1984 ATC200X Oil Low

[h4ck.b0x7]

I got a “new” 1984 200X given to me and was just trying to start it up yesterday day. I did get it to start but there was quite a bit of what seemed to be valve noise and it just didn’t sound great. Previously, when I was moving it I noticed it was a little difficult to get it to go into gear. Also, the kickstart seemed a little weird compared to my TRX250X. It also kicked back at me a couple times depending on where in the stroke I kicked it.

Anyway, due to the excessive engine noise I figured I would just change the oil....well, that was a shocker. Below is a picture of all the oil that came out of it, even after kicking it a couple times to get the last bit out. That’s a 6 quart pan for a size reference.

Would oil level cause the issues with gear shifting and the Kickstarter?

254657

[ironchop]

Low oil like that is very bad for the 200X topend.

Normally, the 200X valvetrain is known for being a bit noisy or "ticky" even when freshly rebuilt. It really all depends on how noisy it is in regards to whether or not it's an issue.

You're probably not going to want to hear this, but....

Having owned several of those, if I bought one and it had that little of oil in it, I would probably tear down the topend at the very least. Those engines are known to melt down cam lobes, rocker pads, and cam journals as soon as the oil supply runs out of topend and there's no telling how long the previous owner ran it with so little oil in it. The topend is always the first to starve for oil when it's low. I'd also pull the clutch cover and clean out the oil pump rotor body thing and don't forget to pull the oil screen out from behind the drain plug and clean it thoroughly as well. Make very sure to reinstall the screen in the correct direction (consult manual)

They are highly reliable motors until they've been run without oil for too long (which is not very long at all) and then they need attention. I've been inside twenty or more 200X motors and low oil to the topend is the most common engine damage I've seen inside of one of these by far.

You may not have to pull the whole topend. Id take the valve cover off and inspect the cam lobes, journals, and rocker pads. You'll need to remove the camshaft completely inspect those journals correctly. Look for scratches and obvious heavy wear. The side edges of the cam lobes will have a 'lip' from excess wear if it's worn heavily. If it checks out all good, then you can reassemble without buying anything because the valve cover doesn't even use a gasket. Use a VERY thin layer of sealant when you reinstall the valve cover and you're gtg

Here's a free manual download to help you along
https://threewheelermanuals.com

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[h4ck.b0x7]

Low oil like that is very bad for the 200X topend.

Normally, the 200X valvetrain is known for being a bit noisy or "ticky" even when freshly rebuilt. It really all depends on how noisy it is in regards to whether or not it's an issue.

You're probably not going to want to hear this, but....

Having owned several of those, if I bought one and it had that little of oil in it, I would probably tear down the topend at the very least. Those engines are known to melt down cam lobes, rocker pads, and cam journals as soon as the oil supply runs out of topend and there's no telling how long the previous owner ran it with so little oil in it. The topend is always the first to starve for oil when it's low. I'd also pull the clutch cover and clean out the oil pump rotor body thing and don't forget to pull the oil screen out from behind the drain plug and clean it thoroughly as well. Make very sure to reinstall the screen in the correct direction (consult manual)

They are highly reliable motors until they've been run without oil for too long (which is not very long at all) and then they need attention. I've been inside twenty or more 200X motors and low oil to the topend is the most common engine damage I've seen inside of one of these by far.

You may not have to pull the whole topend. Id take the valve cover off and inspect the cam lobes, journals, and rocker pads. You'll need to remove the camshaft completely inspect those journals correctly. Look for scratches and obvious heavy wear. The side edges of the cam lobes will have a 'lip' from excess wear if it's worn heavily. If it checks out all good, then you can reassemble without buying anything because the valve cover doesn't even use a gasket. Use a VERY thin layer of sealant when you reinstall the valve cover and you're gtg

Here's a free manual download to help you along
https://threewheelermanuals.com

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

Ironchop,

Thanks for the quick reply. Surprisingly, that’s exactly what I want to hear.

I got this ‘84 ATC200X and an ‘87 TRX250X for $650 total. I got them from the same person but he was pretty much just a middleman, he didn’t ride them.

Where is the best place to get parts?

I located the manuals for the ATC yesterday. Any line on TRX manuals?

When I took out the oil plug I knew about the spring and screen and made sure to note the orientation.

254658

[ironchop]

Ironchop,

Thanks for the quick reply. Surprisingly, that’s exactly what I want to hear.

I got this ‘84 ATC200X and an ‘87 TRX250X for $650 total. I got them from the same person but he was pretty much just a middleman, he didn’t ride them.

Where is the best place to get parts?

I located the manuals for the ATC yesterday. Any line on TRX manuals?

When I took out the oil plug I knew about the spring and screen and made sure to note the orientation.

254658

Awesome.

Thankfully, you sound like you're willing to
make an effort to fix it correctly so that's a huge plus.

I have no idea where to get free TRX manuals.

Kicker slipping out of engagement is also common for these machines and there are still some OEM kits available here and there to fix that issue (weak ratchet spring)

I got most of my 200X parts (new & used) on eBay, through OEM dealers online, or on here. Honda still has quite a few OEM NOS items in stock but that's dwindling down fast so I wouldn't wait around too long before getting what you need OEM from them. Out of all the trikes out there, 83-85 200X and 85-86 250R seems to have a much greater availability of new and used parts than other makes/models and the 200X stuff is more affordable than just about every other make or models of trikes so at least you got that going for you as well.

Once you fix any issues, it's pretty much a bulletproof machine if properly maintained



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[h4ck.b0x7]

Awesome.

Thankfully, you sound like you're willing to
make an effort to fix it correctly so that's a huge plus.

I have no idea where to get free TRX manuals.

