200x project, lifan OHC ** New pics **

[RoadTrippin]

Sup guys. Figured i'd post a pic of my project. 85 200x with a lifan OHC engine.
Wiring harness is coming in two weeks along with an airbox boot. I've got a tire to plug, exhaust to install and that should be it. I'll have a runner.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/2205/09020601101ys2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

does anyone know of a rear brake solution besides of course the stock caliper?

maybe just rig up a different caliper on some sort of adapter plate?

[edog]

Looking good.

[RoadTrippin]

Thanks. I'm thinking i might have to change the sprockets too now. I might want to put a smaller sprocket than what's on the lifan right now and the one on the axel just looks shot. When i run the chain over the front one, it looks a bit too close to the cases for comfort. Any advice on setting these things up as far as the chain tension? I don't want to trash my brand new motor the first time out.


What's a good # of teeth for front and rear sprockets?

[hrc85250r]

you want the chain to have about 1 1/2" of slop in it at its tightest point in its travel.

[super90]

I dont know if a 200 engine could pull it but 15/45 seems to always work good for me.

[russell56443]

Nice!!!!
I have been trying to figure out what sport ATC I would like the best for my style of riding and basic needs and I want a 200X !!
Keep us posted on the restore!!!

[firefirefire90]

you can use a 2001 Raptor Brake caliper, it will hook up fine and work really well. Nice project!

[RoadTrippin]

Ok, the carb is bolted up and i'm waiting on the airbox boot.


Does anyone know of a good place to stuff a battery? What's a good small battery i could use? I was thinking of building some sort of box and replacing the little plastic toolbox with it and then putting some sort of rod on the bottom to triangulate to the other side to minimize flex.

i'll have to get freaky with photoshop to explain what i mean.

And if anyone has any suggestions on how to construct it, by all means, share them.

[Curtis-Tecate3]

There are a few people on here with the Goki aftermarket elec. start kits for the 200X and also the 350X. I have no idea where the battery gets mounted though. Do a search for "GOKI" and see who has them. I am sure someone will assist.

Curtis

[Aka_am]

Is that a pushrod motor? This is something I have been looking into doing to my 200s.

[SYKO]

what size is that lifan motor?
how much did it run you for it?

[bassman]

Did it bolt right up? Because it looks as if the fronts bolted right up, but the backs aren't in yet. If so, I think I know what I am going to invest in....

[bassman]

what size is that lifan motor?
how much did it run you for it?

They're not really all that expensive...http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/XR-200CC-ENGINE-LIFAN-MOTOR-HONDA-PIT-BIKE-XL_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35595QQihZ012QQitemZ 220023594768QQrdZ1

[RoadTrippin]

DAMMIT!!!!


I just had a huge write up and somehow i lost it or something. Maybe i closed the window, i have had a few drinks. Ok, lets start over from the top.


It is not a pushrod motor. Its an overhead cam model. I knew that handacam had to cut out a piece of frame for his and reweld it somewhere else. He had the pushrod model. I don't easily have acess to a welder and a skilled weldor, so i went with the model that'd involve no cutting. A little propane torch and some work with a hammer and it dropped right in. If i had access to a welder and could weld, i probably would have bought the pushrod model. It was 130 dollars cheaper.
If the expected life was maybe 25% shorter, oh well, the engine's cheap enough that it wouldn't matter.


OK what size is it? Its a 200cc, there's a stamp on the motor. that says 200 on the cylinder head and i think there's another stamp near the shifter. And according to lifan its a 200(or a 198.96 t be exact)
It ran me around 400 shipped from ebay. PM me if you're interested in the seller.

Did it bolt right up?
Yes it sure did, with two minor hangups. I had to work on that bottom bar with a propane torch and a hammer for about 5 minutes but as for the rest of the mounts they slid right in. There was one minor issue with the cylinder head motor mount. I looked at that pretty carefully and figured that it was a little bit of casting mishaps. 15 seconds with a drill fixed it.
As for the rest of the motor mounts, in the picture, they're all bolted up, the only thing missing is the sprocket cover (requires some cutting) and the chain.

The manual it came with has some handy information. It even has a model number for a variant of this engine with "(for 3-wheeled)" next to it. I don't know if that means its got the foward kick or what. Maybe it just comes with a smaller sprocket and a different sprocket cover.

That model is called the 163FML-A

The model i have is the 163FML-Z5

The biggest pain for people might be trying to find electrical connectors for the CDI and rectifier. Hooper imports sells a harness for the engine. I would have preferred to make my own if i had access to the connectors it uses. The harness i'm about to get has a bunch of extra crap on it but i'm sure its a little more reliable than whatever i could make myself.



