1987 TECATE KXT 250 Mods

[stubbie1111]

Has anyone ever heard of Notching a 87' frame to put an 84' motor in the bike...... I was told the 84' motors had alot less problems and were easily built?

[fabiodriven]

I prefer the 84-85's myself (A1/A2), but I would recommend just getting a first gen bike instead of putting that motor in your bike.

[Swinger]

I agree with fabio! The parts are easier and alot cheaper to find for the first gens so just do that instead of hacking up a good 87. I would love to add one of those to my collection and they are getting harder to find! Whats wrong with the motor you have or are you with out one?

[ezmoney1979]

Cutting up T-3s is blasphemy around here. Especially if you have a decent 2nd gen. The bottom ends are nearly identical. The main difference between the two is powervalve/non-powervalve. You could say that due to the 84-5 not having powervalves, it is the more reliable of the two. Simplicity=reliability.

[stubbie1111]

Well I bought a 1987 Tecate 250R resleeved to 440cc. and has no boring on new sleeve. Runs great...starts first or second kick ever time, drag pipe, 44 mikuni carb. Paddles on rims,and dirt tires on there own rims. 10" extended swing arm. ported and polished. Stroker crank. etc etc..... only thing is the guy who had it notched the frame, welded a brace on the bottom fro support, and another brace right down the center of the two down tubes for support. It's solid, but looks funny..... Why did he do this horrible thing you ask....he put the 84 motor in it with a modified drag pipe for the dunes. I will try to attach some pics.137968137969137970137971

[Swinger]

HMMM!!! Interesting!! So you are looking for an 84 motor to put in it or you have it! That thing would be sick with the big hammer in it! What are your plans with the bike, trails, dunes,SELL???

[stubbie1111]

Not sure....... I might try to mod the frame back to original. I may leave it the same....... I would imagine its killer on the dunes, but I live ALONG WAY from the dunes.....lots of trails around me. I will try to get more pics of the bike loaded here in the next day or two.... I have a lot of work to get it to the condition I want. I have the 84' motor in it right now, but may eventually look for the 86/87 motor if I try to fix the frame back to original state. Any ideas on what I should do?

[Swinger]

You could shop around for the motor for the 87 and get a few parts here and there. There is one on evilbay right now for $500, complete. Sell the BB motor to buy what you need for the resto! Thats an option but would end up being for someone into drag racing or hill climbing. Im sure you could get a buyer pretty easy on here if you wished to sell it!

[TheBlueWale]

Not sure....... I might try to mod the frame back to original. I may leave it the same....... I would imagine its killer on the dunes, but I live ALONG WAY from the dunes.....lots of trails around me. I will try to get more pics of the bike loaded here in the next day or two.... I have a lot of work to get it to the condition I want. I have the 84' motor in it right now, but may eventually look for the 86/87 motor if I try to fix the frame back to original state. Any ideas on what I should do?

I wouldn't mind buying your frame from you, if you were to find yourself a nicer more original one. I wanted to try and put a T4 engine into one of these, but I couldn't stand the thought of cutting(the front downtubes only) any original T3 frames, but I guess this one would be the exception, seeing that someone already modded it. Also, the 85/6 kx250 engines are a direct bolt in, but the 86/7 tecate engine shouldn't be too hard to get for a cheap amount(the electricals are half the battle with them). The Tecate engines, all years, are flawless in my opinion as long as they are maintained well, run with good oil, and the PV ones are allowed to warm up before getting used well.

[stubbie1111]

I just took the paddles off and put the dirts on....rode around my neighborhood, and WoooW....she's quick! Needs a little tuned, but pretty good. Also gear shifter was stripped or seemed to be, but I got it put on there, and cranked down on it....got it pretty snug, and she worked like a charm!

[stubbie1111]

What about putting a KX500 motor in it? Anyone ever experience this....is it worth it?

