200ES build

[Gabriel]

Sweet! 350x is my unicorn.

We have hubcaps around here from all over. I think the oldest is from 1927 Plymouth. All the rafters in the shop are covered in license plates. Several from all 50 plus some others. Manitoba, Nova Scotia, one from the 50's that says US Forces West Germany. Oldest plate we have is a 1923 Kentucky. That's a real oddity because there's places in rural Kentucky, those ole boys don't buy tags NOW. For a man to not only own an automobile but BUY TAGS for it in 1923...That guy had to be fairly wealthy. 1923, most of Kentucky and here in TN too, were still riding horse and buggy. Wish it could talk, no telling what stories it could tell.



As for the tires, they were so far beyond cheap, I couldn't afford NOT to run them.
The 22x11.00-8 front tire was $37 with a tube.
The 22x11.00-9 rears were free. They were in the loft where we buy tires (warehouse) I been pestering them to price them for a month. They could never find them in inventory. Computer said they didn't exist. So they gave them to me. LOL! Bought two tubes and the 200ES has all new tires and tubes for around $50. Like I said, couldn't NOT take that deal.

Had to mount them myself obviously but being as the family business is a tire shop................I don't trust anyone but me to mount tires anyway.

[ps2fixer]

I have some family members near Cordon, KY and it's defo an interesting state people wise. I'm from Michigan where atleast when I was younger everyone was a hard core work to get stuff done like right now type of attitude, and down there everyone is say chill and laid back. The guy that lived next to my uncle road horse and buggy off road, like pretty extreme hills and everything. I never rode but my uncle has and he said he'd never go again lol.

Yea can't blame you on the tires for the price, same story why I was running the ones I had, came with the machines I bought or parts machines and they held air. Infact out of the 20+ machines I've owned, I've only bought 5 tires lol. 3 for a 200es all new discounted from TSC, and the last two were front tires for my 350x and 250sx.

Talking about the 350x, I just about stole it, $260 in "non-running" condition. After getting it in the truck I checked the tank and it's empty except a little tiny bit of gas in the bottom. Being dumb and excited I tilted the machine to get the tiny bit of gas to the carb and kicked it over with choke on. Fired up perfect first kick. I had to go right away after that, the seller's jaw dropped but I already paid for it lol. Right before I bought that machine I looked at a $600 350x that had all black plastics. Guy never showed up to take my money, and I couldn't get the machine to start and the only good thing on it was the plastics, cable frozen up etc. Looking back I kind of wish I could have gotten it too since the price really wasn't too bad, plastics + a solid start of a machine for $600 wasn't bad. At the time a good rider would be $800-1000, and a really nice clean machine ran around $1500.

99% of the tires I get for ATVs I mount myself as well, with hand tools lol. Not a whole lot to it, not sure why trust is a problem on other people. As long as the rim bead is clean and the tire is in fair shape it should seal well, maybe throw a new valve stem in just encase and it's good to go. My dad used to work fixing automotive, so tire changing is a thing I learned but we only have the tire spoons and a bead breaker and a bead breaker maul for bigger tires.

Anyway, the 350x isn't impossible to get for a reasonable price, just be consistent on watching for one for sale like on craigslist and such. Always good to check bearings (front wheel, rear axle, swing arm, and steering stem), it's a great bargaining point if it needs that kind of work even though the repair is generally easy to do. The 350x is by far my fav 3 wheeler to ride, second fav is the 250sx, basically the same thing as the 350x with a lot less power, stiffer suspension and the big perk, shaft drive. Between my 2 350x's, the best way to describe the riding style of them is they do exactly what you tell them to do, if you're in 4th gear and floor it, the front wheel is coming up. The ugly one pops up the front tire in 5th a little with a clutched rev up and dump the clutch.

Personally a lot of people suggest the 200x too, and out of 3 or so i've rode they didn't impress me at all, I'd rather ride a 200es to have the utility benefits even though the ride isn't as nice and a little less power because lower compression + shaft drive. Might just be all of the ones I've rode where doggy worn out machines, but my 200es was a smoker and it did wheelies better than the 200x's for some reason. I'm a bit of an odd ball, I like power/speed but I'm not super into 2 stoke machines oddly. I have two 250r's (82 & a 83/84 combined machine) and the one that runs well is fun to ride but I rarely get it out.

[Gabriel]

I posted this question in another thread but I wanna ask it again.

Where are you guys getting OEM QUALITY carburetors?

I'm like every other greasy working redneck and I ain't made outta money but for this machine, I DO NOT want to fight and f((( with it.

