To buy or not to buy... help needed! 350X

[matt3x]

Been looking for a 350X for a bit now and I spotted this on Craigslist... here is a direct copy of the ad text:

This is a nice 1985 honda 350x all after market plastics no smoke lots of compression comes with parts and stock header and muffler has aftermarket exhaust on it now just needs tail light put back on (I have it) and the fly wheel case has a crack in it working in fixing it soon dosing afect the bike just leaks alittle oil as soon as it's fixed price go up get it now open to trades for honda 450r or any sports quad just let me know

Here are some pics as well. Should I stay away? I have not contacted the seller yet... the asking price is $1000. It's been posted for 2 weeks now. Thoughts? Stay away? Check it out? What to check for if I do go look at it? Thanks a bunch... seller updated ad a day ago so I'm almost certain it's still available.

Specifically - am I looking at replacing the flywheel case? How big of a job is this - both $$ and time. Whenever I see something that says the oil is leaking I get worried... but I do know sometimes it's an easy fix.

[CRAZY70MAN]

That is in the ballpark. Offer 700.....check that frame over and over. If it is cracked, its a whole different animal

[dream3wheeler]

check if it steers smooth and wiggle the back end and see if the bearings are tight. also check where the oil pump is, if you've got a set of pliers on you check and see if the bolts are tight, ive know quite a few ppl to strip those out and it leaks oil, check for leaks and check and see if any parts are missing such as air intake parts, screws, anything like that. check for rust in the tank, run it and see how it kicks over, and I agree 100% with crazy70man, check for those cracks and look for welds, that is a big issue in some cases. but if its a solid machine and runs well id say 1000 is a great price but if you can talk him down well then you wont feel so bad putting a little more money into it to make it even more sweet. good luck to ya!

[86125m]

Yea seems to me that its pretty good but I would try to get the man down some on the price. But check everything out make shore there isn't too much wrong.

[Keepah Rolln]

The lots of compression remark.....Bring your tester and check it for yourself...Check the frame real good too like they said..

[matt3x]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Has anyone had experience with a flywheel case or cracks in it?

[wonderboy]

The stator cover (flywheel cover to use the term the CL guy used) can get whacked by the chain if the chain gets too loose and skips a tooth on the front sprocket. Typically, the damage is contained to just the stator cover. It is very easy to replace. There are just a few bolts around the perimeter of the cover to remove and a couple electrical connections. This is a VERY common place for them to get damaged. Be careful of any replacement stator covers you buy on e-bay. If they don't give you a good picture of the area that gets damaged (the area just in front of the sprocket) assume it is also damaged.

If the chain skip was more severe, it can start to get into the crankcase in the same area (where the stator cover mates to it). If the crankcase is damaged, your options to fix it get more complicated and possibly less reliable.

On a side note: if you get this machine and regardless of what you do to fix the oil leak, BUY A CASE SAVER! This is a stamped piece of steel that bolts in place between the front sprocket and the crankcase. It helps prevent the chain from whacking the crankcase / stator cover in case of a chain jump, and if it does jump it minimized the damage. Case savers are discontinued, but a perfect reproduction is available from 3WW member tapper190 (he also sells them on e-bay). If you love your 350x, you need to run it with a case saver.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, if the damage to the stator cover isn't too sever, you can get out the JB weld and build the area back up, and then carefully file it smooth and flat. I did that on my 1st 350x stator cover and it worked very well (until I bought a solid replacement cover).

[kazander]

decent price lower is always better tho ck the frame