new kaw in the stable...oil from the exhaust?

[MadKaw]

got this bike today..99 kx250, all stock-and I mean NOTHING is done to it. still looks like it just about rolled out of the showroom. stock pipe and everything. the guy bought it to ride with his sons and they were way faster than him. so he pretty much didn't ride it much at all.it runs really good, but it won't idle. I figure it needs a carb cleaning. the thing is that I changed the plug, and the oil in the tranny. it seems the guy had been using atf in the tranny, and maybe he was using too much. I took it out for a little ride after I changed the plug and oil, and there was oil dripping out of the exhaust pipe and quite a bit of it. enough to make the back brake slime up and not work. the oil coming out smells like burnt atf. I'm worried there might be a bad seal between the tranny and crankcase. really hope not though, since that means you have to split the cases right? but then he may have just been running a rich gas/oil mix. need some input here....HELP!

going to be cleaning out the silencer and pipe on Wed.

[hughes]

Nice looking 250. Sounds like the engine needs to come out and split the cases. It's not that bad of a job but I would use the right tool to spread the cases apart not screw drivers.

[eprovenzano]

Before you go too far, what is your mix ratio.  I run 50:1 in my 99 250.  I'd give her a few more rides with proper mix ratio while watching the tranny level before you pull the engine.  Check the silencer packing, it most likely needs replaced.  Give her a few rides, while watching the fluid levels, your problem was most likely an incorrect fuel mix ratio.

The 99 250 is a good reliable bike.  Mine has never disappointed me.

[MadKaw]

thanx for the reply guys, I hope it has just been running the wrong ratio. cause splitting the cases sounds like a huge pain in the @$$. the thing that bothered me the most is that when it got hot and that oil in the pipe got to smokin, it smelled like burnt atf. left a real bad feelin in my gut after I just brought it home. she runs real sweet though(just won't idle) and the thing looks brand new. even the paint on the frame, underneath the bike, everything. I know the packing in the muffler is soaked, how exactly do you get that opened up to get the crap outa there?

scared of pulling the engine out...splitting cases,,,arggghhh!!!  thems fightin words

[hughes]

Do you have a shop manual for the bike?? Their is a test for pressure testing the crank case, kind of like a leakdown test, might need to remove the flywheel cover and flywheel to expose the crank seal and remove clutch basket from other side to expose the crank seal, soapy water spray onto the seal area check for bubbles.

[MadKaw]

holy crap...I forgot about that. yeah I do have a manual. saw that in there the other day, before I bought this one. how hard is the clutch basket to remove without messing up the discs? thanx for the kick in the head....

[Mudshark]

Before you go too far, what is your mix ratio.  I run 50:1 in my 99 250.  I'd give her a few more rides with proper mix ratio while watching the tranny level before you pull the engine.  Check the silencer packing, it most likely needs replaced.  Give her a few rides, while watching the fluid levels, your problem was most likely an incorrect fuel mix ratio.

The 99 250 is a good reliable bike.  Mine has never disappointed me.

Congrats on the new bike ! and I second what eprovenzano said about
running it a while. Also your plan to clean out the pipe is a good idea.
Good luck with it.

[don46]

It sounds to me like it's probably jetted way to rich, as I recall I jetted my 99 down quite a bit, and a way leaner needle. If the guy was just riding casually, and it was jetted to rich it probably has the silencer saturated with oil. There are gear oils that look like ATF. My son has raced 250's for years and never had a bottom end failure, he rode the 250 constantly loved it and still does.

[MadKaw]

yeah definately gonna lightin the mix. just worries me about the smell. I used to be a auto tech, and that smell of burnt transmission fluid is ingrained in my head. the exhaust definately smelled funky. are there any synth. 2-smoke oil like amsoil or something he might have been using that smell wierd? maybe I just have new daddy gitters... . I'll just take it a step at a time and see how she does...

clean out pipe and silencer

ride her and watch the tranny level

as for the carb needle I'm quite sure its the stock one, he has done basically nothing to this bike at all.

could the idle thing be from the oil in the pipe too?

thanx ya'll

[eprovenzano]

I would suspect the bike not idleing, is due to the carb being dirty from the bike sitting.  I'd repack the silencer, watch the fluid levels, and let her rip...

[hughes]

Check the float height before making any jetting changes.

[MadKaw]

never been into one of these carbs before. how do you make sure the float is at the right hieght? and I'm sure the carb is gunked up from sitting. like I said, the guy didn't ride it much. thought about just upping the idle screw.

forgot to mention the plug I pulled out of it was completely black and fuzzy...rich, right? or too cold?
but could still be oil from tranny leaking froma seal?

stay calm....stay calm...she's gonna be o.k.

[FPMXer]

Repack the silencer, clean the carb and air filter, install and new plug and ride it a few times then see if it still runs and idles like crap. Then check the plug and if black jet down. It sounds like it needs a good flogging to get the cob webs blown out and it will be okay.

[MadKaw]

yeah, thats where I'll start as soon as I quit workin every day. long shifts on the ambulance...

[Spider]

There is no need to split the cases, it sounds like a jetting/fuel mixture problem.

Dale