Even if it's a little different carb. I doubt Keihin and Mikuni are making the exact same carb still. As long as it bolts to the intake I can modify the air box ductwork (with in reason).
I'd rather go on and choke on a couple hundred bucks and be DONE with it than fight with it over and over again.
I don't mind tinkering with my junkers but this 200ES needs to be RIGHT from the get go.

[ps2fixer]

I've had a little experience with China clone carbs, and Ironically they are built fairly well for $20-25 price range. When you get them you'll have to tune it 100%, it's almost always too lean. Sometimes their jet sizes are smaller than what they are stamped with, so if you want good quality, buy name brand jets and put them in the China carb body. A cheat on this is if you have numbered drill bits and can drill the jets out to the correct size.

As for true OEM carbs, I'm not experienced on finding new, but there's a strong used market. Having a ultra sonic cleaner ($200+ unit) helps a ton and again, replacing 30 year old jets might be a good idea since over time they can get larger from erosion from the fuel flowing though them. Sadly I don't have an ultra sonic cleaner, my dad's planning to buy one once he has the spare funds though, and I'll have a bunch of carbs to "rebuild" for on hand spares.

I suspect if you compare numbers long enough, you can find a newer atv/engine that uses the same form factor (inlet/outlet sizes) and has similar sized jets to OEM, of course replacing them to their correct sizes would be the correct way to start tuning it. I'd guess general rule of thumb is to match the engine cc size and the carb should be similar. I've thrown a 185s carb on a 200x and it ran quite well, maybe a tiny bit on the lean side. The carb on the machine I couldn't adjust it enough, it was always way too rich, never dug into why and I sold all my 200x stuff a year or two ago.

FYI, I'm the kind of guy that cleans/fixes old used carbs already on the machines in 95%+ of the case. The only time I replace is when the slide is seized up and I can't get it out with out damaging the carb, or the adjustment screws/jets are seized up and can't be removed, or broken bolts etc.

[Gabriel]

Getting closer. Soon as I can afford to get my head redone at G&H I will get the engine assembled and I should be able to button this project up.

[ps2fixer]

Looking good so far, that LED headlight almost looks like it was meant to be there factory. Are the brackets the stock ones? Also, did that LED light came with two mount spots like that, or did you mod it? Most that I see are fog lights, or light bar layouts.

Also if you get a chance, I would like measurements on the gasket that goes in between the muffler and head pipe. China supplier has them but I'm unsure what OEM size is. Figured if they are the correct size I'll stock them in the 3ww shop. While you're at it, wouldn't hurt to measure the exhaust gasket too. I assume it's the copper ring style.

[Gabriel]

Yep. Factory style mounting bars made from round stock. Check out the first page of this thread for details The light had two holes. I didnt mod it.

[Gabriel]

FINALLY!!!! I'm back on this. Go the head rebuilt and ready to go. Gonna assemble this week and fire it up this weekend hopefully. Fingers crossed...no grinding or excessive smoke when she fires off for the first time.

[Gabriel]

[Gabriel]

This is the first and LAST engine I do with Hondabond sealer. That shet just makes an unsightly mess. Stringy...garbage.


Ohh well, can't see most of it once it's in the frame and all the stuff is in place.

I'm off to tear the frame back down and get this engine in it's new home.

[fabiodriven]

I'm going to speak up for Three-Bond (Honda-Bond, Yama-Bond). It's a fantastic product when used correctly and there is reason it is used by multiple OEM manufacturers. The product is not wrong.

[Gabriel]

I have no doubt it'll hold and seal, but I still hate it.
I've built a little bit of everything from Briggs to FE Fords and SBC's and a fair few dirt bikes. Permatex Aviation sealer in the white plastic jar w. brush has never let me down. I'm sticking with it. I managed to get an air cooled VW built that didn't leak using it. That was a mercy from GOD himself. Worst design crankcase I have ever seen. LOL!!

[fabiodriven]

FE Fords is where it's at! I'm gonna look into that permatex stuff Gabriel.

[Gabriel]

I could derail my own thread on FE fords!

My truck in high school was originally a 6 cylinder truck. My dad built a 390 and put in there. It was a beast. Bored to 4.130 but kept the 3.78 stroke made it a 406. They actually made a 406 but there were subtle differences.
292 [advertised duration] solid lift
Edelbrock aluminum intake w/ 750 Holley
2" headers
FoMoCo dual point distributor
4.11 9" rear

No idea for horsepower but it was a standard shift and I easily take off in 3rd. Take off in 2nd and set the tires on fire. LOL!!
4 miles to a gallon....Good times!!!

[fabiodriven]

Yup they did make a 406. Also a 410. 330, 352, 360, 390, 406, 410, 427 (regular), 427 (side oiler), 428, and 534. My first vehicle was also a stick shift F100 with an FE. Never figured out if it was a 390 or 352.