Ok this post is way to long

[greenhuman]

I would put a UNI style filter right on the back of the carb and use the airbox as a battery box.

[RoadTrippin]

i was thinking of that, but i intend to get this thing filthy, mud and whatnot. I want the filter to stay clear of that stuff. Speaking of that, does anyone have a cover for this box they'd be willng to trade? i just noticed i don't have a cover. Does that even matter?

[crackshot]

Looks like a nice fit. I hear those Lifans have a beefy sound to them compared to honda engines.

[RacerRichie]

nice job man keep going!

[RoadTrippin]

I got the harness. Its not quite what i wanted but its got connectors i can use to make it work. I'm going to strip out what i don't need and bypass all the unnecessary garbage that comes on the machine it was made for.

Its lookin pretty ugly right now.

If anyone knows where to get harness connectors, post it for the next guy. There's gotta be a better way than the route i'm taking.

[Aka_am]

Yes it would be very helpful for me, because I done with my 200s motor and a new lifan is looking great.

[RoadTrippin]

Wired up and test fired the engine tonight for the first time. i only had the head pipe on so it sounded a little odd(waiting on the muffler gasket). Its definetly got a meaty sound to it. Its pretty nice.

She starts real easy. Once i get the exhaust on it i'll get a video of it fired up so you guys can hear the engine. Its a bit of a basket case right now, wiring everywhere.

I don't reccomend getting that harness for the trike. It doesn't exactly plug in as i would have hoped and most of the wiring is of different lengths than what would be necessary for a trike. Too much extra crap too, blinkers, anti theft crap. All unnecessary. If i could find a source for the damn connectors, i'd throw the thing out and start from scratch and make my own.

[thefox]

Have you checked Radio Shack for the connectors?

[RoadTrippin]

Nope, not yet. If they have them at radio shack i might *Edited**Edited**Edited**Edited* a pickle.

[NESC104]

I think JLATV sells battery boxes for the 300ex/400ex or some 4wheeler. I think that you would be able to do what you want by mounting it in place of the toolbox.

[leprogle]

I doubt it would pull 15/45 for gearing, let alone clear the sidecase with a 15 tooth sprocket. I would say 13/40 or 14/40, but I think stock is 12/40.

[RoadTrippin]

Yeah 15 seemed a bit much for the little 200 to run.


Is it normal to have a little slop on the sprocket hub? I feel like its a little loose on the splines or someting. I'm gonna pull it off later this week in prep for the new set.

Any reccomendations on where i should order from? What brand of chain?
I'm gonna pick up an air filter too. She's comin together.

[firefirefire90]

Yeah, the sprocket was always a bit sloppy side to side wise but if it is sloppy up and down, i think you should be worried. I personally like the D.I.D. 520 chain. Perfection. I also used the sunstar sprocket(13). Back to the sprocket though, do you have the piece to go on the outside of the sprocket? It doesn't really do much but its there i guess..Sorry if thats confusing..but its the best way I can explain it.

[RoadTrippin]

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/1627/dsc01879xr8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
BWAAHHHH!!!!.
Going on right now.


EDIT:

Well that was a real kick in the marbles. Anyone wanna buy a 12 tooth sprocket for a 200X? It doesn't fit this motor.

[RoadTrippin]

ok anyone thinking of doing this same swap, As far as i know, the correct sprocket for the countershaft is the JT sprockets JTF327.12

EDIT: Confirmed.. That sprocket fits the lifan for anyone doing the swap.

The original sprocket will not fit this engine.

[RoadTrippin]

IT LIVES!!!!!

I fired her up today for a test ride to make sure the motor was sound. Everything sounded good and shifted well, the clutch worked fine. This motor can PULL. With the stock gearing, she goes through the gears rather quick and you find yourself at the top of 5th soon (this is on flat ground of course).

I don't know how the stock X motor sounds because when i got the trike it was already shot. But this does have a nice beefy tone with the stock exhaust.

Unfortunately the first ride also highlighted a few problems i wasn't yet aware of.

The shape of the kickstarter makes it almost useless. it swings about 5 degrees and then hits the peg. No bueno. I need one that folds out at the very top. Or Cut and weld this sucker. This makes the battery mount pretty much mandatory now.

The shifter i have needs to be extended and/or reshaped. Its just too close and too low. I'll have to look to see if the stock X one will fit the same spline pattern.

