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View Full Version : 1987 Tecate-3 KXT250 rebuild. Need help with bits and advice please.



elvetost
05-30-2014, 06:24 PM
Hi guys!
Thought I'd keep this separate to my intro thread, for ease of management etc. Hope its in the right part of the site (from what I understand, admins correct me please?)
My intro is here:

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/167689-New-chap-from-sunny-Greece!

Anyways, here's some pics of my newly acquired trike. My first ever. :)
Been in love with the tecates since I was a kid, so now I own one...

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The trike is pretty decent for what it is and especially for what I paid for it. Its all there. Plastics, seat, exhaust and a gas tank is what I am missing atm in major bits and there will be a list in a sequent post with what I need, in anticipation that someone out there might have what I need.. Guys... ? :)

So there. Let's call this the beginning of something. Whatever that might end up being.. lol...

Now decision time, make this a resto project or go custom (tasteful)...

Cheers,
Chris

jakep53
05-31-2014, 07:07 AM
looks like a good project I would do a custom build.....I think of it like this.....if I was a kid looking at this new on the showroom floor and I bought it what would you do to it over the years and how would you want it......CUSTOM all the way....

just ben
05-31-2014, 10:08 AM
Clarke sell a very nice replacement tank for it but you will need the tank mounts. There is a member here that makes stainless mounts and I believe they are available in the 3ww shop. If not his board name is greenboy

elvetost
05-31-2014, 11:18 AM
Thanks for the comments guys.

Jake this is where this is going me thinks too... I'll keep all the oem stull like the rubbers, caps etc, but play around with colours a bit..

Ben, I am aware of the Clarke tanks. Which is prolly the direction I am going with it. Thanks for the tip on the mounts man! Seen the shop now. :)

Anyone got a piccie of the Clarke tank for me to ponder on?

Oh! and I made some progress! Mounted my BLUE renthal brace pad on it now. Much more suiting than the yellow tat was there (gone to my woods bike that). :D

Next up, GET ER CLEAN! And order more parts...

Cheers,
Chris

elvetost
05-31-2014, 11:34 AM
What do you guys think on keeping the oem front light and getting the surround for it, OR going with a honeycomb number plate on it?

Bike is NOT road registered and will be used off-road only...

Comments more than welcome PLEASE!

just ben
06-01-2014, 09:37 AM
The Clarke tank is an exact copy of the OEM tank with the exception of using a different cap.

elvetost
06-01-2014, 03:41 PM
Sweet! Found the thread too Ben, thanks man.
The Clarke tanks for the tecate sure look great!
Is that your daughter man? She is very cute. :) Bless her. :)
Thanks again man. It is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Chris

elvetost
06-03-2014, 07:38 AM
Pulled the trigger on many a bits yesterday! Wooohooo! The ball is rolling...
Got myself a new Clarke tank, rad hose kit, chain and sprockets, grab rail, levers etc etc and even managed to find an oem rear fender locally(as in greece) brand new!
Happy times indeed!
Few more bits to sort out and we are good to get her started, tested and dissasembled. :)
I can not wait...

just ben
06-03-2014, 07:56 AM
Be sure to take some pics!

elvetost
06-04-2014, 04:33 PM
She's alive!!!!
Wooohooo!!
This thing rocks!
Stuff some premix in there, a new plug and she fired right up!
There's a small issue with the gear lever not springing back (the return spring is prolly gone, easy fix, got the part) and the carb DEFINATELY needs a good old clean,
BUT everything works! She pulls strong and hard! The motor has a tonne of power, doesn't bog down and feels really healthy!
Happy times...
Here's some pics...

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Please note the home made airbox cover and seating arrangment... :D
And here's a lil vid....

http://youtu.be/5jDSW1bWv_w

Now off to get more parts...
Cheers!
Chris

elvetost
06-04-2014, 06:59 PM
So I played a lil more and pulled the airbox and carbs off..
Carb was pretty filthy but no near as bad as I expected it..
I hate these old mikunis. I really do...
The carb rubber boot is shot, rotted away and I was talking to john about making me a new one, but it seems its not gonna happen for a while.
Furthermore the reed cage plastic insert is fairly disfigured, yet the reeds themselves seem pretty decent.
So I got the idea to swap in my boyesen rad valve. This is a 1987+ kx 250 item (kx 500 and kdx 250 too)so the neck points further to the left and sticks a lil more out. about 1 cm more or so.
Then I mounted my spare PWK38 with the boyesen bowl and goodies.
I find these carbs to be much easier to tune right and work on.
So....this is the dircetion I think I am gonna head with this. I will not be able to run an airbox, which I dont have the lid for anyways, so a pod filter is on the carbs..
The new neck direction will actually help a lot with mounting the pod filter. Nothing else seems to hit (dont have a tank one atm though) so I think its a go..
Comments please?
Here are some pics...

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jeswinehart
06-04-2014, 07:24 PM
I would recommend to secure the carb some how so the intake manifold is not doing all the supporting. Glad you had a option on that part.

elvetost
06-04-2014, 07:47 PM
Thanks John! That sure is something to consider man.
Having said that the boyesen rad valve has a cast alloy uni-body and should take the load easily. The connecting rubber piece is pretty heavy duty too and easily replaceable.
Its like hitting 2 birds with a stone this. 3 birds in my case with the delapidated parts..
What are your thoughts on dirt and dust retention on these pod filters? With a precharger unit on.
Cheers guys!
Chris

elvetost
06-05-2014, 06:01 AM
And here's a lil vid of my mate Stefanos mocking around on the tecate 3..
You can tell we are having a blast by the giggling lol..

http://youtu.be/y6JeFR0GHBI

:D

elvetost
06-11-2014, 11:10 AM
Not much to update here as I have had my grandpa pass away on saturday and did not have much will or energy to think/play with my bikes..
The rad valve is now unavailable from my supplier too, so I may have to consider alternative solutions to this.. Oh well.. In time I will..

