[Jegs87trx350]

Hey guys!
So remember a long time ago I spoke about my neighbors super clean 87 foreman??? Well I just bought it! Holy moses is this thing nice. I don't think I've ever seen one this clean before. The ORIGINAL tires have half the tread left! Even the exhaust pipes still have original paint on them! It's just amazing and I'm incredibly grateful to now own it. I've got a few bugs to work out but that's for a different post. This is just a happy post...

 

[machinecrook]

Wow!! Nice one! Mind saying how much you bought it for?

Enjoy it man, very beautiful machine!

 

[Jegs87trx350]

Thank you very much! No I don't mind at all! $1,600! It's not quite running right though and sometimes not at all. Gotta figure that out... Even though it's a really good deal for me I think it was fair. These guys are only asking $2,500-$3,500 because they know people will pay it. Doesn't make it fair in my opinion. I worked my azz off this week and finished two roofs by myself. (10sq and 14sq) I'm half dead but it was worth it for sure. Plus i put money in the bank too. Damn good week!

 

[mrbb]

man thats a super clean looking 30 yr old atv there LOL

I still say Honda should bring back these old atv's, they would sell like crazy!

 

[_Wilson_]

I knew in the long run you'd ask him , lol, good deal! I'll have to look that old post up!

Edit: that's one sharp looking tank!

 

[_Wilson_]

http://www.hondaatvforums.net/forums/honda-trx/89898-87-trx-350-a-2.html

Had to dig this one back up :grin

 

[mac102004]

Man that thing would look wicked with some Outlaws on it lol

 

[Jegs87trx350]

I may just do that and save these original tires! They are in such great shape. I wanted to embellish on an earlier comment I made... I was talking about the guys that are selling these 30+yr old bikes in as is condotion for $2,500-3,500. I don't think thats a fair price considering you'll have to do a bunch to em to get em running right. I wanted to clarify because I saw all the work shadetree did to his last project and he only asked 2 grand! I didn't think THAT was enough considering all he did to it. A complete frame off resto, engine rebuild etc.
I'll be doing a valve adjustment on the new one later tonight. It'll be interesting tone see how far they're out.

Question for you guys... Regarding my trx 350, the knocking noise coming from the head that was intermittent a few weeks ago is now constant. Not right at start up or after she gets good n hot but the whole time in-between while it's coming up to temperature it's making a pretty loud tapping noise. I checked the valves on that one last night and they were spot on. I wonder if it actually goes away once it gets hot or if the idle comes up sufficiently so that it's happening so quickly I just can't hear it anymore? And a bent valve wouldn't stop making noise would it? It would just hammer away wouldn't it? And do valves bend simply from old age or only if it's run lean? I noticed that it was running rich about a week ago so I BARELY leaned it out, like an 1/8th of a turn and the color of the spark plug improved from a sooty, black color to a nice medium tan color. That is desirable, right? Or should I definitely err on the rich side? Thanks guys!

 

[retro]

SAWWEEETTT!!!! Man you hit the lotto!!!! Congrats!!!

I'd check the timing chain slack on your ticking 87. It may be getting close... unless the decomp shaft is contacting the exhaust rocker... or the cam sprocket bolts are loosening up... its probably the chain this time.

EDIT:
Yeah, the mixture adjustment you did is spot on.

 

[Jegs87trx350]

Okay thanks for the tip retro. I agree with you. Combination between the excessive cam shaft end play and a stretched cam chain and everything is just too sloppy in there. Thankfully I have this new one to ride while I'm fixing that one. The foreman gave me trouble when I started it today. Same problem it has been giving me while I tried to fix it for the guy down the street before I bought it. But after the initial difficulty it ran and started perfectly all the rest of the day. It actually seems eager to start, it just fires right up. Makes me think it's not low compression but I'll check that anyhow.
I'll take and upload more pictures tomorrow. I know how much we all enjoy honda porn! Lol.

 

[Jegs87trx350]

One more question; How hot should the motor be when checking the compression? Ideally it should be running temp huh? Is kinda warm okay or will that give me a low reading? It's just hard with everything piping hot in there.

 

[Goober]

Very nice! Wow that looks 100% plus.
LOL I see the brake hub plugs installed on the wheels. Do you have a printed manual?

 

[wheeler]

That quad is beautiful. They are soo rare in that shape!!! You have a keeper there!!! Congrats.

 

[Jegs87trx350]

Thank you guys. Yes its incredible the shape its in! Both my 87 trx 350 and 87 foreman 350 came with the owners manual and tool kits. I'll post again tomorrow.

 

[retro]

The motor doesn't have to be smokin' hot to check compression. I do it when it as cooled just enough to get the job done without melting my skin off. Have a small amount of motor oil handy when you do it so after the initial test you can pour a small amount of oil in the cylinder, crank it over with the starter a few times to coat the cylinder good, then reinsert your gauge and take a wet test. Note the pressures of each test for comparison... the wet test can tell you a lot sometimes. Remember to hold the throttle wide open during each test.

I looked into the camshaft endplay issue we talked about earlier and discovered that I was wrong about the rubber coated endplug in the head having anything to do with that. Endlay is controlled by the outer cam journal, the one closest to the sprocket. Its unlikely that any endplay issue exists on your motor.

And hey, I found the thread where you first mentioned this sweety! Its here:
http://www.hondaatvforums.net/forums/honda-trx/98498-need-help-87-trx-350foreman.html

I don't think you ever got around to diagnosing it yet...? But this one is gonna be easy to fix!!

 

[cmanningjr]

VERY nice!!


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[fishfiles]

very clean machine , I think with some Armor-All you could beat Mac's 300 in next months Bike of the Month Contest ! congrad's on the deal

 

[creed82]

WOW! What a gem! Treasure right there.

 

[shadetree]

wow !, I think maybe you should run down and buy a lottery ticket now ?!..lmao. that is one great looking old girl ya got your hands on !!!..well done !. price was a steal too !!.

 

[Jegs87trx350]

I did buy scratch tickets yestereay! Lol. Spent 20 and won 15... Guess my luck ended with the wheeler! The old guy had the wrong spark plug in it! I haven't looked into it how hot the plug he had in it was but it was a ngk dr8ea instead of dr8es-L. And it was totally white so I know it was wayyy too hot! Could that have damage anything?
Also with the foreman it has a tough time with cold starts. After its warmed up it couldn't possibly start any better than it does. She hardly cranks over at all and it fires. I've just purchased a carb rebuild kit and I bet that will take care of it. The exhaust valves were both too tight; .002 and the intake valves were too loose; .005. I did that this morning and changes the diff fluid. I've been spending the day running it and checking the spark plug trying to get that elusive stoichometric mixture. The first check I saw the plug was wrong. The old fella has owned this thing for over 30 years so it didn't even cross my mind that he'd have the wrong plug in it!
Does anyone who owns one of these notice a slight knock coming from the crank case? Obviously it coincides with the rpms. The old guy would get frustrated with it because it wouldn't start easy and he would just f*÷#ing floor it right after it finally caught. It irked me really bad to see him do it. So I would imagine the bearings are a bit worn whirring around at top speed with barely any oil in them yet. I hate it when people do that!
And lastly, would having the wrong spark plug damage the coil or anything else?