Kicker slipping out of engagement is also common for these machines and there are still some OEM kits available here and there to fix that issue (weak ratchet spring)

I got most of my 200X parts (new & used) on eBay, through OEM dealers online, or on here. Honda still has quite a few OEM NOS items in stock but that's dwindling down fast so I wouldn't wait around too long before getting what you need OEM from them. Out of all the trikes out there, 83-85 200X and 85-86 250R seems to have a much greater availability of new and used parts than other makes/models and the 200X stuff is more affordable than just about every other make or models of trikes so at least you got that going for you as well.

Once you fix any issues, it's pretty much a bulletproof machine if properly maintained



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I’m an Engineer and I need something to tinker with. I figured I couldn’t beat this opportunity. I had some dirt bikes, mopeds, and karts growing up so it isn’t all foreign.

[3Z with Fangs!]

If you just want to and you're ripping it apart why not make some power? The 200x is pretty anemic but I think Mickey Dunlap got them to make 20hp+. That would make the little X pretty exciting.

[h4ck.b0x7]

If you just want to and you're ripping it apart why not make some power? The 200x is pretty anemic but I think Mickey Dunlap got them to make 20hp+. That would make the little X pretty exciting.

I’m new to the ATC/V world so I really don’t know what I should do. Any advice would be awesome.

[350for350]

You could go with a bigger cam, higher compression piston, and then there's my advice: first open up the intake and exhaust for better air flow. If you don't have good air flow, you'll never see all of the potential out of your other mods. The intake is as simple as just removing the air box lid.

[h4ck.b0x7]

You could go with a bigger cam, higher compression piston, and then there's my advice: first open up the intake and exhaust for better air flow. If you don't have good air flow, you'll never see all of the potential out of your other mods. The intake is as simple as just removing the air box lid.

The exhaust?

[yaegerb]

200x is $$$ to make good power. What terrain are you riding and what do you want to do with it?

[h4ck.b0x7]

200x is $$$ to make good power. What terrain are you riding and what do you want to do with it?

$$$ as in a great platform or extremely expensive?

What terrain? Well, that’s a good question that I’m unable to answer.

[ironchop]

$$$ as in a great platform or extremely expensive?

What terrain? Well, that’s a good question that I’m unable to answer.A stock 200X has about 12hp.... That's where you're starting from.

Whatever improvements you make, it will be difficult if not impossible to recoup your expenses if you resell so that's something to consider. For whatever reason, (unjustified in my opinion) the 83-85 200X doesn't have a high resell value despite their popularity (very popular). The second gen 86-87 does better in a resale situation but only slightly.

That being said, I think I recall someone here building a first gen 200X who claimed a Dyno run of 24hp after extensive modifications which translates to "a lot of money".

I never dyno-ed my own builds and I'm sure my numbers were far below 24hp but I did dump about $1K in the topend to 'wake it up', so to speak.

I ran a Megacycles Camshaft with full needle bearing journals, performance springs, retainers, locks, seats, 10.25:1 Wiseco piston, very mild port cleanup, and a nice used Supertrapp exhaust. I was definitely impressed with the results but $1k goes much farther on a stock 40hp motor than on a 12hp platform.

If this is your first experience with ATVs and especially trikes as you mentioned above, I might suggest you get it running good first and just ride it for awhile and see what you think of it first. In the eighties, we didn't seem to need 700+cc's to have a good time like people today. A 200cc and 12hp was more than enough fun for thousands of people back then and it might be more than enough for you. After you get some seat time in, then you can go nuts and build a monster if you want or just move on to a more powerful machine.

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[h4ck.b0x7]

A stock 200X has about 12hp.... That's where you're starting from.

Whatever improvements you make, it will be difficult if not impossible to recoup your expenses if you resell so that's something to consider. For whatever reason, (unjustified in my opinion) the 83-85 200X doesn't have a high resell value despite their popularity (very popular). The second gen 86-87 does better in a resale situation but only slightly.

That being said, I think I recall someone here building a first gen 200X who claimed a Dyno run of 24hp after extensive modifications which translates to "a lot of money".

I never dyno-ed my own builds and I'm sure my numbers were far below 24hp but I did dump about $1K in the topend to 'wake it up', so to speak.

I ran a Megacycles full roller camshaft, performance springs, retainers, locks, seats, 10.25:1 Wiseco piston, very mild port cleanup, and a nice used Supertrapp exhaust. I was definitely impressed with the results but $1k goes much farther on a stock 40hp motor than on a 12hp platform.

If this is your first experience with ATVs and especially trikes as you mentioned above, I might suggest you get it running good first and just ride it for awhile and see what you think of it first. In the eighties, we didn't seem to need 700ccs to have a good time like people today. A 200cc and 12hp was more than enough fun for thousands of people back then and it might be more than enough for you. After you get some seat time in, then you can go nuts and build a monster if you want or just move on to a more powerful machine.

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That's more where I'm at, just get the thing running and running well. Ride it for a while and then most likely let it go for something newer and nicer. I'll spend the money to do it right but I'm not going to just dump money into it, if I was going to do that I'd just finance a newer one and call it a day. I don't really have any plans to go crazy with it.

[Rob Canadian]

I would want to change the oil. New plug and if needed a air filter. Would not hurt to check valve clearance and adjust the cam chain. Run it and drive it first as a 'shake down'.

Heck. It could smoke like a bandit. Who is to say at this point... Make sure it shifts into all gears etc. I think this will decide what route you would like to take. How are the brakes? Toss some pics up here. :)

[h4ck.b0x7]

I don’t have many pics, only a couple.

254670
254669
254668
254667

[ironchop]

200X looks like it's in pretty nice shape and so is that 250X. Most of them I come across are clapped out beyond belief. Very fun quad.

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