Storage Locker Trike Find...Brand new post-er here...

[Ellegon]

Hey all...I am a first time member and post-er to this forum. I joined up because I recently purchased a storage locker and found a trike within it! While I am somewhat mechanical, I have never owned (until now) or spent much time with ATCs or ATVs...I thought I would post a few photos for your enjoyment, and ask a couple questions...

1. The online VIN identifier called this a 1985 250es Big Red...on the engraved label, it states it was made in Japan in 1984 - is this kind of discrepancy common?

2. I have tried all over the web to find out about the value of the "wagon" (trailer?) that comes behind the trike. While I have found ads for them from the 80's, there don't appear to be many of them around now. Are they common? I was thinking about repainting it with an appropriate red color - do you know if one is available through Honda, or is it basically a "grab a paint can of similar color"?

3. Do all 1985 250es Big Reds come with a kick start? I was under the impression that kick starts at that age were a bit oddball?

Hope it's all right that I post a bunch of photos...just starting off in here, so please feel free to correct me if I step on toes. I've been on enough boards before to know that there are rules, and then there are unwritten rules, and both need to be followed.

Here to learn, and thanks for your time,
Ellegon

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[yaegerb]

Kickstart is normal. That trailer is one helluva find. Take good care of that setup. Don't see those everyday.

[Jwheeler]

Do you want to sell the trailer ? :beer

[Ellegon]

Kickstart is normal. That trailer is one helluva find. Take good care of that setup. Don't see those everyday.

Thanks for the comments, Yaegerb...I know this is a bit of an odd question, but how rare is this thing? Honestly I bought the locker to resell stuff, and thought the trike was the valuable part...if you saw one down in the States, how much would it go for? I can't find any records online to give me even a ball park figure....

[Ellegon]

Well, I am actually planning on selling it, but I am pretty sure shipping to the States would be pretty prohibitive to the sale...:)

[HairyJR]

Great "Storage War" find, don't believe it's a HONDALINE trailer but a very good quality built aftermarket Mfg. Too bad it's north of the border :naughty:

"HJ" 219251 :beer

[nd4speed]

things have to be manufactured before they can be sold, so yes it is common for the manufacture (made) date to precede the model year.

[Ellegon]

Thanks to all the commenters here...I appreciate the knowledge and experience shared. I have begun working on the trike, and have found that the fuel valve appears to be blocked. When the valve is set to "Reserve" i can get air flow from the carb side out the bottom of the valve (with the cap off), but no matter what I do, I can't seem to get air flow from the tank side out to the carb side. There was a fair amount of rust in the tank and I have let the valve sit in cleaner for a while to no avail. I have used air to try to blow out the passageway, as well as gently used a long skinny screwdriver to remove some muck from the tank side input. All seemed to go well, but I can't seem to get it unblocked...does anyone have a secret weapon to unplug and keep a blocked fuel valve?

[Jmoozy27]

Check you has cap vent and make sure that the valve on the cap is set in the on position. Otherwise you will likely need another cap.

[coolpool]

Nice find ellegon. I agree it doesn't look like a Hondaline trailer but still cool. Looks like an old surveyors setup. What part of alberta you from? I may be interested in buying it.

[barnett468]

.

the fuel valve appears to be blocked. When the valve is set to "Reserve" i can get air flow from the carb side out the bottom of the valve (with the cap off)

This statement is not clear, but if you can blow air thru the valve, but you get no fuel when it is on the tank with has in it, then the gas cap is plugged or the hole in the bottom of the tank that feeds the valve is plugged . . inspect the cap as suggested and the hole in the tank.




but no matter what I do, I can't seem to get air flow from the tank side out to the carb side.
This sounds like a different statement than the one above . . please explain the exact problem.




There was a fair amount of rust in the tank and I have let the valve sit in cleaner for a while to no avail.

rust will contaminate the gas which can damage the engine . . “cleaner” won’t remove rust . . go to the hardware, masonry or paint store, like Sherwin Williams and buy some dry oxalic acid . . look on the bags of concrete driveway cleaner or masonry/stone cleaner for the words "oxalic acid" . . you can also get it from amazon and some drug stores.

Mix 1 lb [which I think is a qt] to every 1 gallon of warm water.

Fill the tank up and let it sit for two days then inspect . . it will not eat the aluminum petcock [fuel valve] or the good steel.

Leave it in there until ALL the rust is gone.

You can add a box of BB’s or around 200 5/16” nuts and swish it around periodically to break off the big chunks of rust as they soften to speed up the process . . if it gets on your clothes it might eat a hole in them . . if it gets on your hands, just rinse if off . . don't breathe the fumes, although there wont be many.

After all the rust is gone, mix around 4 – 6 ounces of soda ash or baking soda with warm water and put it in the tan and swish it around for a minute or two.

