Storage Locker Trike Find...Brand new post-er here...

[Ellegon]

Hey all...I am a first time member and post-er to this forum. I joined up because I recently purchased a storage locker and found a trike within it! While I am somewhat mechanical, I have never owned (until now) or spent much time with ATCs or ATVs...I thought I would post a few photos for your enjoyment, and ask a couple questions...

1. The online VIN identifier called this a 1985 250es Big Red...on the engraved label, it states it was made in Japan in 1984 - is this kind of discrepancy common?

2. I have tried all over the web to find out about the value of the "wagon" (trailer?) that comes behind the trike. While I have found ads for them from the 80's, there don't appear to be many of them around now. Are they common? I was thinking about repainting it with an appropriate red color - do you know if one is available through Honda, or is it basically a "grab a paint can of similar color"?

3. Do all 1985 250es Big Reds come with a kick start? I was under the impression that kick starts at that age were a bit oddball?

Hope it's all right that I post a bunch of photos...just starting off in here, so please feel free to correct me if I step on toes. I've been on enough boards before to know that there are rules, and then there are unwritten rules, and both need to be followed.

Here to learn, and thanks for your time,
Ellegon

[yaegerb]

Kickstart is normal. That trailer is one helluva find. Take good care of that setup. Don't see those everyday.

[Jwheeler]

Do you want to sell the trailer ?

[Ellegon]

Kickstart is normal. That trailer is one helluva find. Take good care of that setup. Don't see those everyday.

Thanks for the comments, Yaegerb...I know this is a bit of an odd question, but how rare is this thing? Honestly I bought the locker to resell stuff, and thought the trike was the valuable part...if you saw one down in the States, how much would it go for? I can't find any records online to give me even a ball park figure....

[Ellegon]

Well, I am actually planning on selling it, but I am pretty sure shipping to the States would be pretty prohibitive to the sale...

[HairyJR]

Great "Storage War" find, don't believe it's a HONDALINE trailer but a very good quality built aftermarket Mfg. Too bad it's north of the border

"HJ"

[nd4speed]

things have to be manufactured before they can be sold, so yes it is common for the manufacture (made) date to precede the model year.

[Ellegon]

Thanks to all the commenters here...I appreciate the knowledge and experience shared. I have begun working on the trike, and have found that the fuel valve appears to be blocked. When the valve is set to "Reserve" i can get air flow from the carb side out the bottom of the valve (with the cap off), but no matter what I do, I can't seem to get air flow from the tank side out to the carb side. There was a fair amount of rust in the tank and I have let the valve sit in cleaner for a while to no avail. I have used air to try to blow out the passageway, as well as gently used a long skinny screwdriver to remove some muck from the tank side input. All seemed to go well, but I can't seem to get it unblocked...does anyone have a secret weapon to unplug and keep a blocked fuel valve?

[Jmoozy27]

Check you has cap vent and make sure that the valve on the cap is set in the on position. Otherwise you will likely need another cap.

[coolpool]

Nice find ellegon. I agree it doesn't look like a Hondaline trailer but still cool. Looks like an old surveyors setup. What part of alberta you from? I may be interested in buying it.

[barnett468]

.

the fuel valve appears to be blocked. When the valve is set to "Reserve" i can get air flow from the carb side out the bottom of the valve (with the cap off)

This statement is not clear, but if you can blow air thru the valve, but you get no fuel when it is on the tank with has in it, then the gas cap is plugged or the hole in the bottom of the tank that feeds the valve is plugged . . inspect the cap as suggested and the hole in the tank.

but no matter what I do, I can't seem to get air flow from the tank side out to the carb side.

This sounds like a different statement than the one above . . please explain the exact problem.

There was a fair amount of rust in the tank and I have let the valve sit in cleaner for a while to no avail.

rust will contaminate the gas which can damage the engine . . “cleaner” won’t remove rust . . go to the hardware, masonry or paint store, like Sherwin Williams and buy some dry oxalic acid . . look on the bags of concrete driveway cleaner or masonry/stone cleaner for the words "oxalic acid" . . you can also get it from amazon and some drug stores.

Mix 1 lb [which I think is a qt] to every 1 gallon of warm water.

Fill the tank up and let it sit for two days then inspect . . it will not eat the aluminum petcock [fuel valve] or the good steel.

Leave it in there until ALL the rust is gone.

You can add a box of BB’s or around 200 5/16” nuts and swish it around periodically to break off the big chunks of rust as they soften to speed up the process . . if it gets on your clothes it might eat a hole in them . . if it gets on your hands, just rinse if off . . don't breathe the fumes, although there wont be many.

After all the rust is gone, mix around 4 – 6 ounces of soda ash or baking soda with warm water and put it in the tan and swish it around for a minute or two.

Dump that out and rinse the tank 3 times with warm or cold water.

You should must seal the tank, otherwise it will quickly rust again . . the best sealers are bill Hirsch, caswells, and red kote . . the red kote is easiest to find and napa stores have it . . look online for the other two . . bill hirsch also has rust inhibitors in it . . it will ruin painted surfaces.



..........................................Did you remove the small bowl in the photo [item 6] and clean all that?



.

[Ellegon]

Hey all, thanks again...sorry I didn't explain the problem well earlier.

The issue is that I removed the gas tank and gas valve (the piece immediately below part #4 in the diagram above) to clean them. The valve, as near as I can tell, is gravity fed - there should be a free flow of air/liquid between the tank and the carb through the ports on the top and bottom of the valve (the piece immediately below part #4 in the diagram above) .

After removing the valve (aluminum petcock) completely from the tank, I try shooting air in one end of the valve to clean it out (top), and I do not get any air coming out the other side (bottom). In my mind, that means it's blocked. The same problem exists whether the valve is set to On, Off, or Reserve. I have disassmbled the valve as much as possible, left in cleaner, blown it out as much as possible, and it *seems* clean, but I cannot seem to get the valve to pass air through. Unless I am completely goofed and there is a specific vacuum that needs to exist on the carb side of the valve, shouldn't I be able to have air pass directly back and forth through the valve without restriction?

Barnett - I have removed and cleaned within part 6 a few times now. There was some rust / grit in the filter screen originally, but a lot better than I expected. Your advice is great regarding the cleaning of the tank, and thanks for having precognition about questions that I was going ask in the future.:O)

I hope that helps, and if it merely confuses the issue more, sorry about that. I will try to give a better description if needed. I will also post some more photos as well. I am learning a lot about trike maintenance recently, that is for sure...

Coolpool - I am in Grande Prairie. A few hours away from you, but at least not Medicine Hat or something..:O) I am definitely interested in selling it, but would like to provide a working unit to whoever buys it.

[brianb83]

Damn, that is a nice find. I've never seen those trailers before until I came onto these forums lol

[ty98zr]

Looks like you got a nice find in your storage locker purchase. I like the wagon!

[barnett468]

Your advice is great regarding the cleaning of the tank, and thanks for having precognition about questions that I was going ask in the future.:O)

No prob...I'm psychic.

With the valve removed, poke a wire thru the holes in the bottom of the tank to make sure they're clear.

Yes you should easily be able to blow air thru the valve . . no vacuum is required . . gas should hurl out of it when turned on if the gas cap is off or if the gas cap vent is working, therefore, your valve is bad and you need another one.

Lots of new Chinese ones on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/2913467...lpid=82&chn=ps
.