[wheelsquad]

Acquired a 1985 TRX 250 Utility for $75 from a former coworker. It's in incredible shape, but sat for 5 to 10 years. Need to rebuild the carb, but CANNOT get the carb off because the plunger for the choke is seized in. I can get to the bore of the plunger enough to soak that in penetrating oil. But even after 2 weeks soaking it is still seized in there. Anyone have this happen before, and any pointers? My next step might be removing the full choke cable and soaking the whole carb with the cable. Choke cable itself is not seized, I confirmed.

 

[Manny]

Heat.

that's about the only next option other then drilled a small hole, screwing a screw in there and pulling with vice grips.

 

[wheelsquad]

Thanks Manny. I suppose if I am really careful, I can get some heat to it without damaging anything else. And if I have to cut off the old choke cable, thankfully MotionPro still makes a replacement. I'd just really love to avoid having to find a replacement carb for it.

 

[SamUK]

Boiling water has always worked for me, put the whole carb in an old cooking pan and bring it to the boil slowly, leave it boiling for a few minutes then remove and take out the plunger.

Edit: DONT let the carb cool quickly or put it into a direct draft/breeze once removed from the hot water, it WILL crack somewhere.

 

[shadetree]

those chokes are very bad about seizing up, not much you can do other than soaking it, or just yanking the cable out the top of it, then running a sheet metal screw down the middle, and pulling it out. if ya put heat to it ?, your gonna ruin the o-ring on the valve, just a heads up.

 

[SamUK]

those chokes are very bad about seizing up, not much you can do other than soaking it, or just yanking the cable out the top of it, then running a sheet metal screw down the middle, and pulling it out. if ya put heat to it ?, your gonna ruin the o-ring on the valve, just a heads up.

Try the boiling water technique shady, works wonders for the seals
Can't say it's always going to work but it's worked on all for me so far.

 

[Larryw]

I just did this with my friends 2002 350 4by4.. Trust me order a new choke cable and choke plunger kit .. I ordered a Honda cable and a aftermarket E-bay choke plunger kit.. I wasn't going to (#(# around for 25 bucks.. I cut the cable and ended up heating up around the choke plunger (not to hot) and it eventually came out.. (harbor freight heat gun)I cleaned the hole with a brass gun cleaning brush on a drill. cleaned the Carb put it all back together and Zoom ZOOM...

 

[SamUK]

You don't actually need a proper seal, an O ring does the job great if you have one the correct size.
If you have a bearing & seal stockholder nearby and your plunger comes out in one piece pop down with said plunger and carb, they'll sort you out with the proper job. I had about 20 for £1!
That said, if you end up buying a plunger it comes with a seal so you won't need O rings.

 

[wheelsquad]

Looks like the weeks of soaking and working it paid off. At least enough to get the choke cable disconnected at the plunger when we went to cut the cable off. It pulled right out. Scared it into submission I guess. Plunger is still stuck in, but at least we salvaged the cable. Now to try the boiling.

 

[fishfiles]

the way I have done it is like described above by drilling a small hole in the middle of the plunger , screw in a screw then grab it with a vise grip ---- I have heard of boiling stuff with lemon juice , sound expensive , never tried it , bought lemons yesterday for boiling seafood and lemons are high dollar these days

 

[wheelsquad]

First drilled a screw into it, wouldn't budge. Then boiled the entire carb and let it cool off, still wouldn't budge. Then applied heat with a mini torch. Bingo! Thanks to all who tossed the ideas.

 

[wheelsquad]

The old thing fired right up after a carb rebuild! Now it's time to order a new plastic gas tank, new air filter, tubes for the old tires, and it'll be starting its 2nd life.

 

[SamUK]

Your making more progress than me TT, can't wait to see it when it's completed. I'm currently waiting on parts to arrive.

 

[wheelsquad]

Your making more progress than me TT, can't wait to see it when it's completed. I'm currently waiting on parts to arrive.

Well, it's now a usable machine again, doesn't look a whole lot different from the day it rolled off the assembly line. Only thing visually different is that it has the Wide Open plastic replacement gas tank. Fit of the tank mounts weren't perfect, but we were still able to get the tank covers back on. Having a little bit of choke lever sticking, so we might have to check the routing of the cable under the tank again. Other than that, we have only about $300 into it. Oh, and the front shocks seem to be performing like they are working properly. Which for a 250 utility, isn't much.

 

[fishfiles]

Good deal ! ----- the 250A is a tuff bike , built like a tank , I use to run 25 inch tires front and back , 8's in the front and 12's in the rear and went thru some bad stuff ------ I have bou-cou parts for that atv , any small parts you need ?

 

[wheelsquad]

Good deal ! ----- the 250A is a tuff bike , built like a tank , I use to run 25 inch tires front and back , 8's in the front and 12's in the rear and went thru some bad stuff ------ I have bou-cou parts for that atv , any small parts you need ?

That's good to know!

You don't have any floor boards that fit them sitting around, do you? Or front fender supports? We've thought about building our own. Just had to buy a filter cage and stay for my grampa's identical 250. I don't like the cageless filter someone else put in it before. Other than floorboards and fender supports I think we're good for now for those 2 bikes. The one we just going needs a new front brake master cylinder, but I'll just get a new generic one on Amazon for cheap.

 

[fishfiles]

so #12 is what you are talking about

 

[wheelsquad]

so #12 is what you are talking about

Yessir it is!

 

[SamUK]

Hey TT do we get any photos now this little gem is completed or are you saving them for ATV of the month?

 

[wheelsquad]

Hey TT do we get any photos now this little gem is completed or are you saving them for ATV of the month?

pics will definitely be coming. we're just in the middle of hunting season, so we've taken time to do what it takes to be able to use it, but that's about it. basically it's showroom condition now, except for some rack surface rust, cracked front fender, and that bent and broken fender stay.

here it is sitting in the place it sat for who knows how long??:

and here it is a few months ago out in its first exposure to the light of day in probably a decade:

and after we first washed it that day:

So all I have left is to get pics of the after for the gas tank, fender fix (I came up with a fix that avoids rivets), and anything else we do to it. New tires to come eventually, if these old stock ones become too much of a hassle. So far we've just had to put one tube in one of the rear tires though.