Rebuilding the 2T engines vs do you feel lucky vs pushing.

My thoughts. My 84/250wr it's barn fresh and has been sitting a longtime. My point is how good are the seals? Add up the years she's 32 years old. When I refresh I do the crank seals, crank bearings, piston, gaskets, if the crank is ok. I figure the engine is done and I can rely on it. If we don't do it right plan on pushing out of the trails. That could be many miles from the trailer with big hills. Pay me now or pay me later ?

Fact, every used running bike needed crank seals sooner or later. You may get lucky and have the tranny side crank seal go and kill every flying bug for acres. If the ignition side crankbearing and seal goes you may seeze the piston.
This could ruin the crank.

To me the engine, brakes and tires are the most important things upfront. It's about when to do it, about doing it right, plus the cost. Like I said before I could be at the pub drinking but I'd rather spend it on my bike.

A great day of riding means your loading it on the trailer in the same condition you took it off 8 hours before. I went full circle and took my lumps as I learned. It's nice when there done right and your lubing the chain, checking the sparkplug, and air in the tires for the next ride.

I been buying parts to build complete bikes. I'm thinking a $2,000 cost for a running bike. Plus or minus. It's my bucket list.

Because its a pain to replace the tranny crankseal I wouldn't do it unless I was pretty sure it was bad.
Blowing some smoke won't ruin the motor. Whatever makes you comfortable you should do. We have had this conversation before, right?
I hope for less than $2000 but my 400 is edging closer. I'm probably into everything for $1700 including the purchase price.

if you bought this used bike, what you replace on this engine bill?

if you own it and are not sure about the seals do a pressure test

Maybe it's my bad luck but every running used bike I purchased needed crankseals or had a air leak just pop up. It costs less to rebuild a running engine. Consider the age of the bike? The condition?

The only crank seal issue I had was on a 420 auto. I would get about a mile and it would die and smoke come out the transmission breather. After it cooled a bit it would start up again. Those have aluminum cases so the corrosion is not like the magnesium standard shift models. There was some strange corrosion on the rod. At that time a rod and pin kit was $150 and for some reason the crank was $285 if I recall right. Some of the cranks were around $500. I got a new crank and a new seal.

Another time a bike died, well it would start and idle nothing more and pushing was considered it was a broken reed perhaps due to it flooding and getting pull started prior. I figured out the problem and walked out and returned with the parts.

I did push with the 430 auto when I was near a railroad track and a spring let go, forgot how I got back to the hauling vehicle. That bike lost ignition for some reason on the way back from riding from the residence. Parked it by some mailboxes walked maybe 4 miles and came back with the Pick up truck. So does a rebuild include a new ignition?

I hit a hose to the water pump on a 3 inch or so sapling at an enduro. on that bike in my avatar. I did get a ride from the guy that owns midtown Kawasaki back to the start.

Do not push if it can be avoided, wrap a rope around the cross bar of the handlebar a few times and hold the end so you can get free and get pulled if that is an option. I was on the tow end of that one time.

I do not know about the engine but if you went to tech at an amateur (edit amateur national) hillclimb they will look for at least 5/8 diameter ball on the end of the lever. I would weld a blob on the end but most probably would replace the lever. Maybe I do not see a ball that exists.

I have to change browsers to do quote on this site see post #3

i agree on the levers frank...but in order to run handguards and keep the good ol magura power lever, the ball has to go. there may be some guards that have extra clearance there but none ive found. im not willing to get rid of the magura!

I would check everything I could and pressure test the engine just to be sure. Crank bearings would be checked for radial play because 1)Husqvarna OEM crank bearings last many years so I would not replace crank bearings just because the bike is like 32 years old. 2) Crank bearings are easy to check and expensive to replace because of the class of bearing needed.

I also realize there are brand new radiator hoses on it but being as cynical as I am, I would presume that may have been the only thing done to it. Engines are not worth skipping scrutiny on. Just my 2 cents worth

Google Chrome allows it

compression check and main bearing play check were performed on a fairly low hour engine. clutch plates swapped with steels and run..
but yeah, not everything needs instantly replaced because its old, especially if it has excellent compression. motor was transplanted into my 88 250 chassis, so the hoses were used lol.

"We have had this conversation before, right?"
Yes Eurofreak, it does seem very familiar.
Tony.

It all depends on your risk tolerance and usage. My old man has bikes older (and much less powerful) than most of the huskies we discuss here, and has never gotten into seals and main bearings and still rides them with little-to-no trouble. He's familiar with the bikes and knows how to spot signs of trouble (and would stop riding and replace seals and/or bearings if he saw evidence that this was needed). While I cringe a little thinking about it sometimes, I tend to believe that if you have a bike that appears low mileage, start small, pay attention and watch for trouble, you can get a pretty good idea whether or not you need to do things like replace seals and main/transmission bearings by riding, monitoring, and looking at your fluids when you change them.
If you take a bike out of a barn, 'get it running' and then run of to compete in a sprint or two-day enduro without putting at-least 50 miles on it first (probably more if you're looking at something like a 2-day event), you're asking for trouble.
It's up to you if you are OK with riding on a 'pretty good idea' and riding accordingly (i.e. stick near the trailhead when not riding with someone who can tow you).
It's still a damn good idea to replace seals and main bearings.

I should have said leakdown test as compression test only checks the head portion only.

On a side note, does that have a Dynoport pipe as the cone construction is distinctive?

never a bad idea to do a compression check or a leakdown..or inspect anything really.
yes, thats a dp pipe

Ok so I also have a 84 250 WR that had been sitting a long time. Mine was to far gone it had to come apart and yes the main Cases were shot along with the Crank. Put it all back together using the old Piston and Cylinder since the Bike still had the original rear tire on it when I bought it. Figured I get one season of vintage racing out of it. Last race of the season and wile on the starting line I was thinking that I could here some extra piston slap. Last Race last Lap and the Cylinder Liner let go. Missed the entire next year of racing getting it back together. We have had this same conversation I believe.