what to do with my T3?

[MagicJames]

So I picked up that 85 T3 and I don't know much about tecates. What does a motor overhaul going to run? I have no idea what's wrong with it, and I can't decide wether to part it out or out it back together. I need your input and what major things usually go wrong.

[dcreel]

stator and lighting coils. Magnets on the flywheel. I have an 85 with a motoplat ignition and an 84 with all Ricky Stator stuff its been running with it for the 20 + years I have had it. Check the oil drain plug.. a lot of them are stripped. Get an 84 KX cylinder for it.

Got any pictures?

Do this with it.. :-)
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w182/dcreel/trackpics042.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w182/dcreel/trackpics049.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w182/dcreel/trackpics057.jpg

[Generation-X]

^^^^^^If I had one thats exactly what i would do with it.

[MagicJames]

Yeah here is some... For some reason i cant attach pictures again...


http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/FatDwarfFTL/Tecate/?action=view&current=DSCN1168.jpg

[dcreel]

Well.. Your front motor mount is in the cubby in the rear plastic under the seat. Why is one of the head bolts loosened? You are missing 2 radiator hoses. Dude needed to step away from the spray can. That silver spark plug is nice. I'd almost pull the cylinder to check out the piston and cylinder walls.. just based on the spray bombed paint. Pull the exhaust pipe and check the piston through the exhaust port. Look for damage. It looks like the cylinder nuts are loose as well. It looks like the swingarm pivot nut is also missing from the bolt.

Make a list of what you need, I'm sure I will have some of it.. others will have the rest. Check your reeds.

I would have bought it too.

[MagicJames]

Wow, just tore everything apart...
It has no piston in it
It has no fluids in it
The oil drain plug is not stripped
Plastics are in rough shape, very brittle, could use restoration (maybe?)
All of the head bolts were loose
The intake is completely dry rotted
reeds look shot
There is no piston in the cylinder, looks like it could use a bore job
Motor is unported or REALLY DIRTY (which is a possibility)
the bottom end rolls over no problems, and the crank is tight
All the tires are holding air, the right tire is losing air slowly
No shifter
The guy i bought it from said that it needed a stator and coil, but i did not tear off that side of the cover
Shock needs rebuilt
Missing tons of nuts everywhere
Wtf is up with the rear reservoir mount?
Missing the chain, obviously
Handlebars are off of a Bicycle.... and bent to hell
Someone cut where the silencer attaches to the pipe to make it fit, it looks like, cut it in 4 places in a + can be easily welded back together
That loose nut on the cylinder/head ... the stud came out by hand

Thats all i can think of...

Edit: What parts are interchangeable through all years of Tecates? or is there another thread needed for that or one already existent?

[dcreel]

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=69008

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=94809&highlight=tecate+interchange

[MagicJames]

Awesome John! Yeah it might be a good project. Not quite sure where I'm going with it.

[trikebandits]

If you part this machine out, I'd be interested in the plastics and the kicker.:beer

[MagicJames]

John, can you fix flywheels or are you just making new ones?

And as far as the stator goes, can I just get replacement coils or should I buy the whole thing?
How can I check the stator first? Does it have to be running to check it? What kind of numbers should I get from my stator?

[MagicJames]

As far as carb goes. Do you think that a 28mm carb is too small? I've got an extra banshee carb and my stocker 250r. Is there any advantage to finding an airbox and running it that way. Or just run an air filter off the carb?

What about the cylinder? How much does a nikisil costing cost? And are pistons still around? What about replacing the top end with a 83 84 kx 250 top end, is it a direct bolt on?

Or is it too much?

Man my head hurts........

[Yamaha_Rules69]

The earlier water cooled KX 250 cylinders (82-83 i believe) without the powervalve setup will bolt up directly. Nikasil bore cost around 2-300 dollars to get re-coated from what I understand. You can also buy a steel sleeve for around $90,but you still have to have a shop bore out the jug to accept the new sleeve if you go that route. New pistons are still available, and I run a KX 250 piston in mine, as they are just about the same. The tecate would be a great machine to fix, they are wickid fast even stock, and an all out blast to ride in my opinion. Parts arent too hard to find for the 84-85 tecate, and dont really cost that much compared to those of a tri z or 250r. GOOD LUCK with whatever you decide.

[MagicJames]

So I've been doing a little research and I'm not sure if my cylinder is nikisil coated or not. How can I tell?

As far as aftermarket parts. Is there really anything available?

I keep looking at the Jimmy White replica book here and keep drooling on myself. Haha!

