the KFX80 mouse condo) for a 1985 230s that made a lot of noise when you kicked it over, none of it good.  Tore down to find a bent crank and evidence of a lot of piston slap like gouging in the cylinder wall. The crank had been DIY'd in a vise and never balanced, so crank bearings were roached. Used the left side crankcase half from it, and the right side, guts and top end from the moldy D-CON 230s mentioned above to build one good working 230s motor, reinstalled it, and it fired up first kick with a little gas in the bowl. Traded it a week later for a 2007 KX85. So I effectively turned a KFX80 into a KX85. Pretty good horse trading IMHO.

Buddy of mine picked up the 250s chassis and engine this week and is fabricating a complete exhaust for it. Asked for a lot of granular data about the engine - bore and stroke length, cam lift and duration, valve diameter, carburetor venturi size, etc.  - to input into design software.  Pretty excited to see what he comes up with.  Also got some LTZ400 plastics from one of the locals in trade for a go kart frame, so that should be a fun project getting them to fit.  

Trying to work up the motivation to replace the carb in the King Quad before I get hammered with snow, but procrastination is winning that battle at the moment.

 

 

[Hagbard]

Aaand true to form - instead of doing any of that - I pulled the 230E motor out of the 160 and rebuilt the top end instead. New valves, springs, valve guide seals, crosshatch hone on the jug, and a new Wiseco piston and rings.  Crank looks great, no up/down and very minimal deflection.  Posting this while I let the gasket remover do its thing, then reassembling.  If nothing else, I'm getting more efficient at R&R'ing quad and dirtbike engines LOL

[JustRandy]

On 12/22/2021 at 11:36 AM, Hagbard said:

Boo!  Quiet around here.

I don't support sites that engage in censorship so this is where it ends.

[JustRandy]

On 12/22/2021 at 11:36 AM, Hagbard said:

Quiet around here.

After convos with admin and a day to think about it I no longer believe anyone has intention to censor here and it was likely just a confluence of a string of odd events that led me to have that mistaken impression. 

All is well, let's carry on.