1985 250ES Big Red Starter Reduction Gear

[HamboneKS]

anyone here know if the 43T/18T starter reduction gear from a 1985 250ES is the same as the 1986 and 1987? they look like the same part, but appear to have different partnumbers. Although, the part numbers are a little confusing the way they are listed (updated, superceded, listed as gear sets instead of individual gears).

the 86 and 87 gears are much more readily available and cheaper is why I'm asking.

[HamboneKS]

After some research, it looks like they might be different thicknesses. Not that big of a deal, but I've been reading up on these one way bearings and am not liking it.

[redsox]

they are different size gears. I think you can swap them as a set between 85 and 86, but cannot interchange individual parts. you will also need to swap the cover, i think. i'm not 100% on this, but i'm pretty sure. 87 is an entirely different ballgame.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Yes, the gears need to be changed as a set - although the sets are interchangeable. There are two different starters, a long shaft and a short shaft. These aren't interchangeable.
If your reduction gears are stuffed then there is a good chance the one-way bearing is toast too! Also, any bits of missing gear could be swilling aroundin the sump just waiting to get stuck to the rotor magnets and screw the stator.

[HamboneKS]

So what should my next move be? Pull side cover, replace one way, and look for the two missing teeth?

Fuc$ing worn out cheap project bikes are the gift that keep on giving

Also, my floats are sticking open and draining my tank. I disassembled carb and everything looked fine. Reassembled and still sticking. Ideas?

[350for350]

Maybe that's like my YTM225 and the needle and seat are worn (probably). If that's the case, they're not sticking, just not completely shutting off the fuel flow. Maybe something happened to your float and it no longer floats. When I went for a short ride with jvining a couple of months ago, that wasn't happening. Of course if you are tired of it, he may buy it back.

[HamboneKS]

It is dumping fuel wide open, not just a drip, so maybe the float is bad like you say. Ill dig into it again and try to figure it out.

I'm not tired of it, just ready the find all the issues so I know what I'm up against.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Don't give up on it, the BR is a great machine.My previous post was some of the issues I had. I've cursed it, sworn at it, kicked it, and threatened to torch it a different times but it's worth persevering a bit at a time.
Does the kick start feel like it slips occasionally? That would be another sign of the bearing fault.

[HamboneKS]

No, I haven't noticed any slippage.

[Name Brand]

Also, my floats are sticking open and draining my tank. I disassembled carb and everything looked fine. Reassembled and still sticking. Ideas?

I've had this problem on the SX. The float was good and so was the valve that slides into the top of the float. That valve has a conical, rubber seat on top that mates to the inside of that passage it's in. Pull that carb out and use a Q-tip with carb cleaner to scrub that passage especially where you can see where it cones in. Just a tiny bit of dirt/varnish will make that float stick and overflow the carb bowl and drains out the overflow line at full stream.