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View Full Version : Yay finally got my very own 350x, but it needs love.. help!



TheFamer
04-17-2016, 05:39 AM
Hey Everyone!

Been awhile since me "The Farmer" has posted anything on here. Been dealing with life and all the joys it has to offer...so let me catch ya all up on what I've been toying around with lately

First me and a buddy have been on a hard 3 wheeler crave, started out with just my 85 250es and his 83 200s. And we have hunted to get this collection, so now I personally have a 85 atc70, 85 atc110, 83 atc185, 85 200s 85 250es and a 85 350x. All pretty much runners some of them need little things here and there. But I got the biggest and smallest ones honda made for 1985. So I'm happy. I also got a honda odyssey 250. No motor was In it, but everything else is there. Pretty much stock all original. So hoping to put this polaris snow mobile motor In it. But having issues like I found my 350x in the middle of working on the odyssey.

So found the 350x (so friend told me about it once he saw the other atcs) it was under a car port cover, next to a little boat, my friend said when he moved onto that street about 8 years ago it was sitting in the same spot. So I had him Introduce me to his neighbor. He was starting to have all grey hair but he was pretty chill guy, said he bought it from the dealership in 86. Used to ride it around the property and occasionally went riding In the snow with his buddy's on snow mobiles, also he said he normally would start it up if we had a decent winter here on the island.. and pull his kids around the fields and what have you. Until 3 years ago it wouldn't startup when he tried..

So he said 500 bucks I have the title In hand it's yours.. I Checked it over quickly, brake calipers were seized same with clutch h cable, gas tank was dented, repainted and kinda rusty, seat had a tear In it. Foot pegs bent, he said his neighbor crashed it once and that's why it is missing the front fender, he had the headlights and some misc parts in a box in the garage for it too.

So I bought it, got it home, Cleaned the tank out and petcock, cleaned the carb out, wasn't plugged up but had some deposits in the bottom. I checked the oil, it was black and 1/4 the way up into the safe zone, so I added some new motorcycle oil till it was full.

So here is the start of my concerns. It was pretty freaking easy to kick over, it does have the decompression cable hooked up and working. But still after 4-7 kicks after remembering to feel for TDC it started up, a little rough but not bad. I ran it for 5 mins and turned it off, couldn't ride it because clutch cable was seized so I taped a funnel with some hose on it to one end of the cable, and sprayed PB Blaster into the funnel until it backed up the hose. Let it sit over night. Worked on the read brake caliper, need to rebuild the master cylinder *any tips on that? Came back the next morning and got the clutch cable moving a little bit, put it back on the 350x and got it working, all lubed up. Got the chain cleaned up and back on it.. started it up, pulled the clutch in, clicked it into first.. let the clutch out and nothing!!!!! Nothing at all, no noise and movement, double checked I was in first, still nothing, tried 2nd, 3rd nothing nothing!!

So I was pretty heated and sad I could go ride it.. so what could that be? Clutch completely gone? Something else? More major? Hope not. also the exhaust studs are, well one on each side is there, than there's a broken stud still exposed on one side and than the others broken off down in the threads.. so any tips? Ideas?

Also I was going to replace the rear carrier bearings and swing arm bearings, what's the trick to getting the lock nuts loose so u can get it all apart? I know they are reversed threaded.

Sorry for the novel, I feel it's best to tell the story as best I could to get the best answer back. So rear master cylinder rebuild, clutch not working? Rear carrier bearings are my main concerns. Thanks everyone!:TrikesOwn

jeswinehart
04-17-2016, 08:20 AM
Nice score ! There rear bearing replacement mostly requires some patience (which sounds like you have plenty of that), and a whole lot more penetrating oil.

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=350x+rear+axle+bearing+replacement&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GUEA_enUS681US681&q=350x+rear+axle+bearing+replacement&gs_l=hp....0.0.0.17286...........0.hp0HmIoO9Fk

BOB MARLIN
04-17-2016, 08:43 AM
Rear master cylinder rebuild kits for the 350x are getting pretty rare. You can use a 3rd gen 250r master, you just have to drill the threads out of the mounting tabs on the cylinder. And you can get rebuild kits for the 250r. The oem carrier bearings are pretty bullet proof so unless they wobble or are stuck I'd put that at the bottom of your list. I wouldn't run the thing at all until you figure out what the deal is with the clutch. It may be stuck open because of some oil related problem and you don't want that problem going elsewhere. If you pull the clutch side cover off, be careful when you put it back on. You have to make sure the lever INSIDE the cover that actuates the decomp lever is in the proper position when you tighten the side cover bolts or it will break the mount on the inside of the casting. Not only will you not have a functioning decomp if this happens, but you will have a steel lever and some aluminum bits rolling around inside you clutch cover just looking to get stuck somewhere. As far as your stuck clutch cable, throw that thing away!. They are cheap on EBAY. If it was frozen in position when you got it, that means that it is rusted and ,or it is starting to unravel inside the sheath and ready to break anyway. Just make sure you get a cable for a '85 not '86 as they are different.