Upon filling my gas tank for the first time, I noticed that it leaked profusely. I'll need a new tank. If anyone has one that doesn't leak that they're looking to get rid of, let me know.

Apparently there should be a washer behind the hub nuts. I don't have them. Fantastic.

I've won the battle but i'm a long way from winning the war.

[Dirtcrasher]

Ok, the carb is bolted up and i'm waiting on the airbox boot.


Does anyone know of a good place to stuff a battery? What's a good small battery i could use? I was thinking of building some sort of box and replacing the little plastic toolbox with it and then putting some sort of rod on the bottom to triangulate to the other side to minimize flex.

i'll have to get freaky with photoshop to explain what i mean.

And if anyone has any suggestions on how to construct it, by all means, share them.


Could you use a 250SX battery box with custom brackets??

Or a good HVAC sheet metal shop could bend up a galvanized box like nothing...

[Dirtcrasher]

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/1627/dsc01879xr8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
BWAAHHHH!!!!.
Going on right now.


EDIT:

Well that was a real kick in the marbles. Anyone wanna buy a 12 tooth sprocket for a 200X? It doesn't fit this motor.

The splines didn't fit or why??

Don't sweat the slop in the sprocket, every thing I've owned chain driven has lots of slop, I think it's a crappy design but I've never stripped the splines even on a 250CC 2 stroker.

MAN!! I just checked your link, that motor is super cheap. Keep us informed, anyone else running this long term?????

[RoadTrippin]

nah the splines were too narrow on the original sprocket. the Lifan engine uses the same spline pattern as what i think is the CRF230. I'm not sure, i know one of my posts has the exact part number though.

i'm drawing up a sheetmetal pattern for a battery box in solidworks. Does anyone know how small a battery i can use? I'd like to get as small a battery as possible because it'll be mounted so far from the center of gravity.

one more quesiton... Has anyone soldered a steel gas tank? I was thinking of purging it with something inert and then trying to sweat it like a pipe.

that might make me explode thouhg. i'm not sure if its so wise.

[Dirtcrasher]

I've had great luck braising thin stuff but not so good with solder.

[Aka_am]

Any updates??

[RoadTrippin]

Minor Update:

School picked up pretty hard in November and the project sat idle for months. But with break here, i should be able to button it up.

I bought a clarke fuel tank. For 169 dollars, its definetly worth it if your not going for that factory look. It looks very well made, I haven't even had a chance to fit it yet. It looks bigger than stock, which I like.

I had purchased POR15 gas tank sealing kit and planned on coating the original tank but i wasn't sure if i was capable of something like that. I didn't want it to leak at all.

I bought the switch pod off a 400ex or something with electric start on ebay. I'm grafting the two harnesses together to make it fit up nicely so i have an e-start button and the choke lever is functional. The Lifan carb has no dentent so i have to hold the choke on to start the bike . I don't like that.

I can't get the @%#^#!* air filter to stay on. I tighten the clamp and it slides off the flange.

Still haven't solved the battery box issue. If anyone has a sheet metal shop and would be able to do something quick and dirty, PM me. I'll draw up something.

that's all for now
Enjoy your holidays guys

[devildog_0431]

More Pics !

[RoadTrippin]

Pics should be coming soon. The trike is currently a group of parts floating around my garage in boxes. Once i get it assembled properly i'll definetly take some shots.

[RoadTrippin]

Here are a few more recent pics of the trike.
Here she is sitting with the wiring more or less completed along with the Clarke tank on top. No seat or fenders yet, they're in my loft. Need a brake lever off 200s to get myself some stopping power. (and a caliper)

http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/621/dsc01898so3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Here is the current "problem area." I need to find a place to mount the battery, recitifier, tail light and such. I tried making a box, it didn't work. I've got a length of the battery cable, so that isn't an issue. The tail light isn't in the picture, its one of those new LED ones. no bulb to break makes me happy.

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1576/dsc01901cf4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Switch pod off a 300 ex (i think), Starter switch, choke cable both functional, as are the ligths and on off switch. The only problem is the off switch won't kill the engine so i'll need a separate kill. That's not a big deal as the switch is a bit on the stiff side for a quick kill anyways.

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1643/dsc01899am2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


I just ordered a clarke petcock. The old honda one failed and leaked about a gallon onto my garage floor. Its an attatched garage and my whole house smells like a gas station. yeah. That bad.

[RoadTrippin]

Finally making headway on the battery box. Two lengths of mild steel. Flat bar. a 12ga sheetmetal box between the two bars, the battery sitting in it. This all sits behind the airbox above the rear part of the swingarm. That trike is so tightly packaged, there's no room for anything.

