Turning air fooled into liquid cooled

[Tecate250]

I picked up a 83 250r and noticed there was a spare cylinder. And always wanted a liquid r. This is my first 250r But I like my Tecate 3 better.I have noticed that there were perculating liquid cooled engines and thought why not. I heard the air cooled engines could be converted to liquid but I want something different. Anyone try this before? I am thinking of getting a water jacket built around the air cooled cylinder. Sounds pretty dumb. Any ideas guys?

[RedRider_AK]

Liquid cooling won't make it run like a liquid R, necessarily. The reason liquids run harder/faster than air-foolers is because they're built to tighter tolerances, because they're usually operating within a narrow range of temps. The air-cooler can't regulate it's temperature as well and has to be built less "hardcore" to be versatile.

[Huffa]

I'd just stick with the air cooled and except it for what it is. I don't think a conversin is possible anyway, there would be soooooo much to modify it would make more sense to sell it and just get a WC to begin with.

Where was that you heard they could be ?


You looking for any rare after market parts for that ?

[RapidRick]

I'd think you need a water pump

[Tyler]

DG used to sell a kit that had a liquid cooled cylinder head. It came complete with a rad etc. I am not sure how it worked. It has been over 20 years since I saw that kit.

[Tecate250]

It would perculate like the honda odessey's. This could be a bolt on kit cause I have 2 cylinders. One usable and one that is almost junk.

[cr480r]

I would use a pump for sure... I dont think the conversion would be difficult, but I doubt the benefits are worth the time... especially since you already have a tecate...

[300rman]

If you got the time and resources, GO FOR IT!
it would be unique, and would run cooler than just the normal fooler, so hey, what the hell. something to do, and ill bet you learn alot. who cares if its "worth the effort" as long as you enjoy yourself while getting there.

[Brockey]

How about those electic water pumps for this conversion?

[Twilight]

Waterpump, weld aluminum and if you want to make a w/c head then ago ahead. Its not hard and has been done on the 2-stroke odysseys quite a bit.

[3WW Star-CoeShow]

Tyler is correct.......... D.G. used to offer water cooled head kits for the
ATC250R. I know because I helped develop the kit. I also used this head with excellent results and my fastest air-cooled trikes used this head.

The water is moved through the radiator by "thermo-cycle" method. This design utilizes the natural process of heat rising to circulate the water in the system.

While the water doesn't circulate nearly as fast as with a water pump on actual water-cooled engines, the design worked very well and allowed the air cooled engines to make more power. The radiator mounted on the forks behind a number plate, similar to the early Tecates.

There were some excellent pictures of this machine taken at a race that I won convincingly with this H20 head setup on an 83 or 84 model. It was in one of the mags, I think 3 wheeling.

Jimmy White and Eddie Sanders are studying the system in one of the shots as well wondering if the system was an aid in the speed I had that day!

Good luck finding one now. Maybe e-bay or something. I think I have one somewhere........

Good luck and ride safely.

[1upfront]

If your really serious about converting it to liquid cooling then you need to buy a 300r cylinder and then go on ebay and buy one of the liquid cooled head kit's they sell for the FL350 which has the same bolt pattern on the cylinder as the 300r kit then just have it welded and re-domed for smaller piston size.

[Tecate250]

Nah! I think just the cylinder would look cool. Leaving the head a free air system and having the cylinder with a water jacket would manly be for looks. Some thing for People who know trike to make a second look at it. This was brough on from way back when Sno Jet snowmobile racer Jim Adema turned a 292 free air thunder jet into liquid cooled. Back when liquid cooled was not thought of. And Another thread with the odysseys. It would fill the gap between the full line of liquid cooled tecates to the air then liquid for the rs. Plus I only have 1 head and 2 cylinders. Im laid off right now so money is tight. I may not do this right off. I would like to get the lazy air fooler going to drive. The guy who had it befor me when he drove it, he said it had no power band. And when it was running when we swaped bikes it had no power band at all. My tecate 4 had a clogged silencer and had no power,(stock pipe) When I did purchase it, the end of the stock muffler was cut off. I hope this brought a power band.

[RedRider_AK]

The guy who had it befor me when he drove it, he said it had no power band. And when it was running when we swaped bikes it had no power band at all. My tecate 4 had a clogged silencer and had no power,(stock pipe) When I did purchase it, the end of the stock muffler was cut off. I hope this brought a power band.

Maybe he left the powerbands off of it one day, and then forgot about them.

[toocheaptosmoke]

Nah! I think just the cylinder would look cool. Leaving the head a free air system and having the cylinder with a water jacket would manly be for looks. Some thing for People who know trike to make a second look at it. This was brough on from way back when Sno Jet snowmobile racer Jim Adema turned a 292 free air thunder jet into liquid cooled. Back when liquid cooled was not thought of. band.