[Swinger]

I have a T3 500 that I have been slowly collecting things for and doing research on the kx 500 motors. You want to stay at least an 88 and newer IMO. I got a frame off a member here that is already set up for the 500 motor but needs the sub frame fixed up yet. All my other projects keep this one from taking off fast but Im getting there. There is a few guys here that have the 500 set ups and thats what really got me going on it. Do a search on it and you should be able to find out some things.

[stubbie1111]

For those who do have a t3 w/ a kx500.....how is it? Is it overkill?

[stubbie1111]

bump bump bump

[TheBlueWale]

For those who do have a t3 w/ a kx500.....how is it? Is it overkill?

I have a kx500 engine in a T3 and it is by no means over kill, the 500 engine only weighs a slight bit more than a Tecate engine. The Tecate can handle that engine in it's chassis, but you may want to get an extended swingarm and then a wider axle to make it more user friendly.

[just ben]

sleeved to a 440? hmm. sounds fishy.I'm not calling you a liar but maybe the guy you got it from. there just isn't enough room in the cylinder for a piston that big. I was looking to do a big bore on a 2nd gen. but you can't go very big because of the powervalves

[stubbie1111]

I have a kx500 engine in a T3 and it is by no means over kill, the 500 engine only weighs a slight bit more than a Tecate engine. The Tecate can handle that engine in it's chassis, but you may want to get an extended swingarm and then a wider axle to make it more user friendly.

Cool.......Thanks for the input!!! The bike has a 10" Extended swingarm on it and has 3" homemade spacers on each side for 6 inches total ..... funny you mentioned that....they had it set up for the dunes....I think the KX500 motor is what I am going to do..... Thanks again!!!

[stubbie1111]

sleeved to a 440? hmm. sounds fishy.I'm not calling you a liar but maybe the guy you got it from. there just isn't enough room in the cylinder for a piston that big. I was looking to do a big bore on a 2nd gen. but you can't go very big because of the powervalves

Well how do you get a 440 from a stock 250? He said it was a new sleeve that was not bored at all yet... he also gave me the shops name number and the guy who has done all the work on the motor..... I don't get it either? I have rode it though...It's got power!! I just don't like the frame all jacked up, so I am going to fix it like it was originally!! Except maybe with a KX500 motor in it. :)

[just ben]

Well how do you get a 440 from a stock 250? with the stock rod you would need a 93.1mm piston, stock is 70mm. it's just not possible to do with a stock cylinder.

[Red Rider]

sleeved to a 440? hmm. sounds fishy.I'm not calling you a liar but maybe the guy you got it from. there just isn't enough room in the cylinder for a piston that big. I was looking to do a big bore on a 2nd gen. but you can't go very big because of the powervalvesOn page 1 he says it's an '84 Tecate motor. Since those have no powervalves, is a 440 possible now?

[stubbie1111]

I don't know too much about these motors, but I found sometimes its best to just not argue..... That I learned from being married!!! :welcome:

[stubbie1111]

Here are some better pics of the bike......this is before the restore....you can see in the one picture of the exhaust where the frame was notched. I plan on completely replacing that side with a piece from another frame. Enjoy.....you can see that it has potiental, but is truly a diamond in the ROUGH!

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[TheBlueWale]

It's got a lot of potential, it just needs to be redone and gone through, that's all. You have a nice Right hand shroud btw, does it have a part # (oem) or is it a maier one?

[stubbie1111]

It's got a lot of potential, it just needs to be redone and gone through, that's all. You have a nice Right hand shroud btw, does it have a part # (oem) or is it a maier one?

Is there a way to tell the difference between maier and oem? Wherre would the part number be? I looked but did not see a number..... I think it was worth $600.

[Swinger]

Lots of potential for sure just some work and cash and you will have a sweet machine, not that I dont think its not a badass machine now cause it is!!

[Swinger]

$600- ok Ill give ya $650 for it:D...Plus a 200x!!