[dcreel]

All of the KX or KXT cylinders are nikasil coated unless they have been sleeved. You should be able to tell looking at the top of the cylinder if it has a sleeve in it or not. There are still things available. Reeds and DG and Jemco make pipes and silencers. I search Ebay everyday hoping for deals. They also pop up here on occasion. You can get all of the bearings at
www.goallballs.com
bike bandit has a lot of the oem parts. Maier has new plastic. DC plastics on Ebay has a tank cover and front numberplate.
jeswinehart on here has the necessities that aren't made anymore. He has been miraculous in making them once again. intake boot and chain sliders. He is also encapsulating the magnets on the flywheels. Stock.. when they let go they do a lot of damage.
Wiseco has pistons. LA Sleeve has sleeves.

I have the Jimmy White book too. A lot of those things have been done to my Tecate. If you have any questions.. just ask. I also have a service manual if you have any questions. :welcome: to Team Green.. :D
Doug

[MagicJames]

Haha. Yeah I've had this tecate one week, not even and I almost don't even care about my 250R waiting for parts in the garage.
As far as rear shocks there are lots of options, any one better than the other?

And are the kx 250 pipes the same as the t3 pipes?

Are there big bore kits for tecates / kx 250s out there?

[dcreel]

The kx pipes are completely different due to going around the radiator shrouds on the kx. The 84-85 Tecate pipes are different than the 86-87 Tecate pipes as well.

Sprock was making and selling a big bore kit. You can also sleeve it larger. You can find Sprock at planettrike.com. The sleeves are from LA Sleeve.

The stock Tecate shock blows. I was lucky enough to get a works shock for mine. I haven't tried the raptor shock, but I'm sure it would be better than stock.

I watch Ebay and craigslist daily for parts.. sometimes you trip over the rare stuff. A tecate reminds me of the big block el camino that guy had in high school. The one that rumbled and shook and was really fast. I've had my 84 for 20 years. I'm always looking for more. I guess I'm addicted to Tecates'.

[brapp]

i just had my 86 shock revalved and rebuilt by reactive suspension and heavier spring and a diffrent bladder and a total modern work over for it. give al a call he is definitly knolegeable 610-367-1700

[MagicJames]

More bad news...
Flywheel is missing and I was turning over the crank last night and there is some pitting on it.
No gaskets on anything just some liquid gasket between the case halves lots of missing bolts. No intake components, and missing probably needs new bearings all around.

Makes me a little sad on the inside.

Always thought tecates were cool.

[dcreel]

Whatchoo talkin about? Tecates are super cool. :D :Bounce

[MagicJames]

Whatchoo talkin about? Tecates are super cool. :D :Bounce

Lol. I think they're awesome I'm just sad because its a bigger project than I thought.

Gonna part it out. Let me know what you want!

[dcreel]

Got any pictures of what you have? Please and thank you.

[MagicJames]

Got any pictures of what you have? Please and thank you.

Look at page one...

[nd4speed]

good choice on parting it out. I passed on even trying to inquire about about cause it looked shady and the market for 84/85 T3 parts seemed flooded.

I sold my 84 $550 and it had lots of work, new parts, kx ignition system, sets of good plastics, sets of rims/tires, extras, was ready to ride. The guy said he knew how to ride 3 wheelers and had a 200x. You should have seen his face after his short trip on the snow cover road. I think his 200x experiences did not prepare him for what he bought.

http://www.youtube.com/user/hel4u2pa#play/all/uploads-all/1/47xxxn4XpdU

[MagicJames]

good choice on parting it out. I passed on even trying to inquire about about cause it looked shady and the market for 84/85 T3 parts seemed flooded.

I sold my 84 $550 and it had lots of work, new parts, kx ignition system, sets of good plastics, sets of rims/tires, extras, was ready to ride. The guy said he knew how to ride 3 wheelers and had a 200x. You should have seen his face after his short trip on the snow cover road. I think his 200x experiences did not prepare him for what he bought.

http://www.youtube.com/user/hel4u2pa#play/all/uploads-all/1/47xxxn4XpdU

So. Yeah I didn't plan on parting it out, but it requires more work than I thought. He told me up front it needed almost $1000.00 in repairs to be in too running order. I didn't realize that it needed 1000.00 to start running now!

Meh. Selling parts.

Make offers.

[MagicJames]

Oh yeah, and if anyone wants to know.
If you are a bigger guy like I am 6'5" 300lbs. Do not buy a tecate, its a little too small and very uncomfortable.

But for what I thought it was going to cost, it was worth a whirl.