I saw the AX1 for sale thread and didn't want to hijack.

I've got a Degree XL250 that someone said the AX1 had the same engine. Don't know if it's true.

Anyway, I've got a lot of problems with the cooling system I think cause it burns white smoke and loses water. The fan never turns off too so it has an electrical problem somewhere too.

I've taken it to three different guys and no one has fixed it right and I've spent $400 already on wasted time, and the last guy (some foreigner mechanic that didn't charge me) said after spending a few minutes on it that he wouldn't touch it because it looked like a mess.

Anyone know of a good shop that would actually fix it? I don't mind paying for an overhaul but I dont want to drop another $200 for an engine rebuild and then end up with a smoking mess that doesn't start half of the time now...

Sorry rant over,
Joe

SlowJoe wrote: ↑Wed May 25, 2022 6:01 pm I saw the AX1 for sale thread and didn't want to hijack.

I've got a Degree XL250 that someone said the AX1 had the same engine. Don't know if it's true.

Anyway, I've got a lot of problems with the cooling system I think cause it burns white smoke and loses water. The fan never turns off too so it has an electrical problem somewhere too.

I've taken it to three different guys and no one has fixed it right and I've spent $400 already on wasted time, and the last guy (some foreigner mechanic that didn't charge me) said after spending a few minutes on it that he wouldn't touch it because it looked like a mess.

Anyone know of a good shop that would actually fix it? I don't mind paying for an overhaul but I dont want to drop another $200 for an engine rebuild and then end up with a smoking mess that doesn't start half of the time now...

Sorry rant over,
Joe

Probably it's the waterpump mechanical seal that is allowing the oil and coolant to mix, could also be head gasket too mind you. Yes, same engine as AX-1 - different carburetor and perhaps cam profile only

I'll DM you the details of a shop who can sort it

Thanks, I tried to reply to the PM but got an error so I'm sort of replying here. I'll check them out, very close to where I live conveniently.

As for the problem, I don't know what it is exactly. The last foreigner guy who checked it said it had a lot of things wrong like a stuck or missing thermostat, bad or missing temp sensor (why the fans were stuck on) or a relay problem, or all of the above and more.

I had the motor redone and it supposedly got a new headgasket, piston, rings, etc. has good power but is a bitch to start and smokes on higher throttle plus leaks or burns a lot of coolant. Oil is fine though doesn't look like chocolate milk. I used to be a small engine tech for yard equipment so I sort of know what I'm looking at, but sort of not really too.

SlowJoe wrote: ↑Wed May 25, 2022 6:36 pm Thanks, I tried to reply to the PM but got an error so I'm sort of replying here. I'll check them out, very close to where I live conveniently.

As for the problem, I don't know what it is exactly. The last foreigner guy who checked it said it had a lot of things wrong like a stuck or missing thermostat, bad or missing temp sensor (why the fans were stuck on) or a relay problem, or all of the above and more.

I had the motor redone and it supposedly got a new headgasket, piston, rings, etc. has good power but is a bitch to start and smokes on higher throttle plus leaks or burns a lot of coolant. Oil is fine though doesn't look like chocolate milk. I used to be a small engine tech for yard equipment so I sort of know what I'm looking at, but sort of not really too.

Trouble with those bikes is that they had a nikasil bore so it would last forever, but when they break here people try to overbore them or to install a non standard cylinder which can cause problems

Hard starting could be valve adjustment; that bike is a shim-under-bucket jobbie so probably wasn't done properly last time or could also have incorrect timing

If the head wasn't skimmed before re-assy last time then it may leak coolant into the combustion chamber but not the oil system - a possible cause of what you describe

This is the problem with bikes that have been here for any length of time - it's no longer a simple diagnose and fix - more like figure out every mechanical crime and bodge that has been done by various bongs over the years and then see if it's worth the cost vs benefit to fix it

But if you take it to that fellow he will definitely give you an honest quote from my experience there

Well thank you I appreciate it. Hopefully something good can come from it because haven't had good luck at all getting it usefully functional yet.

Sounds about right though, the last person to work on my FTR had it for 2 months and still didn't get all the problems fixed on it either. Don't know if it's a mix of bad mechanics, bodge jobs, or what have you or all of the above.

Sean Lee bike shop?