Dump that out and rinse the tank 3 times with warm or cold water.

You should must seal the tank, otherwise it will quickly rust again . . the best sealers are bill Hirsch, caswells, and red kote . . the red kote is easiest to find and napa stores have it . . look online for the other two . . bill hirsch also has rust inhibitors in it . . it will ruin painted surfaces.



..........................................Did you remove the small bowl in the photo [item 6] and clean all that?


http://cdn.partzilla.com/diagram/honda/14HA0F/ILLUST/BHA028A.png
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[Ellegon]

Hey all, thanks again...sorry I didn't explain the problem well earlier.

The issue is that I removed the gas tank and gas valve (the piece immediately below part #4 in the diagram above) to clean them. The valve, as near as I can tell, is gravity fed - there should be a free flow of air/liquid between the tank and the carb through the ports on the top and bottom of the valve (the piece immediately below part #4 in the diagram above) .

After removing the valve (aluminum petcock) completely from the tank, I try shooting air in one end of the valve to clean it out (top), and I do not get any air coming out the other side (bottom). In my mind, that means it's blocked. The same problem exists whether the valve is set to On, Off, or Reserve. I have disassmbled the valve as much as possible, left in cleaner, blown it out as much as possible, and it *seems* clean, but I cannot seem to get the valve to pass air through. Unless I am completely goofed and there is a specific vacuum that needs to exist on the carb side of the valve, shouldn't I be able to have air pass directly back and forth through the valve without restriction?

Barnett - I have removed and cleaned within part 6 a few times now. There was some rust / grit in the filter screen originally, but a lot better than I expected. Your advice is great regarding the cleaning of the tank, and thanks for having precognition about questions that I was going ask in the future.:O)

I hope that helps, and if it merely confuses the issue more, sorry about that. I will try to give a better description if needed. I will also post some more photos as well. I am learning a lot about trike maintenance recently, that is for sure...

Coolpool - I am in Grande Prairie. A few hours away from you, but at least not Medicine Hat or something..:O) I am definitely interested in selling it, but would like to provide a working unit to whoever buys it.

[brianb83]

Damn, that is a nice find. I've never seen those trailers before until I came onto these forums lol

[ty98zr]

Looks like you got a nice find in your storage locker purchase. I like the wagon!

[barnett468]

Your advice is great regarding the cleaning of the tank, and thanks for having precognition about questions that I was going ask in the future.:O)

No prob...I'm psychic. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-laughing013.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

With the valve removed, poke a wire thru the holes in the bottom of the tank to make sure they're clear.

Yes you should easily be able to blow air thru the valve . . no vacuum is required . . gas should hurl out of it when turned on if the gas cap is off or if the gas cap vent is working, therefore, your valve is bad and you need another one.

Lots of new Chinese ones on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/291346753590?lpid=82&chn=ps
.

[Ellegon]

No prob...I'm psychic. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-laughing013.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

Lots of new Chinese ones on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/291346753590?lpid=82&chn=ps
.

Thanks, I just got one of them ordered yesterday:O)...got the carb off this evening...seemed fairly clean, but from the first time I tried this this thing, the throttle cable was always "sticky"...I checked the butterfly valve inside the carb and it is part of the sticky part, not the throttle cable...time for some cleaning...

And one more query - I have tried kick starting it a bunch in the past, and while it turns over, it hasn't even come close to "catching" - with no fuel and a gummed up carb, no wonder - however, when I have tried in the past to boost the unit to check the starter, I get all my lights and indicators and such, but it is only giving me a single "click" on what I believe is the ignition-coil. There's no turn-over to speak of, just one click. I fear I am in need of a new starter or ignition...my wife came out in the garage and looked at me like I had just disassembled our minivan, with that "how are you going to put that back together again??" look...I told her I am grateful for lots of manuals online..:) I am a computer geke for a career. I'm not afraid of grease, but she doesn't see me in it very often...:) Thanks again for the help, all...

[Ellegon]

Well, still working on the trike...removed carb, it is a little gummy but cleaning it up..ordered a new chinese fuel valve (local dealership price $100, week wait. Ebay - $13.00 dollars including shipping, week and a half wait. I am all for buying local, but not at 800% mark up!) Can't wait to put things back together and see how it fires up....

[hoosierlogger]

When you get it running and are able to ride it, you won't want to sell it. You will be hooked like the rest of us.

[coolpool]

When you get it running and are able to ride it, you won't want to sell it. You will be hooked like the rest of us.

Hold on Greg, he needs to sell to me for cheap. Don't sway the sale, lol.