oscarmayer
04-17-2016, 11:18 AM
to test the clutch movement, take a crescent wrench and put it over the clutch lever where the cable connects to it (case side). use the wrench to engage and disengage the clutch and see if that does anything. you can also put the back end up on a stand to keep the wheels off the ground and move the shifter into gear while moving the clutch to see if it works properly.
there is a chance the clutch fibers went bad or rotted, common, but can happen, also the clutch could be "stuck" and you may want to just open it, take the fibers apart and inspect everything as well as clean it all up. while your there, may as well replace everything with a new setup. I like the Barnett or Wiseco setups.

Dirtcrasher
04-17-2016, 12:19 PM
Even if the clutch was shot to all hell, you'd still feel the gears.

The 350X 250SX etc' have issues under the left side cover. There are parts that break or come loose but easy/cheap to fix.

I'm not at your house, but that's my assumption.......

arlaunch
04-18-2016, 02:39 AM
In my humble opinion the machine should be completely disassembled an painstakingly put back together.

Chances are all of your brakes and masters are very, very dirty at best. Your swing-arm bolt may need to be taken out and lubed. I hope it comes out? And your suspension could use an oil change.

I dislike being all doomy and gloomy but my experience has shown to me that a sitting machine is a problem machine. Even if it looks almost brand new. There will be many, many frozen parts.

bad to the bone
04-18-2016, 06:07 PM
Post some pics of it. I would like to see some pics of it If you can post some.

TheFamer
04-19-2016, 09:17 AM
Here's a pic as I just loaded it into my truck

I'm preparing to take the clutch cover off, so I'll report back on how that goes, but what's this issue the 350x and 250 have on the left side cover? What commonly goes bad on that side? The carrier bearings don't have any slop in them. They are just really stiff, plus they were pretty cheap, I did order new clutch cable and throttle cable. I'll see what I can do with brake masters. Anyone have a decent gas tank for this thing? This one was pretty rusty on my scale. . Still works but just looks like crap.

BOB MARLIN
04-19-2016, 11:23 AM
This was the first time I heard of any problems on the left side also.

Dirtcrasher
04-21-2016, 11:53 PM
The shift neutral spring center/pin seems to come loose or snap on some 350X's. Shift center drum bolt too...

I've seen it a few times. The 250SX does it as well.

1t was loose on my take out motor. And no, it wasn't touched until me.

TheFamer
04-28-2016, 12:02 AM
Hey, so these broken exhaust studs are proving to be quite a hassle, and my buddy wants me to take the engine out so he could get it in a drill press to be able to a drill and retap the threads out. And than he says it would be better to just take the head off. Which is pushing my limits of how much I wanted to get into this thing. I would rather find someone in washington state area that is qualified with the tools and know how, and just pay him to go through the motor and put new piston and rings, redo the head, and anything else that needs to be replaced. So I'm asking if anyone on here knows of a guy or would recommend a shop that's semi close to Everett. That does good honest work.

oscarmayer
04-28-2016, 10:37 AM
and good shop will want the engine dissembled to fix it, and you should too. trying to half way do it assembled is asking for a off-center hole and that means much trouble.

Dirtcrasher
04-28-2016, 12:38 PM
Hey, so these broken exhaust studs are proving to be quite a hassle, and my buddy wants me to take the engine out so he could get it in a drill press to be able to a drill and retap the threads out. And than he says it would be better to just take the head off. Which is pushing my limits of how much I wanted to get into this thing. I would rather find someone in washington state area that is qualified with the tools and know how, and just pay him to go through the motor and put new piston and rings, redo the head, and anything else that needs to be replaced. So I'm asking if anyone on here knows of a guy or would recommend a shop that's semi close to Everett. That does good honest work.

I've done those studs for people on my Bridgeport Mill at least a couple dozen times.

Not sure if I can take it on right now; IDK when you need it??

I'd never do it on a drill press; Good heads are hard to come by!!

TheFamer
04-29-2016, 12:04 AM
Well are u referring to just the exhaust studs or doing a whole rebuild? The same buddy who mentioned using a drill press, his father actually is a full blown machinist. CNC lathe and mill and plasma cutter, the works. So If I went through the effort of taking the head off, I'd have him bring it to his dad's to use the mill.

But if u want to take on the rebuild, pm me.