[stubbie1111]

Naaaa.... you have to give me the same offer for the bike, but offer to take my wife off of my hands too!! :Bounce That way I could hear the 200x and not her nag, nag, nagging!!!! :beer

[just ben]

On page 1 he says it's an '84 Tecate motor. Since those have no powervalves, is a 440 possible now?nope. even without the pv's the sleeve would be well past the head studs. it's just not possible wit an 84 or an 86.stick with your hondas bud. A great deal at 600.00 though.the headlight assembly (if OEM) could bring near that. The swingarm looks to be an 84/5 hacked and welded with some extra legnth.

[Swinger]

Naaaa.... you have to give me the same offer for the bike, but offer to take my wife off of my hands too!! :Bounce That way I could hear the 200x and not her nag, nag, nagging!!!! :beer Thats funny as hell!! Ive been tryin to trade Raffa my ol lady for his 490Z but he must still be thinking bout it. Sorry bud, one is enough for me, LOL!!!

[just ben]

Thats funny as hell!! Ive been tryin to trade Raffa my ol lady for his 490Z but he must still be thinking bout it. Sorry bud, one is enough for me, LOL!!!good luck dave, I offered mine to him even up for nothing. needless to say I still have her...

[Swinger]

Ha ha ha, hes smarter than we think I guess!!:lol:

[stubbie1111]

What if I gave the bike up and offered to pay for the departure of the wife...... Ahh nevermind.... I figure it would probably be cheaper to keep her!!!!!

[Red Rider]

stick with your hondas bud.Ben, nice attitude. I was simply pointing out some critical info that you obviously overlooked.

[just ben]

just a little friendly sarcasm. merry x-mas.

[Red Rider]

Merry Christmas to you as well.

[stubbie1111]

Alright........ So I have decided to go with the KX500 motor, but I am having a hard time finding one. I have found lots of complete bikes, but NO motors. Does anyone have one or know of someone who has a motor for sale? I will also put a listing on the classifieds page requesting one.

[just ben]

as far as $$ wise you are better off buying the whole bike. An engine will run you 1000+ wiithout the ignition. you can buy a whole bike for that and have all the little bits that you will need plus have parts to sell to recoup some of your investment.

[stubbie1111]

as far as $$ wise you are better off buying the whole bike. An engine will run you 1000+ wiithout the ignition. you can buy a whole bike for that and have all the little bits that you will need plus have parts to sell to recoup some of your investment.

Yeah.... I've seen some bikes that were $1500, but I just have a hard time paying that for basically a motor.... when I only paid $600 for the bike!! Me recouping the money from the extra parts??? I don't know that it would ever happen.

[badass350x]

Be patient you will find one! One just sold here in Tucson for 700 bucks complete runner... so they do pop up!

[steve86trx250r]

The kx500 is an awesome power plant a good friend of mine who runs the Atv track down here in Missouri built a kx500 quad in the 90's and it's in a custom handmade 250r geometry chassis you kawie guys would love it for a quad team green plastic and all matter of fact he smokes the 450's all day long to this day

[stubbie1111]

The kx500 is an awesome power plant a good friend of mine who runs the Atv track down here in Missouri built a kx500 quad in the 90's and it's in a custom handmade 250r geometry chassis you kawie guys would love it for a quad team green plastic and all matter of fact he smokes the 450's all day long to this day


Steve....
Do you or anyone else know how many mods are required or how much is involved with doing this swap? I found an engine $450 + $80 S/H. 1985 motor w/ 8 hrs on top end and all electronics and carb.
Kevin

[just ben]

its a bolt in deal (with small motor mount mods) but you will need a custom pipe that will cost you a bit

[tecate 250rr]

with the stock rod you would need a 93.1mm piston, stock is 70mm. it's just not possible to do with a stock cylinder.
I know stubbie has stated that he's gonna go with a kx500 but I was reading the thread and thought I'd add some info I have several 84'-85' cyclinders sleeved and stock and thought I'd share. The stock cylinder head stud to head stud is 91mm and a cylinder with a sleeve needs at least 6mm on top of the cylinder to seat the sleeve so 85mm would be the biggest you could go without boring the sleeve. So the biggest you can get in a 84'-85' setup is a theoretical 385cc motor. To go any bigger you would have to stroke the crank.