Does anyone have any precise measurements taken from the 200x?

Frame dimensions, hole layouts? blueprint scans? that sort of thing, maybe .dwg, .dxf?
I'd love to get a really accurate model of the trike on the comp to tinker around with ideas for new crap.

[Vealmonkey]

On the battery box you could cheat. Pick yourself up one of those six pack racks that bolts up in place of the stock rear grab bar, pick yourself up a six pack cooler and mount the battery in that.

[Mike_Ham_250R]

On the battery box you could cheat. Pick yourself up one of those six pack racks that bolts up in place of the stock rear grab bar, pick yourself up a six pack cooler and mount the battery in that.
I would only resort to that if I had no other option.

Anyway, looking good!

[Aka_am]

How much does a 200x make in hp? According to ebay, the lifan make like 18hp.

Could you take a pic of the kickstart area, and maybe lay on the plastic to show why the kick start doesn't work right?

[RoadTrippin]

The lifan will also be completely fresh from top to bottom so its going to put out a bit more punch than a 21 year old honda engine.

I'll get a shot of the kickstarter tonight. It hits the peg mount before the engine turns more than a few degrees so even with the off, its useless. A different kicker might help.

Who here has a clarke gas tank on a 200x? I can't figure out the whole strap mount thing. And what are the threaded inserts on the bottom for?

[gottahaveaUS90]

Have you considered modifying the Lifan to have a pull start instead/ in addition to the kickstart?

I have seen the mod on an ATC70 - this would reduce the kickstart issue?

[atckowalski]

On my 350x, I put the battery ( for handwarmers ) inside the tool box. I cut the top off and found the smallest 12 volt battery i could find and wedged it in the tool box and strapped it down . My 350x doesn't require my to carry the tools and all they do is make noise :Bounce :Bounce :Bounce in there.

[PWK39]

May I ask what intake you used the lifan one or the 200x?

[RoadTrippin]

The intake bolting to the cylinder you mean?

I used the 200x one. The lifan one didn't work right, had the carb at some angle that was just wrong.

[PWK39]

Yes the one that bolts to the cylinder.Is the 200x manifold large enough for the 30mm carb?Thank You for the replies

[RoadTrippin]

????

It bolted up perfectly. Same O-ring gasket and everything as the stock carb.

are the lifan and honda carbs different bores?

I'm not sure i understand the question.

[PWK39]

Yes the lifan carb is 30mm and the 200x is 24mm.I was just wondering if the intake inside diameter is the same.

[RoadTrippin]

Ok the battery box turned out like crap. :rolleyes:

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/1223/dsc01904ez8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

here's a top view.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/1694/dsc01902kq0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Those pieces of mild steel are goign to get chopped, i was just leaving that on so i could manipulate the metal. The battery is very secure but its not all that pretty either. I'll probably finish it off and make it work for the winter. I whipped it up in my garage using a bench vice and a ball peen hammer.


I'm modeling the back of the frame in Solidworks and going to have to think about it a bit more. Its very tight in the back of the machine. I think i'll have to do a weekend in the machine shop at school.


http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7274/batteryinframeul8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7474/batteryinframe2ox3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


:TrikesOwn

EDIT: sorry, the pics are a bit too large.

[AndersonT]

Someone mentioned that a 2001 raptor brake caliper will work on a 200x? does this work on a 1986 model? and also is it the raptor rear caliper or will a front caliper work? And also does it bolt up to the stock 200x mounting bracket? Thanks

[RoadTrippin]

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/9489/dsc01907oh2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/6480/dsc01908xe5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


It finally snowed here so i slapped together the trike and headed out for a good solid run.

Lifan makes a damn good motor. I broke it in easy for a little bit but i couldn't resist opening it up a few times. It works really well. The shifting is a little notchy, i'm not familiar with how the stock 200x shifts but i know on my yamaha its a little different. This could change as it wears in.

It felt good to finally ride it even though its not completed.

[ATCR250R]

NICE!!! I am glad it all came together for you!

[vanet]

any update?

[rally4x4racer]

if you never figured out the tank strap and threaded holes in the tank: the strap is bolted to the tank via these threaded hole. - surely you figured it out by now, since this was a few months ago.

also, on your kicker; maybe you could modify the foot peg so that it folds up further *and latches* so you can kick it ? I am thinking about doing this for my 350x because it hurts when the kicker drops down and my foot stomps the peg.

the only thing scary about this is kickback......

[oscarmayer]

sorry to dig up an old thread, but i have a question.
How is the lifan engien holding out?