[Tomcall]

A couple of thoughts: If you don't clean the gas tank you will have continual problems with rust blocking the tubes or tiny bits getting into the carb.
When you clean the carb make sure you remove the jets and take a thin wire and run it through all the holes in the jets and the carb. I usually soak the entire carb in the gallon carb cleaner for a couple of hours. You can get the gallon cleaner at auto parts stores and then go over it with the wire. I just use strands of electric wire. It doesn't take much for these carbs to get gunked up, even with draining the bowl after riding.
I use evaporust for the rusty gas tank and and it works great. No acids to fool with. fill it up and let it soak for a day or two. occasionally give a shake. rinse with the hose real good and drain well. I then use acetone to get rid of residual water in the tank and then red kote. I have done this on 6+ tanks with good results.
And Oh! Have fun fooling around and learning about these great little machines.

[Ellegon]

Thanks for all the notes, guys! I am awaiting the fuel valve in the mail before I can do much else...cleaning the gast tank is a foregone conclusion - these tips will be very helpful... on the good side, I had a huge yard sale this past weekend for everything else I found in the locker besides the trike, and made my money back, so now I can concentrate more on the carb and the repair.:) Coolpool...I'll send you a video once I am driving around;) Then we can talk turkey:O)

I am amazed at the relative simiplicity of getting into and repairing this unit...they really were designed to be worked on easily...

As soon as I get the fuel valve in and set up (with a clean fuel tank), and get it running, i'll post some new images...Thanks Tomcall for the carb cleaner info...was struggling alittle bit to find a proper brand or name...

[strykerlover]

KEEP IT! KEEP IT! KEEP IT! I just love my Big Red and it was the 1st ATC that I ever drove when I was 9 years old.

[King Trikester]

Hey, I live in chetwynd B.C , I go to GP all the time. I think you should keep the big red they are awesome, but
I will buy the trailer, also the big red if you decide to sell it

[Ellegon]

Fuel valve finally arrived! now to finish my cleaning and reassemble...should be a fun weekend...

[Ellegon]

And of course, it arrives, and it's the wrong size...sonofagun...:O( Had to reorder a proper one from a US supplier... On the plus side, the carb clean seemed to go well, and I was quite successful in removing rust from the tank...all of your advice was very helpful, thanks so much... trike is reassembled save for the fuel filter now...

[kb0nly]

Man thats a heck uva find! The trailer is darn neat! What a package deal!

Its been a long summer of trike work for me to so i feel your pain on getting her going! I have been so busy fixing other peoples stuff i think this is the first i have been on the forum since last fall or winter.. Ughhhh... Hoping to be around a little more now again.

Going to be doing some updates to the atcmanuals.info website with all the manuals on it, not sure if you have been there or not but i host that site. The web host kinda kicked me to a secondary server on their end back in May, finally got it bumped back to a better server with a big pipe to it in July. Between my IT day job and ATC evening and weekend hobby who has time for computer crap?? LOL

[Ellegon]

Thanks, kb0nly. I think I have been there, but will revisit...I downloaded a manual for an 84 before I had confirmed the trike was an 85...but will revisit. thanks for the comments..i am just chafing at the bit for the new fuel valve...getting a bit frustrated in the delay...

[Jd110]

I found a trailer just like that one. So, what's the value? Anyone know? I want to offer the guy a fair price.

[Ellegon]

I found a trailer just like that one. So, what's the value? Anyone know? I want to offer the guy a fair price.

As near as I can tell from everyone and everything I have been looking at, it appears to be somewhere around $500-$850/$900 depending on condition. There aren't exactly a lot of comparison sales for these things out there...

I ended up parking the trike for the winter while I work on other projects, so I still have this unit at home, and awaiting some more work with the starter...

[DohcBikes]

The starters are easy to rebuild. Watch the shim stack on the end of the armature so they dont get lost.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Rebuild-Kit-For-Honda-Big-Red-250-ATC250ES-ATC250SX-1985-1986-/281338481676?hash=item4181148c0c:g:7tMAAOxyIPNTdPA 9&vxp=mtr

[Jonathan Rusu]

Shes a beaut clark! how much do you have in it?

[Ellegon]

The starters are easy to rebuild. Watch the shim stack on the end of the armature so they dont get lost.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Rebuild-Kit-For-Honda-Big-Red-250-ATC250ES-ATC250SX-1985-1986-/281338481676?hash=item4181148c0c:g:7tMAAOxyIPNTdPA 9&vxp=mtr

Great link, thanks, DohcBikes....!;)

[DohcBikes]

Great link, thanks, DohcBikes....!;)

Hey wait a minute. That doesn't look right. They listed it wrong.

Here is the correct kit.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Rebuild-Kit-For-Honda-Big-Red-250-ATC250ES-ATC250SX-1985-1986-/281338451664?hash=item41811416d0:g:YwsAAOxynwlTdOc 3&vxp=mtr

It is the same seller so if you have ordered already just email them.