[just ben]

I know stubbie has stated that he's gonna go with a kx500 but I was reading the thread and thought I'd add some info I have several 84'-85' cyclinders sleeved and stock and thought I'd share. The stock cylinder head stud to head stud is 91mm and a cylinder with a sleeve needs at least 6mm on top of the cylinder to seat the sleeve so 85mm would be the biggest you could go without boring the sleeve. So the biggest you can get in a 84'-85' setup is a theoretical 385cc motor. To go any bigger you would have to stroke the crank. nice thought but you need 6 mm all around the cylinder not 6mm overall

[tecate 250rr]

Yes, 6mm all around to be safe, I was speaking in terms of being crazy and having the cylinder bored out so much that the sleeve would actually be touching the head studs.

[just ben]

6mm all the way around would give you a 72.16mm piston. 91-6x pi =.... 85 mm piston would only be 1.91 mm all the way around and would give you 367cc . all just math figures the real world figures would very but I think we can both agree a 440 without stroking is impossible and is very unlikely without 1000's spent for a one off engine

[stubbie1111]

Well I bought a 1987 Tecate 250R resleeved to 440cc. and has no boring on new sleeve. Runs great...starts first or second kick ever time, drag pipe, 44 mikuni carb. Paddles on rims,and dirt tires on there own rims. 10" extended swing arm. ported and polished. Stroker crank. etc etc..... only thing is the guy who had it notched the frame, welded a brace on the bottom fro support, and another brace right down the center of the two down tubes for support. It's solid, but looks funny..... Why did he do this horrible thing you ask....he put the 84 motor in it with a modified drag pipe for the dunes. I will try to attach some pics.137968137969137970137971

If you guys read the posting on page one.... I copied the guys posting from where I bought the trike...he said it was ported and polished...it has a stroker crank etc!!!

[just ben]

If you guys read the posting on page one.... I copied the guys posting from where I bought the trike...he said it was ported and polished...it has a stroker crank etc!!! I read that but then after that post I remember you asking what it would take to get kind of displacement from a stock 250 engine so I was confused whether it was stroked or not.

[stubbie1111]

Yeah..... I have yet to look at all the paper work that he gave me that had all of the work that was done to the engine...... I also have a friend that has a second 86' frame and other misc parts that I can pick up for $200. Frame is not papered, but it would be alot better to buy and build that vice trying to fix the one I got now. I believe the parts may include a 86' motor that needs rebuilt.....if that checks out fine I may be selling this 84' motor that is built.

[zmpolaristech]

I just wanna see the paperwork on the motor...cause ANYTHING is possible with enough $!! You never know, that thing could have some crazy 10mm stroker crank in it with a custome sleeve and piston....Just sayin

[stubbie1111]

Well....... I finally got a new/used frame (a solid one that has not been cut) and a whole bunch a spare parts....here are the pics. Now just for an 86 or newer motor.....I got a link to one now, but not sure if it is going to work out???


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[TheBlueWale]

It looks like you got all the parts that you need, Lol. What are you're plans for the other notched frame?

[stubbie1111]

It looks like you got all the parts that you need, Lol. What are you're plans for the other notched frame?

I don't really have any plans for it........Why do you ask? Do you want to make me an offer on it? If so.......Send me a PM.

[stubbie1111]

Alright.... So the parts did not come with the 86 motor.... guy said his buddy that was sharing the storage unit with him, must have wanted it more than he did! However.... Secured a deal today with a guy that is sending me a 1989 KX500 motor all electronics, carb and pipe for $590 shipped.... he said the topend has a small leak on the bottom gasket for the topend..... So I'll probably go through the topend verify it's good and slap it in the frame for fitting purposes..... Will the frame require re-enforcement? Figure I will clean things up a bit and start the build once that is motor is done.... Supposed to be shipped out by Saturday....and will have pics posted as soon as I get it.!!!