On a completely different note, I got contacted by a good old friend today and went around his house with my trailer and picked up another trike! lol..
This on is a yamaha tri-z 250. Uber rare this is Greece, got it for like 700$ US..
I'll post a separate thread on that build in a minute or two, got some pics of how it is now. Wont be like this for long though, I can tell you that.

Cheers guys
Chris

nd4speed
06-12-2014, 03:07 AM
You would probably get more responses if you posted this thread in this forum: http://www.3wheelerworld.com/forumdisplay.php/4-Trikesylvania

As far as the rad valve boot supporting the carb- no problem.

Here is guy from greece on ebay who calims to have warehouse of parts:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-KXT250-Tecate-rear-fender-brace-/151323877900?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item233b9b220c&vxp=mtr

It is probably stephanos...lol. I have sold him some stuff. Or wait Dimitrius I think is his name.

The card board seat is priceless. funny

elvetost
06-12-2014, 11:27 PM
Thanks for the comments Nd4speed! Much appreciated man.

Would love to post in other places and have more interaction with the pips in here, site says no, still too young. So I crawl down here and curl. :P One day... :D

I think I know who this guys is, was speaking to him a fair few times about the plastics for my trike. Cool guy on the phone(and emails), just did not work out with the pricing. You can kinda see why on the link you provided.. Each to their own I guess.. Its just that a warehouse full of parts was never as good as new mates to chat you (same) hobby with, not for me anyways, if you get my drift? I guess I treat people a bit different and dont care as much as pennies. Not badmouthing anyone or anything, just my 2cs.
Think his name is Dimitris btw...

The cardboard seat was a way for me to have that little bit more fun with my mates. Sure you can ride it with no seat at all, but my butt cheeks feel cold against the frame rails and where's the fun in that anyways? :D Thanks man.

Anyhow, a good mate of mine has been collecting the tecate bits for me at his base in the US. Most everything is there, apart from front and rear fenders, side shrouds and headlight cowl. These bits will have to wait a lil while longer as I run out of money.. :P Having said that I now have what I need to build the tecate up, including all oem parts (fair few) and just leave bolting the fenders up when I get them Even got the oem spacers, pads, grommets etc that I was missing..
Matey got delivery of my brand new clarke tank today as well. Well happy with that. Looks pimp from the pics, cannot wait to get my hands on it!

Now the long, excruciating painfull wait of the transport the bits to me to deal with. I want the bits here... yesterday. :D :D :D

Will not be tearing the trike down just yet. But it wont be long now.

Cheers guys!
Chris

elvetost
06-18-2014, 05:09 AM
Just got some bits in from John and Liway. The guys do EXCELLENT work, they treated me GREAT, everything was sorted in a timely manner AND they sent in a bunch of freebies too!!!
What more could a guy ask for to fix his day up.
So a BIG thanks goes out to John and Liway. You guys rock.
Pics to follow. :)
Happy chappy over here! :)

elvetost
06-18-2014, 01:11 PM
..and here's some pics of the bits John sent over.
Good stuff..

196069

Also got the rear shock seal head in today. Got some shock oil in stock too, so when its out, its rebuild time! :)

elvetost
06-25-2014, 07:00 PM
The KXT has been my childhood trike of dreams, so trust me, she is not forgotten...
I plan to take my time with this and have a LOT of parts on order, soon to arrive (a week or so..)
So in the meanwhile not much is happening.. I do mock stuff up and plan ahead in the meanwhile..

So here's some pics.

There's the high bend bars mocked up, there's the throttle cable attached and run to the carb too. All fits very well and just waiting on the uni filter before I start tuning the pwk in.. The racetech hand guards are probably staying too! I like them! :)

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There's the boyesen rad valve and pwk38 fitted and tightened down...

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There's the roose motorsport hoses kit that arrived and will be fitted on final assembly (no reason to fit them now really..)

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This is it for now folks! More to come soon(ish)!
Cheers!
Chris

elvetost
01-21-2015, 08:52 AM
Just a quick update here too. Getting ready to tear the KXT down over the weekend! Woooohoo! Happy times again! :D

In the meanwhile here's another little project I just finished up.
Yamaha YZ250 1987. Another hero bike from my childhood this! Me likes! :)

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Cheers guys!
Chris

ironchop
01-21-2015, 11:19 AM
WOW! sweet YZ.

you do nice work

elvetost
01-25-2015, 07:19 PM
Thanks Ironchop. :)
It now has the yamaha logos on the seat and the tank is finally white(ish) again.
Its also got an alloy skid plate (hand made) and some UFO hand guards on it.
I'll post some piccies sometime tomorrow man. Looks complete now. Much better for it too. :)

Hey I also tore down the KXT today. Soon it will be blasting and powder coating time. Woooohoooo!!!!
Again pics tomorrow. :)

Cheers,
Chris

elvetost
04-30-2015, 05:59 AM
hey guys!
Life took over and I havent been able to play with my KXT for a lil while now. Nor log in the forums either for that matter.
However this project has seen a little more action the last few days and I managed to get the bits sand blasted and powder coated.
Done most of the work blasting and prepping these myself, which I am pretty proud of, getting better at this every time. :)
Then took the bits to mate's powder coating business and on went the powder!
Parts are now ready for some local painting on the bare surfaces for protection and then its putting things together time!
I am well chuffed. About time too as I really miss my tecate!
Woooohooooo!
Here's a pic of how the bits look like. Taken with my crappy cam with crappy lighting too.. :P
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Cheers!
Chris